Cara and Cecile Stadler, owners of Tao Yuan in Brunswick and Bao Bao Dumpling House in Portland, plan to open a third restaurant in Portland next summer called Lio.
Lio, which will be located at 3 Spring St. within 6 City Center, will be a “wine-focused restaurant where the food is created to enhance the wines,” according to a news release.
Cara Stadler was one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2014 and has been a three-time James Beard award nominee. Her mother, Cecile, handles the business aspects of their restaurants. Stadler had been considering the new concept for Lio for some time, then decided to move forward after hiring sommelier Chris Peterman as director of operations for her restaurants. Peterman ran wine programs in New York City and at Central Provisions here in Portland. He is the director of American Sommelier Maine, an organization that focuses on wine education.
“The idea was to offer a fine dining experience without the commitment – both time and money – of fine dining, as well as a destination for people who want a good glass of wine and a quick bite to eat that are perfectly matched and delicious” Cara Stadler said.
The restaurant will be upstairs at 3 Spring St., and there will be a retail wine and beer store downstairs, at 5 Spring St., where diners can purchase the wines they had with their meal. The concept also includes a large deck and patio.
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