Pechluck's Food Adventures

PDX Beer Week 2015 and other Drink Festivals of June

June 8, 2015 by Pechluck 6 Comments

This year, PDX Beer Week 2015 falls upon this coming Thursday June 11 – Sunday June 21. Yes, it’s more than an actual week/7 days, but I have forgiven that long ago. You can see the full event list here, but I wanted to point my personal top picks. And, not all of them even involve drinking beer – there is for instance, also beer food.

Beer and Food

My favorite event of PDX Beer Week is always the Portland Beer and Cheese Festival. I always go to this event, and you can see my previous recaps from the Portland Beer and Cheese Fest 2014, then 2013, then 2012. As usual, it falls on Father’s Day (Sunday June 21st) from 12 – 5 PM. This year it takes place at the new The Commons Brewery location on 7th and East Belmont. For $35, you get to try 10 paired craft beers and cheeses: the 4 ounce samples of beers come from 10 different breweries and your cheesemaster for the pairings is the famous Steve Jones of Cheese Bar and Chizu.

As in the previous year, you can enjoy complimentary free charcuterie from Olympia Provisions. And new this year you can also nosh on complimentary chocolate from local makers Woodblock Chocolate.

This is a 21 + only event. Tickets are on sale now and they usually sell out so buy ahead of time.
For an alternate Father’s Day celebration where you can bring the whole family, consider the Father’s Day Brewgrass and BBQ. On Sunday June 21st Portland Brewing is celebrating dads with live Bluegrass music from 1 – 4 PM, BBQ Specials all day, and kids eat for free from their kids menu with each paying adult.
There are two Food Cart + Beer events on the calendar for PDX Beer Week. These events will be hosted by Steven Shomler, author of the book Portland Food Cart Stories and the new book Portland Beer Stories, as well as the host of Tasty Tuesday Radio Show on Portland Radio Project. Steve is a great guy who really goes into the stories behind food and beer, aka the people, the idea, the passion and hard work. He has invited other Portland culinary authors to these events, and the Food Carts at these respective Food Cart Pods are working on special dishes to go with the beer.
- June 17th 6-10 PM the Food Carts and Beer event is at the Carts on Foster Food Cart (52nd and Foster) featuring beer from Sasquatch Brewing Company with additional watering hole beverages by Pod Bar, fantastic breakfast and brunch food from Egg Carton, the crazy good burgers from Angry Unicorn, and desserts and sweets by the food cart Sugar Shop.
  
  The Angry Unicorn food truck’s Unicorn Burger, made with “Unicorn meat” a magical meat with ground bacon, strips of bacon, cheddar on a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut
- Then, June 18th 6-10 PM the Food Carts and Beer event takes place at Pod 28 (28th and Ankeny, just off of Burnside) featuring the beer of Coalition Brewing and Pod 28 participants like the outdoor beer garden with Captured Beer Bus, the tortas of Guero Food Cart, grilled pizza from Pulehu Pizza, and vegetarian and Middle Eastern food from Wolf and Bear.
  
  Pizza and breadstick from Pulehu Pizza
Throughout June 11 – June 21, Bunk Sandwiches is offering 2 sandwiches, with Bunk Bar Wonder serving both and Bunk Bar SE Water only serving the official Portland Beer Week Sandwich. Check out pics of the sandwich (as well as the ice cream and donut I mention below) at the beer blog Portland Craft Beer article Portland Beer Week Special Creations Preview
- Official Portland Beer Week Sandwich: Beer Braised Brisket & Gravy Po Boy with Bitter Green Slaw and Herb Salad (made with Good Life Pass Stout) – $11 (Available at Bunk Bar Water and Wonder)
- Extra Credit Beer Sandwich: Deluxe Queso Dip with Beer Braised Brisket (mMade with Good Life Pass Stout) – $8.50 (Available only at Bunk Bar Wonder)
The Portland Beer Week Ice Cream comes Salt & Straw and is a Citra Hop Ice Cream made from Breakside Tall Guy single hop Citra IPA and specked with actual Citra hop flakes. Available at special Portland Beer Week parties only, such as the Portland Beer Week & Fruit Beer Fest Kickoff Party & Pig Roast at Eastburn on Thursday June 11 6-9 PM or the Fremont Brewing & Breakside Brewery: Beer, Ice Cream, Donut Party on Saturday June 13 5-8 PM at Belmont Station.
The Portland Beer Week donut is the Blue Star Donuts Hopworks IPA cake donut with crumbled salty pretzels and is available starting June 11.

Portland beer week lineup #breaksidebrewery #bunkbar #salt&straw #bluestardonuts all doing fun new things, support everyone starting june 11

