Restaurant Review Archives - Page 36 of 81 - Pechluck's Food Adventures

Tasty and Alder Highlights

February 13, 2015 by Pechluck 10 Comments

Back in 2013, purchased a ticket to my very first Portland Food Adventures eating extravaganzas. What Chris puts together is a special dinner that includes the chef coming out to introduce/discuss the dish, each course comes with a pairing, and at the end we each receive an envelope of gift certificates to encourage us to continue our food adventures at picks for eats by the chef. I highly recommend each and every food experience he puts together both for the excellent food and the outstanding atmosphere of the great people you can meet at these gatherings.

That first one I attended was for right before the opening of Tasty N Alder with John Gorham. I loved my experience, and the fact that during that special dinner I got to try and realize I enjoyed so many options (rather than just an entree or so at a time) made me very confident that this restaurant worked for me.

Tasty n Alder restaurant area Tasty n Alder restaurant space, kitchen bar seating

Since then, I can’t even exactly recall how many times I’ve been to Tasty N Alder. I thought I would list my Tasty and Alder Highlight of some of my very favorite things since it’s now the 2 year anniversary of that first experience for me. Specifically, my top things that I insist you must order when you visit.

1. Bloody Marys. Any of them. Below you see the Cuate Mary with chili infused tequila, tomato, pimenton, and calabrian chili, and then another offering called the Dockside with gin, kummel, tomato, old bay, and shrimp. Both were kickin! I’ve had many other delicious cocktails from the bar here, including three Grown Ass Milkshakes that are alcoholic ice cream dessert drinks, so don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to bloody marys.

The Cuate Mary with chili infused tequila, tomato, pimenton, and calabrian chili at Tasty n Alder The Dockside Mary at Tasty n Alder with gin, kummel, tomato, old bay, and shrimp

2. As a dinner starter, if you are willing to get your fingers a little messy get the Blaze’s Smoked chicken wings. When I attended the Portland Food Adventures dinner, I got to hear from John Gorham the story about how he had these wings at a big get together and hired Blaze after eating these wings.
Tasty and Alder Blaze's Chicken Wings at dinner as a starter are messy but delicious

3. For a less messy start, the Radicchio with bacon lardons, manchego & six minute eggs is amazing, and you don’t often hear me praise salads. This is available on all their menus throughout the day, be it brunch, mid day, or dinner. It’s one of my top favorite salads in Portland.
Tasty and Alder famous salad, the Radicchio salad with bacon lardons. manchego. six minute eggs

4. Any steak or duck is good, a version is always on the menu at brunch or dinner. When friends are looking for steak but want an alternative to the plated Steakhouse entree experiences at Ringside, Laurelhurst Market or Urban Farmer, the meats of Ox and here at Tasty and Alder are always my recommendation. That’s because they are cut to be served family style so that everyone can feast on multiple cuts of meat family style.
Tasty and Alder offers lots of meat dishes at dinner that are steakhouse quality but in a format that is tapas style for sharing family style

This is the Duck Duck Steak available at Brunch, where it’s served medium rare with an egg and duck fried crispy potato wedges.
Tasty and Alder brunch dish of Duck Duck Steak

5. For a dinner side, get the Skillet Corn Cake at dinner.
Tasty and Alder's buttery skillet corn cake side at dinner

6. It is listed as a starter on the dinner menu, but I also like eating the Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata as a side with the meats here.
Tasty N Alder Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata

7. The best option to eat on the Mid Day Menu between 2-5:30 (aka brunch and dinner) besides the already raved about Radicchio salad, is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken
at Tasty and Alder, the best option to eat on the Mid Day Menu between 2-5:30 (aka brunch and dinner) besides the already raved about Radicchio salad, is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Last year, after surprising Portland residents with listing the Oregonion 2014 Restaurant of the Year as no restaurant at all but the concept of restaurant pop-ups, the next article of dining note was the list of five best new burgers in Portland. I guess they define “new” pretty broadly since the Number 1 burger from Tasty and Alder, has-been open and offering that burger for a year and a half almost at the time of the article.
Tasty N Alder burger, composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles. alt=

But, I can’t say the burger isn’t tasty. The Tasty N Alder burger is composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles.
Tasty N Alder burger, composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles

I don’t think it ascends to the height of the Toro Bravo burger, whose burger also boasts romesco and bacon, and I personally like the Manchego cheese better than the Chubut. Not sure how much it matters, as both are the creations of the Gorham empire of restaurants though. The Tasty and Alder burger is available at both brunch and dinner, but not mid-day – which is fine, because if you really want a sandwich get the Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish instead.
Tasty N Alder Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish

At just 2 years old, Tasty and Alder has settled into executing good dishes without the mad rush of people and lines that it had during its first few months. The only time I’ve seen a line now is on brunch on the weekends, but that’s easily avoidable since they serve that brunch menu everyday they are open.

Meanwhile, I continue to jealously look at the recaps of other Portland Food Adventures that I don’t get to attend, even though I just went to one (and recapped) a few weeks ago featuring Chef Ben Bettinger at Simpatica. Chris is expanding his Portland Food Adventures to now go abroad with the Ataula Chef Jose Chesa. I love and fully support the idea of a food vacation I don’t have to plan! If you get a chance I highly recommend trying a PFA experience to see the fun of these food parties yourself, and the maybe new regular stops you may learn about from the food adventures.

Have you been to Tasty n Alder yet, or any o the Gorham restaurants? What are your favorite dishes at them?

Filed Under: Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: #foodiefriday, Blaze's Chicken Wings, Blaze's Smoked Wings, bloody mary, brunch, buttermilk fried chicken, cuate mary, Dockside Bloody Mary, Duck Duck Steak, Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata, Grown Ass Milkshakes, Portland brunch, radicchio salad, Skillet corn Cake, Steakhouse Sandwich, Tasty & Alder, Tasty and Alder, Tasty and Alder burger, tasty n alder

Breakfast at Della’s Kitchen in the Delano

February 10, 2015 by Pechluck 19 Comments

In my last Travel Tuesday post, I started taking you on my stroll on Las Vegas Boulevard on the South end of the strip. Before I started my multiple miles of strolling up and down the street gazing at the themes and decorative elements and the people in all the casinos, I fueled up of course.

My pick was in the Delano, which is attached to the Mandalay Bay, for a breakfast. Della’s Kitchen had only been open a few months when I visited, which was partially my motivation. The theme for the kitchen is to use farm to table and local ingredients, and includes an offering of all the classic breakfast standards as well as a handful of really good healthy options and some luxurious options. I have no idea what grows well locally in the heat and sand of Las Vegas, but I’m always happy to support highlighting and buying direct from farms (I am a Portland Oregon citizen now after all), and it was nice to see specific farm names called out on the menu.

Healthy options? Think a really good Granola with sun dried fruit, candied mixed nuts, strawberries, local honey and lemon yogurt. That and a Breakfast Burrito with vegetables, egg white scramble, wheat tortilla and California avocado are highlighted as the the lower calorie “Smart Plates” that promise to be 700 calories or less. Yeah, that’s Vegas for you.

Other “healthy” options include a Market Fruit options served with lemongrass-ginger syrup, or Fresh Berries from the Farm with vanilla bean whipped cream. F and I loved all their made to order hand crafted juices, particularly the one called Mojave Burn juice with orange, carrot, cucumber, lemon, ginger and cayenne.

Luxurious options? If you feel like splurging, how about, among their multiple Benedict options, a Blue Crab Benedict with artisan brie, spinach, roasted tomatoes and Mornay sauce? Sure, they have Chicken and Waffles, and Steak and Eggs, but what about a Lobster Scramble or a Portuguese Sausage and Pastrami Hash?

I woke up in a good mood when with my coffee I was able to enjoy a doughssant, a cross between doughnut and croissant. The server was great at keeping that mug filled, checking often and cheerful but without being intrusive or annoying to those of us (ME) who are not morning people and don’t like to talk very much the first two hours of being forced to leave a comfy bed and warm sheets and fluffy pillows.
A doughssant, a mashup between a donut and a croissant, from Della's Kitchen in the Delano, Las Vegas

Then while enjoying more coffee and some of that Mojave Burn juice I nibbled on Buttermilk Biscuits with local aged cheddar and smoked bacon served with regular and pumpkin whipped butter to settle my stomach from the cocktails I had after arriving the night before. I wish the biscuits had just been warmer, and more buttery soft and flaky.

F made me eat a few bites of his insanely large platter of the Pecan Raisin French Toast with Granello’s cinnamon raisin brioche, caramelized banana, and coconut butter.
Insanely large platters in Vegas! This is the Pecan Raisin French Toast with Granello's cinnamon raisin brioche, caramelized banana, and coconut butter, from Della's Kitchen in the Delano, Las Vegas

Della’s Kitchen is only open for breakfast and lunch, from 6:30 AM – 2 PM. What I liked the most was that the menu offers those fresh juices and you can get a small plate of a side if you are not a huge breakfast person/do not want those multiple servings on a plate like that French Toast (though really really good) right away in the morning. There are detailed touches, such as the seasonal pumpkin butter for my biscuits, the coconut butter with the French Toast, or the lemongrass ginger syrup with the fresh fruit, which make Della’s offerings stand out from a regular breakfast dish.

My Guide to the Free and the Food on the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas Hotels at the South End of Strip: Mandalay Bay, Delano, Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, and MGM Grand and what each offers in terms of feel
A look at some of the breakfast options at Della’s Kitchen in the Delano, including juice, Doughssant, bacon cheddar biscuits, and Pecan Raisin French Toast
Take a little trip to Europe with the offerings and recommendations for free stops in the Middle of the Las Vegas Strip like Paris, Caesar’s, and the Bellagio properties. Did I mention they are all free, and include the World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain?
Photos recapping my lunch at Giada Las Vegas inside the Cromwell, including the G signature cocktail, flatbread with pesto, burrata, grilled cheese, gelato
Art Walking Tour at The Shops at Crystals and Aria, Las Vegas, including Gallery Row with Richard MacDonald and Dale Chihuly to the various art in Crystals and Aria
The garnishes of the Bloody Marys at Todd English PUB in Las Vegas are outrageous, ranging from bacon, onions rings, sliders and corn dogs to chicken wing!
My tour of The Wynn in Las Vegas, including details on The Lake of Dreams, Parasol Down, the Conservatory, Jeff Koons sculptures, and Le Reve The Dream show
Lunch at Beijing Noodle No 9, Caesar’s Las Vegas of Shanghai Wave cocktail, Sichuan Dan Dan Mein Spring Noodles, Shanghai Soup Dumplings, and Lamb Pancakes
Steampunk restaurant of Rx Boiler Room by Mandalay Bay brings an opportunity for a cocktail from a crystal skull

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: #traveltuesday, Breakfast in Las Vegas, Breakfast on the Strip, Delano, Della's Kitchen, Donut and Croissant mashup, Donut and Croissant mix, Doughssant, Fresh Juices Vegas, healthy breakfast Las Vegas, Pecan Raisin French Toast, The Delano

Cafe Castagna Family Style Dinner

February 6, 2015 by Pechluck 10 Comments

Have you been to Cafe Castagna? In the past half year or so, they have been making several updates. First, back in June of 2014 Chef Wesley Johnson updated the menu to have a more Middle Eastern flair, inspired by Israel and Chef Wes’ previous experience prior to his sous chef position at Castagna with Michael Solomonov at Zahav in Philadelphia (the restaurant that helped put Israeli food on the American radar a handful of years ago) as well as time at Levant. It seems that in the past year celebrating Middle Eastern food has finally arrived in Portland – both in a huge boom of gyro, hummus, and falafal carts oddly downtown, and the elevated food such as Levant, Mediterranean Exploration Company, and Cafe Castagna.

Then in October, Cafe Castagna started serving brunch, which was quickly raved by Karen Brooks at Portland Monthly as an intriguing new brunch option. Cafe Castagna takes reservations so you won’t need to stand in a line like many brunch options. I personally like their offering at brunch of malawach, served with tomato sauce, zhoug, hard boiled egg. A Malawach (pronounced mal-ah-wak) is a thin folded pastry that is fried, sort of a mashup between a pita or naan and phyllo dough. During my brief visit in Israel, my typical breakfast was just pastry and cheese (so much glorious fresh Israeli cheese!) and sometimes a bit of shakshuka but more often, not- coffee and pastry and cheese was quick and easy.
Cafe Castagna brunch item of malawach, served with tomato sauce, zhoug, hard boiled egg. A Malawach is a thin folded pastry that is fried, sort of a mashup between a pita or naan and phyllo dough

To recreate my breakfasts in Israel I also order the grilled halloumi with honey they have at Cafe Castagna and for a little bit, I am transported to when I was there. It’s not the best value – you would pay less if you ordered their eggs benedict with their house smoked lamb ham, or their version of shakshouka with tomato, chili, goat feta, egg served with pita and optionally adding sujak sausage, or even their classic burger with the additions of cheese and bacon and hatch chili if you wanted. But this combination is too authentic and nostalgic for me personally to mind.
Cafe Castagna brunch item of grilled halloumi with honey, here with some torn basil Cafe Castagna brunch item of malawach, served with tomato sauce, zhoug, hard boiled egg which I like to pair with the grilled halloumi wtih honey

This month, Cafe Castagna also unveiled a simplification of their menu into starters, shared plates, and a few classics left over from the original Cafe Castagna menu. They also offered an option of a Family Style Dinner in which for $30 or $40 a head, the entire table gets served various chef selections to eat family style, just like you would see families doing Israel with tables covered with plates and everyone eating a bit of everything.

Thanks to Watershed Communications, I was able to try the Family Style Dinner experience. The difference between the $30 or $40 price is that you get more options such as cheese, or meats, to your table. Although it’s Chef’s Choice, you can let the server know if you have any dishes from the menu that you really want to make sure are included/not included.

For our group of 5, we began with starters like the fried panissa with aioli and harissa that tastes lighter than you would initially think, with a perfect crisp outside and pillowy inside, and the other starter of the warm fresh flatbread served with a trio of dips that include chicken liver mousse, blend of harissa and labneh, and Turkish hummus. That harissa and labneh container was completely empty when we were done with it.
Cafe Castagna starter of fried panissa, aioli, harissa Cafe Castagna starter of flatbread & trio of dips that include chicken liver mousse, harissa & labneh, and turkish hummus

We were able to try all the salads. Of the three, the citrus salad with meyer lemon, ginger, orange, grapefruit, charred garlic, and basil was a revelation- I would have not thought to order it, but now you and I both know better. The charred garlic is light and has a bit of sweetness!

My equally favorite salad was the salad with baked halloumi cheese, romaine, apple, pomegranate, and candied nuts which just had wonderful texture and bursts of flavor from the components. The big chunks of halloumi cheese definitely do not hurt.

The last salad we shared was the celery and apple salad with yogurt, golden raisins, and chile which was also great – the coolness of the yogurt with the crunch of the celery and apple and fun surprises of chili is yet another pleasing profile of flavors.
Cafe Castagna citrus salad with meyer lemon, ginger, orange, grapefruit, charred garlic, basil Cafe Castagna salad with baked halloumi cheese, romaine, apple, pomegranate, and candied nuts Cafe Castagna celery and apple salad with yogurt, golden raisins, and chile

These 3 salads are all unique and with their own character that shows how Cafe Castagna and Chef Wes can celebrate vegetables on their own. Sides of vegetables that we were able to try included seared beets with tahini, roasted carrots with zhoug and feta, and (not pictured) roasted brussels sprouts with chickpeas, preserved citrus, black olive, and aleppo chile. All three were compelling in their complexity of flavor that again, showcase vegetables and flavors without needing any help from a lot of fat and/or meat.
Cafe Castagna seared beets, tahini Cafe Castagna roasted carrots, zhoug, feta

I was extremely excited thinking about taking my vegetarian F back to this restaurant already, even though I hadn’t even finished my meal yet. I would recommend Cafe Castagna for anyone with vegetarians because of the combinations of flavors and large variety you can order!

On the meat side, our group shared an Ultimate Meat pie in the form of Cipaille with braised hen, pork, veal marrow bone, baharat spice, and potatoes under crispy puff pastry. Look at the big marrow bone and hen legs sticking out!

A dish of whole grilled trout with tabbouleh, sorrel, tahini, and pomegranate was excellent. We also tried the lamb meatballs with braised cabbage, cilantro and serrano pepper, which is the only dish I had that evening which was off to me – the lamb meatballs seemed a bit dry to me and not as flavorful as all the other dishes on the table.

Of these 3 proteins, my recommendation is the fish, which symbolic of new beginnings, progress and prosperity. Traditionally greens and grains represent money in the Middle East, while pomegranate is for luck and a whole fish is allegoric of coins, prosperity and progress.
Cafe Castagna, Cipaille with braised hen, pork, veal marrow bone, baharat spice, and potato under crispy puff pastry. Ultimate meat pie! Cafe Castagna shared dish of whole grilled trout with tabbouleh, sorrel, tahini, pomegranate "Cafe

One of the highlights of the evening was also this rich (and still vegetarian) celery root and Parmesan agnolotti with sauteed black trumpet mushrooms. So rich, a little went a long way in making you satisfied.
Cafe Castagna rich pasta special of elery root and Parmesan agnolotti with sauteed black trumpet mushrooms

Coming soon to the menu as Chef Wes is trying to perfect it is another dish we were able to preview, a combination of Middle Eastern flavors and French ballotine technique with a crisped fried rabbit, a forcemeat with rabbit and lamb ham, and Persian Wedding Rice.

