Pastel (stuffed fried dough) from Iaiá, the Brazilian street food restaurant and cafe opening in Gorham. Photo courtesy of Iaiá Brazil

A new Brazilian street food restaurant and café is opening in Gorham.

Iaiá Brazil, located at 18 Elm St., Unit 1, is holding a soft opening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The 1,100-square-foot space seats 25 people and is in the former space of Carter’s Green Market, which moved next door.

The new restaurant will be run by Claudia and Bob Katz and their daughter, Ingrid. Claudia said the name “Iaiá” (pronounced Yaya) was the nickname of her Brazilian mother, who she said “made Brazilian finger foods that were the best in the world.”

Iaiá will specialize in pastel, a small parcel of deep-fried dough that can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, including chicken, beef, cheese and spinach. The restaurant also will serve coffee from Coffee Hound Coffee Co. in Bar Harbor, smoothies and acai bowls, and Brazilian chowders.

Claudia Katz is uncertain when Iaiá will officially launch, but she said she expects to be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to start. She hopes to be open Saturdays as well, but needs more staffing for that to happen.

“We’re bringing a little bit of Brazil to Maine,” Katz said.

HODGMAN’S CLOSES CUSTARD STAND 

Hodgman’s Frozen Custard, a New Gloucester ice cream institution, announced on Facebook this week that it will not reopen this season after 69 years in business.

“It is the end of an amazing era, but it is time for our family to close the doors,” a post Sunday on Hodgman’s Facebook page said in part. The post offered no more details about the reasons behind the Hodgman family’s decision to close the shop, and the owners could not be reached for an interview this week.

The stand on Lewiston Road was named one of New England’s best places for ice cream by Yankee magazine in 2014. Hodgman’s had enough of a following for its customers to merit their own Facebook page, “Fans of Hodgman’s Frozen Custard.”

Responding to saddened customers on the fans’ page, some of whom said they’d been going to Hodgman’s for decades, a Hodgman family member said that “the recipe and the business will be ending with family. It was a very hard and tough decision.”

MAINE’S GOOD FOOD AWARDEES

Six Maine-based food businesses and another whose product comes from the Gulf of Maine were honored recently at the national Good Food Awards, which reward sustainability and responsible modern practices along with good, old-fashioned deliciousness.

The nearly 300 Good Food Award winners, announced Friday by California-based Good Food Foundation, include Dean’s Sweets of Portland for its Hot Fudge Sauce; Gulf of Maine Conservas, located in Rye, New Hampshire, for its Tinned Bluefin Tuna; Portland’s Liquid Riot Bottling Co. for both its Blushing Star and Old Port Oat Whisky products; Maine Beer Co. in Freeport – which also won last year – for its Little Whaleboat IPA; the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association for its Maine Coast Monkfish Stew; Ragged Coast Chocolates of Westbrook for its Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups; and Smithereen Farm of Pembroke for its Seaweed Sprinkle.

To celebrate the winners, Maine Beer Co. will hold an event May 4 from 6-8 p.m. Each winner will provide samples of their award-winning products at the events, and will bring other of their products for purchase.

FROM LOUIE’S GRILLE TO TOBEY’S PUB?

A founding partner of Nosh Kitchen Bar, Taco Escobarr and Slab Sicilian Street Food in Portland recently announced he will buy the former Louie’s Grille in Cumberland, where he plans to open a restaurant and pub this summer.

Restaurateur Tobey Moulton made the announcement on the Facebook page for Louie’s Grille. Earlier, Jim Guidi, owner of the former Louie’s, had announced on the site that he was closing the restaurant as of April 14 after 10 years in business.

Moulton said he’d be collaborating on the venture with his life partner, Simone Burdet, and Chef Rocco Marzilli, who worked with Moulton at Nosh before opening the Yarmouth gastropub Owl & Elm in 2016. Also in that year, Moulton and Burdet moved their family to Cumberland.

“(Marzilli) and I have lots of new ideas for the space, concept and menu focusing on homemade pizza and pub fare,” Moulton stated in his post. The post also said details on the venture’s new name and the date they’ll be opening this summer will be forthcoming.

“Rocco, Simone and I look forward to fostering new relationships in Cumberland, making many new friends and hopefully employing/mentoring countless Greely High School students in the coming decades,” Moulton’s post read in part.

NEW PIZZERIA COMING TO BIDDEFORD

A local baker plans to open a neighborhood pizzeria, Peng’s Pizza Pies, in downtown Biddeford this summer.

Peng’s owner, Chris Daniels, hopes to open the restaurant at 128 Main St. by midsummer. The 750-square-foot space, which will seat about 18, will emphasize its takeout business, Daniels said.

A former baker at Tandem Bakery and Rover Bagel, who also baked at Belleville bakery for its pizza nights in 2018, said his sourdough pies are sort of a combination of New York and New Haven, Connecticut, styles of pizza. “It’s a little thinner and crispier than what’s around us right now,” Daniels said.

Daniels said Peng’s – the nickname of his late father, who died in 2020 – will offer six signature pizzas, along with dessert and salad options, as well as beer and wine.

“I’m just eager to start making pizza,” Daniels said.

FARMERS MARKETS OPENING OUTSIDE

The Portland Farmers’ Market kicks off its outdoor season Wednesday in Deering Oaks.

The market will run Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the park through Nov. 22.

The market’s website lists about 35 farmer vendors for the 2023 season. The Portland Winter Farmers’ Market, held in the Maine Girls Academy gymnasium on Stevens Avenue, wrapped up Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Yarmouth Farmers Market will open for the season next month with 15 seasonal vendors and a variety of weekly guest vendors as well.

The Yarmouth market kicks off this year on Thursday, May 4, and runs Thursdays through Oct. 26 from 3-6 p.m. at the Bickford Pavilion at 1 Railroad Square.

Yarmouth’s 2023 seasonal vendors include Alchimia, Andrews Farm, Artascope, Chef Paul, ChiGoBee Farm, Counterpoint Bread, Empanada Club, Liberation Farms, Liquid Riot, The Milk Bottle, Niyat Catering, Noisy Acres Farm, Still Brook Acres, Tender Soles Farm and Totsey’s Bake Shop.

Additionally, food trucks and carts will park in front of the pavilion, including Greeks from Peaks (first Thursdays), Uncle Sean’s Fish & Chips (second Thursdays), Eat It & Beet it (third Thursdays) and Magno Terra (fourth Thursdays), while Snöbirds Shave Ice and Zephyr Ice will split the season to offer frozen treats throughout.

Artists and students from 317 Main Community Music Center will play for shoppers each week from 4-5 p.m. The market also will host MarketFest Thursdays starting in June with additional vendors, fresh oysters from Wolfe Neck Oyster Co., and craft beer and spirits served by Liquid Riot.

“Our market is fortunate to have strong support from the community,” said market manager Amy Sinclair. “We’re especially grateful to our regulars who commit to buying local week after week.”