Month: February 2022

New Owners at Yosaku

| Posted in People

Yosaku (instagram) has changed hands and is now owned and operated by Rattanak Tray and Hope MacVane-Tray. Rattanak Tray has been a sushi chef at Yosaku since it opened for business 19 years ago.

The couple are happy to have the opportunity to build on the legacy established by retiring owners Takahiro and Susan Sato who founded Yosaku in 2003.

The Trays plan to make some changes including adding 20 new sakes and 6 Japanese whiskeys, a Japanese gin and a Japanese vodka to the bar menu—Yosaku now offer daily special $10 sake flights. They are planning on bringing back some old favorites to the menu and some changes to the interior design including a larger bar for both indoor dining and to better support take out order pick-up.

Casita El Corazon

| Posted in Under Construction

El Corazon has leased the former 158 Pickett Street Cafe building where they plan to open a South Portland outpost of their Longfellow Square restaurant. Renovations are underway. When it opens the South Portland location is expected to be open Tuesday through Saturday.

El Corazon initially launched as a food truck in 2013 before taking over the former Petite Jacqueline space in Longfellow Square in 2017. The 158 Pickett Street Cafe closed last August after 20 years in business.

Brewing Up Opportunity Internship-Scholarship Fund

| Posted in General News, Beer

Maine Beer Company has made a $100,000 gift to the University of Southern Maine to establish the Brewing Up Opportunity Internship-Scholarship Fund. The fund will “provide access to education, on-the-job training, and mentoring to help develop a new generation of beer industry professionals.⁣”

Maine Beer Company co-founder and USM Alum Daniel Kleban noted, “Our hope is that this collaboration with USM creates an access point into craft beer and expands the understanding of what a career in this industry can be, while at the same time cultivating the industry’s next generation and changing the narrative of who makes up that community.”⁣
⁣
The fund will support USM students across multiple disciplines, who wish to pursue careers within and connected to the craft beverage industry, with internship-scholarships awarded to individuals from traditionally underrepresented populations, first-generation college students, or students coming to Maine from an international location.

For additional information see this article in Mainebiz and information on the USM website.

Moonday Coffee on Washington Ave

| Posted in Under Construction

David Kessel from Moonday (instagram) and his partner Rebecca Perea-Kane who is the founder of Thicket (instagram) have leased the former Ishi Ishi space on Washington Ave where they plan to jointly operate their coffee bar and jewelry businesses.

Kessel launched Moonday this past summer as a food cart serving espresso-based coffee drinks prepared with beans from Speckled Ax. Moonday will be expanding their menu with a selection of teas at the new shop.

Renovations are well underway and they expect to open within a few weeks. Hours for the business are still TBD.

Slide Street Co.

| Posted in Under Construction

A new food cart called Slide Street Co. (instagram) is under development and expected to launch in spring 2022.

Chef/owner Adam Heath is planning a menu of “Slider sized burgers and sandwiches with a colorful twist”. The flagship burger will be The Acadia which is a Maine beef burger prepared with bacon rillette, IPA jalapeño pickle, Pineland Farms cheddar, and a blueberry mustarda. Heath also expects to have a rotating list of specials. Other items on the menu will be the Lil’ Squeeler (confit Pork belly, rose harissa, miso pineapple relish, green jade matcha bun) and the Hibiscus Biscuit (Hot fried chicken patty, basil honey, pickled cabbage, hibiscus biscuit). As a special twist that makes Slide Street sandwiches colorful and distinctive Heath will be creating house-made buns that use natural food colors to create brightly colored sandwich buns.

Heath moved to Portland in 2008 and has worked for a number of local restaurants including as part of the kitchen team that initially launched Tiqa, summers working at The Inn on Peaks Island and at Union at The Press Hotel for the last 4-5 years. He’s excited to be launching his own business and the opportunity to “showcase my own dishes and flavor profiles that I know the all patrons will enjoy everyday”.

Heath is planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter next week to raise funds to support this new business.

Tim Cebula Joins Press Herald

| Posted in People

The Press Herald has hired Tim Cebula (linkedin, instagram) as their new food and dining reporter. Cebula will be backfilling the position long held by Meredith Goad who retired late last year.

Cebula grew up in Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and a master’s in magazine journalism from Boston University. After college he worked as a reporter for the Berkshire Eagle, a food editor for Berkshire magazine and wrote freelance food and feature articles for The Boston Globe.

Cebula has also worked in the restaurant industry, and was the sous chef for The Old Inn on the Green in New Marlboro.

From the mid-2000s until 2018 he was on staff at Cooking Light as a writer and senior editor. He now lives in Old Orchard Beach where he’s pursued a consulting and freelance writing career while working on a novel.

Stonewall Kitchen Moving

| Posted in Under Construction

The Portland Stonewall Kitchen store on Middle Street is expected to close by the end of March. Stonewall is still searching for a new space in Portland to move to. Stay tuned for details on the location and timing as they become available.

The current store is located at 182 Middle Street across from Bard Coffee and Tommy’s Park. There’s no word yet on anyone moving into that spot.