Chef Ronnie Medlock, at the Just Opened PAPI Restaurant, 18 Exchange Street, Portland. The T-Shirt is for Sale at the Restaurant.
PAPI, the New Puerto-Rican Inspired Restaurant, in the Old Port, of Portland. It Opened This Past Wednesday.
The Bar at Papi, 18 Exchange Street, Portland.
“This is the first Puerto-Rican restaurant to open in Maine,” said Chef Ronnie Medlock, yesterday afternoon just prior to the Friday evening opening of Papi, 18 Exchange Street in the Old Port, of Portland.
Chef Medlock and restaurant owner Josh Miranda have been working closely for the past two years to get this restaurant up and running.
The two have known each other for years said the Chef.. From Jayuja, Puerto Rico, he has been in Portland for twelve years. During that time he owned a catering service – Bosshogg’s Empando – during which time he did many pop-ups. On March 2, 2021, Chef Medlock did a pop-up at the nearby Smyth & Burrows, an upscale bar owned by Miranda. The event was such a success that clinched the idea for a Puerto-Rican inspired restaurant in the Old Port.
The restaurant opened this past Wednesday evening. So far, the three most popular dishes have been: (1) Beef and cheese Empanada. That is pastry dough filled with seasoned beef. (2) Chuleta. That is a braised pork chop. (3) The third most popular dish since opening is the short ribs. “They’ve all been popular. It’s been like a three way race,” said Chef Medlock grinning.
“With catering, you know exactly how many meals will be served. When you open the doors of a restaurant, you don’t know. It could be filled in minutes. We have been filled to capacity so far,” Chef Medlock said of the difference between the two businesses. On Thursday evening there was an hour long waiting list to be served at Papi.
“It was a great welcome to the neighborhood,” said LyAnna Sanabria, beverage director.. “It was amazing.”
Josh Miranda, who grew up on Munjoy HIll, also owns Smyth & Burrows and the Italian inspired Via Veechia, at 10 Dana Street in the Old Port. The interior designer for all three restaurants was the same company.
LuLu Lemon was the former tenant in this building owned by the controversial Joe Soley. Soley, 90+, once told this blogger that he and vice president of the US in the Nixon administation, Spirto Agnew, were business associates in housing in Washington, DC. area years ago. Agnew was forced to resign from office just before Richard Nixon did. He was foud guilty of accepting kickbacks in the White House itself. Agnew narrowly escaped prison time because of his attorneys exceptional legal work.
Currently, PAPI is open from 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm for dinner from Wednesday – Sunday. That schedule is temporary and will be expanded as the summer season approaches according to Chef Medlock.