A photo posted by Blue Star Donuts (@bluestardonuts) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:41pm PDT
If you are looking for more sweetness than the donuts, consider pFriem Beer & Dessert Pairing Flight . All PDX Beer Week from June 11 – June 21 you can visit Bar Vivant/Pix Patisserie to try a flight of Pfriem Family Brewers beers paired with three bite-sized Pix desserts. Available all week for $20.
The 3rd Annual Mussels from Brussels at Bazi Bierbrasserie on Wednesday June 15 5 – 9 PM features 4 Oregon breweries each creating their own secret sauces to be used with 1 pound of mussels served with fries, and paired with their Belgian-inspired beer. Who will win the title of “Mussels from Brussels”? The previous two times this event was held, Upright Brewing won – will it be a three-peat? Tickets will be sold for one of the multiple seatings, which are in shifts.
If you are looking for a beer pairing dinner, The Lion’s Supper features Firestone Walker beer and David Walker, co-founder/owner of Firestone Walker Brewing and is hosted by Old Salt Marketplace with food by Chef Greg Smith from Grain and Gristle. Reserve your seat for Thursday June 11 6:30 pm ($75 per person for 5 courses and beer pairings) by emailing alex at oldsaltpdx.com
Sounds like a very nice Father’s Day gift: a reservation for the Lompoc Beer Whiskey Cigar Dinner at Radio Room on Tuesday June 16, 2015 7:30 PM The price of $69 you get a four course meal with Lompoc beer and High West Premium Whiskey pairings and at the end of the night a handcrafted cigar. Tickets available at 503-287-2346 or info at radioroompdx.com.

Beer Festivals

Rye Beer Fest at Eastburn from Friday June 12, 2015 4 PM – Saturday June 13, 2015 2 AM. The Festival is a benefit for Dawn to Dusk paddle fund for the Children’s Cancer Association. This festival, as expected from the name, feature more than 20 rye beers as well as rye cocktails, rye themed food and live music. The $10 admission fee includes a commemorative rye beer fest pint glass and eight beer tickets.
Portland Fruit Beer Festival in the lot of Burnside Brewing Co. featuring fruit beers, so it’s really one of a kind already, and add to that nearly every beer or cider featured at the festival have been brewed specifically for the Fruit Beer Festival, so a lot of one-off unique beers you may only see here this one time and that’s it. This festival is all ages and includes on-site food vendors though you could also choose to dine at Burnside Brewing’s restaurant. The festival runs in the evening on Friday June 12 4 PM – 9 PM and then opens at 11 AM – 9 PM on Saturday June 13th 11 AM – 9 PM, then on Sunday June 14th 11 AM – 6 PM. Cost is $20 for 12 tickets and a glass, tickets are on sale now. This years festival is 40% larger in space as they have expanded to an additional lot. I will have a post on Wed with some highlights from the Fruit Beer Fest list.
This free event (pay for the beer you drink) is The New School presenting their annual New Breweries Showcase at Bailey’s Taproom and The Upper Lip. Featuring 10 breweries that have opened within the last year from all over the state of Oregon with two beers featured from each one of the new breweries. The event runs all day but you can meet-the-brewers and The New School team from 5-8pm at Bailey’s.
I am pretty excited about the free event (pay for the beer you drink) of The Weird Beer Bonanza at Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom on Wednesday June 17 5 – 10 PM. The event promises to offer beers that have interesting combinations, such as
- Upright Orange Dream – farmhouse ale with an addition of Townshend’s No.72 herbal tea
- Breakside Cedarbaumbier – amber wheat ale made with foraged Western red cedar tips and fresh ginger
- Fort George Spruce Budd – a hopless brew made with nothing more than organic two-row malt and Spruce tips for ingredients
- Ninkasi Ground Control Imperial Stout – brewed with yeast that’s been to space and back, hazelnuts, coca nibs and star anise
- Payette/Ninkasi Magic Gardens Asian Pear and Lemongrass IPA
- SixPoint Ever Upward Fuji Apple Wheat
- Coalition Dill Dose Sour Pickle Ale
- Oakshire Raspberry Ginger Berliner Weisse
- 13 Virtues Morocco Mole Dunkel
- Burnside Silence of the Lambs Irish Stout brewed w/ Grilled Lamb Hearts
Then a few days later, on Saturday June 20 12:00 noon to Sunday June 21 10 PM Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom is at it again with the Sour Solstice Berliner Weisse & Gose Festival. Taste 10 tart and refreshing, German-style sour wheat beers brewed by breweries across the States. They promise to have a selection of syrups for use in Berliner Weisses, including woodruff, Oregon berry, peach and others. Tickets will be $20 and include entry, commemorative glass, and 5 drink tickets.

Not PDX Beer Week… but also other Beer Events coming up…

There are two other events that are coming up, as long as I’m talking about beer.

The Oregon Garden Brewfest falls upon June 19 – June 21 this year, though given the location of the Oregon Garden in Silverton it’s not really part of PDX Beer Week. The festival is held indoors, but you can also explore the 80-acre botanical garden with your beer, so it’s lovely. The Oregon Garden Brewfest boasts 68 breweries, and live music, and on Sunday only since it’s Father’s Day, minors will be allowed (not allowed Fri or Sat).
The Portland International Beerfest at Holladay Park by the Lloyd Center on June 26 – 28, 2015. As previously the 3-day beer festival specializes in 200 world-class beers, several which are rare, hard-to-find, exotic beers. The beer festival is free to enter, has free parking, AND is across from the Max. You have to pay for any beer you drink, and the festival proceeds benefit Pet Cross and includes live music and some games (real darts, ping pong, croquet, cornhole, various other pub games etc.). A chance to try some rare beers and bid on baskets/snuggle puppies for charity? I’m there.

There are usually copies of the beer list at various bars (you will probably come across it at establishments you visit during PDX Beer Week in fact) – it is printed almost like a newspaper – so you can peruse the list and see what interests you.

Not Beer… but also other Delicious Liquid Celebrations of Portland coming up…

There are two other events for June that are not beer, but still full of delicious liquid celebrations.

