Lil’ Shalom

September 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Shalom Y’all on SW Portland/down recently did a mini-makeover and re-opened as Lil’ Shalom. The menu still has some favorites – the corn ribs are back for now! But also a few new options. The menu is more takeout friendly focused on hummus bowls and Mediterranean pita sandwiches, and there is outdoor patio seating along the street if you can’t wait to enjoy your meal. BONUS: right now until September 26 they are offering free delivery within a 5 mile radius from 2:30-5:30pm if you order directly!
Lil' Shalom Watermelon Sangria with rosé wine, watermelon, and mint; Hummus with Things Wild Mushrooms with pine nuts, green onions, harissa; Corn 'Ribs' with lime and dukkah dust; Mejadara with rice, lentils, fried onions

Sesame Collective is owned by executive chef Kasey Mills; Jamal Hassan a native Oregonian with a Palestinian & Lebanese father and a mother from the south and experience from his youth helping at his parents’ Lebanese food cart; and Laura Amans. All three have experience together from 2014 onwards from founding Mediterranean Exploration Company. Really good quality Mediterranean food and almost all vegetable centered

For drinks, if you are dining al fresco and looking for cocktails (I don’t think they are offering these to go yet, only the soda or beer or wine in cans) I really enjoy the easy drinking Watermelon Sangria with rosé wine, watermelon, and mint earlier this summer. Still on the menu last I checked was the Turkish Delight Slushy with shalom limoncello, ceylon tea, lemon, reagan’s orange bitters, and orange blossom. Both are dangerously easy drinking actually. They also have some delightful no proof options such as a Luster Punch with wilderton luster, ginger peach tea, coriander lime apple shrub, lime, and orange & cardamom bitters; or try the Little Richard with wilderton earthen, oat milk, ginger peach tea, and nutmeg. They are just as good as the alcoholic libations. Happy hour 2:30-4:30 would be an ideal time to investigate no?
Lil' Shalom Watermelon Sangria with rosé wine, watermelon, and mint Lil' Shalom Turkish Delight Slushy with shalom limoncello, ceylon tea, lemon, reagan’s orange bitters, and orange blossom/p>

The Hummus with Things portion of the menu is your call of what you want to top on top of your smooth creamy hummus, varying from confit cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, wild mushrooms, to za’atar roasted chicken salad or burnt beef ends. I’ve tried the version with Wild Mushrooms with pine nuts, green onions, harissa, and also the Cauliflower with amba, fried chickpeas, and tahina. Between the two I enjoy the mushrooms version more.
Lil' Shalom Hummus with Things Wild Mushrooms with pine nuts, green onions, harissa Lil' Shalom Hummus with Things Cauliflower with amba, fried chickpeas, and tahina

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A Visit to Oma’s Hideaway

September 16, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I have been a fan of the Southeast Asian dishes interpreted by Chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly alongside wife Mariah since discovering them at pop-ups, then through the successful opening of Gado Gado. And here we are now with this outpost of a Covid-19 pivot of the parking lot of Gado Gado, a takeaway tent (named Oma’s Takeaway) that highlighted more street food, grown up now into its own brick and mortar location on SE Division of the updated name Oma’s Hideaway. The menu here is original in bringing his food memories from his grandmother/Oma and travels together with his own personal touches – its a food adventure you will enjoy whether you are familiar or unfamiliar with the original source inspirations of Chinese by way of Indonesia, Malaysia, and more.
Oma's Hideaway Oma's Hideaway

Cocktails are creative and one of a kind, created in collaboration with Eric Nelson of Shipwreck and then made real by Emily Warden. You can find librations like the wonderfully named “One Thing Led To Another” with tequila, lime, Oma’s ‘should be famous’ pickle brine and cucumber, or the “Oaxaca Meets Malacca” with mezcal, char siu glaze, Cynar, bitters, and five spice.
Oma's Hideaway cocktail of One Thing Led To Another with tequila, lime, Oma's 'should be famous' pickle brine and cucumber Oma's Hideaway cocktail of Oaxaca Meets Malacca with mezcal, char siu glaze, Cynar, bitters, and five spice

