Reviews: Lazzari, Boone’s, El Rayo

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a set of reviews of Lazzari written by students in the Telling Room’s Week in Review summer class,

After ordering tomato and basil, pancetta and onion, and margherita pizzas, our group chats a little until our food arrives after about 10 to 15 minutes. It is hot and ready to eat. Everything fits together into a masterpiece of a meal. The black pepper gives the pizza a kick, and the fresh mozzarella melts in my watering mouth. The dessert was vanilla ice cream served in an espresso cup, with shaved mint and dark chocolate on top. I love a good dark chocolate taste, and this one is heavenly. Every taste and every bite at Lazzari bring back memories of being at a streetside cafe in Rome as the beautiful Colosseum towers in from of me. The food is soon gone.

The Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Lazzari,

Lazzari was outstanding. Each part of our meal – drinks, app, and pie shined brightly. All three were perfect summer dining and so good, I would order them in the middle of a snowstorm too. The service was excellent and the overall atmosphere quite enticing. I can’t think of anything at all that was subpar. Go to Lazzari for basic pizza? No, go for an exceptional dining experience.

As the Lobster Rolls has reviewed Boone’s, and

he best part of the lobster roll was the delightfully grilled bun and the side of very tasty, tangy potato salad. No really, that’s the only nice thing I can say about the experience. To think this lobster roll is just about the same price as The Beach Plum. There’s absolutely no comparison.

I often recommend Boone’s for its location and food. I’ll continue to do so… I’ll just steer folks clear of the lobster rolls.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of El Rayo,

While a little bit smaller than the old spot, the new-ish El Rayo on Free Street has lost none of its personality or quality. Stop by for the same margaritas, Micheladas and killer happy hour you remember.

Icelandic Brewing Collaboration

| Posted in Uncategorized

The Press Herald has written about the collaboration between Liquid Riot and Borg Brugghus from Iceland.

The heather, sea salt and brett will hang out in Liquid Riot’s tanks while the beer ages. It could be ready in six weeks, Abbot said, and it could be six months. The beer should be around 4 percent alcohol. When it’s ready, the beer will be on tap at Liquid Riot and at Novare Res, a nearby Portland beer bar.

Bissell Brothers Brewing

| Posted in Beer

Good  Beer Hunting has published a lengthy article about the founding and evolution of Bissell Brothers Brewing.

There are loads of obstacles you don’t see coming when starting a business. “If you go down this road, you will be faced with a million reasons to quit,” Peter says. Questioning the idea, realizing how much more things cost, how much longer everything takes. These are challenges you’ll face as you move forward. How you deal with them is a test of your mettle. “That’s part of the story that I like to think anyone can relate to,” he continues. “That transformation. It’s not just beer, it’s not just starting a brewery—it’s shattering your beliefs of what you think you can do.”

Under Construction: Scratch’s Toast Bar

| Posted in Under Construction

Here’s a look at the Toast Bar that Scratch Baking has under construction on Broadway.

We’ll be toasting up our amazing bread and famous bagels and offering an array of toppings including Casco Bay butter, homemade jams & jellies, our delicious plain and herbed cream cheese, Myrt’s pimento cheese, as well as many other intriguing options and combinations. We’ll be pouring Coffee By Design, Speckled Ax and Rwanda Bean Co. coffee as well as making our fantastic espresso drinks.

Renee Rhoads/Mashed Food Truck

| Posted in People

The Press Herald has published a feature story on Renee Rhoads, the former school teacher who launched the Mashed food truck earlier this year.

At first, Rhoads peeled every potato by hand – she goes through at least 200 pounds in a week – but after she, her husband, and her sister-in-law spent 24 hours peeling potatoes for a local festival, Rhoads bought a $700 potato-peeling machine. “You don’t start a snow removal business with a freakin’ shovel,” she told her husband. “I’m buying the machine.”