Cider Summit on Friday June 19 and Saturday June 20 at the Field Neighborhood Park in the Pearl district. This year’s event will feature over 150 ciders from producers around the country and around the world to sample in 4 ounce pours.

There will also be entertainment via live music, a special Fruit Cider Challenge that you can vote on ciders brewed specifically for Cider Summit, and the DoveLewis/Unleashed by Petco Dog Lounge. The event is 21+ only, but dogs of all ages will be allowed on event grounds. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 (cash only) at the door and are available online via Stranger tickets – admission includes a 5th anniversary souvenir tasting glass, 8 tasting tickets, and a $1 donation to the event beneficiary pool. Cider Summit Portland benefits the Northwest Cider Association, The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital, and the Cascade Blues Association.
On Thursday June 25, is the return of Saké Fest Portland. This classy celebration of sake takes place inside the Sentinel Hotel in Downtown Portland in The Governor Ballroom. Admission includes all food and all saké sampling stations (24 producers, and over 130 samples of saké, plum wine and beer varieties) as you learn how to pair the traditional Japanese drink with a wide variety of food, including cheese, desserts, chocolate and a wide range of fusion, Asian and continental cuisines.

Photos by Hung Q Phan
There are two tiers of tickets (both on sale now), Regular and the limited Early Admission. Some of the amazing participating restaurants include biwa and Noraneko, Chizu, Smallwares, Yakuza Lounge, American Local, Hokusei Sushi and more, as well as craft artisans representatives from Batch PDX, Yume Confections, The Meadow, Uwajimaya, and others to offer 19 different tables of food pairings. Saké is not a beverage you often get to sample so many varieties at once, so this Saké Fest is really a unique opportunity to learn what is out there and start to decode the mysterious types and labels to better pair with your sushi and more!

Filed Under: Festival Event, Food and Drink Tagged With: Bazi Bierbrasserie, beer and food, best of PDX Beer Week, best of Portland Beer Week, bunk sandwiches, Eastburn, Father's Day Beer Events, Father’s Day Brewgrass and BBQ, Highlights of PDX Beer Week, Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, Imperial Bottle Shop and Taproom, Mussels from Brussels, New Breweries Showcase, Oregon Garden Brewfest, PDX Beer Week 2015, PDX Beer week donut, PDX Beer Week doughnut, PDX Beer Week ice cream, PDX Beer Week sandwich, Portland Beer Week, Portland Beer Week donut, Portland Beer Week ice cream, Portland Beer Week Sandwich, Portland Brewing, Portland Fruit Beer Festival, Portland International Beerfest, Rye Beer Fest, Sake Fest, Sake Fest Portland, Sour Solstice Berliner Weisse & Gose Festival, The New School, The Weird Beer Bonanza

Russian Dinner at Kachka PDX

June 5, 2015 by Pechluck 7 Comments

Russian food is comforting and filling as you would expect from a country where it can get negative 30 below. For a country that has gone through so much famine and a generation with harsh memories of long queues for rationed food, what cuisine the people have been able to put together feels full of love and hope and celebration.

The cuisine has all the complexity yet simplicity of home-cooked, like you are at a family meal that has perfected and passed a recipe on through generations. The food feels emotional, with its contrast of plenty (though you will notice plenty of food showcasing mayo or pickles, or lots of flavors that may have been a way to make up for the small amount of meat since part of what you purchased may be rotten) with the reality of the harsh, melancholy heartbreak and hardship of Russian history.

One of my favorite restaurants when I lived in Chicago was Russian Tea Time (chef Bonnie Morales and husband Israel Morales are from Chicago too). When I moved from Chicago to Portland in 2008 I was disappointed by the lack of Russian cuisine in Portland. Then, after a few years I was thrilled when I got a bit of a taste with a Russian Pop-up at an early test of what would be eventually Da Net via Vitaly Paley’s Russian Pop-up back in March of 2013. Then, a month later, Kachka PDX opened as a permanent location to get a Russian cuisine fix . After completing a promise to myself to finish a book on Soviet food, I rewarded myself with several visits that I am now sharing with you. While DaNet, as I covered in a previous post, is a pop up Russian Experience with a set menu, Kachka is a restaurant you can visit any day and order your Russian meal a la carte.

Located at 720 SE Grand Avenue, Kachka doesn’t look like much from the outside with it’s rectangular, narrow long space that is dimly lit. Half the wall has fake windows, making you feel just like you were in a communal dining room with other comrades (well hello, I guess we are).

Stepping inside, you feel a bit like you are in a Russian living room with the utensils and napkins on the table in a flowery mug. , The tables are a bit cramped together to continue to give the requisite vibe of a communal space while thankfully, still having your own private table (no shared tables here unlike some actual communal table restaurants). A few kitschy references to Rodina (Russia portrayed as a Motherland) are scattered on the wall here or there to provide warmth, and there are a few pieces of Soviet political decor here or there as well.
Kachka PDX front Kachka PDX front host stand I came in early on a Monday for happy hour on a super cold rainy day and was treated to the ability to take this great shot of an almost empty Kachka. Several seats were taken only minutes after this photo. Bar at Kachka PDX is a nod to the propaganda of Soviet Russia times and Imperial Russia Kachka PDX simple Soviet nods on the wall

While my previous Russian restaurant experience offered more homey foods of the different regions of Mother Russia, Kachka focuses mainly on zakuski, which are small hot or cold super savory small plates that are meant to accompany enjoyment of vodka. The goal is to completely fill your table with zakuski and as you drink your vodka, always have a toast and a bite of zakuski along with spirited conversation.

