Tips for Feast PDX 2016

September 8, 2016 by 7 Comments

It’s one week until it’s here! The food holiday time of year in Portland – Feast week. It’s all starting Thursday September 15 and goes through Sunday September 18 2016. This will be my fourth year attending Feast, and here are my top tips for Feast PDX, ranging from what to wear to how to proceed through a food event and make the most of it.

Feast promises 4 days of belly busting events showcasing delicious eats and drinks. This is Feast’s 5th year, not only celebrating the bounty of the Oregon and the Northwest in food and drink, but also since its inception Feast has donated more than $230,000 to charity. Feast Portland’s charitable partner in 2016 is Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.

The main event kick off starts with Thursday, with the Sandwich Invitational (Sold Out) and multiple Dinner Series events (also Sold Out). Then, Friday is your best bet if you don’t already have tickets, as there are tickets still for the Friday version of the Grand Tasting ($60, which are the biggest value for your eating and drinking buck events – $12 an hour progressive sampling of all you can eat and drink for 5 hours!) and several Drink Tank events: see the full Feast schedule here. You can also check the Feast official Facebook page to see if there are any giveaways still open to win tickets.

Beans & Booze panel at Feast 2014 Feast 2015: Oregon Bounty, Kimberly Hoang of Magenta Restaurant in Corvallis Oregon presented Hot Chicks! Dough filled with savory chicken and spicy tamarind creme Brunch Village at Feast 2015, USA Pears, one of the participating sponsors, really brought their A game with their Creamy Coconut and Star Anise Poached Pears and a Pear Shrub wtih Sparkling Prosecco or Soda Water

I also wrote a previous post listing some of the Fab Five food that celebrates Feast but you can get even if you are not at any of the Feast events, and a portion of proceeds still goes to fighting childhood hunger. If you are attending a Feast event, here are my top tips for Feast PDX!

Tip 1: Dress Comfortably &  have Easy Pockets or a Tote Bag

For all the main events, you will be visiting a lot of different booths as you are progressive eating through a food market. That means you will be on your feet a lot of the time. In some cases, you will be walking on grass (Smoked) or gravel (Night Market – make sure you have good padding in your shoes). So wear comfy shoes every time.

You will also be eating for several hours – so dress like this is Thanksgiving. This is not the time for your form-fitting dresses and skinny jeans. You want to dress in clothes that have a little tummy give.

Friends - Joey - gif of These are my Thanksgiving Pants

If you are going to an evening event, think about layers as the weather will get cooler later. If you’ve got tickets Smoked, be prepared that the cooking aromas can permeate the air and your clothes will absorb it. In general you don’t want anything requiring dry cleaning!

I  highly recommend wearing something with easy accessible pockets or have a tote bag. That way you can store your napkins or utensils or camera or phone while leaving your hands free to hold and eat food and drink, but also get to those objects easily. I don’t like to create a lot of waste at these events, so I will try as much as possible to use every last corner of my napkin and reuse my utensils.

Official Feast Tote bags at Feast 2015

If the weather says it may be rainy and you are attending one of the outdoor events, I recommend wearing weatherproof hooded jacket instead of an umbrella so you don’t have to juggle a food sample, drink glass, AND your umbrella. Plus, your jacket should then come with pockets!

Specifically for the Sandwich Invitational, it is easy to get really, really full on all those 15 or so sandwiches. My secret trick for big multiple station food events like this is that I only take a couple bites of each dish. But since I feel bad throwing the rest away when it’s so delicious I store it away in a few ziploc bags I have in my tote bag and eat it for lunch the next week! This doesn’t mean to go grabbing multiples of a dish unless it’s the very end of the event: have respect for letting all your fellow guests get a chance to try the dish too.
Widmer Brothers Brewing Sandwich Invitational presented by Dave's Killer Bread, Feast 2014. Cathy Whims of Nostrana (Portland, OR) was still giving out a relaxed vibe from her return from Hawaii as she presented her sandwich of Peach Whim Smoked Lamb Ham, Cresenze Cheese, Watercress, Tomato, and Spicy Onion Relish which was paired with the Widmer Portlandic Porter, my favorite sandwich and Widmer beer pairing of the night.

Limiting yourself to only a couple bites, or sharing with a friend, is pretty much the only way to try everything because there is too much for a normal appetite. Don’t feel like you have to eat and drink everything either.

By the end at all the events, don’t be surprised if some of the booths may have already served up all their plates either so make sure you go in the order of chefs or dishes you want to see the most so you won’t be disappointed you missed someone you really wanted to see. I particular like visiting the out of town chefs first rather then the hometown favorites (though I visit them too) since it’s a unique chance to try their food without having to fly to their city.

