Restaurant Review: La Buca

Last night was Date Night with mi madre!! A friend of her's from work was graduating from the Rose City School of Burlesque so we were going to show our support for him. We had time before the show so I went hunting for a restaurant in the area for us to try.

Usually when I'm looking for a restaurant within a very specific area (like only a few blocks off our driving route) I ZOOOOOOOOOOOM in on Google Maps, open links to any of the restaurants shown, and then Yelp them to see reviews. Well on Monday I came across La Buca.

Now, being third generation Italian and having been raised on my grandmother's marinara, it's hard to please me with an Italian restaurant....and even harder to please my mother! (Who isn't Italian but married into one for twenty years).

La Buca got 4 of 5 stars on Yelp and had a pretty good looking menu (and way not expensive btw). So we thought we'd give it a shot. Let me just say we are both so glad we did!

It's on the corner of a small block of other restaurants (and just down the street from the Bossanova Ballroom where the show was) and had a very casual inside. A mix of modern art and movie posters, small simple tables, the industrial warehouse look that many places have in Portland.The kitchen was open to the view of the diners, where a dread-locked young woman apparently ruled the kitchen alone.

We ordered our drinks (my mother's wine came in a juice glass) and decided we'd start with sharing an order of Pomodoro Bruschetta (for an extra .75 we added prosciutto)....so basically toasted bread with a large shmear of garlic, diced tomatoes, fresh basil all topped with melt in your mouth-paper thin slices of pork. I'd go back JUST for the prosciutto!!

My mother decided to order the pasta special for her entree - it was a ribbon pasta with a beef/lamb/pork bolognese sauce. I, of course, snagged a bite (or two) and it too was delicious. I love a fat noodle (as I like to say) and the meat sauce was just so tender. The waitress told us it was her favorite and she wishes it was a regular item on the menu.

I ordered the pesto basilico (pesto with pine nuts, basil and walnuts) with a linguine. It was okay. Probably my least favorite of the night but still really good. The pesto sauce was fresh and you could taste every individual ingredient. It was just a little heavy on the walnuts - which I'm not a huge fan of.

Both our pastas came with bread, butter and olive oil & vinegar. The balsamic vinegar was really nice - helped make up for the slightly stale dry bread.

With an hour until the performance and with our dinner being so delicious...how could we not at least ask to look at the dessert menu. ;) We ended up sharing a tirimisu. Not the best either of us has had but definitely not our worst either.

In the end we both agree this is a place to come back to. There are a number of menu items I'd like to still give a try...and like I said earlier, they could just plot a plate of that prosciutto in front of me and I'd be a happy girl.

le Bistro Montage

Went to le Bistro Montage for the first time a few weeks ago and it was DE-LIC-IOUS. They are a fine-dining Cajun style restaurant who happens to be famous for their Alligator Jambalaya and their creative To-Go containers. Here are the pictures I took (it was a very dark restaurant so the pictures came out a bit grainy):

Montage is located in the East side Industrial area of Portland

Large family-style dinner tables set up throughout the restaurant

Large murals and paintings on the walls

Tables lit with candles and a full dining layout -
down to the dessert spoon you see in the picture

Appetizers: Hush puppies (Front Left)
Fried Frog Legs (Back Left) & Fried Alligator (Front Right)

Mac & Cheese with Garlic and Parmesan cheese
Alligator Linguine in the back.

Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

Pecan glazed pork medallions with garlic mashed potatoes and corn bread

Crawfish etouffee and corn bread

Rock Shrimp Jambalaya and corn bread (my dinner)

Are are the To-Go containers!!

Aren't they cute? Too bad they smash the food to make it fit.

Vacation Food

I spent this past weekend at Seaside (in Oregon) on a mini-vacation and I thought I'd share some photos of the yummy (and meh) food I had.

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First the meh.

Now we have a Pig'n Pancake in Portland but this was the ORIGINAL :)

My "poached" eggs were more like soft boiled.... how hard is it to poach an egg!?

Overall it was just "meh" and not that impressive - same as the one in Portland.

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Now for the "not too shabby".

Camp 18 is out on Hwy 26 - it's a restaurant and logging memorial -
went once before and the food wasn't too bad. Mostly though you go for the fun atmosphere

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Now for the yummy.

We originally had plans to go to a Southern place - but it apparently closed (for good)
the previous weekend, so this was one of the restaurants recommended
to us by the woman at our hotel front lobby.

As soon as we saw "Fried Artichoke Hearts" on the menu I was hooked -
they were garlic covered and so yummy.
You almost didn't need the garlic lemon ailoi dipping sauce

I ordered a Huckleberry Mojito before my dinner - only part of the meal I regretted. It was a tad too sweet (too much Huckleberry syrup) and left me burping tasting Huckleberry all night.

