Owners Dave Aceto and Ben Culver from Arcadia National Bar (twitter, facebook) have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $25,000 for the arcade/bar they’re launching this Spring. They plan on using the money to help renovate the space they’ve leased at 24 Preble Street.
Visit the Arcadia Kickstarter page to learn more and to contribute to this effort.
The City Council approved Arcadia’s liquor license application on Monday night. For more on Arcadia see this recent article on Maine Today.
Meredith Goad has written an article for today’s Press Herald Food & Dining section that looks at how food industry businesses in Maine are using crowdfunding to raise money to launch or support their businesses.
Jarrod Spangler wants to open an Italian-style butcher shop in Kittery. Lisa Laurita and Tom Sigler want to spiff up their Camden restaurant. Gloria Pearse dreams of selling Indian food on the streets of Portland. Arvid Brown and his best friend plan to peddle fish and chips from their Portland food truck this summer. And Anya Heyl just wants to save her waffle business.
Knack Factory has posted an interview with Kim Rodgers, pastry chef at Hugo’s/Eventide.
This industry can be a difficult one and sometimes people don’t stick around for very long. What made you stick around?
I went to school for art, sculpture and French. For me, it was a marriage of all of those things. It was a tactile and visual thing. There are materials and you are changing them and there are endless possibilities and I fell in love with it. And you go in every day and it is never the same. It is not always the easiest, but there is always something to learn and there are great people to work with.
Snap Reviews reports that India Bazaar is now open at 1700 Forest Ave.
Now open on outer Forest Ave! Indian grocery – good selection, good prices – and takeaway food coming soon, possibly as soon as 15 minutes after i left yesterday. It smelled amazing; i can’t wait to go back.
According a tip from a regular PFM reader, the signage on the building promises, “Kabob -n- Curry, Fresh Produce – Meats – Spices, Mediterranean Groceries”.
Maine Today has published an interview with Luke Davidson, head distiller of Maine Craft Distilling.
How does your upbringing on a farm influence the way you work now?
That’s interesting. I definitely approach it in a more practical way, but it limits my abilities in other ways. Fortunately, I have my partner Fred [Farber] and a few other collaborators who have whole different skill sets, and together we make a good unit. In terms of the practical piece: growing up in a really, really remote setting during a really remote time, I learned from everybody that if you can’t find it, you make it. Basically everything here we’ve made ourselves.
Urban Eye has posted an update on The Jewel Box, a new cocktail bar being launched by Nathaniel Meiklejohn.
For the jaded drinker, who has been there, sipped that, there will be themes.
Take monk night for instance. Meiklejohn will coordinate music (Thelonious) with monk-made liquor like Bénédictine and chartreuse.
These herbal elixirs developed in 17th and 19th century France make prohibition cocktails sound quaint.
Visit thebeardedladysjewelbox.com for news and to sign-up for the bar’s mailing list.
The Council voted last night in a 5-4 decision to deny Sangillo’s application for a liquor license renewal, according to reports from the Bangor Daily News and Press Herald.
The Portland City Council on Monday night voted 5-4 to deny a liquor license for the embattled Sangillo’s Tavern, a neighborhood bar on Hampshire Street which police have labeled as dangerous in the aftermath of a late January shooting nearby.
The vote is expected to force Sangillo’s to close down after more than a half century of business in the city’s India Street neighborhood, unless bar managers can get a reprieve from the state.
Also read these articles in the Portland Daily Sun and Portland Phoenix.
Monday — The Portland City Council will be making a final decision on the renewal of Sangillo’s liquor license; they’ll also be considering the first-time applications from Maps Cafe, Bonfire and Arcadia National Bar. The Good Wine for a Good Cause wine tasting event will be raising money for Cancer Community Center.
Tuesday — winemaker Victor Abascal from Vines on the Marycrest will be partnering with Rosemont on a wine tasting event, and American Sommelier is teaching a class that examines how winery production methods impact the final product.
Wednesday — Black Tie is teaching a cooking class.
Thursday — chef Shannon Bard will be competing on the latest episode of Beat Bobby Flay.
Saturday — there will be a wine tasting at Browne Trading, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.
Sunday — chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly will be holding the next edition of Family Feast at Grace. The family style dinner will be “presenting contemporary versions of several Indonesian classics: steamed dumpling, bakso, seafood curry, beef rendang and more!”
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.
MOO Milk (twitter, facebook, website) will be launching a “mobile dairy bar” later this year which will serve up “shakes, ice cream creations and other dairy treats” at “dozens of fairs, music, food, art, athletic and other events” in the State.
Check-out Craigslist for more details and their help wanted ad for staff to manage the truck.