At Grand Tasting, one of my favorite booths, and which always has a line, is the USA Pears booth which the previous years have featured multiple special dishes and a different chef each day, so if you are attending go look for their booth to see how they have highlighted pears this year. Last year it was Chef Vitaly Paley and then Chef Brian Clevenger. A little birdie told me this year you may find Top Chef finalist and local PDX Chef Doug Adams sharing nibbles featuring USA Pears paired with sips from Chateau Ste. Michelle! Saturday will be Chef Brian again- you can get a peek at what he served last year below. Also, don’t miss out on the Travel Oregon section (for the past few years it has been towards the weather machine) which features various chefs from Oregon.
USA Pears Pop up featuring Vitaly Paley Feast 2015: Oregon Bounty featuring Brian Clevenger with Bartlett Pear Bourbon cocktail, Sikoku oyster with pickled Anjou Pear, Foie Gras with Seckel Pear Mostarda on crostini, and Roasted rabbit loin with Bosc pear puree and brown butter

Tip 2: Use your Phone or Camera to take Photos for Notes

One of the best things about Feast is being introduced to so much new deliciousness. To help remember what you ate or drank, take a photo of them. The visual cue of seeing the descriptions (particularly wine bottle labels) when I look on my phone is so helpful later!
Feast Portland 2014, Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting Elizabeth Chambers wine Feast Portland 2015 Night Market, Mei Lin was hyperfocused and zen as she carefully plated her Pork Belly Pâté Egg Rolls, Nước chấm, Fragrant Herbs

Don’t forget to bring a charger because all those photos (and if you are recording any notes on your phone) will eat up your battery. I have a portable external battery phone charger I always keep in my bag, as well as the wall charger attachment and if you are driving, for your car as well.

In order to see what is happening and hot everyday at Feast, you can check the hashtag #feastpdx and for handles see on Twitter @FeastPDX and follow on Instagram Feast Portland to also see what everyone is talking about. Maybe that’s how you’ll know to hurry and get into a particular line for a food dish before it runs out. If you yourself do share, make sure you tag #FeastPDX too!

I’ll be on Twitter and Instagram myself covering Feast, so I hope we are already friends on Twitter @pechluck and on Instagram @pechluck .

Having cell phone juice is particularly important if you want to make sure you have enough for your phone to ride Trimet with their online app or be able to call a cab or Uber or Lyft for a ride.

Portland Transportation Options 

You can use Google Maps to help find your transportation options (they are hooked up pretty well, and you can also use trimet.org’s Transit Tracker to look up the stop # and see how long until the bus/Max appears – it’s only $5 for an all day pass). You can purchase a pass using cash or credit card at the Max stops, cash only on the buses, or on your phone using credit card via the Trimet Tickets app (iPhone and Android). You flash your ticket to the bus driver, but for the Max you only have to show it to the fare inspector.

It is very difficult to wave down a taxi – you are better calling one if you aren’t convenient to major streets like Broadway or Burnside near downtown where there are lots of hotels that have taxi stations that they might be heading towards.

  • Uber or Lyft: Use UBER app (iPhone, Android, Windows phones) or LYFT app (iPhone, Android)
  • Portland Taxi Cab Company: 503-256-5400
  • Radio Cab: 503-227-1212
  • Broadway Cab: 503-333-3333
  • Green Cab & Green Shuttle: 503-234-1414
  • Union Cab PDX: 503-222-2222

Tip 3: Talk to Strangers, and Smile!

Since everyone around you is a food and drink lover like you and me, we can ALL surely be friends. Start conversations with strangers! Something as simple as “What are you having? Where did you get that?” or “Did you have a favorite sandwich/sample/wine/etc” is a great conversation opener. This can help give you a heads up on something you try that you didn’t know about. There is a lot going on at each event, so to make sure you see everything so talking to people in line or while by a cocktail table eating is fun and a way to get the scoop of what’s hot.

When you’re at a booth, make sure you flash a smile to whoever is working to show your appreciation for them being on their feet prepping and serving food and drink samples to the crowds. Ask all the questions you’d like with the various vendors (stepping to the side so others can still get to samples), and thank everyone you see working hard to keep the event clean and running smoothly and your plates and cups full!

Sammich of Ashland, OR brought House-Cured Pastrami wtih Double R Brisket on Light Rye with Swiss, Slaw, and Housemade Russian dressing at Brunch Village, Feast 2015 One of my favorite dishes of the Night Market during Feast 2015 was the rich dish of Beef Tongue, Roasted Bone Marrow Aioli, Crispy Rice, Pickles by Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Common

If you really like their food or product, make sure you give them that feedback, ask where you can find their product. If you have a social media account, let them know how much you enjoyed it on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Doesn’t everyone like hearing a compliment and validation that their hard work was enjoyed?

Tip 4: Go with Friends, go Alone, just GO!

Being at Feast is sort of like being able to talk to anyone and everyone rooting for your same sports team at a game – but here the game is FOOD.