The Persian Wedding Rice is cooked with butter and specked with various additional ingredients to the rice until the bottom layer of the rice crisps up in a manner reminiscent of a good paella or korean stone bowl. The dish was served with the deglazed jus but I didn’t think it needed it because there was already so much tasty goodness going on, and I didn’t want to soften my rice. I am anxiously watching and waiting to see this dish be added to the menu so I can have it again.

Cafe Castagna, coming soon to the menu a Rabbit Ballotine with a combination of Middle Eastern flavors and French technique with a crisped fried rabbit, a forcemeat with rabbit and lamb ham, and Persian Wedding Rice

The dinner included desserts in the form of these perfectly sized profiteroles with halva ice cream, honey and pistachio and chili, these are not listed on the dessert menu and are a special light finish to the Family Style Dinner.
Cafe Castagna finishes with perfectly sized profiteroles with halva ice cream, honey and pistachio and chili, these are not listed on the dessert menu and are a special light dessert to end the Family Style Dinner

One of the amazing values at Cafe Castagna is their wine menu, which is a list of $45 bottles. That’s right, just $45, all carefully curated to include some unique options and all go amazingly well with the food. If you order a bottle to go with a family style dinner, the cost drops to only $40 a bottle, and so is really worth it when dining in a group. There are also some exquisite cocktails and non-alcoholic mocktails also.

Cafe Castagna (as well as Castagna) offers reservations, including by OpenTable. Cafe Castagna is open for dinner only 5 – 10 PM Tuesday – Sunday, and has happy hour Tuesday-Friday from 5-6 PM and from 9PM to close. They also offer Sunday Brunch from 10 AM – 2 PM.

Have you noticed a trend in Middle Eastern food, and have you had or are you interested in trying the new Israeli cuisine that seems so hot now?

Disclosure: The family style dinner meal was complimentary, my trip to brunch was on my own dime. 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.

Filed Under: Restaurant Review, Sponsored Post Tagged With: #foodiefriday, aleppo chile, apple, black olive, Cafe Castagna, Cafe Castagna roasted carrots with zhoug and feta, celery and apple salad with yogurt, celery root and Parmesan agnolotti with sauteed black trumpet mushrooms, chicken liver mousse, Cipaille, citrus salad, Family Style Dinner, flatbread servied with a trio of dips, fried panissa with aioli and harissa, golden raisins, grilled halloumi, grilled trout with tahini and pomegranate, harissa and labneh, lamb meatballs, malawach, meat pie, pomegranate, preserved citrus, profiteroles with honey and pistachio and chili, Rabbit Ballotine with Persian Wedding Rice, roasted brussels sprouts with chickpeas, roasted carrots with zhoug and feta, romaine, salad with baked halloumi cheese, seared beets with tahini, sorrel, tahini, Turkish hummus, whole grilled trout with tabbouleh

Boke Bowl Dim Sum

January 12, 2015 by Pechluck 8 Comments

I only visited once so I don’t think I’m ready to really review the new Boke Bowl dim sum service, which is only a month or so old at this point. However, I thought I’d share a few photos of what some of the possible offerings you would see. Dim Sum is only available at the Boke Bowl West location, which is at 1200 NW 18th (cross street is Northrup, right along the trolley line), and is only served from 11 AM – 3 PM on Saturday and Sundays.

Although dim sum is available, you can also still choose to order from their regular ramen menu and such as well. For a winter special they are offering a duck ramen (which you see here with the add in of fried chicken and their orange dot sauce, a pickled mustard seed in aioli base) and they have a vegetarian ramen option with Caramelized fennel dashi and add in of brined smoked tofu).
Boke BowlDuck ramen which is a winter special ramen, seasonal veggies are the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. I upgraded the ramen with the add in of fried chicken with their orange dot sauce, pickled mustard seeds in an aioli base sauce . Boke Bowl vegetarians ramen bowl with Caramelized fennel dashi and add in of brined and smoked tofu Boke Bowl Duck ramen which is a winter special ramen, seasonal veggies are the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. I upgraded the ramen with the add in of fried chicken with their orange dot sauce, pickled mustard seeds in an aioli base sauce

If you haven’t experienced Boke ramen yet, I think it is very tasty especially if you want to take a vegetarian and if you are ok and even want to try a fusion style that is not traditional ramen in any way and set your expectations accordingly. For instance, I always always get the fried chicken add in, not just for the chicken protein but to add the ODS sauce flavor to the bowl.

