Jim Keithly from ABC affiliate WMTW interviewed Harding Lee Smith about his new Italian restaurant The Corner Room (via Portland Psst!). According to the report, Smith plans on opening The Corner Room on June 25. As you can see from this photo I took today, there’s still a lot of work to do to get the space ready.
The WMTW report also includes some footage and information on Smith’s Windham farm where he’s currently raising 350 chickens. The farm to table operation is being expanded with a 48 foot green house that “will eventually produce a variety of herbs, lettuce and other vegetables”.
Paciarino Review
The vegetarian food blog Diet for a Small City has posted a review of Paciarino.
Much to my pleasure, the menu contained plenty of meatless options—and by options, I don’t mean that I chose the one vegetarian appetizer and the one vegetarian entree available—I mean, I actually had to make a decision. Fellow vegetarians know how disappointing it can be when a menu chooses your meal for you.
Out on a Limb Apple CSA
Rabelais Books and Out on a Limb in Palermo, Maine are teaming up to bring a rare apple CSA to Portland this fall. Shares are $120 and will bring “30-40 varieties of rare, interesting and highly flavored apples over the course of the season” and “will be accompanied by a newsletter with descriptions, history, tidbits and lore about each variety, as well as recipes and ideas for how to best use them.”
Otto Pizza
A new pizzeria, Otto Pizza, is under construction on Congress Street near the intersection with Forest Ave.
Review of The Inn on Peaks Island
Portland Magazine has published a review of The Inn on Peaks Island.
If the grub weren’t so delicious at the Inn on Peaks Island, there’d be reason enough (beyond the rave reports of our island friends, who consider the pub here a regional treasure) to visit for the journey alone: The Casco Bay ferries dish up a refreshing 20-minute visual appetizer as you watch the Portland city skyline turn purple and pink behind lighthouses, Fort Gorges, Little Diamond and House Islands, and the twinkles of a visiting cruise liner or two.
This Week’s Events
The first half of a two-part seminar on social media use by restaurants is scheduled for both Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. The weekly Food and Drink Trivia Contest is at Bull Feeney’s tonight, and on Tuesday, the next Wine Flight 5k Training run is taking place. Old Port Sea Grill is holding a beer and wine dinner Tuesday night. There are wine tastings scheduled Wednesday at Old Port Wine Merchants and Thursday at Leavitt and Sons. Also on Thursday night is the 4th Annual Taste of the Nation dinner and a Geary’s showcase at The Great Lost Bear. Farmers’ Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.
Papaya Lama
This week’s article from Margo Mallar in the Portland Daily Sun mixes Budhist one-liners: “What did the Buddhist say to the Hot Dog Vendor? (Make me one with everything)” and Dali Lama references with a visit to Papaya King on Dana Street.
Veranda Noodle Bar
The owners of Veranda Thai plan on opening a Vietnamese restaurant across the street in the old Supper at Six location. Construction started several weeks ago, and according to papers filed with the city they hope to later this month. The new restaurant will be named Veranda Noodle Bar.
Papou's Kitchen Review
Papou’s Kitchen has received 4 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.
The gyro is a white pita (from Micucci’s) stuffed with a meat mixture of seasoned beef and lamb that turns vertically on an electric spit. As the meat cooks, Zoulamis shaves off thin slices.
It’s a weird contraption that looks something like Spam on a spit, but the meat is flavorful, hot and delicious. Most of all, it’s incredibly tender, much moreso than the strips of grilled meat that are found in most gyros.
Salt Exchange Review
Type A Diversions has published a review of her lunch at The Salt Exchange.
We were still quite hungry when we finished our four small plates and decided to share the Orange Blossom Poached Rhubarb for dessert. Lemon custard was topped with a meringue cookie and surrounded by tart rhubarb and sweet orange sections. The dish was light and the flavor combination worked well together.