That means you also don’t worry about going to any event alone. I have gone to food festivals alone and with friends – and both have their pros and cons. Of course, going with friends means you can share the excitement before, the experience during, and the memories after. In some cases, you might even strategize with friends by waiting in different lines and coming together to share samples.
At Brunch Village for Feast 2015 Simpatica pleased the crowd with their Fried Chicken and Waffles with Green Tomato Syrup Feast 2015 Oregon Bounty: Face Rock Cheese Ricotta on Brioche with Honey with Face Rock Whipped Ricotta, Handmade Brioche Toast, Honey Drizzle, and Toasted Honey Almonds Bonnie Morales of Kachka was adored for her plates at Night Market 2015 of Lamb Pelmeni with Adjika Butter and Pickled Pears

Going alone also has its pros in that you are much more likely to meet new people, and you are able to move faster through food stations. You will naturally get full over time, so the faster you can eat the more you can try before getting to the uncomfortably stuffed point. On your own, you can make your own calls about how you want to proceed through the food areas based on your preferences at your pace.

Sunny Jin of JORY, at The Allison presented Goat Tartare - Charred Green Tomato, Frozen Egg, Panisse Croutons for Night Market 2015 Feast 2015, Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting Feast 2015, Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting

I hope my Top Tips for Feast and links to previews to get you in the feasting mood are helpful to you. Here are links to my previous posts from Feast 2015 and 2014 for an idea of the incredible bites of previous years:

For more Feast tips, check out the perspectives of my blogger friends like

Maybe I’ll see you at Feast? Don’t be shy about coming to say hi!

Disclosure: I was granted a Blogger Pass for Feast Portland 2016 for blog post and social media coverage but I am not otherwise being compensated. Even before I was given the Blogger Pass I already had tickets for some Feast events that I paid for myself. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Imperial Session Beer Dinner Pop Up Series

September 6, 2016 by 3 Comments

A new pop up is starting up in Portland this time focused on food with another PDX famous love, beer! Advanced Cicerone Ryan Spencer (you may have seen him at Bailey’s Taproom) and Chef Spencer Watari (Clyde Common, Pok Pok) are collaborating together under the name Imperial Session to launch a quarterly dinner series focused on beer and food pairing. The first Imperial Session Beer Dinner will be a five course dinner with pairings for each course on Sunday September 18th at Shift Drinks’ Makeshift Room (former home of Nomad PDX). The dinner seating starts at 7 PM with reservations via tickets available now on EventBrite, with a suggested cash donation of $55 paid at the end of the meal.
Imperial Session Beer Dinner Series, this pop up offers guests the ability to experience a wide range of beer and food interactions without boundaries of a single brewery or single restaurant

Ryan and Spencer are working together to break down the biases and commitments of a typical beer dinner, with the goal of offering guests the ability to experience a wide range of beer and food interactions without boundaries. For instance, usually beer dinner events feature a single restaurant working with a single brewery.

“The problems we found with these dinners were that they all felt more promotional than genuine. Brewer’s wanted to showcase their flagship beers and restaurants wanted to promote their establishments. Both parties seemed to be looking out for their own best interests with little collaboration taking place. We wanted to create a dining experience where we could pour whatever we wanted and serve food that created the ultimate pairing.” Ryan and Spencer explained.

Imperial Session Beer Dinner Series, this pop up offers guests the ability to experience a wide range of beer and food interactions without boundaries of a single brewery or single restaurant

Meanwhile, Imperial Session has intentionally selected beers that are a little outside of the norm. For instance, for this initial dinner, 2 of the 5 beers are unavailable in Oregon, 2 are vintages which are no longer available, and 1 is a small batch brewery only release.

The dinners are intentionally small in order to have guests easily interact with Ryan and Spencer as well as with other guests and allow for smaller batch sourcing of quality ingredients, including rare beers.

Down the road Imperial Session hopes to feature different local chefs to create unique tasting menus for the dinner series, where Spencer operates as the permanent chef and assists the guest chef in formatting their menu into their constraints while also working with Ryan to create pairings.

They have also discussed the opposite situation where they bring in someone from the beer industry to curate a selection of beers to pair with one of Spencer’s menus. Imperial Session could be a venue and opportunity to work out some creative ideas with people whose formal positions in the food and drink industry don’t currently allow that chance.
Imperial Session Beer Dinner Series, this pop up offers guests the ability to experience a wide range of beer and food interactions without boundaries of a single brewery or single restaurant

Background on Imperial Session

Ryan and Spencer have known each other for the majority of their lives, both having grown up in the Portland Metro area and first meeting in third grade and then attending University of Oregon where they home brewed together. Growing up in The Pacific Northwest, surrounded by a wide range of food and beverage,  they said it seemed pretty natural to both of them to pursue careers in those two fields.

Ryan got his start as a dishwasher position at Hopworks before expanding to jobs at Deschutes, Gigantic, and his current position at Bailey’s Taproom where he also has been getting cicerone certifications (the equivalent of a wine sommelier, it requires various levels of examinations). Meanwhile, after college, Spencer moved around for a bit until he settled at Pok Pok for two years before he transitioned to Clyde Common to continue to develop his skills with a more diverse range of cuisines.

For years they have both talked about going into some type of venture together. The specific idea for joining forces to do beer and food pairing dinners came from attending several “Brewer’s Dinners” throughout Portland when Ryan was studying to take the Master Cicerone exam and trying to gain experience with beer and food pairing. Imperial Session is finally those talks, their history, experience, and their expertise coming together for them.

