The building that houses Enio’s, a cozy Italian restaurant at 347 Cottage Road in South Portland, is for sale for $599,000. The restaurant business is not included, but the broker handling the sale posted on social media that the owners, Laura and Robert Butler, are retiring in December and their lease is up at the end of January. The Butlers could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Enio’s opened in 2013.

Cape Elizabeth gets a Latin American cafe

Tostones Cafe has opened in the Pond Cove shopping center at 327 Ocean House Road in Cape Elizabeth.

The cafe bills itself as “a contemporary fusion of Latin American food,” primarily featuring dishes from Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Venezuela. It’s owned and operated by Lorena Adaime and her parents. The family also owns Tostones on the Beach, a seasonal Colombian restaurant in Old Orchard Beach.

Adaime said she opened the doors last week with hours from 3-8 p.m. to start. Regular hours begin Monday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.

The cafe has six tables, four chairs at the bar, and another bar with seats by the window. The menu includes a Colombian empanada sampler; arepas filled with grilled chicken or steak; and, of course, tostones (mashed, twice-fried green plantains). The cafe will also have weekly specials such as ceviche and lomo saltado, a Peruvian dish made with marinated sirloin strips, onions, tomatoes and French fries, and served with rice.

Adaime said an online menu will be posted Monday.

Cellardoor returns to Portland

Cellardoor Winery’s new Portland tasting room, at 127 Middle St., opens Thursday. Hours will be 3-7 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The previous location at Thompson’s Point closed in September 2020 because of the pandemic. The winery itself is located in Lincolnville.

Long time coming

Gelato Fiasco’s Old Port location at 425 Fore St., which has been closed since March 1 because of construction on the building, has reopened with indoor service, online ordering and delivery. The company’s gelato truck on the Eastern Prom has closed for the season, but a spokesman for the company said he expects it to return next year.

The Old Port store’s fall and winter hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, and noon to 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The store is closed Mondays.

This month’s flavors include Gooey Pecan Pie, Fall in Bourbon County, and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Oreo.

A taste of Maine

A tasting lounge, café and gift shop featuring Maine-grown and Maine-made products opens Saturday at 5 Commercial St. in Portland, the former home of a Rosemont Market.

Hours at The Maker’s Galley will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. The business will be closed on Mondays.

The cafe will sell Maine specialty coffees, as well as pastries and bagels made by executive chef Arianna Stefanilo. After 11:30 a.m., Stefanilo will serve a menu of small plates, and beer and wine will be available. Reservations are required.

Stefanilo, a graduate of the culinary arts and hospitality management program at Southern Maine Community College, grew up on Chebeague Island and has lots of experience lobstering and fishing. She was formerly the executive chef at Blyth & Burrows and Novare Res Bier Cafe. Her Irish grandmother taught her to bake pastries, and she put those lessons to use in her position as pastry chef at Becky’s Diner.

The Maker’s Galley is part of Experience Maine, owned and operated by Rachel Sagiroglu.

Look for a calendar of events in January that will feature monthly guest chefs, wine dinners and cooking classes. The space is also available for culinary photo shoots and private events for up to 50 people.

Eating local simplified

The Daybreak Growers Alliance, a new Maine food distributor, is accepting online orders for home delivery of goodies for Thanksgiving – and beyond.

The alliance, a group of more than 60 Maine farms and food producers, has teamed up with CarHop to deliver local, organic groceries within an 11-mile radius of Portland. The service will be available year-round, beginning Thanksgiving week.

Customers can place a one-time order for a farm box containing pre-selected items through CarHop, or subscribe to customizable farm boxes on the Daybreak Growers Alliance website at daybreakgrowersalliance.com. Pickup is free at seven sites in Greater Portland and the Casco Bay islands. Delivery is available at a flat rate of $14.99. Thanksgiving orders placed by Nov. 21 will be available for pickup or delivery on Nov. 23 or 24.

Farm boxes come in three sizes, starting at $30, and contain a selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, with the option to add meats, eggs, bread and cheese.

Even a gingerbread man can’t afford a house in this market

If you’ve been priced out of a real house in Maine, try building your own – out of gingerbread.

The Gingerbread Spectacular in Boothbay Harbor celebrates its 15th year Dec. 16-19 in Boothbay Harbor. To encourage more people to participate, the organizers are offering a free class on constructing gingerbread houses.

The class is scheduled for 2 p.m. (it lasts about an hour) Nov. 17 at The Opera House, 86 Townsend Ave. in Boothbay Harbor, and will be led by Kevin Kiley, the technical director for the Gingerbread Spectacular. To register, call 207-633-6855. An adult must accompany children under 13. Masks are required.

There is no entry fee to enter the Gingerbread Spectacular itself, but you must register (call the same number above). Prizes will be awarded in categories such as Best Traditional Gingerbread Design, Most Delicious Looking, and Best Representation of a Local Landmark.

R.I.P. Mathilda

It’s rare for a news column to run an item a few months old, but while working on something else last week I heard a story that I just have to share.

