Month: April 2023

Review of The Danforth and Vegan Dining Advice

| Posted in General News, Reviews

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a review of The Danforth.

The Danforth is buzzy for good reason. Opened last July by the owners of New York’s Death & Co. bar, this lounge/restaurant is decorated sumptuously, taking midcentury modern tropes and inflecting them with a hint of ’70s mod glam. It is an exceedingly appealing restaurant to stare at from a seat in the plush lounge. Drinks are a bit hit-or-miss, but the bar staff knows how to shake up a tasty nonalcoholic drink, so order a gingery Artificial Light and ask for a food menu. Here, The Danforth is on solid ground, thanks to executive chef Michael Boomhower’s menu of comforting “Americana” classics.

The paper also includes guidance to date-night worthy restaurants with vegan food options.

The End of Portland Now Open

| Posted in Openings

A new bar called The End of Portland (instagram) opened this week. It’s located at 229 Congress Street in the space formerly occupied by Saint Joe’s Restobar. The bar’s name is a nod to being located across the street from the Eastern Cemetery.

The bar has been launched by Johnny Althoff, Andrew Roseman, Celeste Parke, and Benbazi.

As you can see below the menu includes a line-up of house cocktails, a couple of snacks, beer, wine, cider and some “extra curriculars” modified beer drinks. They’re also serving Allen’s Coffee Brandy cupcakes from Clementine Cake Company.

Ore Nell’s Barbecue in Biddeford

| Posted in Under Construction, Maine

Kittery-based Ore Nell’s Barbecue (website, facebook, instagram) is opening a second location in Biddeford. The restaurant will be located at 42 Franklin Street in the building formerly occupied by Louie’s Pizza.

Ore Nell’s serves Texas-style barbecue that’s a reflection of chef Will Myska’s Houston upbringing. The menu includes brisket, ribs, pulled pork, house made sausage, chicken and and BBQ tofu. See orenellsbbq.com for the full menu.

Ore Nell’s launched in 2018 as a collaboration between Myska, David Vargas from Vida Cantina in Portsmouth and restaurateur Jay McSharry. Kyle Chauncey is joining the founders in launching the Biddeford location. The team hopes to open the new Ore Nell’s by the end of June.

Fine Fried Chicken

| Posted in People

Crispy Gai chef/owner Cyle Reynolds is featured in a Washington Post article about fine dining chefs making the leap to fried chicken.

It’s easy to forget, but chefs are consumers, too. Cyle Reynolds recalls frequently going out to eat Thai-style fried chicken after his shift at Canvas, a fine-dining restaurant in Bangkok that he helped open in 2016. In Maine a few years later, when his plan to sign a restaurant lease fell through — on March 30, 2020, no less — Reynolds turned to happier memories of fried chicken. He now runs a Thai-style fried chicken restaurant called Crispy Gai in downtown Portland, Maine, with two business partners.

Taste Bud Travel Guide

| Posted in Reviews

The Taste Bud Travel Guide has posted an eating guide to kid-friendly dining destinations in Portland.

Rocky and beautiful, this city by the sea is ready to roll. More than just lobster (although don’t miss that either) the tide is rolling in on Portland, which was named Restaurant City of the Year in 2018. We’re rounded up the top eats, bakeries and fine dining in Forest City for Food Adventures that will delight Taste Buds big and small.

More photos on instagram.

Night Mares on Romasco Lane

| Posted in Under Construction

A new neighborhood bar called Night Mares (instagram) is under development on Romasco Lane. Night Mares will co-occupy the same space as the Prairie Baking Company’s cafe now under construction by Night Mares co-owner Elizabeth Rzoska.

We intend to operate a small, neighborhood-oriented bar that respects and reflects Portland. We’re all Portland residents who’ve worked here in various capacities and live just a short walk from our business’ proposed location. We’re excited to contribute to the dynamic, delightful food and beverage scene in this City, hopefully carving out our own niche.

Owners Louis Masi, Elizabeth Rzoska, Devan Marr, and Christian Roadman hope to open the new establishment by July. The draft menu included with Night Mares’ liquor license application include cocktails like Fog Cutter and The Last word, beer, wine, cider as well as food options like soup with focaccia, salad, cheese boards, gougeres, a vegan board and a beet bruschetta.

Rzoska is the owner of Prairie Baking Company. Masi will be curating the cocktail menu, both Masi and Devan Marr currently work at Jing Yan. Roadman has previously worked in the restaurant industry in Chicago and is now a urban planner.

The name of the bar is meant to “acknowledge the serious, refined aspects of a bar slightly mysterious and intriguing with a lighthearted, welcoming touch.” The team hopes to “earn a beloved reputation over time minimizing noise and hype while maximizing warmhearted quality.”

To get caught up on all the new restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses in development visit our Under Construction List.