With their offering of a vodka flight at a reasonable 30 grams times three, or ordering any individual at sizes of 30, 60, or 100 grams, it’s possible to get a taste of that tradition of drinking and eating without going overboard. You can go traditional vodka or the infused with additional flavor liquors (mostly vodka but not exclusively) like lemon vodka, rosemary vodka, chamomile vodka, horseradish vodka, cocoa nib vodka and more like caraway rye whiskey or Earl Grey brandy. My personal favorite is the horseradish vodka.

They also have some pre organized vodka flights for you, this one is the Mother Russia vodka flight with from right to left, green mark, hammer + sickle, and imperia. Even if you don’t think you like vodka, I really encourage you to try one of the flavor vodka in 30 grams in the spirit of what Kachka is trying to do.
Kachka PDX Vodka Flights: 30 grams x 3 of curated vodka. This one is the Mother Russia flight with from right to left, green mark, hammer + sickle, and imperia Kachka PDX 30 g of lemon infused vodka

If you come at happy hour though, or you just want something a bit more with your vodka, check out the cocktails featuring some of those flavored liquors or vodkas. For instance, for a while there was the Baba Yaga with chamomile vodka, liquore strega, lemon. A constant cocktail offering (and also $5 at happy hour) is the Moscow Mule with vodka, lime, homemade ginger syrup, ginger beer. I will count that for you as trying Russian vodka too and getting into the spirit of zakuski.
Kachka PDX Happy Hour drink of the Baba Yaga with chamomile vodka, liquore strega, lemon

Now let’s look at some of the drinking food, aka zakuski. The much raved about “Herring Under a Fur Coat” cold zakuski is beautiful, and it seems to be the glamour shot that represents Kachka in most media avenues that I see Kachka mentioned in.
The famous Kachka PDX dish of the Herring Under a Fur Coat, a 7 layer dip but russian. and actually a salad, with herring, potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, mayo, eggs.

I did love the dish, but I also highly enjoyed different mayo Russian salad, perhaps even more so then the Herring Under a Fur Coat. That mayo Russian salad I’m referring to is the Duck Olivier. This cold zakuski is a take on salat Oliver, a traditional Russian salad that as I learned from reading Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking (you can read my review of that book here), has lots of variations representing regions and even the type of person you are (privileged, peasant, artsy dissident…) in Russia. This is the most popular salad in Russia.

This cold salad includes diced boiled potatoes, carrots, brined dill pickles, green peas, eggs, celeriac, onions, diced boiled meat – in this case duck, and all mixed with mayonnaise. Kachka’s version uses duck meat and crispy duck skin, and duck fat mayo. Um, yummm. Fantastic. This is the salat Olivier that is my gold standard to beat and measure all salat Olivier or any potato salad.

Kachka PDX cold zakuski of duck Olivier, a cold salad that includes diced boiled potatoes, carrots, brined dill pickles, green peas, eggs, celeriac, onions, diced boiled meat - in this case duck, and all mixed with mayonnaise. Kachka's version uses duck meat and crispy duck skin, and duck fat mayo

The lesson with either of those Russian salads, whichever one you try, is don’t be afraid of the presence of mayo. As I was enjoying these two dishes (2 different visits), I thought about the book I read, and how containers were hard to find during the Soviet era, and so mayo jars were very commonly used to hold anything and everything. Mayonnaise, similar to sour cream, dill, stews and oven baked pies, are a critical part of Russian food.

For a simpler cold zakuski that is vegetarian, try the brindza pashtet, a sheep cheese and paprika spread with scallion served with lavash.
Kachka PDX cold zakuski of brindza pashtet, a sheep cheese and paprika spread with scallion served with lavash

Or feel luxurious and fancy with one of the Caviar & Roe dishes – the most affordable one is the House Cured Steelhead, but during my visit we went for the prettier Beet Cured Whitefish. All the Caviar & Roe dishes are served with yeasted blini, challah, chive, butter, and sieved egg to make your little piles of bite sized vehicles for the caviar. The Blini here are small and thin, lighter and almost approaching crepe compared to the more richer decadant pancake Blini of DaNet.
At Kachka PDX, feel luxurious and fancy with one of the Caviar & Roe dishes - the most affordable one is the house cured steelhead, but during my visit we went for the prettier beet cured whitefish. All the Caviar & Roe dishes are served with yeasted blini, challah, chive, butter, and sieved egg to make your little piles of bite sized vehicles for the caviar. At Kachka PDX, feel luxurious and fancy with one of the Caviar & Roe dishes - the most affordable one is the house cured steelhead, but during my visit we went for the prettier beet cured whitefish. All the Caviar & Roe dishes are served with yeasted blini, challah, chive, butter, and sieved egg to make your little piles of bite sized vehicles for the caviar.

