A Blog About Beer has the scoop on Gargamel, the new a Belgian Style sour ale that Allagash is releasing on Thursday morning.
Down East Interview with Evans
Down East has published an interview with a euphoric Rob Evans.
This was our third time. We knew the set up, and I prepared myself for the let down. I just said, ‘Let’s ride it out, and have a good time. We get to see friends and go out to eat and expect that it might not happen.’ We were ready for that this year. When you hear your name, you’re still not ready for that. It’s just, wow!…These things don’t happen a lot in life, so we really tried to slow down and take it in for the moment. It was great.
Congratulations for Evans have rolled in all day on the web: Rabelais, Travels with Hilary, Accidental Vegetables, Plating Up, Type A Diversions.
More on Evans James Beard Award
Here’s a report from the Press Herald on Rob Evans win in the Best Chef Northeast category at last night’s James Beard Awards.
“I think we’ve got a good scene happening in Portland,” Evans said, minutes after receiving the award – one of the most coveted in the food service industry. “It’s not only good for me, but it’s good for Portland. It solidifies Portland’s standing as a strong food town.”
Where to Eat on Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is this Sunday and a number of Portland venues are offering special menus for what is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants. Here are the ones I’ve heard about so far:
- DiMillo’s – call 772-2216 for more information
- Eastland Park Hotel – menu and pricing
- Eve’s at the Garden – menu and pricing
- Evangeline – call 791-2800 for more information
- Five Fifty-Five – hours
- Nakornping Thai – call 253-5311 for more information
- The Inn on Peaks Island – hours and pricing
- Twenty Milk Street – menu
- Verrillo’s – call 775-6536 for more information
- Vignola – menu and pricing
- Zackery’s – info
and there’s always the regular Sunday Brunch List to choose from as well.
Evans Wins Best Chef Northeast
Be sure to congratulate the chef the next time you’re at Hugo’s. According the the Beard Foundation’s Twitter feed, Chef Rob Evans just won this year’s James Beard award for Best Chef: Northeast. Evans has been a nominee in this category for three years running.
A Logo for El Rayo
The exterior of El Rayo has been transformed with a new coat of paint and this large-scale replica of the restaurant’s logo. The restaurant is still under construction but they are hiring staff so an opening day is likely not too far in the future.
This Week's Events
The James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony is being held in New York tonight; Fore Street (Outstanding Restaurant) and chef Rob Evans of Hugo’s (Best Chef Northeast) are finalist this year. The weekly Food and Drink Trivia Contest is taking place tonight at Bull Feeney’s. On Tuesday, Five Fifty-Five is teaming up with Allagash Brewing to serve up a 6-course beer dinner. Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class on Wednesday night. On Thursday there will be a wine dinner at David’s featuring wines from South Africa. The 2009 Food+Farm is taking place this week: lobsterman and researcher Ted Ames is speaking on Thursday, a pre-release screening of Food, Inc. is on Friday, eco-chef Bryant Terry is speaking on Saturday, and their are activities and class on gardening and farming throughout the weekend. On Saturday, the co-owners of Coffee by Design are giving a talk on the sourcing and blending of their coffees at PeRx-U-Up Cafe. 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.
Indie Biz Awards 2009
Voting in Buy Local’s 2nd Annual Indie Biz Awards poll has begun. Dozen’s of restaurants are nominated Flavor of Portland category and many food business appear in the other seven Indie Biz categories including Portland Food Map which is a nominee in the category for businesses without a store front.
Joe's Boathouse Review
Joe’s Boathouse received 2 stars from the Taste & Tell column in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.
Bar Lola in Travel+Leisure
According to this month’s Travel+Leisure, small is the new big. “If any trend has defined the recent trajectory of travel…it is the cult of the very small.” Portland’s East End restaurant, Bar Lola, made the short list of restaurants in the Guide to Small Places that accompanied the article.