Trudy Bird’s, a Scandinavian-style restaurant and bar, opened earlier this month in the former Stones Cafe property in North Yarmouth.

The restaurant specializes in Danish open-faced sandwiches, or smorrebrod, while the bar features 20 beers on draft, several ciders and seven types of the Scandinavian spirit aquavit, including house-made versions.

“It’s definitely a unique concept,” said Alan Hines, who owns Trudy Bird’s with his brother, Jonathan. Hines said a trip he took to Scandinavia in 2018 with his wife provided the inspiration for the restaurant.

“Visually, smorrebrod were really cool to look at, and they tasted fantastic. Over there, they celebrate using local ingredients on these sandwiches,” Hines said, noting that Trudy Bird’s aims to use the dish as a way to showcase Maine produce, seafood and other ingredients.

“The main goal of this cuisine is using what’s around you,” Hines said. “It just makes the product so much better.”

Hines and his brother moved to Maine from Georgia about 12 years ago. Trudy Bird’s name comes from their maternal grandmother’s nickname.

Chef Michael McDonnell, former sous chef at Natalie’s in Camden and executive chef at Blair Hill Inn in Greenville, is running the kitchen, and bakes rye bread in-house for the smorrebrod. Hines said Trudy Bird’s has had a limited menu since opening Dec. 9, but the kitchen has been steadily adding dishes and will offer the full menu later this month.

“We’re adding items day by day. We wanted to pay a lot of respect to this cuisine and do it justice,” Hines said.

A barn on the property is being renovated and fitted with 20 dining seats to be used for lunch service starting in January. Trudy Bird’s dining room seats up to 50 customers, Hines said.

Trudy Bird’s is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. Hines said he expects the restaurant to open at 11 a.m. for lunch and Sunday brunch starting in the new year.

ROSEMONT WINE BAR TO CLOSE

Rosemont Market & Bakery will permanently close its market and wine bar on Thompson’s Point next month, Rosemont officials confirmed Tuesday.

“Our departure will provide us the opportunity to allocate resources from this location toward our seven other neighborhood markets,” said Holly Martzial, director of marketing for Rosemont.

Rosemont opened its wine bar and market on Thompson’s Point in August of 2021, in part of the space formerly occupied by the Cellardoor Winery tasting room. Rosemont leadership had hoped to take advantage of crowds brought to Thompson’s Point by the then newly opened Children’s Museum and Theatre.

Martzial said Rosemont enjoyed collaborating with other Thompson’s Point businesses in the last year and a half, and she expects the market will continue to partner with them in the future.

MONKFISH STEW DONATION

The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association has again donated its signature monkfish stew to the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program to serve at its Christmas Eve lunch.

“Each time they share their stew with us we receive such positive feedback from our soup kitchen guests,” said Karen Parker, executive director of the Midcoast Prevention Program. “Coming together during the holidays to provide a festive meal is especially meaningful, and we’re delighted to do it for a second year.”

Produced by Hurricane’s Premium Soups and Chowders in Greene, the monkfish stew has served the dual purpose of building consumer awareness of monkfish, a sustainable and underused fish, and raising money for the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program it launched in 2020. The stew is sold frozen at more than 60 locations statewide, and is also served at the Brunswick Diner and the Impressions Cafe at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association Executive Director Ben Martens said his organization is “pleased to provide the stew to (Midcoast Hunger Prevention’s) soup kitchen, which has been a terrific partner in the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program, for their Christmas Eve meal for a second year in a row.”

SPECIAL HOLIDAY DINNERS

Restaurant options for dinner on Christmas Day include:

Union Restaurant, The Press Hotel, 390 Congress St., Portland, will offer a three-course dinner for $89, or with wine parings for $134. Reserve a table at (207) 808-8800.

Verbena, 103 Ocean St., South Portland, is serving a four-course dinner for $62, with a vegan option for each course. Guests can also order courses a la carte.

New Year’s Eve dinner specials include:

Bao Bao Dumpling House, 133 Spring St., Portland, is serving a six-course, family-style dinner for $68. Reserve a table online.

Batson River Brewing & Distilling, 17 Lincoln St., Biddeford, will have two dinner seatings (5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.). Tickets cost $50, available online.

Broken Arrow, 545 Congress St., Portland, is serving dinner for $150 per person, including beverage pairings. Reserve a table online.

Central Provisions, 414 Fore St., Portland, is offering a five-course dinner for two for $150 per person. Reservations available online through resy.

Elda, 14 Main St., Biddeford, will serve a tasting menu for $160 per person, with beverage pairings available for an extra fee. Book tables online.

Evo, 443 Fore St., Portland, has a six-course tasting menu for $150 per person.

Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro, 60 Thames St., Portland, will serve a four-course menu for $80, and wine pairings for $45.

Isa Bistro, 79 Portland St., Portland, is offering a four-course dinner for $95 per person.

Judy Gibson, 171 Ocean St., South Portland, has a six-course dinner for $100.

The Knotted Apron, 496 Woodford St., Portland, will offer a six-course dinner for $120.

Maine Oyster Company, 38 Portland St., Portland, is serving a four-course special menu for $90 per person. Make reservations on the restaurant’s website.

Regards, 547 Congress St., Portland, will offer a special dinner for $95 per person. Reserve a table online.

Twelve, 115 Thames St., Portland, is serving a luxe five-course dinner featuring caviar, truffles, foie gras and Champagne for $175 per person.