Menu for Upcoming Beer and Food Pairing Dinner

Here’s a look at the menu for this first Imperial Session beer and food pairing dinner. For this particular menu, a few of the dishes were dishes Spencer was really excited about, they tasted through them, and Ryan tried to find beers that might work. On the other hand, a few of the pairings started with a beer that Ryan felt would be really interesting and food friendly, then they designed a dish around the beer. They hope to impart some of the knowledge they acquired from the beer and food pairing process to guests as part of the dinner.

This is the omnivore menu, a vegetarian version is available by advanced notice at their discretion.

Course One:

Grilled corn, kewpie mayo, togarashi cracklin, and avocado puree
Paired with Trillium Pier (a hopped American Pale Wheat Ale from Massachusetts)

Course Two:

Radish and turnip salad, caramel egg dressing, carbonated citruses
Paired with Breakside Carte Blanche (American Wild Ale with Brett, gin and hops)

Course Three:

Lamb pierogies, mint chimichurri sour cream, peas, spring allium
Paired with De Garde/Heater Allen Doppelbock (Eichenbock, an oak barrel-aged Doppelbock)

Course Four:

Sai oua sausage, fingerling potatoes, charred green onions, mushroom demi-glace
Paired with Holy Mountain The Goat (Saison / Farmhouse style ale from Washington)

Dessert:

TBA
Paired with Block 15 2015 Kriek (Kriek is a cherry sour /wild ale style)

 

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CigarBQue Portland Recap

August 25, 2016 by 2 Comments

Recently I attended CigarBQue Portland, an event founded in Chicago but this year expanded to include touring the cities of Denver, Atlanta, Austin, and recently here in Portland, OR before it moves on to Philadelphia (September 15), St. Louis (October 13) and Tampa (November 10). The event brings together local chefs and local mixologists in an outdoor barbecue setting along with Diamond Crown cigars.
CigarBque Portland 2016 CigarBque Portland 2016

The ticket sales from CigarBQue also goes towards raising some money for charity, the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation which partners with the Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral (IDDI), a Dominican-based nonprofit organization that for the last 30 years has been fighting poverty by providing training & the skills necessary to make a positive change for those living in both urban and rural regions of the Dominican Republic through education, disease prevention and empowerment.

Here’s a recap of the CigarBQue Portland event, which took place at Castaway on August 11 2016.
Bites and Drinks at CigarBQue Portland 2016

Participating Chefs/Restaurants Included:

  • Mike Delaney, Ned Ludd presented pork ribs with potato salad and pickles
    Ned Ludd at CigarBQue Portland 2016 presented pork ribs with potato salad and pickles Ned Ludd at CigarBQue Portland 2016 presented pork ribs with potato salad and pickles Ned Ludd at CigarBQue Portland 2016 presented pork ribs with potato salad and pickles
  • Rodney Muirhead, Podnah’s Pit
    Pulled Pork Sliders with Slaw from Podnah's Pit BBQ at CigarBQue Portland 2016
  • Cliff Allen, The People’s Pig brought to the table Pork Sandwiches 3 ways- with BBQ sauce and slaw, with Toasted Chili Sauce and pickled onions, and Marinated Peaches with basil and mint.
    The People's Pig at CigarBQue Portland 2016 brought up Pork Sandwiches 3 ways- with BBQ sauce and slaw, with Toasted Chili Sauce and pickled onions, and Marinated Peaches with basil and mint. The People's Pig at CigarBQue Portland 2016 brought up Pork Sandwiches 3 ways- with BBQ sauce and slaw, with Toasted Chili Sauce and pickled onions, and Marinated Peaches with basil and mint.
  • Carlo Lamagna of Honky Tonk Tacos and Clyde Common offered Lengua Adobo Taco Filipino-style on a Three Sisters Tortilla with Escabeche
    Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Common and Honky Tonk Taco at CigarBQue Portland 2016 offered Lengua Adobo Taco Filipino-style on a Three Sisters Tortilla with Escabeche Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Common and Honky Tonk Taco at CigarBQue Portland 2016 offered Lengua Adobo Taco Filipino-style on a Three Sisters Tortilla with Escabeche
  • Johnny  Nunn, Verdigris made Chilled Corn Soup with Smoked Trout and Beet Relish
    Johnny Nunn from Verdigris at CigarBQue Portland 2016 made Chilled Corn Soup with Smoked Trout and Beet Relish
  • Eric Ferguson, Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro
    Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro for CigarBQue Portland 2016 Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro for CigarBQue Portland 2016 Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro for CigarBQue Portland 2016 Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro for CigarBQue Portland 2016 Red Hills Market created a Smoked Beef Brisket tostada with Mezcal flamed jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes, and cigar smoked avocados and radishes and micro cilantro for CigarBQue Portland 2016

Participating Mixologists Included:

  • Steven Sirok of Driftwood Room inside the Hotel DeLuxe, which I missed in taking a photo or trying
  • Jacqueline Stuart of Accanto creating the cocktail Pesca Acida with Corralejo Reposado Tequila, Lime, Peach-Ginger Juice, Pink Peppercorn Salt Rim
    Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016  Jacqueline Stuart from Accanto creating the cocktail Pesca Acida for CigarBQue Portland 2016 with Corralejo Reposado Tequila, Lime, Peach-Ginger Juice, Pink Peppercorn Salt Rim Jacqueline Stuart from Accanto creating the cocktail Pesca Acida for CigarBQue Portland 2016 with Corralejo Reposado Tequila, Lime, Peach-Ginger Juice, Pink Peppercorn Salt Rim
  • Jacob Grier of Cocktails On Tap, created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca
    Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 off Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016 Jacob Grier created a cocktail called Shift Drink with Templeton Rye, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, and Fernet Branca for CigarBQue 2016
  • Tommy Klus of La Moule Trinidad Especial with Zaya Gran Rerva, Old Trinidad Rum, Apricot Liqueur, Lime, Mint
    Trinidad Especial by Tommy Klus of La Moule with Zaya Gran Rerva, Old Trinidad Rum, Apricot Liqueur, Lime, Mint for CigarBQue Portland 2016 Trinidad Especial by Tommy Klus of La Moule with Zaya Gran Rerva, Old Trinidad Rum, Apricot Liqueur, Lime, Mint for CigarBQue Portland 2016
  • Joe Frade of LeChon made a horchata inspired cocktail – I sipped a bit from a friend’s but I was all out before I got there to take photos, oops!
  • Lindsay Druhot representing Pok Pok Som made Strawberry Fields with Aviation Gin, Pok Pok Som Strawberry Drinking Vinegar, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, and Mint
    Bites and Drinks at CigarBQue Portland 2016: Lindsay Druhot made Strawberry Fields with Aviation Gin, Pok Pok Som Strawberry Drinking Vinegar, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, and Mint Bites and Drinks at CigarBQue Portland 2016: Lindsay Druhot made Strawberry Fields with Aviation Gin, Pok Pok Som Strawberry Drinking Vinegar, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, and Mint

I thought CigarBque Portland was an amazing event- the booths for the mixologists were inside so they could keep up with the ice while outside on the patio in the summer sun with shade and breeze were all the food booths and cigar table so you can pick a cocktail, some bites of food, and see how they paired with the variety of Diamond Crown cigars. A few large tables and plenty of cocktail tables dressed up with black tablecloths and floral arrangements in cigar boxes created a classy atmosphere, while there was also a cute photobooth available with a backdrop of tobacco field, ha ha.
Bites and Drinks at CigarBQue Portland 2016: Jacqueline Stuart from Accanto creating the cocktail Pesca Acida for CigarBQue Portland 2016 with Corralejo Reposado Tequila, Lime, Peach-Ginger Juice, Pink Peppercorn Salt Rim and Ned Ludd presented pork ribs with potato salad and pickles Bites and Drinks at CigarBQue Portland 2016: Jacqueline Stuart from Accanto creating the cocktail Pesca Acida for CigarBQue Portland 2016 with Corralejo Reposado Tequila, Lime, Peach-Ginger Juice, Pink Peppercorn Salt Rim and The People's Pig brought Pork Sandwiches 3 ways- with BBQ sauce and slaw, with Toasted Chili Sauce and pickled onions, and Marinated Peaches with basil and mint

Seriously though, it was a classy but casual event with excellent cocktails (full size! real glassware!), plenty of food that offered spicy and sweet contrasts and comparisons with the cigar smoke. I’m not sure if they will be touring back and there will be a CigarBque Portland here next year, but if you are in one of the cities they are having the event and you love cigars or are cigar curious, this was a fantastic way to try it, especially with food and drink created with cigars in mind.

Disclosure: I had a complimentary ticket to this event, but was not required to write this post or given any compensation. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Feast 2016 Tickets Still Available: Get Some

August 15, 2016 by 6 Comments

EeeeeEEeeeeEEEEeee I can’t wait! It’s only one month until Foodie Christmas, otherwise known as the biggest and greatest food festival Portland offers, Feast Portland! Many events sold out in the first day (especially the smaller events), but I snagged tickets to the Filipino Twist dinner using my Feast Ticket Purchase Tips and Strategy which I shared a few days before tickets went on sale. I’ll also be at Night Market, the Grand Tasting, and the Go Get You Some Picnic. Not to worry: there are still some events that you can get into!
Feast Portland

Feast 2016 Tickets still available

It’s not too late! Check out Feast official social media accounts like the Feast Portland Facebok page to enter some of the various giveaways that can yield you some tickets. Some Feast 2016 Tickets still available for purchase also include

