Olive Garden is dropping its popular “Buy One Take One” offer this quarter, a sign that restaurant chains are willing to sacrifice some customer traffic in order to wean themselves off promotions. The company is pursuing an everyday value strategy, meaning it wants customers to feel like they’re getting a good deal on their food […]
restaurants
Posted inLocal & State
Restaurant owners, charged with writing bad checks for $19,000, have left Maine
The former high-profile Portland restaurateurs who owe tens of thousands of dollars in civil judgments over unpaid bills have left the state and now face criminal charges that they wrote bad checks. Thomas and Shannon Bard are accused of writing more than $19,000 in bad checks to Bow Street Distributing, a Freeport wine, beer and […]
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Renowned chef and her husband, former owners of Zapoteca, indicted on theft charges
The former owners of a popular Old Port restaurant have been indicted by the Cumberland County grand jury on charges of theft by deception and negotiating a worthless instrument. Renowned chef Shannon D. Bard, 47, was indicted on Class C felony charges of theft by deception and negotiating a worthless instrument, according to the March […]
Posted inbPlus, Life & Culture, sj-web
Why Tuesday is a special day at many Lewiston-Auburn eateries
LEWISTON — For years, Eric Agren had trouble drawing diners into his Fuel restaurant on Tuesdays. It’s a slow day for most every eatery, and the high-end Lisbon Street restaurant was no exception. So Agren dubbed Tuesday “Fuelsday” and started offering specials on food and wine. But recently it’s specialty draft beer — Maine made, […]
Posted inLocal & State
A popular Maine restaurant goes retro with its reservation system
Most restaurants are constantly on the hunt for new technology to handle day-to-day business such as reservations. The Lost Kitchen in Freedom is taking a step back this year, asking diners to mail in their reservation requests for the 2018 season. The 40-seat restaurant in an old mill in Freedom, owned by Erin French, usually […]
Posted inBusiness, Lewiston-Auburn
In Freeport, Homage rises from ashes of Corsican Cafe
FREEPORT — Almost two years after fire destroyed the popular Corsican Cafe and Chowder House at 9 Mechanic St., a team of three local chefs have revamped and reopened the space. Homage Restaurant opened Thursday, Feb. 8. The new building includes two floors of seating for up to 87 customers. It is open Tuesday through […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Video: Krispy Kreme finally opens in Auburn
AUBURN — By the time they had unlocked the doors at the new Krispy Kreme before dawn Monday, a bundled-up Joshua Fogg of Turner had been standing outside for 15 hours in temperatures that had dipped below zero. Fogg, the first guy in line, paused for a moment when asked why he shivered through a […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Video: Krispy Kreme fans brave the cold for Auburn opening
[UPDATE: Krispy Kreme finally opens in Auburn] AUBURN — Have you ever wanted free doughnuts enough to wait in line … overnight … during a Maine winter? Josh Fogg of Turner has. He was the first in line for Krispy Kreme’s grand opening on Center Street in Auburn, starting his wait at 3 p.m. Sunday. The […]
Posted inLocal & State
Restaurateurs, chefs and bartenders from New York lured by Portland’s slower pace
It was early October, and Bolster, Snow & Co., Anthony DeLois’ new restaurant, was scheduled to open the next day in Portland. But the restaurant’s liquor license hadn’t arrived. DeLois had been seasoned in the New York City restaurant industry – working as sous chef at Il Buco and later as a manager for Union […]
Posted inLocal & State
Whine with dinner? How to complain in a restaurant
You order the shrimp gumbo in one of your favorite restaurants, and when it arrives you spy one lonely, forlorn shrimp floating in the stew. Do you speak up, or swallow your frustration and dig in? The steak you ordered medium-rare arrives, and the meat is so red you joke that you can still hear […]