Interview with Nathan Hann

| Posted in People

Mainebiz has published an interview with Nathan Hann, CBD’s Director of Training,

MB: On the retail side, what’s the first thing you teach people?
NH: It’s still a work in progress, but right now we’re doing the espresso fundamentals class. It’s a three-hour class where they’re introduced to the machine and overall cleanliness and upkeep. Then we migrate into espresso and milk texturing and then constructing of the drink. We do that for wholesale accounts as well. It’s a long process that goes for weeks to make sure they’re ready.

Under Construction: Kind Stack Sandwich Co.

| Posted in Under Construction

Parker Auger is developing a new food cart, the Kind Stack Sandwich Company (instagram).

Kind Stack’s menu will “focus on Italian grinder style sandwiches” like a classic Italian (capocollo, mortadella, slami, sopressata, prosciutto, pepperoni), and a Muffuletta (sopressata, mortadella, capocollo, olive relish). Auger plans to locate on Commercial Street and make the brewery circuit.

Auger has been on the bakery staff at Scratch Baking Company, and prior to that worked as the pastry chef at Local 188.

This Week’s Events: Mississippi Pop-up Dinner, Summer Session Beer Festival

| Posted in Events

Monday – Village Vitals is serving a Mississippi pop-up dinner at Fork Food Labs.

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

Thursday – there will be a Stone Fence spirits tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday – there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont in the West End.

Saturday – the Brewers Guild is holding their Summer Session Beer Festival, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – Local 188 is serving a dinner featuring cuisine from Seville, Spain.

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.

Reviews: Cong Tu Bot, Chaval, Sonny’s, Sip of Europe, Portland Lobster, Noble BBQ

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Cong Tu Bot,

Hủ Tiếu Xào was especially impressive, a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with scallions, “many chilis,” peanuts, daily vegetable and brown sauce. The dish is numbingly hot up-front, while sparing the back of the tongue to some extent and calling to mind the “Ma La” dichotomy characteristic of Sichuan cuisine. The caramelized noodles are unlike any I’ve had in Portland, with a depth of flavor highlighted by the aggressive usage of spicy chilis. Fresh raw cucumbers and cilantro add a cooling foil to the heat, which is tamed only by taking generous swigs of Tiger lager.

Map & Menu has reviewed Chaval,

On our first trip (of what is sure to be many), Meredith and I changed it up a little and shared the coq au vin dinner for two. The red wine braised chicken was absolutely outstanding, and will be hard to beat for any future meals. With a bar program headed up by renowned Portland bartender Patrick McDonald, we added a delicious Aperitif Dunhill and a Spanish G&T; and as is the case with any dinner where Ilma is in the kitchen, we saved room for dessert – the decadent churros with hot chocolate sauce and salted sugar. Yes and please.

As the Lobster Rolls has reviewed Portland Lobster Company,

Definitely, don’t let this review sway you from visiting Portland Lobster Co. It’s a great spot in Portland’s Old Port and since this lobster roll was voted Best of, I feel like maybe there were just having an off day. They could’ve been short-staffed, their bun toaster might have called in sick… I just find it hard to believe that this is the quality of lobster roll that everyone is getting.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Sonny’s,

…Swordfish el pastor is wrapped up with guajillo, pineapple puree, fresh pineapple, onion and chipotle mayo; then an eggplant taco masa-battered and wonderfully puffy and crisp encased the eggplant with chili de arbol, in a salsa of raisins, capers and cucumber. These were two of the best tacos I’ve had anywhere in Maine.

the Press Herald has reviewed Sip of Europe, and

From the moment fork met mouth, my taste buds felt as a symphony was being played just for them; it was glorious. It took every effort I could muster to not inhale this marvelous creation without stopping to savor every flash of succulent flavor, but I managed to slow myself down enough to truly appreciate every morsel of this incredible crepe. Could I have eaten two of them? Sure, but was the one enough? Also yes.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Noble Barbecue.

A first bite of my actual sandwich produced a more pleasant experience than the solo chicken. On top sat a big pile of curtido – a cabbage relish of sorts. That and the cojito cheese added nice flavors while the plantains gave some crunch. I enjoyed the sandwich overall and found the mole along the lines of what I generally expect of it.