The Old Port Sea Grill has had a 500-gallon saltwater fish tank in its foyer ever since it opened in 2002 at 93 Commercial St. And for 19 years, a fish named Mathilda swam around in the tank, thankful she was not a lobster. In March, Mathilda shuffled off this mortal coil at age 24. That’s old for a tropical fish, but Justin St. Louis, general manager of the restaurant, said Mathilda was a type of tang fish, which can live to 30 in the wild, or up to 25 years in captivity.

Old Port Sea Grill announced Mathilda’s passing on Instagram: “She enjoyed a full life, swimming around in her 500-gallon home, greeting guests, and snacking on seaweed, shrimp, and occasionally other fish. She is survived by her brother, Mustard, and approximately a dozen other fish.”

Mustard is, of course, a yellow tang fish.

St. Louis said “people left candles and flowers on our doorstep for her. So we ended up throwing a celebration of life for the fish. It was kind of hysterical, but really endearing too.”

Our condolences, Mustard.

Giving thanks in Saco

The Knights of Columbus is sponsoring its 22nd Annual Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 25 at the Most Holy Trinity Church Hall, 271 Main St. in Saco. Dinners also will be available for takeout and delivery.

Menus are available at the Good Shepherd Parish office at 271 Main St. Delivery orders must be placed in advance – the deadline is 4 p.m. Nov. 22 – and will be delivered between noon and 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. To place an order, call Mitch or Dave at 207-467-5357. Takeout orders can be picked up at the hall.

Donations for the dinner may be sent to Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1487, Biddeford, ME 04005. Make out checks to Knights of Columbus (write “turkey dinner” on the memo line).

For more information, contact Mike Bolduc at 207-468-0106 or mikefairpoint@twc.com.

A time for giving

The University of Southern Maine and Sodexo are delivering 400 Thanksgiving meals to the Preble Street Shelter in Portland on Wednesday, in recognition of World Kindness Day, which is Saturday. More dinners will be served on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving options, part three

This space is too small to list all of the restaurants, bakeries and other businesses that are offering Thanksgiving dinner or takeout. So as the holiday draws nearer, I’m focusing on what I’m hearing from readers – the No. 1 thing they ask me about is restaurants that will be open for dine-in service on Nov. 25. Here are a few more:

Dock Fore, 336 Fore St. in Portland, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., is the way to go if you want to stay ultra-casual and enjoy $3.95 mimosas (until 7 p.m.) with your loaded turkey sandwich. The pièce de résistance? Cranberry sauce Jell-O shots for dessert.

Harraseeket Inn‘s famous Thanksgiving Grand Buffet returns in a limited way this year, and chances are it’s already sold out (in normal years, it often sells out in August). But the voice mail message at the Freeport inn still offers the details, with no word on availability. If you want to give it a try, call 207-865-9377 and ask for ext. 425. The buffet will be held in the Casco Bay Ballroom only this year, with two seatings between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Reservations are required. Adults pay $115, children 6-12 are $49, and children 5 and under are free. The Broad Arrow Tavern at the inn will be open from 5-8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and will offer a Thanksgiving dinner special in addition to its regular menu.

Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro is the place to be if you feel like traveling up the coast. The diner will open at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day for breakfast before you go home and cook. If you’d rather not cook, Thanksgiving dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For just $26, enjoy corn chowder or pumpkin bisque; roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, peas, biscuits, and pumpkin bread; and a slice of the diner’s famous pie – your choice of apple, pumpkin, chocolate cream, or four-berry. Sounds great, but it’s first-come, first-served: Moody’s is not accepting reservations.

Wayside Tavern, 747 Congress St., Portland, will be open from 1-5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, serving a family-style menu for $85 per person that includes winter squash soup, roasted local turkey with oyster stuffing, braised short rib, Brussels sprout gratin, cardamom gelato and more. Make a reservation online at waysidetavernmaine.com or call 207-613-9568.

Wine Wise at winewiseevents.com. OK, so this one is takeout, but worth mentioning. They are offering a Thanksgiving dinner that serves two to four people, with wine pairings, for $425.84 (no, the 84 cents is not a typo). The food courses and wine come from local restaurants, a bakery and Portland-area wine purveyors. The menu includes truffled mashed potatoes with Parmiagiano from Solo Italiano; cranberry relish with Sorrento lemon, walnut, and orange from Central Provisions; delicata squash with farmers cheese, cranberry vinaigrette and spiced seeds from Helm; and for dessert, your choice of pies from Chaval – either bittersweet chocolate ganache pie with Speckled Ax coffee cream and pecan crumble, or pumpkin pie with roasted cranberries and apple butter. Dinner and wine will be delivered to your door (delivery is included) on Nov. 24. To order, or to see the full menu, go to winewiseevents.com.

This story was updated at 10:31 a.m. Nov. 12 to add information about Wayside Tavern’s Thanksgiving menu.

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