New restaurants often get a lot of buzz, and the opening of Dizzy Birds Rotisserie at 65 Main Street in Biddeford last Thursday was no exception. By 6:30 p.m, all the birds had flown out the door.

Dizzy Birds sells whole rotisserie chickens and warm, carved chicken sandwiches, as well as sandwiches made with rotisserie prime rib, leg of lamb and turkey breast.

All of the chickens come from Quebec, according to Dizzy Birds owner Tom Peacock, and are organic, GMO-free, antibiotic free, and air chilled, meaning that the birds don’t go through a chlorinated water bath during processing.

“It has a richness of flavor that you can’t get in a traditional wholesale or retail chicken,” Peacock said.

Peacock worked for 20 years as a chef in hotels and restaurants in Massachusetts, and was the executive chef at Harvard Law School. He spent four years as food service director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a $5 million a year operation. Peacock said he and his wife moved to Portland from the Boston area for “a new life.”

Dizzy Birds is a family affair, with Peacock’s wife, Barb Peacock, serving as baker and running the business’ social media accounts. Their youngest son, Connor, is the sous chef, and their middle son, Cameron, is the general manager. Landon, their oldest son, created the paintings in the restaurant’s dining room.

In addition to rotisserie meats, Dizzy Birds sells a selection of sides, soups and salads. Sides include Maine mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and herbed ancient grains. Whole chickens sell for $16.75, Peacock said, while complete meals, which include a couple of sides with cornbread or a baguette, go for $26.75. The restaurant also offers a daily vegan entree.

(With a name like Peacock, it might be fun for the family to add peafowl to its menu, except that online sellers of exotic meats are charging as much as $200 for one peacock breast, or $300 for a whole bird.)

Dizzy Birds, which has its own parking, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

HAVE BREAKFAST AT THE NOOK

The Nook at Handy’s at 367 Main Street in Yarmouth quietly opened two weeks ago, putting a new spin on the space that was formerly known as Handy Andy’s.

The new little diner is offering brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. On the menu are items such as carrot cake pancakes finished with candied pecans, coconut and a cream cheese glaze; breakfast lasagna; French toast casserole topped with cinnamon butter and blueberry compote; and “the morning BAAT,” which is toasted sourdough filled with bacon, smashed avocado, arugula, tomato and an egg. The Nook also sells a large selection of grab-and-go options, from overnight oats to Italian sandwiches, and has a full-service coffee bar, pastries, groceries, wine and beer, all available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Frank Grondin bought Handy Andy’s in 2016. Grondin brought in Caitlin Henningsen, co-owner of the Owl & Elm pub next door, to help him re-create the space, which had been an important community gathering spot. They closed the store for two weeks this winter to renovate.

TANDEM COFFEE BREWS UP NEW SINGLE-USE CUP POLICY

Tandem Coffee Roasters in Portland announced on its Facebook page that it is launching a new policy on single-use cups April 2, about three weeks ahead of Earth Day. The company will lower all drink prices by 25 cents that day, and at the same time begin charging 25 cents for single-use cups. Calling reusable cups “the new normal,” Tandem is having a sale on reusable coffee mugs and travel mugs, both online and in the store, to help you prepare for the new policy.

MAINE SALSAS HOT IN THE BAYOU

Here’s some hot news: Buxton-based Galaxie Salsa Co. recently won three awards in the World Hot Sauce competition in Louisiana.

The company’s Red Roof Hot and Pin-Up Pineapple sauces won second place awards in the Hot Salsa and Fruit Salsa categories, respectively, and One Tire Fire took third place in the X-tra Hot Salsa division.

Galaxie Salsa Co. was founded eight years ago by Dana Carman. It produces nine different styles of salsa that are sold in more than 100 locations, including Hannaford supermarkets.

CALLING ALL LOBSTER-LOVING CHEFS

I apologize in advance, but this bit of news may leave you craving lobster for lunch.

Although the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year competition isn’t until Oct. 18, during the annual Harvest on the Harbor celebration, organizers are seeking recipe submissions from interested chefs now so they can narrow the field.

If you consider yourself the Rob Gronkowski of lobster chefs, email your best lobster recipe to gillian@harvestontheharbor.com by April 24. A team that includes John Hathaway, owner of Shucks Maine Lobster, will vet the recipes and select nine finalists to be announced in May.

MEMORIAL BLEND TO BENEFIT NOYES FAMILY

The Portland-based Coffee By Design announced the creation of a special coffee blend in honor of the late Dave Noyes, the trombone player for the Rustic Overtones who died suddenly March 7.

The Dave Noyes Blend will go on sale April 1 in CBD coffeehouses and online, and at select wholesale accounts. Two dollars per pound from coffeehouse and online sales, and $1 per pound from wholesale sales will benefit the Noyes family during the month of April. In addition, CBD plans to donate 10 percent of its April 5 retail coffeehouse sales to the family.

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