Review of Mandy and Matt’s Cafe

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has published a review of Mandy and Matt’s Cafe in Morrill’s Corner.

I opted for a veggie breakfast sandwich ($8.99) of egg, cheese, spinach, tomato, and onion on an English muffin, which I doctored up with a little salt and a splash of Cholula hot sauce. As with most breakfast entrées on the menu, the price included either home fries (griddled or deep fried) or my favorite: hash browns, pressed flat on the griddle until intensely crispy. I ordered a side of meaty, salty, homemade corned beef hash ($9.99), which was also griddled to a delightful crisp (canned hash is available for those willing to trade excellence for nostalgia).

The Teal Duck in the Old Port

| Posted in Under Construction

A new cocktail bar called The Teal Duck (instagram) is under construction at 8 Exchange Street in the space formerly occupied by Portland Bar and Bites.

Owner Brandon James Allegue shared in the cover letter of his liquor license application his vision for the bar, “The Teal Duck is designed to be a sophisticated, intimate, and dim-lit sanctuary within the heart of Portland. Our focus is on the art of the classic cocktail, paired with a curated menu of charcuterie boards, artisan breadboards, and locally sourced marinated vegetables. We aim to provide a relaxed atmosphere that encourages slow-paced social interaction and an appreciation for culinary craft.”

Allegue plans to serve riffs on classic cocktails, draft beer from brewers in Maine and New England and wines by the glass. The food menu will include a choice of 10 different meat and cheese boards as well as a dessert board.

The 1,800 sq ft space will include a 15-seat bar and table seating for 60 people. Allegue is planning for The Teal Duck to be open daily 5 pm – 1 am. He plans to make some light renovations to the space and hopes to be open to the public in early May.

The photograph above is from this past July.

Gross Going Out of Business

| Posted in Closings

Brant Dadaleares has announced the closure of Gross Bakery. This Sunday will be Gross’s last day in business.

For the past seven years, it’s been a pleasure serving the Portland community. We’re incredibly grateful for all of the support and for everyone who has stopped in along the way.

Gross initially opened on January 4, 2019, with the bakery part of the business coming online in July of the same year. Earlier this year Dadaleares shutdown the dessert bar part of the business to focus on operating the bakery.

Maine Food & Dining News: Brunswick, Freeport, Gardiner, Camden, Biddeford, Saco, Lyman, Winterport, Yarmouth, Ogunquit, South Portland

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

  • A new ice cream shop called Half Pint Giant (instagram) is under construction in Brunswick. It will be located at 147.5 Maine Street (above right) in the space formerly occupied by The Frappe Shop. They plan to offer hard serve and soft serve ice cream with “unique and nostalgic” toppings, parfaits, sundaes, milkshakes and custom mixed sodas. The owners of Half Pint hope to launch in early April.
  • Spun Bakery (website, facebook, instagram) has taken over the 175-year old building at 11 Mechanics Street (above left) in Freeport where owner Don Gaile plans to open a retail bakery this June. Gaile initially launched Spun out of his home kitchen in 2016 and this is the next step in scaling up his business. The new space will have seating for 15 and Gaile is planning to expand the menu to also include savory dishes like frittata, toasts made on house made Japanese milk bread, and croissant sandwiches.
  • Bintliff’s Corner Brew in Gardiner has been building out a new seating area. The “Conservatory” will provide an addition 15 seats in a sunny room constructed with reclaimed beams, a roof sourced from an mill building in Lewiston, and a circular window that is a design echo of the one in the nearby Gardiner library.
  • Aragosta chef Devin Finigan is serving a 9-course tasting menu at the Norumbega on Saturday March 14th.
  • Fish & Whistle is holding a 4-course lunch and learn called Eating Invasives. The meal will feature locally harvested invasive species, and it will be complemented with a presentation by marine biologist Aubrey Jane. The event is taking place May 31st and tickets are available online.
  • Biddeford Saco Restaurant Week is taking place March 15 – 22.
  • The Biddo Foodies have published a field report from the Blushing Hen farm and bakery stand in Lyman.
  • The Bangor Daily News has a report on The Rolling Pin Cafe and Bakery (facebook) which recently opened in Winterport. They serve breakfast and lunch and are located at 145 Main Street. “The Norrises have plans to make the spot even more of a community hub in the coming months. They’re scoping out dates for evening painting workshops, and will open their outdoor patio with seating in the spring. They are also planning to host a farmers’ market in their parking lot.”
  • The Press Herald has published an article about Lotso Tacos which opened on Main Street in Yarmouth in last fall., and an article about the Ogunquit food scene.
  • As reported on Thursday, the owners of Yosaku and in the final stretch to launch their new Japanese grill and sushi restaurant called Makoto (instagram). Makoto is located on Cottage Road in South Portland and will be opening in April.
  • As reported this past Sunday, the owner of Taj will be launching a cafe in South Portland called Cobblestone Coffee & Company.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of 100+ coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, plus other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Makoto in South Portland

| Posted in Under Construction

As we reported back last May, Yosaku owners chef Rattanak Tray and Hope MacVane-Tray purchased the former Elsmere BBQ building in South Portland where they are working to launch a new restaurant.

Construction is nearly completed and if you’ve driven past 448 Cottage Road you’ve seen the newly clad exterior. The restaurant will be named Makoto (instagram) and chef Tray shared that he’s hoping to launch the Japanese grill and sushi restaurant April 1st.

The seasonally driven menu will feature wood-fired dishes like grilled duck, fish, and steaks as well as a similar range of sushi options as Yosaku. The Trays intend to have a intimate and interactive service model at Makoto.

The reservation system for Makoto is expected to go live in the middle of March. Stay tuned later this month for some photos of the interior and a look at the menu.

Mr. Tuna to Launch Ladyfish

| Posted in Under Construction

Jordan and Marisa Rubin have announced plans to open a new restaurant called Ladyfish (instagram) at 425 Fore Street in the space that was formerly occupied by their restaurant Bar Futo.

Ladyfish will be a summer pop-up restaurant operating May through October headlined by chef Christine Lau. The menu will include specialty dishes like Whole Fried Fluke Francese, Lobster Frites, and Little Neck Clams roasted on the half shell as well as Maine seafood standards like oysters, chowders, lobster rolls. The beverage menu will offer local beers, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and wines by the glass.

The Rubins shared, “Conceived as a relaxed, summer-only concept, Ladyfish will offer a menu rooted in approachable seafood classics made with exceptional Maine-sourced ingredients and with touches of Chef Lau’s rich expertise in Chinese, Italian and Latin American cuisine. The Rubins—also owners of acclaimed Portland restaurant Mr. Tuna—are bringing their deep waterfront relationships and sourcing ethos to a format designed for easygoing, casual seafood- forward dining.”

Lau will be relocating to Portland to lead the kitchen at Ladyfish. She was the executive chef at Kimika which was a Beard Awards semifinalists for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Her press accolades include an Eater NYC Best Dishes of 2020 nod, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Hot List for Best New Restaurants, and Food & Wine magazine’s Best Bites of 2021.

Jordan Rubin launched the Mr. Tuna food truck in 2017 and the Mr. Tuna restaurant on Middle Street in 2024. With partners Cyle Reynolds and Sasha Brouillard the Rubins launched Crispy Gai on Exchange Street in 2021. Last year Rubin was named to the 2025 class of Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine.