Portland likes to tout its foodie status, and as of tomorrow the city can claim its first raw vegan cafe. Called GRO (which stands for GrassRoots Organics), it opens at 8 am Tuesday. However, I stopped by this morning to get a sneak peek.

Chef Andrew Borne, pictured above, showed me around the place and gave me a few samples to nibble. Raw food is popular in Southern California and other health food hot spots, but this is the first raw food restaurant I've heard of in Maine. The menu includes juices, smoothies, sandwiches, soups and sweets, all priced under $10. Whenever possible, Andrew buys from local and organic suppliers.

I tried a bite of the raw meatballs, made with Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and spices, and topped with a raw tomato sauce and a nut sprinkle. It was really delicious, and didn't taste at all healthy-foody or gritty. Look for this as a sandwich and served over raw zucchini noodles.

The shop offers raw flatbreads and crepes, plus non-raw breads (including gluten-free) and sprouted breads. Andrew plans to offer a couple cooked soup options each day.

He explained that raw food preparation uses three main tools: a dehydrator, a food processor and a Vita Mixer. To be considered raw, food shouldn't be heated above 115 degrees. I asked Andrew about the theory behind raw foods.

"When you cook foods, 90% of the nutrients are cooked off," he explained. "We soak the nuts and seeds beforehand. (The soaking) gets rid of enzyme inhibitors, which helps digestion."

Some raw foodies eat raw meats, dairy and eggs, however the raw vegan approach is the most common. Andrew said the shop's owner, Igor Rakuz, wanted to carry raw milk and cheeses until he found out Maine law prohibits the sale of these items in restaurants.

I also sampled one of these amazing raw chocolates filled with coconut and cashews. What makes it raw, according to Andrew, is the uncooked filling and a chocolate coating never heated above 112 degrees.

Here's a close-up look at one of the shop's raw apple pies. The crust is made with Brazil nuts, cashews and dates. Apples are mixed with spices and drizzled with a mixture of pureed cashews and agave syrup.

Eventually, the back room will be converted to an indoor greenhouse of sorts to grow wheatgrass, shiitake mushrooms, micro greens and herbs. One day, more of the cafe's food may come from a real greenhouse on the owner's property in Windham.

GRO Cafe is located at 437 Congress St. (next to Guitar Grave). It's open Monday through Saturday from 8 am-6 pm. Call the cafe at 541-9119.

Portland also gained a new coffee house today. Bard Coffee Roasters opened its doors this morning at 183 Middle Street in the Old Port (kitty-corner from the Starbucks on the other side of the street). It was already packed when I showed up around noon. The shop is roasting its organic coffee in Brunswick, and offering a number of single origin brews. I tried the peaberry, which had a smooth, nutty flavor.

The shop also offers teas and hot chocolate, plus pastries from Standard Baking Company and the Good Eats Boutique. House blend coffees cost $1.60/$1.85/$2.05 and single origin coffees cost $1.85/$2.10/$2.30.

Sunday through Thursday the coffee shop is open from 7 am-9 pm, with doors staying open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Art displays will change monthly, in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk.