Review of Luis’s Arepera and Grill

The Blueberry Files has published a first look review of Luis’s Arepera which opened last week on Forest Ave.

Our food came up, and now I know what all the fuss is about! The arepa was warm and crunchy on the outside, and filled with juicy shredded chicken, cool lettuce, and cheese. And it was a perfect amount of food—I didn’t feel too stuffed afterwards. I already can’t wait to go back, especially now that I’ve seen their menu includes churros (!!).

40th Anniversary for Mister Bagel

The Forecaster has interviewed members of the Hartglass family as Mister Bagel approaches its 40th anniversary on June 2nd.

She has fond memories of “how hard my father worked and how much he loved his business, his customers and his bagels. I am so proud of this business. Over the 40 years, I have only (ever) heard compliments and seen customers leave smiling and satisfied.”

Watching her parents, and particularly her dad, Baker said, “I never thought I would be in the position I am today” – owning and operating the original store and carrying on her father’s legacy.

Mister Bagel was founded by Rick and Gail Hartglass along with Frank Read in 1977.

Mashed Food Truck

The Forecaster has published an article about Mashed.

Maine may be best known for its seafood, but the state is also a major producer of potatoes.

That’s why it made perfect sense for Renee Rhoads, of Falmouth, to sell only foods nestled in mashed potatoes from her new food truck, appropriately called Mashed.

The rotating menu includes a Thanksgiving-themed offering of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce; a shepherd’s pie (also available meatless for vegetarians), and a pulled pork offering with coleslaw, bread and butter pickles, and cornbread.

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.

D.L. Geary Being Sold

The Press Herald reports that D.L. Geary Brewing is slated to be sold to Alan Lapoint.

D.L. Geary Brewing Co. is being sold to a Freeport businessman who has taken over the management of Portland’s first craft brewery and intends to complete the acquisition before the end of the year.

Kelly Lucas, whose parents, David and Karen Geary, co-founded the brewery in 1983, identified the buyer late Thursday evening as Alan Lapoint of Freeport.

2017 Phoenix Readership Poll

The Portland Phoenix has kicked-off their 2017 Best 100 of Portland readership poll. The Phoenix has revised their process for voting, reducing the number of categories and combining the formerly two-stage voting process into a single ballot. Cast your vote today!

There are dozens of food and drink categories ranging from bagels and barbecue to wine lists and wings. Portland Food Map is listed as a nominee in the Best Blog category in the City Life section.

For more information on the Best 100 of Portland visit the overview/FAQ page.

Favorite Dishes & How to Order Wine

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an article by Big Tree Hospitality wine manager, Brian Flewelling on how to order wine when dining out,

Even with a good sommelier, you are not totally absolved of responsibility: What you have to do is make a decision. It’s not the one you may think, namely what wine do I order? Rather, you have to decide what kind of wine experience you want and then you have to trust the sommelier to help you to have it.

and a set of dining recommendations from local chefs.

So with Maine Restaurant Week just a week away, we revisit a favorite topic, asking local chefs about their most memorable meals over the past year. Chefs, like the rest of us, often flock to the buzzy new places, which may be why many of them are talking about Tipo, Chris Gould’s latest – it opened six weeks ago. And perhaps it was inevitable that at least one chef would mention the beef salad from Thanh Thanh 2 on Forest Avenue in Portland. If one dish could be proclaimed Portland chefs’ favorite, this would probably be it. As Josh Berry, executive chef at Union put it, “Nothing fancy about this salad. It’s just awesome!”

CN Traveler: Press Hotel

A Condé Nast Traveler article about the Press Hotel highlights the role the Portland food scene has played in the development of the city.

On the coattails of a truly impressive food renaissance that began in 1996 with Sam Hayward’s Fore Street, gathered speed with Rob Evans’ 2000 reincarnation of Hugo’s, and got truly hot around 2012 with the debut of Eventide Oyster Co., Portland found itself—and then got found. By the time I visited in 2015 momentum was heavy, propelled by a slew of James Beard Award nominations including Best New Restaurant, for Central Provisions, just a few blocks from the Press; Best Chefs in the Northeast for Eventide owners Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley; and Rising Star Chef for Cara Stadler of Bao Bao Dumpling House. Next to Eventide, Wiley and Taylor had just opened Honey Paw, their brilliantly quirky take on noodle bars; and a block south Damian Sansonetti had begun his love song to Italian at Piccolo. And on and on. As food towns go, Portland had gone from simmer to full-on boil.