UnaRes Technologies

A local Maine company called UnaRes Technologies (website, instagram) launched their first product earlier this month. UnaBrew is

…a comprehensive brewery management solution developed in close collaboration with industry experts. We’ve designed a powerful software platform to overcome the challenges of operating a brewery; from consistently brewing top quality beer to scheduling tasting room staff, and everything in between.

The company was founded by Ivan Novikov and Andrew Camarata. The two are longtime friends and avid beer lovers with backgrounds in software development. They’ve developed UnaBrew over the last 10 months, and are now focusing their energies on identifying and adding new features to the program.

Breweries interested in learning more about UnaBrew can reach them via their website or DM on instagram.

Yardie Ting Opened Saturday

Yadie Ting (facebookinstagram), a Jamaican eatery, opened yesterday. They’re located on the 2nd floor of the Public Market House.

Yardie Ting serves “authentic Jamaican dishes with a modern twist , using fresh local ingredients and homemade rubs and spices.” The menu posted on Saturday included jerk chicken, tofu, or pork, and curry stew as a plate or bowl, as well as Jamaican tacos.

They’ll be open on Sunday, 12 – 5.

Coals Pizza Opens Today

Coals Pizza (websiteinstagramtwitter) is scheduled to open today at 5 pm. Coals is located at 114 Preble Street in the former Portland & Rochester space. This is Coal’s only location outside of New York. They specialize in grilled pizza. You can see their full menu online.

2015 review in the New York Times sums up Coals this way,

The atmosphere is as quirky and appealing as the food, with a Catskills-meets-Brooklyn vibe from mounted deer antlers and painted country scenes. Sit there long enough and you’ll become aware of the rhythmic sound of the pizza cutter, a guy who wields a huge half moon of a knife that he rocks across the pies as they come out, dividing them into three- or four-bite squares. It’s a kind of siren call — one that should be heeded by all pizza lovers.

Coals was founded in 2004 in the Bronx. Their first two locations are located in Bronxville and Port Chester.

Back Story: Coals owner Billy Etzel was born and raised in NYC, but he’s been visiting Maine since age 3 and always felt connected to the state. Four years ago Etzel’s son began doing some family genealogical research. Etzel himself is adopted, and through the research online they discovered that his biological family was trying to get in contact with him. As it turns out his biological family is from Kittery, just 30 minutes away from where Etzel owns a cabin. It’s as a result of this connection to Maine to Etzel decided to open his latest branch of Coals Pizza here in Portland.

2019 Pocket Guide Now Available

I’m happy to announce the release of the 2019 PFM Printed Pocket Guide. This handy paper reference provides a compact list of the best restaurants, bakeries, breweries, coffee shops, cocktail bars, and cafes in Portland. It also includes highlights of a few places to dine elsewhere in the state worth the drive. Portable, collectible, and always offline, the Pocket Guide helps you narrow down and answer that all important question — “where should I go for my next meal.”

Many thanks to the wonderful Pocket Guide sponsors for their generous support, which enabled Portland Food Map to produce and print this resource:

While supplies last you can pick-up your very own copy of the guide at these local businesses: Rose Foods, Maine & Loire, Rising Tide, Little Woodfords, Belleville, Giant Cafe, or the Portland Trading Company.

A limited number of pocket guides also are for sale in packs of 25 if you’d like to use them for your business. Whether that’s as a handout to Airbnb guests, to distribute to business clients, or for some other purpose where you need more than one personal copy. Contact anestes@portlandfoodmap.com for details.

The 2019 pocket guide wouldn’t be as good as it is, in fact it wouldn’t exist at all, without help from the extended PFM team of Dawn Hagin from Rare Brick Strategic, and from graphic designer Sofija Razgaitis. My thanks to both of them for all their hard work on the project.

Eighteen Twenty PWW Wine Release

Eighteen Twenty is releasing a new wine in honor of Portland Wine Week. Fête, a 11.5% ABV “off-dry wine with balanced acidity” was produced using rhubarb grown by Spiller Farm in Wells and Doles Orchard in Limington.

The label image is based on the gaff-rigged topsail cutter, The Frances, which operates in Casco Bay with rhubarb leave sails.

You  can try Fête at the Eighteen Twenty tasting room on Anderson Street starting this weekend, and it was also be on the menu for the Women Winemakers Luncheon on June 17th, as well as the Rose Wine Sail taking place on June 21st.

Luke’s Lobster

Boston.com has published an article on Wednesday’s opening of Luke’s Lobster.

The seafood spot, which will soft open for dinner on Wednesday, is a major milestone for the lobster company that first launched in Manhattan in 2009. Started by Cape Elizabeth native Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster debuted in New York City’s East Village, and went on to make its mark in 10 cities across the U.S. — including three locations in Boston — plus Japan and Taiwan.

A&C Food Factory Launches Tuesday

A new food cart called A&C Food Factory (instagram) is scheduled to launch on Tuesday at Austin Street Brewing. According to their press release,

A&C Food Factory builds on the success of the Luncheonette at A&C Grocery on Washington Avenue. After two years of almost non-stop road work, A&C has proven that its reputation for quality, value and deliciousness continues to attract discerning customers with great taste. With A&C Food Factory the battle is over! Starting Tuesday, June 4th, A&C Food Factory will allow more folks to enjoy the A&C experience at both popular destinations and at the finest Breweries in Portland, Maine.

The A&C Food Factory is a collaboration between A&C Grocery owner Joe Fournier, chef Ben Slattery and Joe’s brother Mike. Slattery was formerly the garde manager at Chaval.