Mom ordered the Cod fish and chips

I ordered the 1/2 order of Baby Back Ribs...and we swapped 1/2 way through the dinner
...just so we got a taste of everything, not because we weren't enjoying the food

 

 

At the end of our meal we thought we'd take a dessert back to our hotel room to share later that evening. We asked to see a dessert menu....a few minutes later our waitress comes out with a tray of desserts! No menu just a visual display. They all looked yummy but we went with a chocolate layered cake. Can't go wrong with chocolate can you?

The vacation was refreshing and fun and the food was yummy. What else could I ask for?

Stubbies

How amazing and yummy is this? Yay Stumptown Coffee!

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Stumptown Stubbies

by Oliver Strand

Give Stumptown Coffee Roasters points for style. The small-batch roaster just started selling cold-brewed coffee in dark amber glass bottles — stubbies — that look as if they belong in a cooler on the porch.

The coffee itself is delicious, sweet and clean, and drinking it from a stubby makes a difference. Even though it’s chilled there’s no ice, so the flavor is pure and undiluted. (Right now Stumptown is only bottling cold-brewed House Blend; single origin coffees will be offered this summer.) The bottle has a heft that feels good in the hand, and the shape of it triggers an involuntary shift in posture — shoulders open, arm cocked to half-mast, weight shifted to one leg. It’s hard to be uptight with a stubby.

Then there’s the obvious: it simply looks good. This morning, I met up with a friend who was taking his daughter to school and popped open a couple of stubbies for the walk down West 13th Street, finishing them off as a stream of toddlers surged past us. It felt much more satisfying than sipping iced coffee through a straw sticking out of a sweaty cup.

Which is part of the idea. Duane Sorenson, the owner of Stumptown, said he was tired of the plastic waste that goes into serving iced coffee. “I wanted to find a way to continue to serve cold-brew but eliminate all the plastic,” Sorenson said. “Up until recently we were using a plastic cup, a plastic straw, a plastic lid. I wanted to put it all in a recyclable vessel where it would taste great.”

But really, Sorenson is playfully plumbing his youth — the stubby as madeline. The inspiration for the bottle comes from the Olympia Brewing Company (slogan: “It’s the water”), a Pacific Northwest institution that shuttered in 2003.

“My daddy had stubbies in the crisper, where you’re supposed to keep vegetables,” Sorenson said. “It was filled with stubbies.” His whole childhood was filled with stubbies instead of iceberg lettuce.

Right now the stubbies are only available at Stumptown locations in Portland, Ore. Starting next month the bottles, which are made in Portland, will be shipped to a Stumptown roaster in Red Hook, Brooklyn, to be filled there.

Soon New Yorkers can start the morning with a stubby from the fridge. (There are already refillable growlers of cold-brewed coffee appearing in and around town.) The best part of waking up is reaching for the bottle opener.

“It’s like the olden days,” Sorenson said. “Like when your dad always had an open stubby in the car.”

Something like that.

$3.50 for a 10.5-ounce bottle. Currently only available at Stumptown Coffee Roasters locations in Portland, Ore.; should be available at New York locations by July 1.

Farmers Markets

I just love this time of year...even if it is still grey and drizzling out...it's the time when the Farmer's Markets start sprouting (pun intended) up everywhere!

I love just wandering around and seeing the beautiful colors of fresh fruits and vegetables.I could wander and take pictures, smell the delicious fragrances and people watch all day.

I miss living in downtown Oakland and having an amazing market only a few blocks away. Now, in Portland, I have half a dozen ones only a few (driving) minutes away. Either place. I don't care. I just love Farmer's Markets. I try to go every weekend (if I can).

Earlier this month Serious Eats website posted an article about 7 Tips for Making the Most of the Farmer's Markets. I agree with every single tip and try to remember them every time I go shopping. So I wanted to share them here.

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7 Tips for Making the Most of the Farmer's Markets

Tip #1 - Shop Around: As tempting as those heirloom tomatoes or that huge stalk of brussels sprouts looks on the first table, even at a farmers' market, location is everything. At larger markets, you can expect the stalls nearest the entrance and exits or the ones closest to public transportation to sport heftier prices than the stalls further in from the periphery. I always try and take a quick walk all the way up and down the market taking note of who has what and what they're charging before jumping into any purchase. (It's so true! I've found the exact same produce, typically the same quality, for way cheaper in the further back stalls. Not to mention often these ones will be less picked over because they're further off the beaten path).