When it comes to hot zakuski, in particular the Horseradish Vodka pairs perfectly with this dish Crispy Beef Tongue with citrus marinated rhubarb, roasted garlic, chive blossom, and buckwheat cracker. Similar to the Herring Under a Fur Coat and the Duck Olivier, I think this Crispy Beef Tongue represents what Kachka is all about – the homey weirdness of some traditional Russian cuisine but elegantly and expertly refined to a fine dining level fit for a czar.
Kachka PDX Hot Zakuski of crispy beef tongue with citrus marinated rhubarb, roasted garlic, chive blossom, buckwheat cracker

My favorite hot zakuski is the khachapuri, which is smoked sulguni cheese wrapped in dough, sort of like a pita quesadilla. It’s not as doughy or thickly cheesy comforting as an authentic Georgian khachapuri and the adjika is not nearly intense enough, but I can have this one with vodka anytime for dinner so I give points for accessibility and context for this take on the Georgian national dish. The more like a pita bread version here also has a slight crispness that is a great contrast to the oozy cheese, but be careful with your fingers as its less dough layers from that hot cheese to you too!
Kachka PDX Hot Zakuski of khachapuri, which is smoked sulguni cheese wrapped in pillowy dough -- like a crunchwrap and a cheese calzone had a lovechild.

You should not miss the melt in your mouth dumplings – be it the meat ones like this Siberian Pelmeni with Beef, Pork, Veal and Onion or if you get the vegetarian version of Tvorog Vareniki with Farmers Cheese and Scallion. Do not miss this, it is a must order.
At Kachka PDX do not miss these Russian Dumplings of siberian pelmeni with beef, pork, veal and onion and also on the happy hour menu! Kachka's tvorog vareniki, a dish of scallion and farmer’s cheese filled dumplings that are just melt in your mouth, and also on the happy hour menu!

There are only a handful of main dishes, which rotate in and out with new items. During the winter months, I was surprised to see a traditional dish called kulebyaka of multi-layered pie filled with black cod, red chard and crepes, served with creme eurette. This is a time consuming dish – even at Kachka it takes 30 minutes to prepare from when you order. And it’s huge- enough to feed 2-4. I was glad I had a chance to try it while it was on the menu (it was rotated out in the spring menu).
Kachka PDX, a traditional dish called kulebyaka of multi-layered pie filled with black cod, red chard and crepes, served with creme eurette

End your meal with some tea (or start with some if you come in on a cold windy rainy day like I did!). If you happen to come during happy hour, besides the pelmeni and vareniki dumplings which are both on the menu, there is also the option of the Red October with lamb meatballs, adjika, cheese all on a hoagie roll. It’s definitely the largest food item on the happy hour menu.
The biggest item on the Kachka Happy Hour menu is this Red October with lamb meatballs, adjika, cheese all on a hoagie roll.

Because you can order a la carte Kachka gives you control of how many dishes you fill your table with, or simply order the zakuski experience and let the kitchen fill your table on your behalf. Zakuski plates are mostly small to encourage a lot of sharing and trying of a variety of dishes. As you can see everything is plated beautifully and elegantly rather than home style casual, which provides an atmosphere of luxury on the plate contrasting with the humble around you in the restaurant decor. It’s a feel of public communal dining hall but you are given individual party privacy and elevated take that made me feel a bit like a peek into the nomenklatura or privileged class of Russia. I can’t think of a better place in Portland to celebrate the art of zakuski in such an upscale way.

As a coincidence, I saw the day before this post was scheduled to be published that Eater just created a “One Night” feature on Kachka, which includes video and gorgeous photos giving you a peek at one night at Kachka – take a look at One Night at Kachka here. Eater’s feature piece does include pictures of every single thing on Kachka’s menu, at least in May, and a video on how they make those delectable dumplings. Also, it’s just a super cool feature that takes advantage of the web (I recommend seeing it on a computer as the design doesn’t translate as well to mobile though it’s still better than most any other article you would read online in embracing telling a story using all the media available).

What about you? Have you been to Kachka? Is there anything about Kachka that I’ve shared that makes you curious to give it a try? What did you think of the Eater feature if you perused it?

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: Baba Yaga cocktail, Beet Cured Whitefish, brindza pashtet, caraway rye vodka, Caraway Rye Whiskey, Caviar & Roe, chamomile vodka, cocoa nib vodka, Crispy Beef Tongue, duck olivier, dumplings, Foodie Friday, happy hour, Herring Under a Fur Coat, horseradish vodka, Kachka, Kachka PDX, Khachapuri, kulebyaka, lemon vodka, Moscow Mule, Mother Russia vodka flight, PDX Eats, PDX Food, pelmeni, Red October sub sandwich, rosemary vodka, Russian cuisine, russian dumplings, Russian food, salat Oliver, salat olivier, sheep cheese and paprika spread, Siberian Pelmeni, Soviet cuisine, Tvorog Vareniki, vodka flight, zakuski

Visiting the Oregon Dunes

June 2, 2015 by Pechluck 13 Comments

Did you know that there are sand dunes in Oregon, only 3 hours away? And that in fact, the sand dunes are part of a National Park that is protected? The 182 acres of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is part of Siuslaw National Forest extends for 40 miles along the Oregon Coast from Florence to Coos Bay. In places, the dunes extend 2.5 miles inland, and some of the dunes reach as high as 500 feet. It’s breathtaking – it’s land, but ripples and moves like water.

I wish I could say that I was very clever and decided to go drive down the Oregon Coast and visit the Oregon Dunes in preparation for watching the new Mad Max: Fury Road movie and this was all part of a planned theme for this Travel Tuesday post. I admit, it’s merely coincidence: I was actually looking to see Velella velella in person (those blue wind sailor jellyfish that have been washing ashore by the thousands. On my coastal weekend though they were all going to California, figures).

From Portland, to drive here it’s possible to simply take I-5 down and then go west on OR-38W, but we decided to take a really scenic route. I recommend taking OR-99W S to OR-18 W instead. This means you get a chance to drive past the wineries through McMinnville and lovely forest roads, so it is a lovely drive that gives you a chance to admire the bounty of Oregon even though you’re on the road, rather than just the usual speeding down the interstate. It adds 45 minutes rather than going more directly, but I think it is completely worth it.

You could stay at many places in reach of the Dunes, and for this trip we chose to stay in Florence. It’s a coastal town where we were able to find an affordable room in walking distance of their Historic Old Town that offered close to a dozen options of eateries and places to have a libation, and only a short walk to admire the Suislaw River Bridge. After several hours of driving I like staying someplace where we can walk around to areas instead of more driving in town. If you are looking to eat with a view of the river and bridge in a elegant setting, I would recommend Waterfront Depot, which is a small intimate restaurant (reservations recommended). There are plenty of other restaurants you can see walking down Bay Street, varying from the eclectic Spice or Bridgewater Ocean Fresh Fish House and Zebra Bar to Seafood, casual bar and grill, pub burgers and beer, family-friendly Pizza or Firehouse themed and more.

Suislaw River Bridge, view from Historic Old Town Florence Fun painting outside in Old Town Florence, Oregon in front of Bay Street Grille

There are also many options for camping, but I’m not a camping girl so can’t help you there. I can point out as a reference though this video from Grant’s Getaway. He mentions campgrounds like Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park with its 80 years of history as a family vacation spot.

But back to visiting the Oregon Dunes. There are two kinds of experiences you can have at the Dunes. First, you can just walk. It can be serene and peaceful to just see the undulating waves and hills of sand. The area you walk may just be all desert like you’re in Lawrence of Arabia, or Armour of God II: Operation Condor or Raiders of the Lost Ark. Or there may be shrubberies, or even oceanside. It was mesmerizing for me just listening to the waves and watching the waves of grasses in the wind.
Oregon Dunes area by Florence, South Jetty area

If you are looking for more beachside walking with some dunes thrown in, you might want to consider the South Jetty, as you only have to clamber over the dune by the parking lot to get to the beach and there are many parking lots. If you want to see more rolling hills but still reach beach, the Umpqua Dunes may be what you’re looking for. If you want parking lot to sandscape to forest (a beach is possible too but it’s several miles further) then try the John Dellenback Dunes Trail.

These areas do require a National Park day use pass (you can get one when you enter by putting $5 in an envelope at any of the locations and tearing the other part to display in your car) or alternatively a National Park recreation pass. Exceptions include special free days, including the upcoming National Trails Day – June 6, 2015 or National Get Outdoors Day – June 13, 2015.

The other kind of experience is fast – riding in ATVs or buggies. You can rent an ATV and drive yourself, with rental vehicles that can fit 1, 2 or 4 depending on your choice/party, they have mini individual ones for the kids to drive (must be aged 12-15). Alternately, you can be driven and go on tours with experienced drivers in buggies who can be a lot more daring speeding up/down the dunes and drifting down the side of hundreds of feet than you probably will be. That’s what we rationalized.

Definitely have a hair tie if you have long hair. And even though you’re having fun, make sure you keep smiling with your mouth closed. Haha. No really. There was also a surprising amount of sand in our hair, ears, and down our shirts.
Taking a ride on a Dune Buggy for an Oregon Dunes tour with Sand Dunes Frontier just a little south of Florence, Oregon

Seriously though, it is not as fast as a roller coaster and you just don’t know where to look- ahead of you as you accelerate down a dune (especially fun as you are pausing at the top and you cannot see any of the dune ground below you at all it’s so steep…), or gaze sideways at the dune wall as you traverse down, or behind you… You can watch other RV riders ranging from other buggies to bikes or people with their trucks and jeeps… And then there’s the beauty of the dunes around you also.
Taking a ride on a Dune Buggy for an Oregon Dunes tour with Sand Dunes Frontier just a little south of Florence, Oregon

Two major operators, Sand Dunes Frontier (who we used) and SandLand Adventures. They both end up touring the same Sand Dunes recreational area. SandLand Adventures has more ways to earn your money with go carts and bumper boats and train rides, while Sand Dunes Frontier if you are craving more you can then rent your own ATV (at another business, but at the same location- Torex ATV Rentals) to try out now that the SandLand tour has helped you scope out the lay of the lands and who is out there and what you might want to do.

For an alternate “fast” way to see the dunes, consider visiting Sand Master Park and trying to sandboard (similar to snowboarding but with sand), or use surfboards and boogie boards (like with water… but with sand). Who knew?

One last bit of trivia – if you’ve ever read Frank Herbert’s Dune book science fiction/space series, or watched the movies (old 1984 movie or the new Sci Fi channel series), it was the Oregon Dunes that helped inspire him!

And, if you are looking for some additional motivation to visit the area, there’s also this… the Great Florence Duck Race with lots of rubber duckies which benefits the community of Florence.

