Portland Food Swap

Megan Bedford, author of Megansmark, has written a post about the Portland Food Swap for Livework Portland.

Recently, one of my favorite food community events was the Portland Food Swap, a locally organized shindig that welcomes anyone to come swap homemade, homegrown, or foraged foods. Food swaps are growing in popularity throughout the U.S., and have a strong foothold in the Pacific Northwest (particularly in the other Portland) where they are known for high standards of creativity in both content and design.

For more information on the Portland Food Swap visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/portlandfoodswap

Reviews of Enio’s, Local Press and Crooked Mile

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Enio’s,

Enio’s may be run by veterans of the Maine restaurant scene, and be rooted in traditional strengths of Italian cuisine, but thanks to its imaginative menu and bright interesting space, it feels new and fresh.

and posted a double review of Local Press and Crooked Mile on Brighton Ave.

Two new lunch spots in the Rosemont neighborhood — a second location for local fave The Crooked Mile and the first for panini specialist the Local Press — offer a brighter fate to folks who lunch and labor off-peninsula.

Salvage, Hunt & Alpine and Omi’s Plan Openings

Salvage BBQ, the Portland Hunt & Alpine Club and Omi’s Coffee Shop all plan on opening in the next week:

  • Salvage is first out of the gate. They sent out a press release yesterday to announce they’re opening day will be this Sunday.
  • Omi’s plans on opening their Harbor View Park neighborhood coffee shop on Tuesday, September 3.
  • The Hunt & Alpine Club has announced their ‘official’ grand opening will take place Thursday September 5 at 4 pm. They’ve published some photos of the furnishings and elements of the space on Facebook.

For those of you keeping score that means in one week there will have been 2 tv crews filming restaurants in Portland, 2 national press articles about Portland restaurants and the chance to try 3 new venues. Yes, restaurant life is good in Portland.

New York Times & Food Republic Eat in Portland

Both the New York Times and Food Republic have published articles today highlighting some of their favorites from recent visits to Portland.

The New York Times article entitled “Portland, Me.: Locavore in Menu and Décor” features Hugo’s, In’finiti, Grace and Fore Street,

It’s hardly a secret that Portland, Me., is a food-lover’s paradise. Stroll down the sloping streets and cobbled lanes in the heart of this small maritime city, and you can’t miss the evidence: bakeries fragrant with just-baked sour cherry pies; indie coffee shops selling wood-roasted beans; bars where cocktails might be infused with local rhubarb or kale or blueberries; and, of course, restaurants of seemingly every ethnic and gastronomic stripe.

while the Food Republic article “7 Places To Eat And Drink Incredibly Well In Portland, Maine” draws attention to Little Bigs, Miyake, Opus 10, Blue Rooster, Eventide, Outliers and Vaughan Street Variety.

Portland, Maine is quickly climbing the ranks as a culinary destination, offering much more than sublime lobster rolls. With easy access to both fresh seafood from the ocean and seasonal produce from local farms, a recent influx of big-city chefs seeking calmer waters, and a local less-is-more attitude (which translates into top-notch, ingredient-driven food sans hype or attitude), Portland’s dining scene is vibrant, diverse and hotter than ever. Here, a few places worth checking out during your next trip to the beautiful coastal town.