The Cafe at Pat’s is now open for business. It’s located at 484 Stevens Ave, upstairs from Pat’s Meat Market. The restaurant is back under the leadership of Greg Gilman who originally launched the restaurant (and designed its interior) in February 1998.
Month: August 2011
Review of Zapoteca
Flavor & Zest has published a review of Zapoteca.
For an appetizer, three drinks, three entrees and a dessert, the bill came just under $100. For the portion sizes, the abundance of the ingredients, and the flavors (not to mention the atmosphere and service), it was well worth it. Overall, we had a very pleasant outing to Portland’s newest Mexican restaurant, and it definitely won’t be my last (if for no other reason than to have that tequila caramel).
South Portland Yard Becomes Garden for Soup Kitchen
Today’s Press Herald includes an article about a South Portland resident who replaced her lawn with a large vegetable garden. Produce from the garden is “distributed among four soup kitchen sites and 42 agencies in Cumberland County.”
[Liberty] Bryer teamed up with Wayside Soup Kitchen to plant a 2,000-square-foot community garden in her yard on Edwards Street, in the Meetinghouse Hill neighborhood.
“That has been part of my hope and intent, that people would realize, yes, they can grow for themselves and for other people,” she said.
Banadir Halal & Snap Reviews
I’ve made a couple additions to the PFM directory:
- Banadir Halal Market has moved into Morrill’s Corner on Forest Ave where Nabile’s Market and before it Bell’s Antiques had been located.
- Snap Reviews, a Flikr-based restaurant review site, has been added to the Blog list. Each new mini-review consists of a single photo and a sentence or two of commentary.
Maine at Work: Raking Blueberries
For the latest installment of the Press Herald Maine at Work series, reporter Ray Routhier learns how to rake wild blueberries at Hart’s Clary Hill Farm near Union.
Powers runs a blueberry farm that his wife’s family started in the 1930s. The land had originally been a sheep farm, but is now turning out one of Maine’s most iconic crops — wild blueberries.
The challenges to growing blueberries begin with the fact that they are wild, Powers tells me. You don’t plant them, you can’t decide where they’ll grow. This makes weeding or treating them with herbicides tricky. And it makes picking them — on rocky hillsides for instance — tricky as well.
This Week’s Events: Fermentation Class, Twilight Dinner, Latte Art Throwdown, Bibo’s Wine Dinner
Wednesday — Urban Farm Fermentory is teaching a vegetable fermentation workshop, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — Guy Hernandez from Bar Lola is the guest chef at this week’s Twilight Dinner, Bard Coffee is hosting the monthly latte art throwdown, Browne Trading is holding a wine tasting, the Great Lost Bear is featuring beer from Moat Mountain Smoke House at this week’s brewery showcase, and the South Portland Farmers Market is taking place in the afternoon.
Friday — BiBo’s Mad Apple Cafe is holding a wine dinner and there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton Ave.
Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — Ed Foley, baker and co-owner of Foley’s Bakery will be on Channel 8’s morning cooking show Keithley in the Kitchen.
For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.
If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.
The Honey Exchange Now Open
The Honey Exchange opened for business yesterday at 494 Stevens Ave, just a few steps down the road from Pat’s Meat Market. The business is sells “local and artisan honey; gifts and specialty foods; mead, wine, and honey beer; and backyard beekeeping supplies.” It’s owned by beekeeper and honey enthusiast Phil Gaven.
Review of Miyake
Joe Ricchio has written a review of the new Miyake for Maine magazine’s new blog.
After personally spending some of the best years of my restaurant career happily employed at the old location, I have to admit that I didn’t want to like the new concept. Though I, and many others, will always miss Spring Street, I can safely say that Miyake has grown up and is moving in a positive new direction.
This is one of the greatest dining experiences in Maine.
Review of Fez
Maine Travel Maven has posted a review of Fez.
One taste, and I was planning my return. In a former life, I pursued a graduate degree in Middle Eastern studies, and during that time, I learned what falafel should taste like. This was it. Falafel at it’s most basic is deep-fried chickpeas, but getting the seasoning and textures right can be a challenge. All too often it’s dry and virtually tasteless. No so Fez’s version, which is served on a salad of greens with tomatoes dressed with an herbed tahini dressing that enhanced the flavors. Hands down, this was the best falafel I’ve had in Maine.
Review of Cobblestones
The Bollard has posted a review of Cobblestones.
By the end of our lunch the three of us were grateful there aren’t any dessert options. We were stuffed. Cobblestones doesn’t presume to be anything more than it is, and succeeds at what it does offer. It’s perfect for the simple workday lunch.