Central Provisions is OPEN

Central Provisions, the hugely anticipated Old Port small plates restaurant and bar from chef Chris Gould and his wife Paige (who is the GM), opened last night. It will be open nightly, serving dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a late-night menu at the downstairs bar (which opens onto Wharf Street) served from 10 p.m. until midnight.

Several local food writers and bloggers were there to check out the first night. Susan Axelrod's photos of the beautifully renovated space, where wood and exposed brick dominate, are up on the Press Herald's Maine a la Carte blog. (It looks like there is, or at least was, a bottle of Van Winkle 12-year being poured.) [Update: Maine Today has lots more photos from photographer Ted Axelrod.] Portland Food Map was also on the scene, posting a menu pic. The Blueberry Files Instagrammed a good looking cocktail along with a peek at the nice branding done by Might & Main. [Update II: The Blueberry Files now has a "first look" blog post up.]

The road to opening was a winding one for the Goulds, but the restaurant, with a wide-ranging menu complimented by pre-Prohibition craft cocktails, local craft beer on tap and an approachable and interesting wine program led by Chris Peterman, appears to be well worth the wait. Gould, a Bethel-native who formerly worked at Ken Oringer's acclaimed Uni Sashimi Bar, spoke with Eater Maine back in October about the process, which included a long wait for building permits, a fire next door that caused smoke damage to his building, and a complete overhaul of the historic Old Port building that never previously housed a restaurant in its near 200-year existence. But with drinks now flowing and food flying out of the open kitchen, all that is in the past.
· Central Provisions [Facebook]
· All Coverage of Central Provisions [~EMAINE~]
[Photo: Tom Minervino]