Reservations and take out are not available for dim sum- and just like most dim sum service, there are carts (two that I saw) that are wheeled around the dining space and as you select from what they have, there may be more replenished into the cart at any time.
Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2, this cart is being pushed and serviced by Boke man Brannon Riceci himself The steamed dim sum cart at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West

The food plates are simply priced by the size of Small, Medium, and Large, and so a stamp on a dim sum card is how they count and calculate the price of what you have eaten. There is a whole page of cocktails as well.
Menu at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

And that cocktail list includes this amazing Boke Bloody Mary, which includes Baiju, fennel dashi, fish sauce, lime, tomato, and Boke fried chicken
Boke Bloody Mary with Baiju, fennel dashi, fish sauce, lime, tomato, fried chicken at Boke Bowl dim sum

For a simpler cocktail option, you might consider the refreshing Boke Buzz, house bottled and carbonated highballs. There are a few to choose from- this is the Whiskey Coco with bourbon, coconut, lime, and palm sugar
Boke Buzz, house bottled and carbonated highballs, this is the Whiskey Coco with bourbon, coconut, lime, and palm sugar from Boke Bowl

Unlike many dim sum restaurants though, I was really pleased to see there were several dim sum options that are marked as being vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free, which you will not always see! I can never get F to dim sum because there are literally only a handful of options for him usually at a traditional dim sum, but at Boke Bowl Dim Sum half the options are fair game for a vegetarian. Many popular dishes, such as hum bao, lotus wraps, sui mai etc. have both a meat version and a veggie version so your vegetarian can also have a full dim sum experience.

As they wheel the carts around and tell you their options, remember that not all the options may be at one of the carts at once so you probably want to check out the carts more than once to see what is new. You can also ask if there are certain dishes you are looking for and if they are not too in the weeds they may be able to bring it directly to you.

Their take on Chicken and Waffle (gluten free) with yeast rice cake and Boke fried chicken, these disappear quickly from the carts!
Their take on Chicken and Waffle (gluten free) with yeast rice cake and Boke fried chicken at the Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

Super chubby sui mai dumplings, these are with pork and shrimp, but there is also a vegan vegetable version
Super chubby sui mai Dumplings at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

Turnip cakes can either be vegan and gluten free, or get it with ham like this version
Turnip cakes with ham at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

Shrimp rice noodles, there are also options of pork or gluten free vegetarian for the filling. On my visit the rice noodles were thick and still tough like they hadn’t been fully cooked, but it was their first weekend of service so I would try it again. There is a tray of various sauces you can add to your food- make sure you are not shy about using it.
Shrimp Rice noodles at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

Lotus Wraps that are streamed and inside have rice and spicy pork, there is also an option with squash that is vegan and gluten free, with mushroom and black bean sauce. They come in square bundles of leaf and string that you unwrap to see this rice and protein mixture inside. The version I had with spicy pork really had a nice kick of heat and I enjoyed it.
Lotus Wrap with spicy pork at Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2

Fried potstickers of pork, cabbage, and ginger

What do you think of having a dim sum brunch instead of a western brunch – do you do it? What sort of dim sum items do you like to look for? And would you believe I was so into dim sum that I made a photo checklist once (including Cantonese syllables for saying them and a picture from Google images so I could ask for it in case the server didn’t know the English description of it?) here in this a google doc? Food dork alert…

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: American dim sum, asian brunch, Asian brunch PDX, Asian brunch Portland, Asian Chicken and Waffle, Baiju Bloody Mary, Boke Bloody Mary, Boke Bowl, Boke Bowl dim sum, Boke Bowl west dim sum, Boke Buzz, Boke fried chicken, boke sum, chicken and waffle, dim sum, dim sum brunch, duck ramen, dumplings, Fried potstickers, Lotus Wrap, Lotus Wrap with pork, Portland dim sum, Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Shrimp Rice Noodles, shu mai, steamed dim sum dumplings, steamed dumplings, sui mai, Turnip cake with ham, vegetarian dim sum, vegetarian Portland dim sum, Yeast Rice cake

A visit to Maurice in Portland

January 5, 2015 by Pechluck 12 Comments

A photo essay of the various example options (they change daily and seasonally, with menus written daily) at Maurice Luncheonette in Portland.

