The 5 Spot (facebook) opened earlier this week at 935 Congress Street in the space that was the longtime home of Sonny’s Variety. The 5 Spot bills itself as a South Philly “Cheesestake Joint” serving a menu of “REAL Philly Cheesesteaks, Home Made Soups, Hand Carved Grilled Ham and Turkey Sandwiches on Dave’s Killer Bread, Wraps, Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Daily and Surprise Specials AND The Best Breakfast Sandwiches in the City”
Category: Openings
East End at the Westin
East End Cucakes is scheduled to open a seasonal retail outpost in the Westin Hotel today. In addition to cupcakes owner Alysia Zoidis will also have whoopie pies and cookies. The retail shop will be open Monday through Saturday, 11 -5:30.
El Corazon to Open Thursday
El Corazon (facebook, instagram) plans to open their new Longfellow Square restaurant on Thursday.
Update: El Corazon had a well-attended soft opening last night with a limited menu.
Cheevitdee Now Open
Cheevitdee (facebook, instagram) a new Thai restaurant located in the Old Port opened for business yesterday. The restaurant is located at the corner of Fore and Market Streets.
Owners Nuttaya Suriyayanyong and Darit Chandpen are serving a different take on Thai food. When you go I’d recommend you try the Ping Ngob.
Here’s a look at the menu:
Joe’s Reopens Today
Joe’s Super Variety, aka Joe’s Smoke Shop, reopens today in their new space in the first floor of the Hiawatha apartment building in Longfellow Square. They plan to be open 8 – 5 today and tomorrow and expand to full regular hours (6 am – 11 pm) starting next week.
Mami Restaurant Opens Today
Farm to Coast Mobile Kitchen
A new food truck called Farm to Coast Mobile Kitchen (website, facebook, instagram) launched this past weekend at Barreled Souls in Saco.
The owner is Brian Grossman who graduated from the Atlantic Culinary Academy in 2007 and worked most recently at 50 Local, Bandaloop and Custom Deluxe. The truck is available for catering and “can be found at concerts, festivals, breweries and street corners around southern Maine, featuring a small, constantly changing and seasonally-inspired menu”.
New Food Truck: Mashed
A new food truck called Mashed (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) is launching today. It’s the creation of veteran school teacher Renee Rhoads who is embracing her “lifelong passion for cooking and gardening” by launching a mobile food business. She’s operating out of a 1972 Shasta Compact trailer which she has named Spud.
Mashed plans to serve a menu of about 8 dishes all unified by the common element of being served in a “nest of Maine mashed potatoes”. Rhoads sources her potatoes from Middle Intervale Farm in Bethel.
Mashed will be on the Eastern Prom today, 4-7 pm. Since it’s their first day they’re serving a more limited menu of Haddock Cioppino or British Curry with Tofu and Chick Peas.
Getting excited for this Friday! Haddock isn’t on my original menu, but it is Good Friday, so I thought I would honor my Italian-American heritage with Cioppino. The dish originated on the docks of San Francisco in the late 1800s with Italian immigrants. While some say this fish stew comes from Genoa and means “chopped”, I like the lore that it’s folks “chipping in” to create a delicious stew. I feel like so many people have chipped in to encourage me in this new adventure so it seems perfect.
Mashed will be participating along with other food trucks in 2017 edition of Street Eats and Beats on May 20th on Thompson’s Point.
Battery Steele Opening Saturday
Battery Steele Brewing (facebook, twitter, instagram, website), Portland’s newest brewery, is slated to open on Saturday.
They are located at 1 Industrial Way, the home of Foundation Brewing and Austin Street as well as the location where Bissell Brothers, Rising Tide and Maine Beer Company all got their start.
Scarborough Holy Donut Open
The Holy Donut opened their new location on Route 1 in Scarborough Tuesday morning.