No Reservations

| Posted in General News

Peggy Grodinsky from the Press Herald explores why some restaurants don’t take reservations.

These restaurant owners and managers gave a similar set of reasons for adopting no-reservations policies, which add up to a blend of ambience, flow and management strains. They explained that, to them, hospitality doesn’t equate to taking a reservation. It means treating customers well – to good food and good service – once they get in the door. And while deep down I still wish everybody would copy proprietor Stella Hernandez at Lolita, who keeps about half the space for walk-ins and the rest for reservations, next time I am dining out in Portland and balk at waiting for a table, I will chew on these reasons, served with a side of understanding…

Under Construction: Maine Oyster Co.

| Posted in Under Construction

Portland’s on track to get another oyster bar this Summer.

The Maine Oyster Company (website, facebook, instagram) has started construction at 38 Portland Street, just down the street from Isa and Back Bay Grill, of a 30-seat eatery serving oysters, lobster and crab rolls, and clam chowder. You can see the full menu on their website.

Maine Oyster Co. will be open 4 – 9 pm, Thursday through Saturday. They hope to open in July.

This Week’s Events: Bunker BBQ, Scaling Up, Sagamore, The Well, Pizza Bagel Nite, Veg Fest

| Posted in Events

Monday – Bunker Brewing is holding a Memorial Day BBQ.

Tuesday – there will be a lecture on scaling up food businesses at Fork Food Lab, and a sake tasting at CloudPort.

Wednesday – there will be a wine tasting at Old Port Wine Merchants, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday – The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Bunker Brewing.

Friday – Sagamore Hill Lounge is holding their grand opening, The Well opens for the season, Rose Foods is hosting a BYOB Pizza Bagel Nite, and there will be a wine tasting at the West End Rosemont.

Saturday – the 14th Annual Veg Fest food truck festival is taking place, as is the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market.

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.

Maine Calling: Vegan & Plant-Based Living

| Posted in General News

Maine Calling has aired a show on Vegan & Plant-Based Living with guests Avery Yale Kamila, Chris Bassett, Sarah Skovran and Victoria Moran.

More people are turning to vegan diets for their health and for philosophical reasons. By the same token, others are embracing more plant-based eating, which may not qualify as vegan or vegetarian but might minimize meat as part of each meal. We’ll learn how to be vegan or to shift to plant-based living.

Under Construction: The Totally Awesome Vegan Food Truck

| Posted in Under Construction

A new mobile food venture named The Totally Awesome Vegan Food Truck (website, facebook, instagram) is under development.

Owner Tony DiPhillipo plans to launch the truck in July serving “decadent vegan comfort food from his totally rad 80’s synthwave themed mobile kitchen.”.

The menu isn’t set yet but DiPhillipo writes,

Expect to see our own creative twist on some American diner favorites, charbroiled sandwiches on artisan bread, eclectic dishes inspired by international street food, smokey cheese sauces, unique homemade dipping sauces and aiolis along with decadent vegan milkshakes and craft sodas.

Reviews: Drifters Wife, Highroller Lobster

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Drifters Wife (4½ stars), and

Some of Jackson’s best dishes do make use of his new equipment, like a saffron-yellow, heritage-bred chicken, served with roasted parsnips and green garlic ($34). Cooked “al mattone” (under a brick), first in a smoking hot cast-iron pan on the stovetop, then crisped in the oven, the buttery half-chicken is golden-skinned, juicy and so terrifically addictive, it should come with a PSA.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Highroller Lobster Co., and

But the taste was flat, a mere simulacrum to the sweetness of fresh lobster.

Under Construction: Gross Confection Bar

| Posted in Under Construction

Pastry chef Brant Dadaleares has leased 57 Exchange Street, the subterranean former location of Christmas Noel in the John Calvin Steven designed building at the intersection with Middle Street.

Dadaleares will be renovating the 2,000 sq ft space where this November he plans to open Gross Confection Bar (website, facebook, instagram) serving an “ever changing selection of high-quality artfully-plated desserts, cocktails, dessert wines, and digestifs” in the evening, and take-out pastries and coffee in the mornings.

GCB will have seating for 37.

Dadaleares was the longtime pastry chef at Fore Street. He’s also worked at Arrows, Hugo’s/Eventide/The Honey Paw, Roustabout and Central Provisions/Tipo.

Dextrous Creative has been hired as architects for Gross Confection Bar.

To get a sense of what a Gross-style dessert is like check out this fun video from Knack Factory.