  1. The Sandwich Invitational on Thursday September 15th is the kickoff event for Feast, and this year if you buy 2 tickets or more you will get a free one year subscription to Portland Monthly. Update: Now Sold Out This event conflicts with my Filipino Twist dinner so I won’t be attending, but I always have thought this was a huge value of an event because for $85 you get 14 sandwiches (or more, if you can get through the 14 first…), so you will be completely stuffed. And as with all the Feast events, all the liquid libations are included. This year they have moved the venue to the Rose Quarter Commons for more space.
    Widmer Sandwich Invitational at Feast PDX 2015, Photo by Aubrie LeGault for Feast Portland, All rights reserved
    Photo by Aubrie LeGault for Feast Portland Widmer Sandwich Invitational 2015, All rights reserved
  2. If this is your first time at Feast, I always recommend the Grand Tasting at Pioneer Courthouse Square. You can still get tickets still to the Friday (the Saturday event is already sold out!), and it offers four hours of all you can sample of Oregon food and drink from various local producers for only $60. Each booth’s representatives are incredibly knowledgable about explaining how they make what they do and giving you more back story on the process and food/drink item.
    Feast 2015 Oregon Bounty Feast 2015 Oregon Bounty Feast 2015 Oregon Bounty
    During your sampling you can watch shows on the stage like a mini live Food Network channel! Sampling for hours, talking to the vendors, a mini food show- what a bargain!
    Feast Portland Grand Tasting includes a Feast stage with panels and demos and competitions Feast Portland Grand Tasting includes a Feast stage with panels and demos and competitions
  3. A newly added event for Saturday September 16 is a drink crawl! Cocktail Crawl: Drink Like a Pro offers a progressive drinking journey from 1-4 PM visiting cocktail havens well respected by those in the food and drink industry for $75 while being schooled on bartender secrets for all the drinks.
  4. The Drink Tank events I think are one of the hidden secrets of Feast. I have always enjoyed them – for the price you get multiple glasses of the drink being highlighted, be it beer or wine or whiskey or whatever – as well as a great mini-class learning more about that beverage while sitting al fresco in the Portland Art Museum’s Sculpture Hall.
    Feast Drink Tank Feast Drink Tank
    Here are a few photos to give you an idea what the Drink Tank events were like last year that were similar to ones this year…  have you had your continuing education yet this year? This qualifies right?
    Drink Tank Pinot Noir at Feast Portland 2015 Drink Tank Pinot Noir at Feast Portland 2015
    And, the cost of the Drink Tank event is a bargain- ranging from $35 – $55. The drinks came with snacks you share with your tablemates to cleanse your palate as well between sips. Each seat has a flight of what seemed to always be five drinks.
    Feast Portland Drink Tank Bourbon and Beyond: The New World of American Whiskey
    The tickets for Drink Tank events still available for Feast 2016 include

    • Meet The Press, Friday September 15 12-1 PM is $35 and highlights cider
      Feast Portland Drink Tank Old MacDonald Had a Brewery Feast Portland Drink Tank Old MacDonald Had a Brewery
    • Washington Wines on The Rise on Friday September 15 from 2-3 PM is $55 and highlights the variety of red wines coming from our neighbor state to the north.
      Drink Tank Pinot Noir at Feast Portland 2015
    • Aperitifs Ascendant: Understanding Vermouth, Quinquinas and Aperitif Wines, Friday September 15 from 4-5 PM is $45 to learn about various aperitifs
      Feast Portland Drink Tank Bourbon and Beyond: The New World of American Whiskey Feast Portland Drink Tank Bourbon and Beyond: The New World of American Whiskey
    • Wines Vs. Beer: This Time It’s Personal Saturday September 16 4-5 PM pairs beer and wine with cheese from Steve Jones of The Cheese Bar to see who will make the better pairing for mere $45
      Feast Portland Drink Tank Old MacDonald Had a Brewery Feast Portland Drink Tank Old MacDonald Had a Brewery

As always, remember that the reason why we feast is to fight against childhood hunger, specifically raising money for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon  with a concentrated effort on their campaign to raise awareness around school breakfast participation in Oregon schools. Over the last four years, Feast has raised over $230,000 to help end childhood hunger. You can help support by purchasing a ticket to Feast Portland, and you can also make an additional donation on their ticket check out page.

Feast Items Outside Feast Events

If you can’t attend Feast, there are still other ways you can feast and help this worthy cause. Since this is Feast’s Fifth year, they are upping the efforts and the feasting with #FeastFab5 Collaborations where they partner a few local chefs and producers to create special items. Plus, the makers will be donating 10% of net sales to Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.

These items will be available from August 1st – September 18th, 2016 online and in select retail locations. The yummies for a good cause include

  • Xocolatl de Davíd – Chocolate collaborations with:
  • QUIN – Oregon Cherry Sparkling Candy, little pillows of candy that kind of sparkles with a tiny effervescence. It’s cherry flavored and contains Oregon cherries, to be more purely Oregon, cherry flavored and a bit fizzy and sparkling but not a sour candy. Available at their Union Way shop and also online.
    QUIN Feast Fab Five collaboration special – A little pillow of candy that kind of sparkles with a tiny effervescence. It’s cherry flavored and contains Oregon cherries, to be more purely Oregon.
  • Pok Pok Som – featuring Oregon Strawberry and Thai Basil Som. The Strawberry one is featured in this cocktail I enjoyed recently Strawberry Fields cocktail featuring Pok Pok Som Strawberry Drinking Vinegar with some Aviation Gin, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, and Mint created by Lindsay Druhot
    Strawberry Fields cocktail featuring Pok Pok Som Strawberry Drinking Vinegar with some Aviation Gin, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, and Mint, created by Lindsay Druhot
  • Olympia Provisions and Pok Pok – featuring a special sausage collaboration between Elias Cairo and Andy Ricker a spicy Nothern Thai (of course) Sai Ua that you can purchase at this link.