Also just a dozen miles north of Florence is the Sea Lion Caves, America’s largest sea cave at two acres and 12 stories.
The Sea Lion Caves, the World's Largest Sea Cave located 11 miles north of Florence, Oregon

When we visited the sea lions were soaking up the sun outside and only two were inside the caves – but that meant the caves area smelled better than it normally would, and we still enjoyed marveling at the caverns. One of the informational panels talks about various formations you look for in the walk wall like a Native American Princess and Brave, or Goddess of Liberty, or Abraham Lincoln’s profile and decide for yourself how much of a stretch it is. It’s probably just a 45 minute stop, but can still be fun. If you want to really make sure there are sea lions present, the Sea Lion Caves has 3 webcams you can check on your tentative visit day.
The Sea Lion Caves, the World's Largest Sea Cave located 11 miles north of Florence, Oregon

Another mile or so north of the Sea Lion Caves is Heceta Head Lighthouse. The Cape Creek Bridge is only a dozen or so yards from the parking lot and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It uses a design that is similar to Roman stone aqueduct design (notice the two levels of arches and columns), but using modern materials. Combined with the tunnel that US 101, which runs on the bridge and then through a tunnel that goes through Hecate Head, was a huge headache for engineers to construct and is part of the “million-dollar mile” part of this highway.
At Heceta Head Lighthous Viewpoint, the view of Cape Creek Bridge. It uses a design that is similar to Roman stone aqueduct design (notice the two levels of arches and columns), but using modern materials.

You can walk up to the lighthouse in a 1/2 mile walk on gravel to admire the view of Cape Creek Cove and Cape Creek Bridge below among the cliffs. Here are photos taken while heading up to the lighthouse.
At Heceta Head Lighthous Viewpoint, the view of Cape Creek Cove Heceta Head Lighthouse

This cove is lovely to watch the sunset and even on cloudy days like when we visited (the sun and clouds kept taking turns) too for the play of shadows here. This is why Pacific Northwest beaches are the best – even when it’s cool and windy and cloudy the beaches are never boring, just beautiful in a different way.
At Heceta Head Lighthous Viewpoint, the view of Cape Creek Cove

If you are looking for really unique experiences and places to stay, Hecata Head’s Lighthouse Keeper’s cottage is a Bed and Breakfast, and they encourage you to use flashlights to go up and visit the lighthouse at night. You can see the cottage just to the right of the lighthouse below from this photo I took at a scenic viewpoint between the lighthouse and Sea Lion Caves.
A look at Heceta Head Lighthous from a Scenic Viewpoint further south on 101 between the lighthouse and Sea Lion Caves

Also nearby is Darlingtonia State Natural Site and you can see an interesting plant at this little garden: cobra lilies, a native carnivorous pitcher plant that are 1.5 – 2 feet tall! Don’t worry – they only eat insects, not humans. Sand, swimming, sea lions, carnivorous plants – this seems to be a fun place to take the whole family.

Did you know about the Oregon Sand Dunes? Have you ever been? How would you like to visit the dunes – walking or driving – or will you both like we did (which would you do first)? Have you ever been to this area by Florence, Oregon – and if not, do any of these attractions make you want to visit?

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: #oregoncoast, #traveloregon, #traveltuesday, Cape Creek Bridge, Cape Creek Cove, Florence, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Heceta Head Lighthouse Viewpoint, Historic Old Town Florence, Largest Sea Lion Cafe, Oregon Coast itinerary, Oregon Coast trip, Oregon Dunes, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Sandland Adventures, Sandland Tours, Sea Lions Cave, South Jetty, Suislaw River Bridge, Travel Oregon, Travel Tuesday, view of Cape Creek Cove

Review of Food: A Love Story

June 1, 2015 by Pechluck 4 Comments

I got a bit busy the first quarter of 2015, so temporarily dropped out of my online book club the Kitchen Reader (plus I was reading some books for Blogging for Books). But, I’m back with the book club this month of May, especially as I had a hand in suggesting the book for May 2015 (well, one of 3 people who wanted to read the book! For May we have the Book Club Review of Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan (chosen by Vicki of I’d Rather Be At The Beach, Stephanie of Kitchen Frolic, and myself)

The reason why I think Food: A Love Story appealed to so many of us is that it’s a book about food from a stand-up comedian, and how often do you read a book about food that is amusing because it pokes fun while loving food? Jim admits he doesn’t really have any qualifications as a food writer. He has no background in professional cooking or working in the industry, he even shys away from calling himself a foodie because he doesn’t go on culinary escapades or seek out new restaurants or interesting dishes.

Instead, he calls himself an “Eatie”. He admits he doesn’t research food destinations in determining where to eat when he travels – he just asks for recommendations from locals and hopes for the best. At the same time though, he also admits that he often finds himself thinking about he will eat while in the midst of eating.

He thinks the best food adviser is someone

“pudgy or just a little overweight. This makes it clear they have a somewhat unhealthy relationship with food, but not a clinical problem. They are eating beyond feeling full. Sure, I am describing my own body type, but that’s why I am qualified to write this book about food. What other credentials do you need, really? Stop being a snob. Read the book already.”

If that introduction to himself isn’t enough to charm you, let me also state you should read his book especially because while he humbly says he is just an every man of regular food, Jim is humorously observant and insightful at recognizing how food makes people feel while also making fun of food culture and how food is so intertwined in our lives.

For instance, he observes in the chapter Proud American

“There are many elements that make up the American attitude towards food, but some are consistent. There always seems to be dissatisfaction with, and constant need to improve upon, the status quo of food. Americans are never satisfied when it comes to a food item… It’s the new American Manifest Destiny. We are the ones who for some reason needed a potato chip that tastes like steak and Jim Beam Jalapeno-flavored sunflower seeds.”