Outside of Maurice Luncheonette in Portland

A few expectations you should have: although they open at 10 AM, Kristen Murray handwrites the menu everyday with love as it changes daily. So, until 11 AM when the food menu is ready, you only have the options of beverages and whatever pastries and desserts are already in the case.
The lunch menu is written every day with love. Until 11 am, only the beverage and pastries in the case are available, no food service

The tea here is very good- a big selection, and she specifically brings the selections from a tea proprietor in Massachusetts. Don’t be shy about asking for a refill of hot water.

The scone they offer (here is the Currant and Rosemary Scone) is the most perfect I’ve ever had – a crispy crunchy outside but soft inside and not dry in any bite like scones often are, so you might as well order one to go with your beverage.
The tea service from Maurice are from MEM TEA Imports at Watertown, MA Setup for Tea Service. The tea that Maurice carries are from MEM Tea Imports from Watertown, MA Currant and Rosemary Scone with fresh whipped cream. It was the most perfect scone texture I've ever had, with the crisp outside but soft insides and not dry at all

The atmosphere is clean and bright, with mostly two tops, counterspace, and only two tables on either side of the windows that might be able to accommodate 5 people at most, so not a place for larger groups. It manages to balance minimal decorations with a strong feel of being darling. When Bon Appetit included it in the Hot 10 of 2014 it’s described with sunshine and bluebirds and “earnest, a bit precious, and crazy charming”
Atmosphere at Maurice. Usually it is more clean lines and simple, but the garlands were added for the holidays! Kristen Murray, owner of Maurice, is in the hat on the right Atmosphere at Maurice is usually very clean and simple, the wreath is an addition just for the holidays, and you can see more of the carefully selected wine list on the chalkboard there Atmosphere at Maurice. Usually it is more clean lines and simple, but the garlands were added for the holidays

Just looking at that artfully arranged case as you enter, it’s like a perfectly set scene of pastries from a romance-comedy movie or the perfect small town bakery owned by the heroine in a Hallmark movie that the whole town adores (actually, that’s pretty close to the sentiment Portland has for Maurice, if you read the reviews from Portland Monthly, Oregonian, Willamette Weekly, and the Portland Mercury, although the dinner some mention is no longer offered. I think the word charming is in half of those reviews.). And here Maurice is, looking perfect everyday for real.

Ask for details of what are the various beauties in the case or on the platters on the case (an initial title and cost are listed on the chalkboard just to the right of the case)
Some of the treats at Maurice on and in the case by the register counter
All the plates are tiny but plated in a sweet and intricate and sometimes whimsical, always thoughtfully curated artistic way.

The biggest bang for your buck will be the desserts. This is a perfect spot for a little tea or a glass of wine with a little bite, but don’t expect a big meal unless you get a lot of those petite plates and the plates at close to $10 a piece will add up. Maurice is most appropriate for a snack with tea or a small light meal.

Start the photo essay:
Pear and Pistachio Tarte
Pear and Pistachio Tarte, beautiful and made with love, as always at Maurice

Radishes with butter and salt / Lucques Olives
An appetizer at Maurice from the lunch menu, Radishes with butter and salt A snack at Maurice of Lucques Olives

Lefse of the day: lefse with ham, brie and tumeni pickles
A plate of lefse with ham, brie and tumeni pickles from the menu at Maurice

One famous standby dessert is the Black Pepper Cheesecake and a bit of strawberry leather, here with Salted Butter Ice Cream
Maurice Black Pepper Cheesecake with Salted Butter Ice Cream and a bit of strawberry leather

Fika Pastry, a Swedish pastry, and it also means social drink break (most often accompanied by a sweet pastry, can be coffee or otherwise for the beverage) in Swedish and is both a verb and a noun
Fika Pastry from Maurice, Portland

Chocolate Mousse
Maurice Chocolate Mousse

The famous standby dessert (besides the black pepper cheesecake) at Maurice is the Meyer Lemon Souffle Pudding Cake

A lovely Chocolate Banana Cake Box, love the layers and the valrohna chocolate balls on top
A lovely chocolate banana cake box from Maurice, love the layers and the valrohna chocolate balls on top