Under Construction: Full Belly Deli, Old Port Lobster Shack

| Posted in Under Construction

Full Belly Deli(facebook) owner David Rosen has announced that he’ll be re-opening the business this Spring. There’s no official word on the location but some folks have suggested it will be in the Old Port.

Today’s Press Herald provides a detailed back story on the Old Port Lobster Shack and its owner Russell Deutsch. The California-based business is constructing its 4th restaurant at 425 Fore Street. This will be the first OPLS in Maine.

It dawned on him that a lot of the graduates of New England schools worked in the San Francisco Bay area, including Silicon Valley, and were probably lobster starved. So he wrote a business plan and got in touch with his old contacts from the exporting business. He opened his first lobster shack in Redwood City, in a strip mall next to a Super Cuts. It struggled at first; then three or four months in, the San Francisco Chronicle wrote a review. “The next day we had 250 people in line at my door,” he said, “and it hasn’t settled down since.”

Mothers and Thieves at Vinland

| Posted in Events

mothersandthievesVinland will be kicking off their Tuesday night pop-up series later this month. On March 31st former Vinland sous chef Ryan Quigley along along with Tavis Potter will be the featured chefs preparing a meal as part of their Mothers and Thieves pop-up series.

Pulling inspiration from world travels, modern art, and curiosity, our dinners are based upon classic techniques, but accented by wild presentations, bright and exotic ingredients, and unusual flavor pairings. With hopes to inspire and spark creative thoughts and conversation, the dinners will be presented to our guest in a classic family table setting.

Tickets are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets.

Interview with Shannon Bard

| Posted in People

The Press Herald has published an interview with Shannon Bard, chef of Zapoteca.

Q: But why in Maine?
A: I knew there was a need for traditional Mexican cuisine. I take traditional dishes and I modernize them and make them my own, using as many local ingredients as possible. People have their preconceived idea of what Mexican is, but they’ve had border Mexican (cuisine). A huge majority hasn’t had interior Mexican cuisine. That was the biggest challenge – people having ideas of what Mexican food should be. I could bring up traditional produce and fish from (Mexico), but it would cost a lot more money and I want to focus on local products as much as possible.

Review of The King’s Head

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has published a brunch review of The King’s Head.

Although relatively new, The King’s Head has found solid footing among the brewpubs and gastro-bistros of the Old Port. We won’t rush back for brunch — at this price point, there are better options in town — but I look forward to returning to sample appetizers and more beers from their impressive tap list. I’ll probably visit later in the day, when I can enjoy a few pints free of guilt.

This Week’s Events: The Maine Dish, Food Swap, Forge Release, Signature Event

| Posted in Events

Maine Restaurant Week — MRW began Sunday and runs through March 14. See mainerestaurantweek.com for details on participating restaurants.

Tuesday — The grand re-opening is still a couple weeks off but on Tuesday Vena’s is partnering with Sunrise Guides to raise money for Portland Trails; Vena’s will be debuting some of their new drinks.

Wednesday — Black Tie is teaching a cooking class.

Thursday — it’s the first night of The Maine Dish, the March Food Swap is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory, Tod Mott from the Tributary Brewing Company will be at the Great Lost Bear and there will be a wine tasting at the Munjoy Hill Rosemont and a Mayflower Brewing tasting at the Bier Cellar.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli.

Saturday — Foundation Brewing is releasing Forge their Russian Imperial Stout (2 bottle limit), and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — the MRW Signature Event cocktail competition is taking place.

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.