Portland area chef Jimmy Leftis is joining with the team at Table Bar (website, instagram) to launch a new regular food menu at the wine bar in Gardiner. The new menu will be available Fridays and Saturdays, 5 – 9 pm beginning this weekend. The draft menu includes dishes like asparagus with ravigote, pork sausage with chard, celeriac and chutney, and a honey custard tart.
After stints cooking in Charleston, SC, and Brooklyn, NY, Jimmy Leftis made his way to Portland, ME, which he quickly realized he would call home. The abundance of small farms and fresh seafood made it an exciting place to be a cook. Leftis’ food is inspired by the classic simple fare of European cafes and wine bars. His work is also informed by the places where he honed his skills, such as Andrew Tarlow’s Diner in Brooklyn and beside Ben Jackson at Drifter’s Wife and Magnus on Water.
Table Bar was launched one year ago by Billy Rosser, Morgan Peirce, and Zach Lyons. It pairs an informal space and culture with excellent wines that are available by the glass and also available for retail purchase. Table Bar has emerged as a go to spot in the Augusta area, and regularly hosts pop-up events with area chefs working to launch their own businesses.