Ilma Lopez passes out plates at The Unbelievable Breakfast Prepare dinner-Off at Sea Canine Brewing in South Portland on Tuesday. Lopez, who took first prize, was representing her new West Finish bakeshop and luncheonette, Ugly Duckling. Brianna Soukup/Workers Photographer
Ugly Duckling, the West Finish’s brand-new bakeshop and luncheonette, took high honors in The Unbelievable Breakfast Prepare dinner-Off Tuesday.
About 200 folks braved the snow to attend the occasion at Sea Canine Brewing Firm in South Portland, based on occasion organizer Gillian Britt. The cook-off additionally serves because the kickoff to Maine Restaurant Week, now working in its fifteenth 12 months from March 1-12.
A dozen space cooks ready their entries for the competition, which was judged by the group. Chef Ilma Lopez, co-owner of Ugly Duckling, beat out opponents together with her crème brûlée trocaderos, house-made brioche pastries crammed with vanilla custard and topped with caramel and maple glaze.
The primary-runner up prize went to Chef Isaac Aldrich of Bowdoin Eating Companies for his Maine Crab Benedict that includes Maine rock crab meat, eggs, hollandaise, buttermilk biscuits, peppadew peppers and roasted heirloom tomatoes. Aldrich received the annual occasion in 2020 and 2016.
Second-runner up went to a different cook-off veteran, Chef Avery Richter of the Black Tie Firm caterers. Richter ready breakfast empanadas with native sausage, eggs, spinach, smoked cheddar, pickled onions and maple chipotle sauce.
The breakfast cook-off was held for the primary time since 2020, because the pandemic had induced it to be canceled for the final two years. Proceeds go to profit Preble Road, and Britt estimated the occasion raised $6,000.
“The cooks actually do take it critically and work arduous to give you inventive dishes. And all people is happy to be there to profit Preble Road,” Britt stated. “The power is all the time actually good, and it’s a enjoyable occasion due to that.”
SOMETHING EERIE IN OLD PORT
A brand new Hulu collection on paranormal exercise contains an episode that includes some spooky stuff at Andy’s Previous Port Pub on Business Road.
“Repossessed,” a Hulu collection on paranormal exercise, will function an episode on a pool desk at Andy’s Previous Port Pub that co-owner John Lowell says “will make noises as if anyone’s enjoying when there’s no person within the room.” Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Workers Photographer
The present, “Repossessed,” is hosted by paranormal investigator Moe Sargi and focuses on seemingly haunted objects across the nation. A workforce from the present visited Andy’s a few 12 months in the past to research a pool desk within the pub’s again room.
“The desk has been right here for some time, and it’ll make noises as if anyone’s enjoying when there’s no person within the room,” stated pub co-owner John Lowell, who purchased Andy’s together with his spouse, Tanya, in 2020. “You’ll hear pool balls clacking when there are not any balls within the desk. You’ll hear the coin-drop mechanism function when no person’s enjoying.”
Lowell stated workers and even clients from native strolling excursions have witnessed these unusual incidents. Whereas Repossessed targeted on the pool desk, Lowell stated the pub’s safety cameras have captured different hard-to-explain occurrences, like a 7-pound ketchup container all of a sudden flying off its shelf, or a espresso cup that flipped within the air spontaneously earlier than smashing on the ground.
Maine-based paranormal skilled Chris Sanders had made the present’s producers conscious of Andy’s pool desk, Lowell stated, and in addition makes an look within the episode.
The primary season of Repossessed contains eight episodes. Andy’s Previous Port Pub is featured in episode 4, together with another places round New England.
SOUL FOOD PARADISE TO EXPAND
Soul Meals Paradise proprietor Martin Beavers plans to open a second location this summer season, this one on Preble Road.
Beavers just lately signed a five-year lease on a 2,800-square-foot house at 24 Preble St. The situation beforehand hosted Arcadia earlier than its transfer to Congress Road.
Beavers opened Soul Meals Paradise within the Maine Mall meals courtroom within the fall of 2021. He intends to develop the menu on the new location and provide some elevated variations of soul meals classics, as nicely providing distinctive codecs like meals served in cornbread bowls. The Preble Road location additionally could have a liquor license, and Beavers stated he’s growing a line of daiquiri-style drinks.
Beavers hopes to be up and working on the new web site by the top of Could or someday in June. The Maine Mall location of the Soul Meals Paradise will keep open till its lease expires in 2024, he stated.
“We would like this to be a spot the place you wish to take an image,” Beavers stated. “We wish to make it colourful and enjoyable, family-style. That’s what soul meals is all about.”
PUNCH LOVES SACRED PROFANE
Biddeford’s Sacred Profane Brewing made Punch journal’s listing of the nation’s finest craft beer breweries for 2023.
Sacred Profane was certainly one of 10 breweries on the Punch listing – launched Feb. 21 – and the one location in New England. Punch compiles its roundup with enter from brewers, beer writers and patrons across the nation.
Titled “The Who’s Who of Beer Cool,” the Punch story cites Sacred Profane’s co-founders Michael Fava and Brienne Allan’s “unmatched dedication to Czech-style lagers. Each are preceded by their reputations for making wonderful beer and eschewing fads.”
Sacred Profane opened final 12 months, and sells two sorts of Czech-style lagers, pale and darkish.
“I feel beer had an enormous maximalism section, and I really like seeing of us pull it again and simply give attention to high quality,” the writeup continues, quoting Brooklyn-based brew scribe Ash Croce. “I really like that (Sacred Profane) is dedicated to those conventional lagers and simply perfecting them.”
FORBES GIVES CLIFF HOUSE FOUR STARS
Cliff Home Maine in Cape Neddick just lately earned 4 stars from the Forbes Journey Information for the primary time.
“Located on 70 acres atop majestic Bald Head Cliff, Cliff Home Maine provides a dreamy, cozy respite overlooking the Atlantic,” the Forbes assessment states. “Opened in 1872 as a resort and farm, the peaceable retreat has attracted a few of New England’s high brass to its spectacular shores. … A latest renovation has given this historic resort new life, but it surely nonetheless makes probably the most of its spectacular location.”
Owned by hoteliers Marc Dugas and Peter Anastos, the property underwent main renovations about six years in the past. The Cliff Home has 226 rooms overlooking the ocean, a spa and wellness heart, and two eating places, The Tiller and Nubb’s Lobster Shack.
“Whereas seafood is definitely the star at The Tiller,” the Forbes reviewer wrote, “land-based dishes like hanger steak with Bradbury Mountain blue cheese butter or a mushroom-packed plate of gnocchi shine vivid, too.”
The one different Maine property to be acknowledged by Forbes in 2023 is The White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, which acquired a five-star ranking.
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