Category: Events

An additional pair of Valentine’s Day events have been announced:

• Vena’s Fizz House is holding a Valentine’s Polka Party, go for the dancing and to try one of the alcohol-free cocktails, Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordial, Lumber Jack Love, Love Potion #9 or the Black Heart Martini, 7:30 – 9:30 pm.
• Indonesian coffee farmer, Ric Harinyato will be at Coffee by Design on 1 Diamond Street to give a presentation on Sumatran coffee and cooking samples of Indonesian cuisine, 1 – 3 pm.

This winter the snow seems like it will never end, but on the bright side there are a few eateries that offer special events and discounts whenever the white stuff starts falling:

• Plow Wow – a pop-up party that takes place during parking ban nights at Little Tap House.
• The Salt Exchange – TSE often declares snow day drink discounts on bourbon.
• Gelato Fiasco – during winter months GF institutes a “frozen code” that shaves a percentage point off the cost of your gelato for every degree below freezing of the outside temperature.

Tuesday — the local chapter of American Sommelier is teaching a sparkling wine class. Rosemont, Tandem and Con Tu Bot (twitter, instagram) are teaming up on a Vietnamese bar night.

Wednesday — Black Tie is teaching a cooking class.

Thursday — the Hunt & Alpine Club is hosting a Bols Genever Apres Ski Night, and a chocolate/wine/cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Valentine’s Day — nearly every restaurant in town will be open for Valentine’s Day., many offering fixed price special dinners.  Call your favorite spot asap to make reservations. Here’s a list of venues that are planning something a little different:

• Allagash Brewing, 4 rare beers (Old HLT, Midnight Brett, Mattina Rosa, and Red Howes) and chocolate from La Creme Chocolate and Haven’s Candies, 4 – 7.
• Bier Cellar will be holding a Port/Madeira tasting, 5:30 – 7:30.
• Flanagan’s Table will be hosting a dinner prepared by chef Erin French from The Lost Kitchen, 6 – 10.
• Novare Res is collaborating with Sweet Marguerite’s to serves a set of beer and chocolate pairings.
• Rising Tide is working with with truffles from La Créme Chocolat, there will be chair massages and supplies to make Valentine’s Day cards, noon – 5.
• Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery is opening their new tasting room at 324 Fore St, noon – 8.

Saturday — author Josua Bernstein, will be on a Maine Brew Bus tour and then at Rising Tide for a book signing, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.

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.

Tuesday — Rosemont is holding a Port Tasting at their Commercial Street location.

Wednesday — Outliers is holding a French wine dinner.

Thursday — Wendy & Eric Brown, authors of Browsing Nature’s Aisles will be at Longfellow Books for a talk and book signing, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Funky Bow.

Friday — the Bar of Chocolate Cafe is hosting a “absinthe spoon show” called Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Founder for First Friday Art Walk.

Saturday — Vena’s Fizz House is teaching a bitters workshop, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.

Sunday — the 20th Annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge is taking place at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

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.

The 6th Annual Maine Restaurant Week is taking place March 1-10 this year. A number of MRW special events have been announced:

• Incredible Breakfast Cook-off, restaurants compete to earn the title of Maine’s Best Breakfast. February 28, 7-9 am, $20-22.50 per person
• Bowl Big Tournament, teams of four people will be paired with a restaurant professional to compete in a bowling tournament. March 2, 2-5 pm. $100 per team
• Portland Chinese Restaurants, a lecture on the history of Chinese restaurants in Portland presented by Gary Libby, March 4, noon.
• Pancake Race, teams of four will compete in a pancake flipping relay race. March 4, 6:30 pm. $40 per team
• Maine Restaurant Fare, a lecture by eminent food historian Sandy Oliver, March 8, 7 pm.
• Signature Event, a tasting event featuring cocktails and desserts from Maine restaurants. March 9, 5:30 – 8 pm. $40 -50 per person.

Flanagan’s Table has announced some additions to the line-up of chef tasting dinners taking place this year:

• April 6 – Chef Steve Corry, Five Fifty-Five
• May 3 – Chef Sam Hayward, Fore Street
• June 8 – Chefs Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley, Hugo’s
• July 20 – Chefs Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez, Piccolo

Today’s Press Herald includes a report on the dinner chef Shannon Bard prepared last night at the Beard House.

An hour and a half before her sold-out “Mexico meets Maine” dinner on Monday night, the ebullient chef, in the kitchen since 8 a.m., admitted she had been too wrapped up in preparation to fully take in her surroundings – the very same kitchen where not only the great Beard himself had cooked, but also nearly every luminary in the culinary world.

Monday — Hilltop Coffee is opening at its new location, 100 Congress Street, this morning.

Wednesday — Black Tie is teaching a cooking class, and Outliers is hosting a French wine dinner.

Thursday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, and a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House;  Run of the Mill, Sebago, Gritty’s, In’finiti, Seadog, Marshall Wharf will be competing in the Brew Pub Cup at The Great Lost Bear.

Friday — there will be a wine dinner at BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe.

Saturday — both Browne Trading and LeRoux Kitchen are holding wine tastings, a Banded Horn Beer Crawl is scheduled for 5 bars in Portland, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.

Sunday — Eventide is transforming into a sports bar (two 60″ plasma screens and a menu of hearty pub fare) for the Oxbowl  Super Bowl party, and Petite Jacqueline is screening Romantics Anonymous for their movie night.

New Maine Breweries Tour — author Joshua Bernstein will be participating in a Maine Brew Bus tour of Maine newest breweries: Banded Horn Brewing, Bissell Brothers, Austin Street and Foundation Brewing on February 15th.

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.