The Night Kitchen

Today’s Press Herald includes an article about The Night Kitchen, a musical being produced at Portland Stage to raise funds for Preble Street.

Charmingly cheesy jokes are interspersed with more serious moments where the audience gets to see – and hear – the rhythm of a restaurant kitchen, its pleasures and its very real stresses, too. (Hear it, in syncopated songs like this: “Cut thin – mince, dice/Pound well – add spice/ Just so – precise/Chop once – chop twice/Strike match – stir rice/Chill well – on ice/Oh yeah – that’s nice.”)

Under Construction: Brickyard Hollow Brewing

A new brewery called Brickyard Hollow Brewing Company is under development in Yarmouth, reports the Press Herald.

Yarmouth entrepreneurs Brad Moll and Frank Grondin announced Tuesday that they plan to open a small-batch craft brewery and restaurant called Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co. at 236 Main St., now the home of Anthony’s Dry Cleaners. The 2,100-square-foot brewery will seat 60 indoors and an additional 30 on its patio.

This Week’s Events: Memorial Day, Yobo Opening, Cocktail Conference, Beer Camp, Portersfield Cider Tour, Night Kitchen Musical

Monday – it’s Memorial Day.

Tuesday – Paciarino is kicking their monthly wine club.

Wednesday – the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday – Portland’s new Korean restaurant, Yobo, is scheduled to open, and The Great Lost Bear is featuring some beers to provide a sneak peak of Beer Camp.

Friday – it’s the first day of the New England Cocktail Conference.

Saturday – the Portland edition of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Tour is taking place on Thompson’s Point, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – Portersfield Cider is giving an orchard and cider making tour at their facility in Pownal. The orchard includes includes “over 250 rare apple and pear varieties”…participants will “learn about the history and ongoing revival of cidermaking in Maine [and participate in a] tasting of [Portersfield] hard ciders.”

Night Kitchen – June 6 through 17 the Night Kitchen Musical is being staged at Portland Stage.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Reviews: Trattoria Fanny, The Honey Paw, Bayside Bowl, Scales

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Trattoria Fanny,

Among its best dishes are executive chef Sid Rumma’s superb rigatoni with cocoa-spiked oxtail tomato sauce; cauliflower served with capers, anchovies and nutty brown butter; and a faithful version of the classic dessert, torta della nonna (grandmother cake), a lighter, citrusy relative of cheesecake. Be sure to order contorni (side dishes) to accompany most entrees, as they are often served without any extras. Better yet, make an entire meal of pasta, little side dishes and a glass of wine from the all-Italian list. It might sound simple, but that’s the whole point.

Map & Menu has reviewed brunch at The Honey Paw,

If you’ve yet to experience brunch (or any meal) at The Honey Paw, we recommend remedying that as soon as you possibly can.

The Blueberry Files and the Press Herald have reviewed the new rooftop bar at Bayside Bowl, and

Pretty soon after we settled in we hit up the taco truck. Its menu has 5 kinds of tacos: two vegetarian (cauliflower and cactus), fried fish, pulled pork, and carne asada. I tried the cauliflower with sweet potato, sliced peppers, tomatillo salsa, and cotija cheese. It was delicious, as you’d expect from roasted cauliflower, but the hit was the fried fish taco. It was perfectly battered and fried, topped with crunchy pickled cabbage and red onion.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Scales.

This trip to Scales made me a believer. I left feeling full and like I got my money’s worth. Not only that, but the food was really, really good. The app was excellent, the lobster roll delivered everything I expected, and the dessert was deadly delicious. I can’t wait to go back now, knowing that I can go very hungry and still leave happy. Definitely stop by this summer when their water views will create some of the best eating scenery available anywhere.

Griffin Club to Close/Move

The Griffin Club will be closing on May 31st, owner Scott Parker is hoping to reopen the business as Griffin’s Dugout, according to a report from The Forecaster.

Scott Parker, owner of the iconic watering hole – but not the building at 60 Ocean St. – this week said he received an eviction notice in April requiring him to be out by midnight June 2…Parker, who has owned “The Griff” for 10 years and worked there for 20, said he hopes to resurrect the bar under the new name Griffin’s Dugout at nearby 64 E St. That would keep his seven bartenders employed and give his longtime customers a place to go.