Sai Guntaka and business partner Jim Baldi have leased a space in South Portland where they plan to open a Italian restaurant called Il Forno (facebook, instagram). It will be located at 333 Clarks Pond Parkway a few doors down from Taj.
Chefs Jim Fitzgerald and Ron Medlock and pasta chef Ruth Connelly will serve a menu of appetizers like baked polenta with gorgonzola, sage and honey, fresh pasta dishes like cacio e pepe and rigatoni alla vodka, pizzas, salads and entrees like grilled strip steak. Nick Shanley will be managing the bar which will serve cocktails, local draft beers and wines by the bottle and glass.
Guntaka and Baldi have worked with Woodhull on the design (see the renderings below) and construction of 50-seat restaurant. An outdoor deck will provide room for another 15-20 guests during warmer months. The buildout is well underway and Il Forno is expected to launch in October.
Guntaka is the owner of Taj and Cobblestones in South Portland and co-owner with Baldi of Silver Street by Taj in the Old Port, and co-owner with Obul Reddy of Rasa in Bangor. Medlock was the chef at Bar Publica, Fitzgerald worked at the Regency Hotel, Connelly has worked at Evo, Via Vecchia and Papi, and Shannon comes from the bar team at Evo.