    All types of yum! @eliascairo of @oppdx and @pawkhrua of @pokpokpdx teamed up to create this flavor-filled, traditional Thai grilling sausage for #FeastFab5‬! Deeply rooted in the culture of Northern Thailand, this amazing new product features lemongrass, galangal, and a unique blend of spices. Big thanks for making this delicious item to celebrate our fifth birthday! ‪#FeastPDX‬ The #Feastfab5 makers will be donating 10% of net sales to @hunger_free_or! Click our bio link for more deetz.

    A photo posted by Feast Portland (@feastportland) on

Then, during actual Feast week, two additional makers get in with their products and donating to fight childhood hunger:

  • Wiz Bang Bar from Salt & Straw – featuring a special flavor during the week of Feast at their retail location.
  • Stumptown Coffee Roasters – featuring a special cold brew soda made in-house during the week of Feast in Portland retail cafes, except the Annex.
    Stumptown Coffee Roasters Feast Fab Five special – featuring a special cold brew soda made in-house during the week of Feast in Portland retail cafes, except the Annex.

Are you excited for Feast? What events are you going to or wish you were going to? Which of the special #FeastFab5 items do you think you might look for?

Disclosure: I was granted a Bloggers Pass for Feast Portland 2016, and asked to help promote Feast but I am not otherwise being compensated. I also purchased my own tickets to some Feast events in addition to be given access to a select few events with the Bloggers Pass. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own, and I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences regardless of whether they were complimentary or not. 

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Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland

August 5, 2016 by 1 Comment

Today kicks off the 2016 Summer Olympics, also known as Rio 2016 since it is being hosted in Rio de Janiero, Brazil this year. Officially running from August 5 – August 21, besides the ability to admire the best athletes in the world while watching the Olympic events everyday, this time also offers a couple Rio 2016 Olympics specials here in Portland.

I have mixed feelings about this year’s Olympics, which before opening have been rocked by stories reflecting the corruption in Brazil, of doping, and of corporate and Olympic sponsors and the Rule 40 blackout rules. I worry for the physical safety and health (because of Zika virus and contaminated water) of those in the Olympics. Yet at the same time, I have to watch. I have many summer memories of how mesmerizing it is to watching these literally world class athletes in peak condition swish through the water (or into air into the water via diving) in the various aquatic events, which are my favorite of the summer Olympic sports.
Courtesy IOC Media: NANJING, Aug. 23, 2014 (Xinhua) -- The multi-exposure photo shows Wu Shengping of China competes during the Women?s 10m Platform competition of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 23, 2014. Wu Shengping advanced into the final. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
Courtesy IOC Media: NANJING, Aug. 23, 2014 (Xinhua) — The multi-exposure photo shows Wu Shengping of China competes during the Women?s 10m Platform competition of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, Aug. 23, 2014. Wu Shengping advanced into the final. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

I also always make sure to catch the Opening Ceremonies (they play at 8 PM today on NBC) as it gives the host country a unique opportunity to highlight and educate the world on their culture and history, and the sheer scale of the various “scenes” of the show numbering hundreds and the entire cast numbering thousands. My favorite remains the Beijing Olympics in 2008 – I remember when I was watching them I was also specifically in Portland to interview for jobs that would finally allow me to move to Portland. The fun tongue in cheek ones in London in 2012 were also fantastic – what will Rio bring this year?

I wonder if it will include a nod to their gauchos – and that brings me to Brazilian food, naturally, to go with these Olympics. My highlights are from a Southern Brazilian steakhouse, Fogo de Chao, and from Southern American inspired restaurant LeChon.

All You Can Eat or Make Recipes with Fogo de Chão

I’ve highlighted Portland’s Fogo de Chão , an authentic Southern Brazilian churrascia, in a previous post where I highlighted each of their available meat options when they had their grand opening of their Portland location 2 years ago. Their fantastic offerings still are available for lunch on weekdays, dinner every day, and brunch on weekends, including their all you can eat salad bar / Feijoada Bar (traditional black bean stew with rice, fresh orange and yucca flour) with Brazilian side dishes, then you can choose to add on the fire roasted parade of meats carved table-side until you can’t take it anymore, or choose the Mango Chilean Sea Bass main dish if you are pescatarian.

Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao Market Table, part of their all you can eat buffet boasting more than 40 items Fogo de Chao meat is carved tableside until you can't take it anymore, all you can eat! Fogo de Chao meat is carved tableside until you can't take it anymore, all you can eat!

