Under Construction: White Cap Coffee Brewery and Tasting Room

| Posted in Under Construction

Ben Graffius and Tom Marlow from White Cap Cold Brew Coffee Company (website, facebook, instagram) have leased 135 Washington Ave, the former Sahara Club, where they plan to open the White Cap Coffee Brewery and Tasting Room.

The concept of the coffee brewery on Washington Ave takes its inspiration from brewery tasting room rather than the traditional coffee shop. Graffius and Marlow along with coffee roasting partner John Walsh from Arabica plan to serve a range of White Cap cold brew coffees, french press coffee, local beers and a menu of smaller bites created by chef Stephanie Shershow that will compliment the beverage program. Espresso-based drinks, part of the standard program at other coffee shops won’t be on the menu.

The business got their start last year and were one of the original start-ups at Fork Food Lab. They produce cold brew coffee in volume and supply it to kegs and growlers to their customers. As their business grows, White Cap is working to develop methods to produce larger batches of cold brew. They’ve applied for an MTI grant to support their R&D work.

The hope to have the new White Cap Coffee Brewery open early next year.

Update: White Cap has decided not to move into 135 Washington Ave, and is looking at other locations.

Under Construction: Rosemont in Cape Elizabeth

| Posted in Under Construction

Mainebiz reports that Rosemont is expanding to Cape Elizabeth where they plan to open in a store at 537 Shore Rd.

Rosemont Market will open a sixth store and the Portland-based grocer plans to double its local food processing and sales and consolidate most processing and production operations under one much-larger roof.

Rosemont General Manager Dan Roche said the new store will open in November at [537] Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth. Rosemont bought the three-story building for $400,000 last spring.

Update: The Press Herald has also published an article about the new Rosemont.

Fork Food Lab, Apple Sleuthing

| Posted in General News

The Food & Dining section of today’s Press Herald includes:

Fork Food Lab – A feature article on Fork Food Lab with profiles of three of the member businesses

A year after the food lab opened, Spillane has developed an eye for who will make it, and who will remain in hobby business limbo. He quizzes entrepreneurs in initial meetings to see how prepared they are: Do they have a business plan? Have they raised enough capital to keep them going for six months to a year? Have they chosen a distinctive name for their business, and is it trademark-able? Have they already reserved their handles for social media?

Apple Sleuthing – how to seek out and identify older trees that are one of Maine’s lost apples

What most excites me is the possibility that any tree could turn out to be one of the dozens of “lost” apple varieties that have vanished from the farms, yards and orchards of Maine. The need to find these varieties before the trees die – or the people who know where they are do – is urgent. Apple geeks, like me, like to play detective. We’re willing to invest the time and effort to track down every clue. But this is a team effort, and the apple historians of Maine need your help.

4th Annual Heirloom Apple Tasting

| Posted in Events

Portland Food Map is working with the good folks over at The Righteous Russet headquarters to organize the 4th Annual Heirloom Apple Tasting.

The tasting is taking place on October 9th, 2-5 pm at the Fork Food Lab. You’ll be able to try dozens of heritage and rare apple varieties gleaned from orchards in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont as well as tap into a cash bar stocked with several hard ciders from across the region that are well worth drinking.

Have you ever tasted a Hudson Golden Gem, Fameuse, or Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple, the Esopus Spitzenburg? From the tiny Chestnut Crab to the appropriately named Twenty Ounce, apples offer a wide assortment of tastes, textures, shapes and sizes that are too often underrepresented at the local supermarket or pick-your-own orchard.

Tickets: $10 tickets are on sale at Eventbrite.

Adweek: Might & Main

| Posted in Profiles

Adweek has published an article about Might & Main and how they “Helped Make Portland, Maine, the Hippest Foodie Town in New England”.

“Eventide set things into motion for us,” adds Wilkinson. “By fate of timing, and being in the right place at the right time, and stumbling into what was going to be the most exciting restaurant for Portland for a while, we ended really being at the front of a lot of what has made Portland’s food scene what it is today. We’ve continued to try to put that effort into every other restaurant that’s come along, and it came at a time when every other restaurant opening up was better than the last. It built a really cool, robust scene that keeps getting better. Our work with restaurants is beginning to taper off, so we got to own a really nice moment in time in Portland.”

 

Under Construction: Elsmere BBQ

| Posted in Under Construction

Elsmere BBQ is reported to be in the processing of purchasing Siano’s in Deering Center where they will open a Portland location. From Nextdoor via  the Love Deering Center page on Facebook:

Elsmere is closing on the former Siano’s bldg in early October with construction and renovating to be done and a projected opening time frame in January. Went to their location in SoPo for dinner last night and got the inside scoop. Am now very excited for this addition to our neighborhood!

This Week’s Events: Beer Meets Woods, Forkiversary, Zwanze Day, Common Ground Fair

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday – Fork Food Lab is celebrating their 1-year anniversary, Novare Res is holding a Beer Meets Woods pre-party, and The Great Lost Bear is featuring beer from Yes Brewing.

Friday – it’s the opening day of the Common Ground Fair, and The Harraseeket Inn is serving a Maine Harvest Dinner.

Saturday –it’s Cantillon Zwanze Day, the Beer Meets Woods Festival is being held at the Portland Company Complex, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – it’s the last day of the Common Ground Fair.

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, please provide details as a comment to this post.

Under Construction: Gross Confection Bar

| Posted in Under Construction

Pastry chef Brant Dadaleares has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the launch of his dessert-only restaurant Gross Confection Bar (instagram) The $35,000 raised by the campaign will be used to pay for the build-out of the restaurant and for refrigeration equipment.

Gross Confection Bar will be a dessert-focused restaurant and bar to be located in the heart of the Old Port district in Portland, Maine. Gross will provide a unique and consistent restaurant experience featuring an ever changing selection of high-quality artfully-plated desserts, cocktails, dessert wines, digestifs, and exceptional service. Gross will also provide a consistent selection of enrobed ganaches, fruit pates, bon-bon, entremets, late night savory snacks and desserts to go. Gross will create a new niche for a “just for dessert” destination experience in Portland.

I’ve been seeking out and happily consuming Dadaleares’ desserts for many years at Fore Street, Eventide/Honey/Paw, Central Provisions/Tipo and at his dessert pop-ups. Portland Food Map is a contributor to the Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter campaign.

Reviews: Eventide, Pai Men, Big Fin Poke

| Posted in Reviews

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Big Fin Poke,

If you go to Big Fin Poke – and you should – feel free to get creative with your bowl. I went a little light on the add-ons this time, but you’re able to get as crazy as you want. Load on the goodies and enjoy your work in creating a masterpiece. That’s half the fun of going. Of course, the food itself is also awesome. Stay tuned for more awesomeness as a new Big Fin comes to South Portland soon too.

As the Lobster Roll has reviewed Eventide, and

And did I mention those miniature steamed buns are stuffed full of lobster which has been skillfully sauteed in the brown butter? I have no idea what else they add to the mixture and honestly, I don’t care… because it’s so decadent and delicious! The price is $15 for one lobster roll (no accoutrements included) and whoever can go there and just eat one is a bigger person than me.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of Pai Men Miyake.

The food is what truly shines at Pai Men Miyake. If you’re a fan of sour flavors or drinks with heavy lime/lemon flavorings, then this is the cocktail list for you. Otherwise, sticking to their beers (a large, exciting selection of both local and Japanese brews), wine or sake is likely the way to go. A loud, casual and hip atmosphere make this a fun place to grab some food and a drink with friends or a date.