Francisco's
Blue House Café
Portland,
Maine
David
Mallari, Chef/Owner
Chef Dave
Mallari began his culinary adventures as a boy in his parent’s busy kitchen.
The Asian cuisine he studied and created during his early years taught
him the distinct difference made by using only the freshest, most flavor-filled
and seasonal ingredients. Building
upon his Asian-centered dishes and technique, the self-taught chef further grew
his culinary portfolio by including classic fare and technique from numerous
other countries, as well, including Italy and France.
Today,
Mallari heads his talented kitchen team at Portland, Maine’s “Francisco’s
Blue House Café,” an intimate, 20-seat restaurant that has cultivated a
decidedly loyal patron following, and has captured the enthusiastic attention of
food press.
Highly
regarded for his “international culinary journey” menus, Mallari recognizes
the inherent value of providing top-notch ingredients and dishes at reasonable
price points. The acclaimed chef
visits local Asian markets each morning to gather diverse ingredients for his
small kitchen, buys his meat and fish locally from Portland’s nearby bustling
waterfront, and supports local farmers by serving fresh produce from Maine
farms.
In
addition to serving capacity crowds at his brunch and dinner seatings, Mallari
caters to enthusiastic audiences and events of all sizes. Additionally, his very popular “Pig Roast” catering
events book solidly each summer, and are reserved months in advance.
Mallari
routinely participates in Maine-based charity and community outreach projects,
including CarePartners, a provider of low-cost health care for Mainers, and
Affinity, a non-profit organization which provides support services for
individuals with autism and developmental disabilities.
He frequently donates time and resources for H.O.P.E. Foundation
International, a nonprofit which assists the isolated poor of the Philippines
(his mother, Mary Mallari, serves as Executive Director of Operations for the
humanitarian organization), and participates in various vocational career days
at local Maine schools.
Francisco's
1081
Brighton Avenue * Portland,
ME 04102 * Ph: 207/347-6196
Brunch:
Wed-Fri, 10 am-2 pm; Sat-Sun,
8 am-2 pm
Dinner:
Wed-Sat, 5:30 pm-Close