A five course prix fixe at Genoa 8/27/2011

The atmosphere of the new Genoa (neither of us had ever been to the original which served the 7 course meal, but had heard of it and always wanted to try it) was serene and comfortable and intimate. Curtains flowing from ceiling to floor let in a hint of the white bright sunshine while doing logistical duty to separate the area where you first enter and were greeted in hushed voices and then were  granted entrance from the seated dining area.

When you first enter as a guest, as they part the curtains and reveal the space as you step in and you swish past the rippling light fabric, you feel like you are being ushered into a VIP area of a show. While at your meal thanks to those same curtains, you don't see any busyness or urbanity of the outside, you are enveloped in a world of the slight hush of a few words of other conversation that sometimes travels through the air but barely so and barely audible music that is there in the background but never interrupts conversation. Despite the tables around you, you feel like you are at a more elegant version of home- you know, the one where you get butler service.

The staff is there at your table to announce the descriptions of your wine and courses, but then seem to just disappear so you have your privacy yet appear from who knows where again after only a few minutes of finishing your food so you never sit long with empty glasses or plates. The seats are cushy and comfortable- thank goodness for that during a multicourse meal.

The decorations are simple- a small flickering candle offering romance but there is enough ambient light around enough to clearly see the fresh colors of your food instead of eating in shadows.   A large vase of oversized flowers by a large front table provided the positive emotional backdrop of the beauty of life (I always think this when seeing real flowers inside, and science backs this up to some extent) while also giving a slight undercurrent living larger then normal life. Seriously, those thistles were lovely and also about the size of my fist!  Then there was the modernity yet warmth of various shell chandeliers that drape delicately from the ceiling while also offering a modern touch to a room of classic dark hardwoods softened with walls covered with rich drapery so you almost feel like you have box seats to a culinary performance…

So what were the players of this show? We opted for the wine pairings with the meal as the mostly Italian wine list meant we didn't recognize even what the profiles would be for the offerings. This meant we could try more wines anyway. We had both the regular Agosto menu and the vegetarian version.

Our amuse bouche (vegetarian and omnivore versions): a mini Salade Niçoise for the omnivore with the best part being that smoked fig underneath the dill topped fishy. I wish this had been served just a little chilled rather then room temperature. The vegetarian version with creamy corn pudding and roasted beet coins was the tastier amuse.

The next course would be our favorite when all was said and done: the Antipasti of a Gazpacho, specifically a cucumber and melon gazpacho with a bush berry salad, fennels fronds, chickweed, farm flowers, Tabasco jelly (that uses agar not gelatin and is made in-house so is vegetarian friendly)… and in the omnivore version, also the addition of a crispy prosciutto. The course was paired with Avinyó's Cava Brut Rosat from Penedès, Spain NV, and you can never object to starting with some sparkling bubbles, and the flavor was very light.

It was presented with the various fruits and vegetables arranged artfully to enjoy with the eye in the bowl before a small pitcher of the gazpacho was poured in tableside. The gazpacho was thick with flavor, and then a little burst of extra texture and flavor whenever a fruit or vegetable also was in your spoonful. You can see in the closeup the crispy prosciutto perched atop a melon ball up from the flood of the gazpacho…

Our next course was also amazing, our second favorite dishes of the evening. For the omnivore, the Primi was Gnocchetti con aragosta, housemade baby gnocchi with poached Maine lobster, salsa rossa, shaved summer squash and blistered cherry tomatoes, paired with Domaine Brana's Rosé “Harri Gorri” from Irouléguy, France ‘10. I was eating each of those lil gnocchi one by one so they could carry as much of the sauce as possible as they melted on my tongue. For the vegetarian the Primi was Ravioli di mais, a course of housemade ravioli stuffed with sweet corn and pecorino, Dancing Roots farm beets, griddled corn, thyme and topped with frisée.

At first a glass of the Rosé “Harri Gorri” was also poured with this, but the Sommelier returned to correct his mistake with the actual pairing, Domaine Guillot-Broux's Mâcon-Cruzille “Les Genèvrières” of Burgundy, France ‘08. The pour had a tiny bit of cork in it so we were not able to completely finish it, but it was our favorite wine of the night. Since we had already come out with an extra glass of Rose, we let it go.