On the far right you can glimpse the Bellweather, a bright cocktail with smoke – starting scotch whisky, vanilla, citrus, ginger beer, and Laphroig spritz. I can also vouch for refreshing with a kick Oma’s Watermelon Smash, crafted with hibiscus tequila, watermelon, cucumber, basil and serrano chili. It’s seen here with the White Lotus, made with rums, toasted coconut, soursop, lime, and falernum. Go for full fun with their Moonage Daydream Slushee with tequila, Aperol, pineapple, mint, shiso, lime, and absinthe. You will also find jello shots alongside some zero proof options and beer and wine. You can also see a hint of the beautiful, I tell you beautiful, inside bar.
Oma's Hideaway cocktail of Bellweather, a bright cocktail with smoke - starting scotch whisky, vanilla, citrus, ginger beer, and Laphroig spritz Oma's Hideaway - I can also vouch for refreshing with a kick Oma's Watermelon Smash, crafted with hibiscus tequila, watermelon, cucumber, basil and serrano chili. It's seen here with the White Lotus, made with rums, toasted coconut, soursop, lime, and falernum. Oma's Hideaway - Go for full fun with their Moonage Daydream Slushee with tequila, Aperol, pineapple, mint, shiso, lime, and absinthe.

Roti Canai is a must order here. It’s always on the menu, and always so good. Chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly has put a lot of practice and love perfecting the roti over and over and it shows. The flakey, doughy, perfectly textured flatbread is seved up with a sweet corn curry for dipping with turmeric pickle and puffed sorghum.
Oma's Hideaway Roti Canai is a must order here. The flakey, doughy, perfect flatbread is seved up with a sweet corn curry for dipping with turmeric pickle and puffed sorghum

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Experience at Quaintrelle 2.0

September 8, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I was surprised to hear that Quaintrelle was moving so SE Clinton, but I also celebrated the news – it now makes it much easier for me to visit at this new location. The location is smaller for indoor seating then the previous two story spot on Mississippi, but has more outdoor seating and the elegant atmosphere seems more focused now. And the food, as it has been for the past few years under Chef Ryley Eckersley joining one of the top mixologists in Portland IMHO Camille Cavan with cocktails and wine manager Chris Cooper, continues creating a dreamy combination of unique Pacific Northwest showcase of season and ingredients in flavor while also being visual feasts for the eyes. Welcome to the updated experience of Quaintrelle 2.0.
The exterior of Quaintrelle 2.0 at the new location on SE Clinton The interior of Quaintrelle 2.0 at the new location on SE Clinton The interior of Quaintrelle 2.0 at the new location on SE Clinton The interior of Quaintrelle 2.0 at the new location on SE Clinton

The menu offers a dozen or so plates that hint at the flavors with a few ingredients with their simple descriptions, and you will then have to wait for the delightful surprise when it arrives at your table. Or go for full surprise with the 3 levels of chefs tasting menu of 5, 7, or 9 courses. With all the fresh farm ingredients on hand, Quaintrelle can also accommodate vegetarians and vegans. The dinner I am going to share with you is from the 5 course Chef’s Tasting menu.

Cocktails

Whenever I visit Quaintrelle I want to drink all the cocktails. All of them. Sometimes I have visited Quaintrelle and only had the beverages after another meal… and sometimes that is more memorable then the meal I had beforehand. When people ask about grabbing a drink, Quaintrelle is always one of the first places I think of. Cam not only creates beautiful presentations as if you were in a fairytale, but I love how she does her descriptions on that describe the experience not just the ingredients in each cocktail. Here are a few examples from the opening menu

  • Prohibition Punch, with pisco, chartreuse, velvet falernum, passionfruit, lime, tiki bitters, absinthe ‘Tropical, pisco sour-esque, bright’
    Quaintrelle 2.0 cocktail of prohibition punch: pisco, chartreuse, velvet falernum, passionfruit, lime, tiki bitters, absinthe
  • Mystical Aperture, with aviation gin, ver, cucumber, orgeat, lime, melon rind cordial, st. george absinthe verte ‘Sophisticated, absinthe forward, herbaceous’
    Quaintrelle 2.0 cocktail of mystical aperture with aviation gin, ver, cucumber, orgeat, lime, melon rind cordial, st. george absinthe verte
  • Divinity in the Making cocktail, created with mezcal union el viejo, blanco tequila, strawberry & almond, honey golden vinegar, lime, black pepper, described as ‘Rich, slightly tart, sultry’
    Quaintrelle 2.0 cocktail of Divinity in the Making with mezcal union el viejo, blanco tequila, strawberry & almond, honey golden vinegar, lime, black pepper
  • Wonder-Lust, with japanese whiskey, rye, px, dell e’tna, maple, vermouth, lemon, egg white, salted walnut ‘Lemon & sherry forward, silky, light’
    Quaintrelle 2.0 cocktail of wonder-lust with japanese whiskey, rye, px, dell e’tna, maple, vermouth, lemon, egg white, salted walnut

5 Course Chef’s Tasting Menu

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Summer Dinner at Dame Restaurant

September 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment

F and I celebrated a wedding anniversary this past weekend, and our perfect place to make merry with food and drink for the occasion was at Dame Restaurant. At Dame, besides the Mon-Tues which offer No Saints pizza popup, on Thurs-Sun you will find Estes by Chef Patrick McKee providing the simply prepared to let the seasonal fresh ingredient be forward food to pair with the global selection of natural wines curated by owner Jane Smith and staff. Here’s a look at the summer dinner at Dame Restaurant we just enjoyed, though honestly I already want to go back because there were multiple other options I wanted to try.

Every time I dine here I order the Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta, fennel pollen, olive oil and I always want a second order. Trust me – get it. The heirloom tomato, grilled peach, padron, and olive oil Gazpacho, is peak summer- get it while you still can
Dame Restaurant - Every time I dine here I order the grilled flatbread with ricotta, fennel pollen, olive oil and I always want a second order. Trust me - get it. Dame Restaurant Summer Dinner - heirloom tomato, grilled peach, and padron gazpacho, is peak summer- get it while you still can

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Ken’s Pizza Seasonal Corn Pizza

August 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I enjoy exploring and trying out the new places in Portland, as well as the re-openings as some restaurants pivot and revise themselves. But, let’s not forget to also keep supporting and revisiting the traditional standbys that we can always depend on. For instance, let’s not forget the legendary pizzas of Ken’s Artisan Pizza – still following the same winning formula of whatever magic is their dough and wood-oven consistently over the years. No surprise at all that Ken’s was one of the ones called out specifically in the recent Bloomberg article naming Portland America’s best pizza city. Whether you agree or not, I have to tell you that this corn pizza is one of the best I’ve had in the US. Every late summer they bring on a seasonal corn pizza – the exact combo on the Ken’s Pizza Seasonal Corn Pizza varies over the years. But, it never disappoints, it always makes me close my eyes and eat slowly and just focus on the perfection that is this corn pizza.

Apparently a few years back, when I visited when they debuted their cocktail menu to their beer and wine program, it was corn, mozzarella, ricota salata, smoked pickled jalapenos, scallions. I couldn’t find any other photos so I must have not captured it (probably too dark). Anyway. This year the combo of their Roasted Corn Pizza includes mozzarella, fontina, mama lil’ peppers, tajin seasoning, and crema. And as it always is every year, so so so delicious
Ken's Artisan Pizza Seasonal Corn Pizza: includes mozzarella, fontina, mama lil' peppers, tajin seasoning, and crema Ken's Artisan Pizza Seasonal Corn Pizza: includes mozzarella, fontina, mama lil' peppers, tajin seasoning, and crema

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