Month: July 2011

SoPo Farmers Market

| Posted in General News, Profiles

Edible Obsessions has posted a report on her visit to the inaugural farmers market in South Portland with a special focus on the Wicked Sharp knife sharpening service.

So, I resigned myself to the notion of having slightly sharp knives for ever. That was, until I noticed Wicked Sharp had posted on their Facebook page that they would be joining the new Farmer’s Market in South Portland and would be sharpening knives while you shopped. I was already heading over to Thomas Knight Park to pick up my online order from the Cape Farms’ Market and this made it so I didn’t have to deal with my separation issues. Brilliant.

For additional commentary on the market see The Golden Dish.

Under Construction: Bam Bam Bakery

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report from the Press Herald, Bam Bam Bakery is in the process of opening a retail location on Commercial Street.

Portland will get its first full-fledged gluten-free bakery in August.

Bevin McNulty, owner of Bam Bam Bakery, has been making wholesale gluten-free baked goods in her home for the past two years, but now she’s ready to expand and take her products direct to consumers.

Hannaford Brands

| Posted in General News

An article in today’s Portland Daily Sun bemoans the retirement of the in-store Hannaford brand of products.

After I left the store, knowing full well that more than likely the products were the same contents with just a different label, I asked myself whether this brand change was something that was bothering just me and Drew, as we’re both a little quirky. I certainly hadn’t seen anything in the news about the change and it seems as though Hannaford is trying to quietly extinguish the Hannaford brand in the stores. After a little search, I found out we were not alone.

For additional commentary to the 2 letters to the editor about Hannaford’s change of in-store brands.

Review of Zapoteca

| Posted in Reviews

From Away has published a review of Zapoteca.

The inevitable success of Zapoteca spells the end of careless, cartoonish, bottomless-margarita kid-friendly Mexican cuisine in Maine. Each dish we tried included an unexpectedly sophisticated, delicious surprise, whether it was in the use of additional ingredients, or in the different way those ingredients were assembled and presented. Ultimately, where Zapoteca succeeds most completely is in its dedication to authentic ingredients, with clever twists and spins that don’t take each dish outside the realm of what it essentially is.

Review of The Wine Bar/Taco Bar

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has published a review of The Wine Bar in its guise as an afternoon summertime taco bar.

Comfy and cool, sophisticated yet unpretentious, The Wine Bar has been a refuge from the bachelorette madness of Wharf Street for many years. Earlier this summer, the nocturnal lounge began opening most weekdays for cheap lunch, providing refuge from the factory-burger madness of Five Guys. Tuesday through Friday afternoons, The Wine Bar effectively becomes The Taco Bar.

Review of Petite Jacqueline

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Petite Jacqueline.

A salad with cod and hake was terrific. The smokiness of the fish infused the whole dish and gave it a slightly Scandinavian feel. The light dressing added a dash of tarragon without overwhelming the greens. A dish of soft braised leeks eschewed the usual hint of mustard for a dash of oil and dusting of red French peppers that reminded us of paprika.

New Restaurant Venue in Canal Plaza

| Posted in Under Construction

According to articles in this week’s Forecaster and last week’s edition of MaineBiz, the owner of Canal Plaza is proposing to build a new restaurant venue in the center of the plaza.

“There is a huge demand for high-quality restaurants downtown,” [owner Tim Soley] said. “Any use that is active at night and alive would be great there.”

Soley said several restaurateurs have contacted him informally about possibly using the space. But no decisions will be made until the zoning and permitting are in place, he said.

Both articles include a conceptual drawing of the new building placed within the plaza.

A regular PFM reader forwarded the Mainebiz article with a question I’m going to pass on to all of you: If it were up to you, what (type of) restaurant would you most like to see move into this proposed space?