Third course, Insalata panzanella, composed of heirloom tomato, lemon basil, cucumber, grilled torpedo onion and torn country bread with grilled squid (squid only in the omnivore version), dehydrated olive and moscatel vinegar. We were cleaning our plates wiping up that olive oil and vinegar with that lil crispy breadstick. This was paired with Movia's Sauvignon of Brda, Slovenia ‘08. I know, Slovenia? I wondered this too, but actually the vineyard is in far Northeast Italy and straddles both Italy and Slovenia half and half, so the theme to the wine at Genoa continues to stay within Italy and France for all purposes. This course broke up the richness between the Primi and Secondi cleverly.

The main event, Secondi. As the mains they were both a little disappointing. For the omnivore, this was Rombo alla padella– pan seared halibut with coastal chanterelles, corn pudding, summer beans and hazelnut brown butter paired with La Viarte's Ribolla Gialla, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy ‘09 a more acidic crispy white profile. The halibut had great texture from the pan searing, and I had to keep smearing it with the corn pudding or carefully distributing the chantarelles to add flavor to that texture.

For the vegetarian, this was Risotto di zucca – roasted summer squash, goat cheese stuffed tempura battered and fried squash blossoms, burrata, porcinis with rosemary and thyme, paired with a slightly sweeter Domaine de la Pépière “Clos du Briords”, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, France ‘09. This dish as a whole was extremely rich. Perhaps the wine pairings should have been reversed- with all the cheese already present with the burrata and the goat cheese the dish needed more dry and crispness to cut through and go with contrast instead of compliment.

Dolci (which was fine) and a disappointing Formaggi – I can put together a better cheese plate then this, and I understand serving cheese at room temperature but if it's a summer day of close to 90, maybe not quite at room temperature would be a good idea as that is too warm for cheese to hold its form. Except for the blue cheese, not surprising the other two started to blend in flavor so I smeared honey on one and the pepper on the other just to help the oozy cheese down.  I was very very sorry I had not ordered a dolci.

There is no dessert wine pairing with this last course, but since the dessert/cheese course (printed separately then the dinner ourses) also has the various after dinner drinks printed on the other side, and the order for the fifth course was taken with the original dinner, we were not offered a chance to consider more then coffee. At least we went with French press coffee, though it was served after we were already done with this course, the service hiccup of the night. They really should have asked us about our liquid of choice before the plates.

Last sweet bites with the check- the chocolate ganache, the taste of white cake- at least finished up the meal on a better note from that last course.

The atmosphere was lovely, but it just didn't carry through the whole way. IMHO although the food was good (especially the gazpacho and our pastas were excellent), there are many options in Portland at close cost. With prix fixe meals, diners suspend their control of the dining experience to the kitchen, expecting the kitchen to make it better then they can ordering a la carte both in terms of how the flavors blossom over the courses while each course is also individually providing an important part of the story. Indeed progression of courses was very smooth, and the timing never seemed slow (from the 6:30pm amuse bouche after our 6pm seating to the 8:30pm sweet bites with the check), but the the acts at the end seemed to just not be as thought out, like they got worn out from the earlier half already.

Overall I walked out thinking that it was good, but didn't feel special enough given the initial promise. Genoa's strongest point is its gentle atmosphere and polished service- you come here first for that . The food stands up just enough to match but not impress enough so that you are memorably transported instead of nicely sated at the end of the show. They change their story monthly, but with so many choices for dining, I'm not sure when I'll be back- it will really depend on carefully reading the menu offerings and not on reputation alone.

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Summer Sangria at Limo Peruvian

Portland is finally getting its hot summer weather- we first hit over 90 this past Saturday, and we flirt with the mid to high 80s this week. It makes you want a nice fruity cold sangria, no? In a glass that that is as generous as your water as you people watch on the outdoor patio of Limo Peruvian (Lee-mo)… Doesn’t that look refreshing?

Maybe nibble on the classic ceviche of fish tossed with Limo chili, cilantro and lime juice, topped with julienne onions.

Then follow that up with the so good you will gnaw the bones and lick your fingers afterwards the Costillas de Cordero entree, seared New Zealand rack of lamb drizzled with chimichurri and served with asparagus and quinoa. This dish was amazing, with the light quinoa offering interesting texture to contrast the young asparagus and the rich lamb, and the chimichurri (a traditional herb garlic oil and vinegar accompaniment) further helped to complement the meat.

