Category: Under Construction

The Press Herald has published an overview of the new crop of restaurants set to launch in Portland in this spring and summer. Specifically featured in the article:

• 66S – an Asian fusion restaurant on Fore Street
• Chaval – a French and Spanish restaurant opening in the former Caiola’s space
• Cheevitdee – a health focused Thai restaurant in the Old Port
• Cong Tu Bot – a Vietnamese noodle restaurant on Washington Ave
• Noble BBQ – a brick and mortar restaurant from moobile vendor Fire & Co.
• North 43 – the South Portland restaurant replacing Joe’s Boathouse
• Old Port Lobster Shack – a seafood restaurant on Fore Street
• Yobo – a Korean restaurant opening in the former Madd Apple Cafe space on Forest Ave

Several other new businesses including Blyth & Burrows, Bujabelle, Chad Conley’s new business on Forest Ave, Island Creek Oysters, Little Giant, Lio and Mami are also mentioned.

There are a number of other food businesses in various stages of development, see the Under Construction page for a full list.

After a couple years in development, Linda Kate Lobster & Seafood Co. (website, facebook, instagram) is set to launch their retail market and cafe at 1035 Ocean Ave in mid-May.

Chef Sam Bergeron (instagram) will be offering lobster and crab rolls and chowder to start. He has worked at The Well and The Honey Paw and is currently on staff with The Purple House and The Bread & Butter Catering Co.

Linda Kates operates a 10,000 sq ft lobster processing facility at this location. In addition to the cafe they will also launch a retail seafood market and a lobster bake/raw bar catering business.

 

A vegan hot dog cart called Sup Dawg (website, facebook, instagram) is under development. You can check-out their menu online.

We are a mobile, vegan-dawg-slingin’, local as heck food stand located in picturesque Portland, Maine. We use as many local & organic ingredients as possible, make toppings and condiments in-house, and yes, it’s always VEGAN!

Owners Katie Knowles and Sean Ahern plan to be open by June 1st and operate the cart Wednesday through Sunday. Knowles and Ahern are both employed at Flatbread. They’re both vegan and see their food cart as a way to add to the number of vegan eating options in Portland.

Urban Eye has posted an update on Blyth & Burrows, the cocktail bar that’s been under construction at 26 Exchange Street.

Molecular mixology (drinks that foam), cocktails on tap and potent libations like Navy strength, will be matched with creative small plates. The drink menu is based on old trade routes that Blyth and Burrows navigated, highlighting spirits and spices that would have been available in their day. “I am a son of Portland. I am a Mainer,” said Miranda. “I will use local spirits as much as possible.”

A new food cart called Eaux (instagram) is under development and on track to launch in late April or Early May.

Chef/owner, and New Orleans native, Evan Richardson will serve Jambalaya and a rotating menu of dishes made with “local ingredients…and New Orleans technique and flavors”.

Richardson plans to primary locate Eaux in East Bayside at Lone Pine Brewing. He will operate Eaux while continuing to serve in his current position as the chef at Portland Mash Tun.

A new 1,100 sq. ft. bakery is under development in the store front at the corner of North and Congress on Munjoy Hill.

Owners Chris Deutsch and Amy Fuller plan to offer French baked goods in the morning, and serve focaccia, Roman-style pizza and sandwiches for lunch. They will eventually add a dinner service.

Deutsch and Fuller learned to bake in Paris and prior to moving to Portland they operated a French bakery food cart in DC called Hot Hot Bakery.

The couple hope to open their as-yet-unnamed bakery this fall.

Blyth & Burrows is the new DBA for the cocktail bar under construction at 26 Exchange Street. Here’s a statement on the concept,

Blyth & Burrows is a classic cocktail bar steeped in the traditions of exceptional hospitality and a dedication to craft. The bi-level room features a raw bar and a creative food program, but the focus here is on perfectly poured cocktails and impeccable service.

The name is a reference to Captain Samuel Blyth from the HMS Boxer and Lieutenant William Burrows of the USS Enterprise who were buried in the Eastern Cemetery and died during an naval battle between their ships in Casco Bay in 1813.

The bar was originally slated to be named Proper Charlie’s. It is being launched by Josh Miranda.

Cong Tu Bot (facebook, tumblr, instagram, twitter) co-owners Vien Dobui and Jessica Sheahan have applied for a liquor license for the restaurant they have under construction in the Nissen Building on Washington Ave.

Their menu will focus “on noodle dishes commonly found in Saigon, as well as a selection of smaller side dishes and snacks to accompany our entrees.” Here’s an excerpt from the full draft menu (pages 96-97):

 

and here’s a look at the floor plan for the 27-seat restaurant:

The new barbecue restaurant Fire & Co has under construction on outer Forest Ave, Noble Barbecue (instagram) has applied for a liquor license. Here’s a look at an excerpt of the draft menu (pages 41-42) supplied with their application:

A new central African restaurant called Bujabelle is under development at 249 Saint John Street in the space formerly occupied Chez Okapi. Co-owners Jerome Niryumwami, Jean Claude Nitunga, and Thierry Mugabe have applied for a liquor license and the materials supplied include a draft menu: