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:
The Press Herald has interviewed the keynote speaker at this week’s New England Craft Beer summit as part of an article on growing competition in the local beer market.
[Bart] Watson says every brewery in Maine will eventually feel the competition. As the Portland market matures, brewers might be forced to look to rural markets to sell their beers.
“There are challenges,” Watson said. “One of my takes is it doesn’t mean there is no growth happening. There’s a lot of growth out there. Rural areas have not been converting (to craft beer) as quickly, so local production has been slower than in metro areas. There’s still a lot of untapped markets.”
The article also reports that Portland’s newest brewery Battery Steele hopes to open next week serving an imperial stout, a saison and an india pale ale.
The Press Herald has posted an update on last week’s news about the launch of Edible Maine this summer.
At least to start, Edible Maine will be published quarterly and will run some 50 pages an issue, according to Michael Sanders, a Maine food writer of more than two decades who will serve as its editor. “This is going to be a magazine you can cook from or look at, read deeply into or read for two minutes for fun things you didn’t know you could do in Maine,” he said. “Most of all, it should help you get out and do things – go to a restaurant, go clamming, cook…
Fishermen’s Grill has announced plans to move to 650 Main Street in Westbrook where they’ll move into the space formerly occupied by Rosen’s Deli. Fishermen’s Grill expects to open the new Westbrook location in May.
Westbrook has seen a significant uptick in new food businesses choosing to (re)locate there over the past couple years including Brea Lu, Rosen’s, Big Fin Poke, Mast Landing Brewing and Black Dinah Chocolates.
Cafe Crepe plans to open their new location in the Public Market House this Friday. Cafe Crepe has taken over the space formerly occupied by K. Horton’s Specialty Foods.
There’s news from two mobile food vendors:
BP’s Shuck Shack
BP’s Shuck Shack, which has operated a food cart for the past two years in Portland, has leased a gas station in Newcastle where they’re launching a distribution center and retail shop, and where, reading between the lines, they’ll be opening an oyster bar. BP’s will be the 10th mobile food vendor operating in Portland converting to or adding a brick and mortar capacity.
Pizza by Fire
Pizza by Fire has launched a new food truck.
Portland Hunt and Alpine Club owners, Andrew and Briana Volk, have signed a book deal with Voyageur Press for a Hunt and Alpine Club food and cocktail book. The couple is already working on a 35,000 word manuscript and the book is expected to be published in 2018.
Urban Eye has posted an update on the new Holy Donut under construction in Scarborough.
Happy are the people of Scarborough, Saco and OOB. At the end of the month, Portland’s famous Maine potato doughnut dispensary opens its largest shop to date south of the city.
“I hope this becomes the Grand Central of Scarborough,” says Leigh Kellis, standing inside her third doughnut cafe, opening at 398 U.S. Route 1 this spring. “Hopefully we can bring a little soul to this stretch of highway.”
Fire & Co (website, facebook, instagram) has leased the former Taco Trio space a 1706 Forest Ave where they plan to open Noble Barbecue.
The 25-seat barbecue shop will serve smoked meats, sandwiches and will have an 8 tap draft list featuring local beers. Their menu will be available either at the shop or for take-out.
Owners Richard and Ryan Carey hope to open Noble Barbecue in early June.
Fire & Company will join fellow mobile food vendors Bite Into Maine, Mami, Small Axe/East Ender, Love Kupcakes/Baristas+Bites, Hella Good Tacos, Mainely Burgers, Urban Sugar and CN Shawarma/Baharat in converting to or adding a brick and mortar capacity.
Amato’s is proposing to expand their shop on India Street. A 1,400 square foot “dining room and bar” which will include a “display about the origin’s and history of Amato’s” is planned to replace the outdoor seating area on the corner of Newbury Street.