Under Construction: Black Cat Coffee

| Posted in Under Construction

BlackCatCoffee

I stopped by The Honey Exchange Friday to pick-up some equipment and spotted the brown paper and signage for Black Cat Coffee at 463 Stevens Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Good Eats Boutique.

I talked with co-owner Jenny Siler who along with her husband Keith James Dunlap are launching the new coffee shop. Their plan is to create a neighborhood coffee shop for that part of town. They’re talking with a number of local roasters but haven’t made a final decision about whose coffee they’ll use.

The pair just signed the lease last week and are working their way through a very long task list to convert the space. They hope to be open by early August.

This Week’s Events: Donut Showdown, Latte Art Throwdown, In’finiti Rum Riot

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — The Holy Donut is holding a viewing party at Brian Boru to watch a screening of Donut Showdown Food Network Canada TV show which features The Holy Donut.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a Greek wine tasting at the Public Market House and a rose tasting at the Bier Cellar, Bite into Maine will be the featured food truck at Rising Tide Brewing, the monthly Latte Art Throwdown is taking place at Bard Coffee, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beers from Uinta Brewery.

Saturday — there will be wine tastings at Browne Trading and LeRoux Kitchen, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market of 2013 is taking place, El Corazon will be at Rising Tide as part of the brewery’s weekly food truck series.

Sunday — In’finiti is marking the 162nd anniversary of the Portland Rum Riot by launching the rum produced by their own distillery.

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.

Under Construction: MJ’s, The Bar at One City Wines

| Posted in Under Construction

markoMark Ohlson, the owner of MJ’s, the new wine bar under construction at One City Center has shared some of his plans for the business.

The bar will serve “30 wines by the glass and half glass from around the world focusing on traditional varieties from prominent regions”. He’ll also have a smaller set of local and international beers available. The food menu will consist of a “selection of cheese, nuts, olives and chocolate and appropriate accompaniments”.

Ohlson is a Certified Sommelier. In addition to the wine bar, MJ’s will have an educational program. Starting in September he will be offering “drop in tastings as well as a ten-week course for a simple certification level via The One City Wine Academy (OCWA). A five-week beer course will also be available.”

MJ’s will have “a ‘Wall of Wine’ with maps, books and 40 fragrance jars to help suggest classic wine flavors. And a ‘Wall of Vinyl’ where guest can pick out and play from a selection of classic records or they can bring in their own.”

Mark has worked at a number of restaurants in Portland including Perfetto’s, Bull Feeney’s, Walters, and Hugo’s. He’s currently a bartender at Little Tap House. I first met him when he tended bar at Uffa and then at Frog and Turtle in Westbrook during its first couple years in operation.

Review of Enio’s

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Enio’s.

Delicious Italian-influenced entrees, salads, pastas and snacks that are uncomplicated, updated, nicely portioned and reasonably priced for the quality. Enio’s calls itself a small eatery, and it is. Due to the set-up of the dining area and the no-reservations policy, on busy nights, this restaurant is best for small parties, such as a couple dropping in from the neighborhood or a party of three or four who get the timing right.

Maine Beer Mavens

| Posted in Beer

This week’s Portland Phoenix has published a report on a beer club for women, Maine Beer Mavens.

…Now, the club known as Maine Beer Mavens has 150-some Facebook members, women who blog about beer, homebrew, and increasingly prefer craft beer to cocktails and wine. Tesini, a recipe developer who writes for DRAFT magazine and blogs for ChicksThatDigBeer.com, had longed for more ladies-only events like the ones she attended at the female-owned Vermont Homebrew Supply before moving here from the Green Mountain State in 2010.