Tip #2 - Visit Early for Selection, Late for Price: Absolutely have to get your hands on some ramps or morels? You probably want to get to the market early to pick up the rarities before they go. On the other hand, late shopping has its benefits too. As the market day approaches its finish, many farmer's with extra produce will pass off the goods at bargain-basement prices. Just last week I picked up a dozen laid-that-morning eggs from Ronnybrook for 50¢ less than what I pay for organic eggs in the supermarket. Last year I snagged a few flats of overripe heirloom tomato seconds for $1 a pound—perfect for filling my winter pantry with jars of sauce. (I prefer going early because you don't have the same amount of crowds as mid-day and the vegetables look better; haven't started to wilt with the heat)

Tip #3 - Bring Your Own Bag: Bringing a sturdy, reusable shopping bag to the farmer's market not only makes sense for the environment, it's also nicer to the farmers and easier on your hands (our sturdy handles are way more comfortable than cheap plastic loops). (How could you think this is a bad idea? Who cares if everything is just getting piled on top of one another? The only trick is don't put a heavy bag of potatoes on top of those ripe peaches you just bought....squish)

Tip #4 - Communicate: Nobody knows their product better than the farmer's that produce them, and farmers' markets give you the opportunity to hear what's what straight from the horse's mouth. Make regular visits, and you may even find yourself getting better bargains or being offered special products for your loyalty. (When I was living in Oakland, I had one vendor that always had the best citrus. I'd take the offered samples, buy a variety here and there and after a while became a "regular". So often they'd weigh my bags and then toss in a handful of extra goodies here and there. Communication helps)

Tip #5 - Leave Your Shopping List Open: In fact, unless you really have to, don't go with a shopping list at all—go with a budget instead. Farmers' markets by their very nature are dynamic things that change from week to week both in terms of availability and quality. Be open to shopping around for the best ingredients whether they were part of your original plan or not, and you'll end up with a much better bounty. (Who goes to a Farmer's Market and only buys what's on their list?! I go with a few things I want to see if I can find sure...but then 2/3 of what I come home with wasn't even on my mind before I found them. Tamales, blueberry bread, earrings....so many amazing things. Keep an open mind people!)

Tip #6 - Do Your Research: Only a thorough on-site evaluation will tell you what's best on any particular day, but it pays to know in advance what to expect. Are we at the height of asparagus season, or is it more likely the farmer's are pushing stalks that are past their prime? Should you be focusing on the sprouts or the squash? You wouldn't want to miss out on the short Greengage season because you're busy filling your bag up with the apples that'll still be around for weeks to come, right? (Right...sure...uhhuh...whatever. I mean I do pay attention to what is in season and when...on some level. Mostly because now that I'm in Portland I can't get certain things all year long like I could in California. Asparagus, artichokes, peaches, GOOD citrus...these are things I have in my head so I know when to start scouring the country side for them.)

Tip #7 - Spread the Love: A lot of farmers' markets these days feature one or two really large farms that seem to sell a virtual supermarket's worth of produce, and often they sell really great stuff, but chances are they don't have the very best of everything. It pays to spend time visiting multiple stalls to pick and choose the best from each one. The farmers won't get offended. I promise. (I absolutely agree. Don't feel obligated to buy everything from one stall and don't worry if you are just going one stall over. This isn't a popularity contest. Everyone knows you just want the best product. Besides better to help everyone out a little than only one person out a lot. Right?)

 

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I also found a pretty cool interactive map (for those of you in Portland) of the Farmer's Markets on Oregonlive. 

The link also has information about the (Portland-proper) market's such as times, dates and websites. Pretty cool. :)

I can't wait for this weekend - 3 days off and come rain or shine I'm going to a Farmer's Market!

Dine Out for Life in Portland

For it's 3rd year Dining Out For Life comes to Portland on Thursday, April 28, 2011

"Dining Out Will Save a LIFE!

When you dine at a participating restaurant on this day, between 20%-30% of your bill goes directly to EMO's HIV Day Center and Partnership Project . Both organizations work closely together to provide vital programs and services to thousands of individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Check out the Participating Restaurants Page to see which of your favorites are supporting Dining Out For Life this year! Remember, you can support Dining Out For Life during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktail hours!

Benefiting and Produced by Partnership Project and

The HIV Day Center

Thank you to our supporters!!!" (From Dining Out official page)

Dine Out for Life at Portland-Area Restaurants, Tonight

by Erin DeJesus

"Major do-gooding dealfeed to report: All day today (Thursday, April 28), restaurants around Portland have pledged between 20-30 percent of each guest's check to Dining Out for Life, a nationwide HIV/AIDS benefit that, locally, will raise funds for Portland's Partnership Project and the HIV Day Center.

Among the restaurants involved include Broder, Ford Food & Drink, and the carts in the D-Street Noshery, but one of the best do-gooding deals in town is for the beer nerds. Tonight, N. Killingsworth beer bar/bottle shop Saraveza will donate 20 percent of its dinner sales between 5-10pm to the fundraiser — and in the back room, an all-night happy hour from 6-10pm will pour from kegs donated by Double Mountain, Firestone Walker, and Nectar Ales, with 100% of those sales benefiting Dining Out for Life.

For a complete list of participating restaurants — or more information about Dining Out for Life's efforts — visit its official site." (From Eater: PDX)

Review: Bánh mì

If you are unfamiliar with Bánh mì then you don't know what you're missing. The website "Battle of the Banh Mi" describes these sandwiches beautifully.

"Vietnamese baguette sandwiches, called Bánh Mì, have attracted a loyal fan base like never before. Like a musical band with rock star status, these sandwiches have an almost cult-like following of epicurean devotees. The uniqueness of these sandwiches not only lies within the french influenced baguette, but it’s also the flavor packed, savory Viet fillings that what makes the marriage of the two main ingredients a true love affair....


It starts with a Viet style french baguette...Inside the length of the cut baguette...a great banh mi should have luscious, Viet flavored fillings such as pork prepared in numerous ways... Other common ingredients used to finish the sandwich often are: liver pate, homemade mayo, touch of soy sauce, shredded pickled carrots & daikon, fresh cilantro, jalapeño heat and crispy cucumber slices. Most any of these condiments may be omitted since, banh mi are nearly always made to order.."

How surprised was I when reading a New York Times article yesterday and they mentioned my favorite Portland Bánh mì spot - Best Baguette.

"...in Portland, Ore., 82nd Avenue (the “Avenue of Roses”) is home to Best Baguette, where top-notch banh mi is served in a reclaimed former chain restaurant. Don’t let the drive-through scare you away; the place is family owned, all the bread is baked in-house, and the banh mi thit nuong — barbecued pork and pâté – comes slathered in savory yellow garlic aioli. Try yours with a paper cup of fresh-pressed sugar cane juice."

I live only a few blocks from Best Baguette and the first few times I drove by I was a little put off by the bright blue trim and the drive thru option. It just screamed "Fast Food"...but really what it is, is Good Food done Fast.

Finally, my curiosity took control.

The sign outside saying "French-Asian Sandwiches" just was too enticing.

Boy was I ever glad I did.

Hot fresh baguettes baked every hour, so you always get one that's warm and fresh. The crisp outside with an almost gooey yet fluffy inside.

The real boost for me was that they give you the option of vegetables on the inside or outside of your sandwich.


"Ingredients are mixed and matched at the whim of the kitchen, but there’s a common denominator to all banh mi — a bright, crunchy vegetable slaw made with daikon radish, shredded carrot and fish sauce (nuoc cham), accompanied by sliced jalapeño pepper and fresh cilantro."

While I like a little kick to my food, I'm not a fan of the jalapeño pepper. It's not the heat but the flavor I don't care for. So having the option to pick and choose how much cilantro or having the opportunity to design my own daikon radish to carrot ratio is fantastic.

One of my other favorite thing about Best Baguette is they are also a bakery. You can buy these crisp warm baguettes to bring home with you (they've also sold me their little baggies of pickled veggies for $1/bag). But the bakery doesn't end there. Buns, croissants, cakes, napoleons, and the best chocolate eclairs I've ever had (outside a French bakery).

The list just goes on and on about this place...but the real star is their Bánh mì and personable friendly staff. Really, I don't go as often as I should (should = would like to).

I do recommend finding a Bánh mì restaurant near you (tip from Battle of the Bánh mì - they should never cost more than $6) and next time you're in Portland stop by Best Baguette.

Review: PING!

On Tuesday my staff went to Ping - located in Old Town China Town - to celebrate being a staff, the upcoming holidays and my boss's 5 year anniversary with the company.

Ping has a happy hour that starts at 2:00PM! As well as great lunch and dinner menus.

Ping was created and conceived by the same people as
Pok Pok and Whiskey Soda Lounge

We decided to eat family style so that way we were able to try a little bit of everything.

First things first. We ordered cocktails.
I had a Singapore Sling!
(Didn't have a picture of it so I found one online).
It was SUPER strong!

From there we had a few little starters
while we looked at the menu

A basket of Shrimp Chips, Deep Fried Little Fish
and a spicy lime/chili peanut mix

Thai style Pork Meatballs

Shrimp skewers with lime, salt and pepper

Chicken skewers and baby octopus

Beef skewers (with my favorite cucumber chili salad on the side)

Lamb skewers and the special of the day Boar skewers.
(The boar was so tender and yummy)

The skewers were accompanied by slightly sweet (and slightly greasy) flatbread.

And really how could we have skipped over the sticky rice?
(I told you we had a little bit of everything)

My FAVORITE was the Salapao (steamed pork bun).
I could have eaten a dozen of these.
However, I settled with taking two home with me.

Of course, as all good foodies do, we finished with dessert. This was the Pandan ice cream (not at all my favorite - rice, pistacio ice cream, chocolate sauce and peanuts) - we also had a vanilla custard/cream with graham crackers on top that was Delicious!

I had never been to Ping before but it's a destination I can see going back to a few more times. After all I have to try the many other items on the menu!