Category: Under Construction

It’s the final day and a half of Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter campaign and pastry chef Brant Dadaleares still has a little way to go to reach his $35k goal. Funds raised by the campaign will be used to pay for the build-out of the restaurant and for refrigeration equipment.

Gross Confection Bar will be a dessert-focused restaurant and bar to be located in the heart of the Old Port district in Portland, Maine. Gross will provide a unique and consistent restaurant experience featuring an ever changing selection of high-quality artfully-plated desserts, cocktails, dessert wines, digestifs, and exceptional service. Gross will also provide a consistent selection of enrobed ganaches, fruit pates, bon-bon, entremets, late night savory snacks and desserts to go.

I’ve been seeking out and happily consuming Dadaleares’ desserts for many years at Fore Street, Eventide/Honey/Paw, Central Provisions/Tipo and at his dessert pop-ups.

Portland Food Map is a contributor to the Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter campaign.

Orenda and Peter Hale have leased the former Roustabout space at 59 Washington Ave where they plan to launch expanded versions of their two businesses, Drifters Wife and Maine & Loire, in late Winter. Their natural wine store and restaurant are located right next door and will continue to operate out of their current space through the end of 2017.

The Hales shared that, “As always, natural wine and Ben’s soulful cooking will be the focus,” and that the new space will provide chef Ben Jackson with use of a full kitchen and that the restaurant will feature a full bar.

Drifters Wife was a semi-finalist for a James Beard award for Best New Restaurant and recognized by Bon Appétit as one of the 50 best new restaurants in America.

The Forecaster has published an update on the toast bar Scratch Baking has in development on Broadway.

The new venture on Broadway near the Ferry Village neighborhood will feature bagels, breads, and English muffins, toasted and topped with a variety of spreads, served with specialty coffees, teas, and juices.

Initially, the Toast Bar will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 7 a.m.-noon, “as we find our footing,” co-owner Sonja Swanberg said. “We’re letting it evolve and let it be what it wants to be.”

The Forecaster has published an update on the forthcoming Bite Into Maine cafe in Scarborough.

Bite Into Maine Commissary, at 185 U.S. Route 1 next door to The Egg I plaza, will focus on takeout, but also seat 14 to 16 people. The new eatery will include some twists to its popular menu, according to husband-and-wife team Sarah and Karl Sutton.

A new bar called the Exchange Street Club is under development at 10 Exchange in the space formerly occupied by Movies on Exchange and The Purple Caterpillar.

Owners Mark Deane and Amara El plan to open early next year. Deane is also owner of Rosie’s, Mark’s Place, Pearl, Mark’s Sports Bar and the Old Port Slice Bar.

A number of new businesses are planning to open in late September and early October.

Between finalizing renovations and passing final inspections it’s always an imprecise game to say exactly when a new food venture will launch. That said:

• Bolster Snow, the restaurant in the West End inn The Francis, is now taking reservations.
• Bite Into Maine is close to opening their new brick and mortar lobster shack.
• Scratch Toast Bar is hiring some final staff and then will be opening.
• Maine Juice Co. expects to open in early October
• Higher Ground has announced a grand opening for October 14th.
• Little Woodfords plans to open in mid-October.
• Looking further out both Elda and Belleville are hoping to launch in October.

If all going according to plans, the openings will put quite a dent in the Under Construction list. However, there’s no need to worry that the market is running out of steam, as there are a number of new projects in the works…stay tuned for details.

Night Moves Bread +Pie (website, facebook, instagram) has launched a $35,000 Go Fund Me campaign.

Owner Kerry Hanney currently produces her breads and pies overnight in the kitchen at Maples. She plans to use the funds to set-up her own bakery and to buy a grain mill, bread oven and other equipment needed to ramp up production. With her own bakery Hanney will begin selling direct to the public and will use the space to teach workshops in collaboration with the Maine Grain Alliance.

Night Moves is a bakery in Portland, Maine, founded on naturally leavened bread and the abundant possibilities of stone-ground sustainable regional grain. Each product captures Maine’s unique terroir and the many hands in our community of craft. Demand has grown exponentially over the last year, and now it is time for more efficient equipment in a bakery you can visit for your daily bread. More efficient equipment means More Bread!

Night Moves bread is sold at A&C Grocery and The Farm Stand, and is used by Drifter’s Wife, Duckfat, Little Giant, Portland Hunt + Alpine, among others.

Visit the Night Moves Go Fund Me page to make a contribution to her campaign.

Ben Graffius and Tom Marlow from White Cap Cold Brew Coffee Company (website, facebook, instagram) have leased 135 Washington Ave, the former Sahara Club, where they plan to open the White Cap Coffee Brewery and Tasting Room.

The concept of the coffee brewery on Washington Ave takes its inspiration from brewery tasting room rather than the traditional coffee shop. Graffius and Marlow along with coffee roasting partner John Walsh from Arabica plan to serve a range of White Cap cold brew coffees, french press coffee, local beers and a menu of smaller bites created by chef Stephanie Shershow that will compliment the beverage program. Espresso-based drinks, part of the standard program at other coffee shops won’t be on the menu.

The business got their start last year and were one of the original start-ups at Fork Food Lab. They produce cold brew coffee in volume and supply it to kegs and growlers to their customers. As their business grows, White Cap is working to develop methods to produce larger batches of cold brew. They’ve applied for an MTI grant to support their R&D work.

The hope to have the new White Cap Coffee Brewery open early next year.

Update: White Cap has decided not to move into 135 Washington Ave, and is looking at other locations.

Mainebiz reports that Rosemont is expanding to Cape Elizabeth where they plan to open in a store at 537 Shore Rd.

Rosemont Market will open a sixth store and the Portland-based grocer plans to double its local food processing and sales and consolidate most processing and production operations under one much-larger roof.

Rosemont General Manager Dan Roche said the new store will open in November at [537] Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth. Rosemont bought the three-story building for $400,000 last spring.

Update: The Press Herald has also published an article about the new Rosemont.