Members of the Portland food community have won 6 of the 9 categories in the 2010 Indie Biz awards. Congratulations to the Portland Farmer’s Market, Rosemont Market, Micucci Grocery, Becky’s and Coffee by Design.
Category: General News
Bayside Bowl & Restaurant Staffing
The Portland Daily Sun has published a commentary on the food at Bayside Bowl,
Nope, Bayside Bowl ain’t your daddy’s bowling alley. That’s not to say that you have to plow your way through a crowd of Riesling sippers to get your bowling shoes; the menu has juicy burgers, plenty of fries (both white and sweet potato) and an overstuffed chicken chimichanga that can feed two or three people. Bayside Bowl has created a menu for both Portland foodies and those who simply want something to fill the stomach (or absorb that last pitcher of beer).
and a look at a look at some of the internal staff dynamics at restaurants,
Most independently owned and operated restaurants are divided (usually in a figurative and literal sense) between the “front of the house (FOH)” which are the servers, hosts, bussers, food runners, bar staff and FOH managers; and the “back-of-the-house (BOH)” which is made up the chefs — executive and sous, line cooks, salad/dessert people and dishwashers.
Bayside Bowl & Restaurant Staffing
The Portland Daily Sun has published a commentary on the food at Bayside Bowl,
Nope, Bayside Bowl ain’t your daddy’s bowling alley. That’s not to say that you have to plow your way through a crowd of Riesling sippers to get your bowling shoes; the menu has juicy burgers, plenty of fries (both white and sweet potato) and an overstuffed chicken chimichanga that can feed two or three people. Bayside Bowl has created a menu for both Portland foodies and those who simply want something to fill the stomach (or absorb that last pitcher of beer).
and a look at a look at some of the internal staff dynamics at restaurants,
Most independently owned and operated restaurants are divided (usually in a figurative and literal sense) between the “front of the house (FOH)” which are the servers, hosts, bussers, food runners, bar staff and FOH managers; and the “back-of-the-house (BOH)” which is made up the chefs — executive and sous, line cooks, salad/dessert people and dishwashers.
Indie Biz Awards
The polls are now open for the 2010 Indie Biz awards. This is the third year that Portland Buy Local has run this program to celebrate the best independent run businesses in the Portland area. Portland food businesses are nominated in nearly every category from Soul of Portland to Global Hero.
Salt Exchange on Fox
Charles Bryon, co-owner of The Salt Exchange, appeared on the Fox WGAN morning show to talk about his restaurant and promote the bourbon tasting that took place there last night.
More on Norm's & a Search for Falafel
Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes an update on the closing of Norm’s East End Grill,
“We’re not really closing, we’re moving,” Jabar explained in a telephone interview Monday, adding that the smoker from the Middle Street restaurant would be relocated to Norm’s Bar & Grill, 617 Congress St., and the menu expanded.
and columnist Margo Mallar’s unsuccessful search for Unlawful Falafel takes her to WhaddaPita,
I looked for the falafel cart again this week without success. Because it was Monday? or raining? or I got the address wrong? Some of my colleagues report a sighting at Tommy’s Park, so maybe I’ll try there.
Who knows. But my appetite was whetted for a pita sandwich so I decided to drop by Whaddapita, the new gyro shop on Forest Avenue. I’ve been there half a dozen times in the past month. The place is brightly painted with pictures of walking, smiling pita sandwiches on the wall. It’s really good, fast, affordable and very clean.
More on Norm’s & a Search for Falafel
Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes an update on the closing of Norm’s East End Grill,
“We’re not really closing, we’re moving,” Jabar explained in a telephone interview Monday, adding that the smoker from the Middle Street restaurant would be relocated to Norm’s Bar & Grill, 617 Congress St., and the menu expanded.
and columnist Margo Mallar’s unsuccessful search for Unlawful Falafel takes her to WhaddaPita,
I looked for the falafel cart again this week without success. Because it was Monday? or raining? or I got the address wrong? Some of my colleagues report a sighting at Tommy’s Park, so maybe I’ll try there.
Who knows. But my appetite was whetted for a pita sandwich so I decided to drop by Whaddapita, the new gyro shop on Forest Avenue. I’ve been there half a dozen times in the past month. The place is brightly painted with pictures of walking, smiling pita sandwiches on the wall. It’s really good, fast, affordable and very clean.
Unwrapped Cranberry Island
According to Edible Obsessions, the Food Network show Unwrapped will be filming tomorrow at Cranberry Island Kitchen.
Also there’s some hints that Bobby Flay may be coming to town.
Update: The Food Network has been spotted at Grace.
Lunch Hop on the Chopping Block
The Metro bus service is considering eliminating their free lunch time service known as the Lunch Hop, according to a report in the Portland Daily Sun.
“We need revenue, we need farebox revenue,” explained David Redlefsen, general manager of the Greater Portland Transit District METRO bus service. “We want to eliminate the Lunch Hop.”
and the newspaper has also published a brief profile of the Fishermen’s Grill and it’s owner Tom Hincks.
Farmers Market & Commom Ground Fair
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a pair of articles on the large number of people who go to the Saturday market in Deering Oaks Park,
So have you been to the farmers’ market lately?
I’m talking about the Saturday market at Deering Oaks, the one that has become so successful (yay!) it’s now become a little stressful (boo!) to squeeze through the throngs of humanity, dodging the long lines and the illegal bakers and the lookie-loos – the people who are there only to socialize and excessively fondle the produce without spending a dime.
and the prices of the produce,
This year, I’ll have to find something else to do with the pecorino romano. Why? Because $2 is over my limit.
This year, those tiny bunches of basil at the farmers’ market jumped to $2 a bunch. In case you hadn’t been keeping track, that’s a 100 percent price increase from just a couple of years ago.
as we as an advance report on the food at the Common GroundFair which is taking place this weekend.
“The food vendors, more than any other vendors, really earn their place at the fair,” said Jim Ahearne, fair director for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, which hosts the event. “We don’t make it easy for them.”
Common Ground organizers require that all the food served at the fair, which is now in its 34th year, be Maine-grown and organic whenever possible.