Photo / Renee Cordes
Maxwell's Farm is located in Cape Elizabeth.
June 28, 2024
Friday Food Insider: A bubble tea cafe has opened its doors in Portland
Photo / Courtesy, Mamta Mohnot
Bubble Bliss recently opened its 947-square-foot storefront at 23 Temple St. in Portland.
If you are looking for a refreshing summer drink, you're in luck — a new bubble tea cafe has opened its doors in Portland.
Bubble Bliss has a 947-square-foot storefront at 23 Temple St., the building that also includes Nickelodeon Cinemas, where Bubble Mania used to be before closing in 2022.
Owner Mamta Mohnot told Mainebiz she wanted to make Bubble Bliss a “bubble tea lover's paradise.”
“My family, particularly my two daughters, are huge fans of bubble tea and would enjoy it every day if they could,” said Mohnot. “So, I decided to explore the possibility of opening a bubble tea shop in the Old Port. The leafy boulevard with benches seemed like an ideal spot.
“The response from visitors has been extremely positive,” she continued. “People are pleasantly surprised and thrilled to have a new bubble tea shop in the neighborhood.”
Originating in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea is a concoction of tea with chewy tapioca. For a classic boba experience, patrons can add traditional black tapioca pearls and fruit-flavored popping bobas.
Bubble Bliss offers 23 varieties of bubble tea, including strawberry, brown sugar, taro and vanilla chai. The teas are made with real milk, not milk powders, which gives the drink a richer and creamier taste.
The cafe will also offer refreshers, flavored iced Red Bull drinks and hot tea.
Mohnot told Mainebiz that she wanted the cafe's theme to be fun and sunny, given Maine's long winters.
“One side of the wall is a wallpaper with boba drinks with funny faces,” said Mohnot. “We have also tried not to cover the long windows as much as we can so that there is an abundance of natural light in the store to lift the spirits.”
What else is going on in the food world?
Maxwell's Farm, a pick-your-own strawberry farm in Cape Elizabeth, announced Thursday that it has closed early for the season due to small fruit flies.
"We have discussed all possible options for dealing with these tiny invaders but have found no good solution," Maxwell's Farm said in a social media post.
"Because of this unfortunate discovery, we are now closed for the remainder of the 2024 strawberry season. This is one of the many difficult aspects of farming, as we are so very dependent on Mother Nature.
"We are incredibly saddened and disappointed by this development and apologize for any inconvenience it has caused. We want to thank everyone for coming out this year and supporting us, as you all have done in so many years past. Thank YOU!"
Low Stakes Lodge, a steakhouse operated by the folks at the Highroller Lobster Co., officially opened at 106 Exchange St. in Portland on Thursday. The menu will feature French onion soup, bar snacks, rib eye, filet mignon, New York strip, bavette, seafood and more. The restaurant will be open until Sunday this week and closed next week. The grand opening will be held on July 11.
Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co., founded in Yarmouth in 2017, opened a new artisanal craft pizza destination in a former mill building at 180 Main St. in Biddeford. Brickyard Hollow now has 10 locations from Ogunquit to Eustis. The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Squier's Specialty Elixirs, a Maine-based cannabis beverage company, has launched a new THCV-infused elixir. The GO-Time Elixir features a new formulation and flavor, white peach apricot with yerba mate. THCV, a naturally occurring cannabinoid in cannabis, is known for its energy-boosting properties, and yerba mate naturally contains caffeine and antioxidants. This elixir can be found at partnering dispensaries in Maine and Massachusetts.
For an upcoming Food Insider, this foodie is looking for your recommendations on places to enjoy a nice cocktail outdoors. Share your thoughts and suggestions with the Mainebiz Food Insider! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz.
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