Unfortunately I didn’t have any more stomach room to try any of the causas they offer which I saw at some other tables that looked so beautifully plated… though here’s a recipe from a segment done on a local news channel to give you an idea. Next time causa, next time… Their outdoor patio and their sangria are a secret gem that beckon me to revisit again, and I do love Peruvian food…

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Beer N Burgers 2011- Recap of Burgers x 7

The event is hosted by Portland Monthly in partnership with Fred Meyer and benefits Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. For $17, attendees can try tastings of beer from 10 local breweries and sliders from 7 local brewhouse chefs competing for the title of Best Burger- which the audience gets to vote for (the cost is $12 if not partaking in beer).

The list of brewhouse participants:

  • Alameda Brewhouse
  • BridgePort Brewery
  • Buckman Brewery
  • Burnside Brewing Co
  • Deschutes Brewery
  • Full Sail Brewing Co
  • Henry's Tavern
  • Laurelwood Brewing Co
  • Ninkasi Brewing
  • Widmer Brothers Brewing

The burgers are slider sized, but not really. For the second year in a row, I brought home leftovers instead of throwing out the burgers just because I was too full to finish them/wanted to save room to try them all. I didn't want to be wasteful of my food, and this time I was more clever in that I brought several ziploc bags in my bag. Now onto the burger food photos…

Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, the winner last year, came this year with a TEXAS BBQ BURGER: Smoked brisket, horseradish coleslaw, crispy Walla Walla onions, and Laurelwood’s signature Free Range Red BBQ sauce. Laurelwood Public House & Brewery offered a choice of either the organic pale ale or the organic free range red- I chose the Red in my sample cup

Burnside Brewing Co had the most hype as you watched them prepare their BURNSIDE BURGER: Liquid nitrogen-dipped and duck fat fried beef patty with ketchup, grilled onion, bacon, and cheddar powders, served with dill pickle “caviar”. The condiments teased us as we watched the prep show- dehydrated and food science executed onion, ketchup, cheddar, and duck fat all in powder, along with that white tub of dill pickle caviar…Unfortunately, I think everyone was disappointed that the flavors from those toppings didn't come through, and the burger was slightly dry though I could taste the extra savoryness from the duck fat.


It turned out my favorite and the one I voted for would be BridgePort Brewing Company's BIG ISLAND LITTLE BURGER: Beef and pork belly grind, char siu glaze, house cured pork belly, spicy sambal slaw, cilantro chimichurri, and tangy pickled red onions served on a toasted BridgePort Bakery Portuguese Sweet roll. It was a lot going on, but the sweetness and the herby earthiness of the chimichurri (which seemed more like a pesto to me) and the umami of the pork belly also all individually were good. 

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I also really liked the beer they were serving- the citrusy lined ale of Summer Squeeze which has infusion of lemongrass and yuzu.

In a very respectable second place for me was the Widmer Brothers Brewing THE GASTHAUS BURGER: Local Oregon beef, butter lettuce, Inaba Farms tomatoes and caramelized onion topped with smoked blue cheese & Nelson IPA fondue, served on a toasted brioche bun. Messy, but I do love cheese.There were three beers you could choose from and I went with their Okto, a seasonal ale for the fall.

Also in the high mess to eat category was Deschutes Brewery's THE YELLOW BELLY BURGER: Spicy pesto, candied yellow pear tomatoes, whipped goat cheese, and Obsidian Stout braised pork belly perched atop Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub’s classic spent-grain fed Coleman Ranch beef patty and elegantly gift-wrapped with a whole-grain mustard ciabatta bun. Yeah, they can barely get the description to fit on their sign! From one of the photos, you can see from this angle you can almost imagine this looks like the tomatoes are two eyes, and it's a goofy burger face… Heh heh heh. I think I'm delirious from the heat and food.

I also really liked the beer Deschutes brought- they also had 3 options and I went with The Cyclist, a hefeweizen and lemonade brew. It was really refreshing with the tangy citrus really coming through to give a nice summer tartness to the Hefeweizen like a preinfused Shandy.

Just as competitive as all these delicious burgers above was the more simple and classic Alameda Brewhouse's TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR PEPPER BACON BURGER: Frank’s Choice free ground beef, Zenner’s thick cut pepper bacon, Tillamook cheddar cheese on a Kaiser bun. I liked how they didn't throw a boatload of condiments on top- they let the wonderful seasoning of the beef with just a bit of bacon and cheddar say all they needed. Their assembly line was efficient and showed they had thought carefully about the logistics of serving out food so there wouldn't be lines.