I’m also a huge fan of their happy hour weekdays 4:30-6:30 PM because then I can munch on two of my favorite items from them: Picanha Sirloin Sliders, 4 bites of chewy gluten-free Brazilian take on cheese bread of pão de queijo turned into sliders with Picanha (prime cut of top sirloin) while drinking my favorite cocktail from them, and the national cocktail of Brazil, the caipirinha. They have quite a few pretty cocktails to enjoy so don’t overlook them for happy hour even if you aren’t hungry enough for a whole buffet meal. I like to order the Picanha Sirloin Sliders with the Crispy Parmesan Polenta Fries
Fogo de Chao offers a surprisingly excellent choice of unique cocktails Fogo de Chao offers a surprisingly excellent choice of unique cocktails Fogo de Chao Picanha Sirlion Sliders, 4 Pao de Queijo Sliders with Picanha during happy hour in the bar Fogo de Chao Picanha Sirlion Sliders, 4 Pao de Queijo Sliders with Picanha during happy hour in the bar Fogo de Chao happy hour dish of the Crispy Parmesan Polenta Fries

Fogo de Chão has generously shared their recipe for their caipirinha, as well as creating a great resource guide to Brazil with their Fogo Guide To Brazilian Cuisine that includes

  • additional Authentic Brazilian at-home recipes (like yum, for their pão de quijo) in case you want to make some of your own Brazilian themed Olympics party at home
  • language lessons like common Portuguese phrases ranging from greetings to Cheers with pronunciations you can hear
  • Etiquette lessons and inside tips from when is the best time to dine in Brazil to tipping guidelines and even where to sit at the dinner table

LeChon’s “What the Chef is Eating” Brazil menu + Olympic Tapas

The South American-inspired restaurant LeChon begins screening the Olympic events starting today, August 5th and will continue throughout the 21st! They will also be offering a special “What the Chef is Eating” Brazil menu, which will be served throughout the course of the Olympics which is displayed on the chalkboard by the front bar to the right daily, and they also have a special Olympics Tapas menu.

I’ve highlighted some of their happy hour OMG deliciousness in a previous post, but here’s a look specifically at some of their Olympics specials. The portions you see are from a preview I attended with other bloggers so some were sample size.

Steak Tartare
Steak Tartare from LeChon Steak Tartare from LeChon Steak Tartare from LeChon

Cornmeal Porridge with honey chile spiced glazed pork belly, sweet corn, sugar cane syrup, vanilla oil,  I think I could have eaten three of these
Cornmeal Porridge with honey chile spiced glazed pork belly, sweet corn, sugar cane syrup, vanilla oil from LeChon

More delicious delights
Gotta loved gooey fried cheese empanadas from LeChon Gotta loved gooey fried cheese empanadas from LeChon Feijoada, with smoked sausage, kale, black beans from LeChon Special Rio Olympic Tapas from LeChon Special Rio Olympic Tapas from LeChon

The most fun Olympic Specials though are the cocktails that have incredible presentations – perhaps a hint of what is to come at the Opening Ceremonies?

This Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) cocktail seemed to be the favorite of most of us, starring Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken
This Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) with Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken from LeChon This Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) with Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken from LeChonThis Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) with Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken from LeChon This Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) with Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken from LeChon
The Fogo Laranja (Orange Fire) cocktail with Leblon cachaca, orange juice, lime, cane syrup, Amardo di angostura, and flamed orange is the most dramatic, remiscent of the torch at the Olympics.
The Fogo Laranja (Orange Fire) cocktail with Leblon cachaca, orange juice, lime, cane syrup, Amardo di angostura, and flamed orange from LeChon The Fogo Laranja (Orange Fire) cocktail with Leblon cachaca, orange juice, lime, cane syrup, Amardo di angostura, and flamed orange from LeChon

The Empressario (The Entrepreneur) cocktail with Bacardi 8 year, Fino Jerez, Sugar Cane, Cola Syrup and finished with Mezcal Mist and Orange Peel looked impressive, though I didn’t get a chance to try it.
The Empressario (The Entrepreneur) cocktail from Lechon with Bacardi 8 year, Fino Jerez, Sugar Cane, Cola Syrup and finished with Mezcal Mist and Orange Peel The Empressario (The Entrepreneur) cocktail from Lechon with Bacardi 8 year, Fino Jerez, Sugar Cane, Cola Syrup and finished with Mezcal Mist and Orange Peel

Well wait, what’s that misty dish right? Ok, maybe this slightly spicy tuna poke wins for the star of the LeChon Olympics specials they are offering, they made a few a of these dishes for the group and I finished a third of this dish on my own… I didn’t even need the rice and plaintain chip accompaniment, just ate it with a spoon…
Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland, here a special dramatic spicy tuna with plaintain and rice chip accompaniment from LeChon
Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland, here a special dramatic spicy tuna with plaintain and rice chip accompaniment from LeChon Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland, here a special dramatic spicy tuna with plaintain and rice chip accompaniment from LeChon Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland, here a special dramatic spicy tuna with plaintain and rice chip accompaniment from LeChon Rio 2016 Olympics specials in Portland, here a special dramatic spicy tuna with plaintain and rice chip accompaniment from LeChon

Are you going to watch the Olympics 2016 in Rio? What is your favorite summer Olympic sport to watch? And have you been to Fogo de Chão or LeChon yet?

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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