With the nostalgia of classic candlepin bowling and the creative spins on classic margaritas served on a modern white quartz bar, co-owner Mike Jerome thinks Bolos Kitchen, Cantina and Candlepin is the perfect blend of the old and the new.
Located off Maine Street in the former Bowling Bowl, Bolos (Spanish for bowling) opened last month with a fresh coat of paint and a bit of Tex-Mex flair. The business is run by Jerome and Joe O’Neil — the pair that brought Portland Pie to Brunswick’s Maine Street.
The food is made from scratch, locally sourced where possible and made the way Jerome says he would want his food to be. For example, the nachos are made so there’s meat, cheese and toppings on every chip, and all the guacamole, salsa and sour cream is included.
“The opening month has been great,” Jerome said, adding that the weekends are busiest, but that they have seen steady business so far during the week, too. Intended to be a new community gathering spot, Bolos is packed with younger families on weekend mornings and afternoons, but as the day progresses the average age increases as the 21-and-older crowd comes out for a round of drinks and bowling, he said.
While bowling and burritos may not be the most traditional combination, not your grandfather’s bowling alleys are having a bit of a moment, with Bayside Bowl in Portland, 33 Elmwood in Westbrook (which also has bocce) and Brighton Bowl in Boston, which serves flatbread pizza.
The Tex-Mex spin came from Jerome, who went to culinary school in Austin, Tex. where Mexican and Mexican-inspired foods abound. When he graduated culinary school, it was naturally one of the first things he learned to cook, and since then, “it’s always been something I wanted to do” with a restaurant, he said. “We’re having a blast.”
Bolos Kitchen, Cantina and Candlepin is located at 7 Dunlap St. and can be reached at (207) 725-5241 or bolosbrunswick.com/
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