Finally, the 7th burger… Henry's Tavern brought the HENRY’S HITMAN BURGER: Brioche bun topped with a burger patty, pesto aioli, provolone cheese, mixed greens, pickled sweet pepper, and jalapeño stuffed olives. I skipped the Henry's Tavern beer for Buckman Brewing experiments of the Ginger and the Chamomile beers

I hope they continue to look for improving space to hold it in- this year I appreciated how it was more spread out in the Fred Meyer parking lot rather then on the streets outside the Whole Food (who was last year's co-sponsor), but it was also Portland's first past 90 degree day… in fact the recorded high temp I believe was 97. Everyone was baking as the heat reflected back up from the asphalt, even as we all tried to hide from the microwave of the sun in some of the shade they tried to provide but just didn't have enough of.

Overall though, this event was organized well with the red and white checkered tablecloths and jars of flowers and fanned out Portland Monthly's that made this event once again classy and beautiful to the eye as well as filling to the stomach, all for a good cause. 100% of net proceeds will go directly to the Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon Summer Meals Program that helps provide funds for organizations to serve meals to low-income children during the summer when school is not in session.

Beer 'N' Burgers 2011
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Bite of Oregon 2011

A visit on Sunday… laid back, not too busy with people, and the weather was sunny and warm with a cool breeze but not hot. It’s still not quite Taste of Chicago in that it actually offers “bites” or tastes of food, but it was better organized this year at least. The Groupon priced it at two for one which made it irresistable to come visit.

I always check out the Chef’s Table, where more high end restaurants offer a sample for ~$4-5 of a dish for a few hours on a specific day of the Bite of Oregon weekend. I attended on Sunday with my eye on the Bon Appétit times when Executive Chef Micah Cavolo, Chefs Mark Radford, Rogelio Berumen and Frank Salazar put together this description of a dish…I liked how he grated right on my dish/hands.


Traegar Smoked Food Forest Farm’s Berkshire Pork Porchetta, Served Open Faced on House -made (gluten free) Focacceta Rolls Drenched in Smoky Pork Jus Topped with Nero and Ricotta Cheese

Other samplings from the Chef’s Table booths included The Reserve Vineyards, Chef Jason Nussbaumer doing Huli Huli Pork Sliders with Grilled Red Onions, American Cheese, Sweet Pepper Aioli & Asian Spiced Yukon Gold Potato Chips and also Il Piatto’s Chef Eugene Bingham Gnocchi with Pancetta and Parsley Pesto

Grilling chicken… standing downwind makes sure I smell delicious all day and when I go home. These are used for Bambuza Vietnamese Bistro’s Honey Glazed Grilled Chicken Skewer, their beverages also looked refreshing

Was a scavenger of friends’ Strawberry Shortcake and Marionberry Shortcake from Hoffman Dairy Garden

A free cupcake while listening to music, the Newmans at 988 booth making Fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab Cake with Lemon Aioli, and “drumsticks” from Sweet Lemon Vegan Bistro

We also tasted great wine at Rizzo and Tesoaria, of which Rizzo‘s supersweet Muscat and the cherry of Tesoaria’s new Sangiovese stood out particularly.

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Pupusas at Sabor Salvadoreño

Sabor Salvadoreño– located next to an Ace Hardware and in an area of non-descript small groupings of mini strip malls in the suburbs of Beaverton, and very minimalist and functional but a secret gem of pupusas… and their tvs of Latin shows just suck you in too. We didn’t know what the cases were, but we liked to pretend as we watched Caso Cerrado

They look the same, but the pupusas below, at $2 a piece, are from left to right, one filled with cheese+flower, pork, and then the chicken. They melt in your mouth, and you can top them with a cabbage slaw or salsa to balance them out. And, be prepared to be feeling pretty full and satisfied afterward… and that you will spend a little longer then expected eating because you won’t be able to tear your eyes off the TV.

Thanks to Clarklewis Sous Chef Kyo Koo for pointing out this secret. Another Salvadorian place in Beaverton, Gloria’s Secret Cafe, also has pupusas but I have not had them there to compare (they don’t have the cheese+flower one which was my favorite, though they do present them as part of platter instead of ordering individually alone), but Gloria’s space is tiny and despite the name is not as secret at Sabor Salvadoreno…

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