'Humidity Disaster' Delays Vinland from Opening for Real

Vinland. [Photo: Corey Templeton Photography]

Vinland still isn't really, fully open. Apologies for the premature Opening Alert. The ultra-local restaurant from David Levi has had several nights of soft openings, but, according to its Facebook page, the "true opening night" remains "TBA." John Golden tried to do a sneak-peek review on his blog last week, but, "[a]s it turned out this long-awaited controversial dining establishment was closed for the remainder of the week because the kitchen needed some last-minute refinements before becoming fully operational."

The deluge of media coverage has continued, though, with the Press Herald's Mary Pols writing a lengthy piece for today's paper. It rehashes some of the material that's been written elsewhere, but more thoroughly looks at the criticism Levi has received. (Pols even asks Vinland doubter Joe Ricchio for his thoughts, but he only issues a written statement that he "would prefer to have no part in anything regarding that restaurant.") As for the delayed hard opening, Pols says the recent snow storm caused a "humidity disaster that turned Vinland into Wetland during the soft opening." Blasting the air conditioner was a temporary solution until a "$10,000 ventilation unit and heat recovery system can be installed. It marks at least another week-long delay and unexpected expense on the road to being fully open ..."
· Bold Idea for Portland Restaurant Fraught with Challenges [PPH]
· All Coverage of Vinland [~EMAINE~]