Portland resident Antoine Bikamba and three business partners have leased 337 Cumberland Avenue – the former location of Maria’s restaurant – and plan to open a restaurant there this month serving mostly African food.
The Napolitano family, owners of Maria’s, announced in September that they had sold the building to Youth and Family Outreach and planned to move to 1335 Congress St., the former home of Espo’s Trattoria. Maria’s closed Oct. 26 and is expected to re-open on Congress Street in December, after renovations at its new location.
Youth and Family Outreach has leased the Cumberland Avenue location to Bikamba and his partners, who plan to open 207 Bar & Restaurant. A sample menu filed with the city includes appetizers such as samosas, Kenyan sausage, chicken wings served with Swahili sweet sauce, and ndazi (doughnuts). Lunch and dinner entrees include Mbuzi Choma, marinated chunks of char-grilled goat meat sautéed with onions; Kuku Curry, or slow-cooked seasoned chicken; fish salad; and hamburgers. Desserts will include creamy mango cake, madeleines, and Belgian waffles.
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