Ruffles Deep Ridged Classic Hot Wings inspired by Buffalo Wild Wings Lays Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese chips

Or, about our attitudes towards all you can eat buffets:

“If the buffet is twenty bucks, you must eat at least twenty dollars’ worth of food. If you eat more food, you make money right?… When I approach a buffet, aside from seeing it as a challenge, there is a compliant part of me that hears ‘all you can eat’ and says ‘Okay, I will try my best, I don’t want to let you down, buffet’.”

Gala buffet at midnight on Thursday (Day 6 of cruise) on Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas.

There are 60 some chapters in this book, which is about 300 pages long, so each chapter is at most only a handful of pages, which is great for flipping through to read chapters in any order you want before bedtime, on a plane, on the beach, under the trees digesting between plates at a picnic at the park, maybe a lunch break… And, it could be a great book to listen to while driving as well because of the short nature of the chapter.

Each chapter is very conversational and storytelling in tone, and you will often find yourself smiling, maybe even laughing. Pretty much what you would expect listening to a stand up comedian, but you are reading instead. Each chapter is a fun, easy read and you will probably find yourself reading several chapters in a sitting.

That said, this is not the kind of book that you just read straight through – it is better to get doses at a time. For instance, you might find several chapters in a row about being fat, and several about general unhealthy eating, and then several on types of specific food item (steak, pizza, hot dogs, reubens, gyros, cheeseburgers, fries, vegetables, fruits, bottled water, bacon, cheese, ketchup, cake, etc. He is very thorough, haha!), then various types of dining experiences from restaurants, fast food, food courts to food delivery.

It’s like each chapter is a segment of a stand up show and depending on the audience reaction he either keeps riffing on it or moves on to a new topic. Depending on your feelings about a topic some may work with you – some may not – just give another chapter a try. It’s just finding that one comment or observation to get you to crack a smile.

My favorite chapters when I read the book were

The Buffet Rule
Not Slim Jim
The Geography of American Food, plus the ensuing chapters that explore each of those regions
Salad Days
The Cheeseburger – America’s Sweetheart
Museum of Food
The Royal Treatment
My Longtime Companion
Looking for Mr. Goodburger
Breakfast: A Reason to Get Out of Bed
The Bagel: My Everything

What do you think of Jim’s definition of foodie and eatie? What do you think defines a foodie, and do you identify with being a foodie or not? Would you call yourself an eatie? How would you identify yourself in terms of food?

If you are interested in Kitchen Reader check out the link!The gist of our casual online book club is there is a new book selected for every month. Each book is related to food, and members write a review on their blog during the last week of that month. It’s interesting to read the round-up of reviews at the beginning of the month and see what other members have thought of the same book.

The next books in our list are:

June 2015: The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber (chosen by Melissa of Melos bookshelf and Emily of Highly Social Media)
July 2015: Delicious: A Novel by Ruth Reichl (chosen by Amanda of Omar Niode Foundation and also myself)

Filed Under: Book Review, Food and Drink Tagged With: book club, book review, book summary, Food: A Love Story, Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan, Jim Gaffigan, Kitchen Reader

DaNet, a Russian Dinner Party Popup

May 29, 2015 by Pechluck 8 Comments

After the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia in 2014, Vitaly Paley did a Russian pop up celebrating the Russian Sun Festival. It was incredible, and I was thrilled when he announced they would be doing DaNet, a Russian Pop Up experience in that same space (Portland Penny Diner) once or twice a month starting in September 2014 and ongoing. After holding off on attending until I completed the promise I made to myself to finish reading The Art of Soviet Cooking (I reviewed it as well), this past spring I finally was able to reward myself.

The DaNet dinner / Russian experience consists of 4 courses all at one seating at 6:30pm, where the food is served mostly family style. The cost is $75 per person plus gratuity, and you need to make reservations to secure your seat beforehand.

Although I found some articles at the Oregonian (“DaNet, Vitaly Paley’s Russian restaurant pop-up, takes us back to the USSR” by Michael Russell) and Portland Monthly (“Portland Monthly’s Cuisine of the Year 2014: Kachka and DaNet’s Russian Party” by Karen Brooks) praising the DaNet, there has been nothing recapping what the exact experience was – so I though I’d provide that service for you. That’s the freedom of writing as a blogger – I can go into the play by play details you wouldn’t find in newspapers and magazines (which is why I think news media and bloggers have a very complimentary relationship, not necessarily competitive). So here’s my recap from my experience on May 15, 2015. I believe that although the specific food items may sometimes change, the format is the same for each Russian pop-up experience.
DaNet palate cleanser between fourth and fifth (dessert) course of Beryozovy sok, a birch sap that tastes like a slightly, subtly sweetened water

The doors of Portland Penny Diner open promptly at 6:30. When you enter, check in your reservation at a table at the front. As a reward for checking in, they offer ayou choice of one of three beverages to help tide you over as you walk towards the back of the diner to one of 3 long tables. I was immediately charmed by the apron upon walking in, and the welcome drink immediately shifted the vibe from a typical restaurant to a family gathering or party instead.
You are welcomed at DaNet, which pops up at the Portland Penny Diner twice a month, with a beverage as you check in your reservation name. I was immediately charmed by the apron just upon walking in

The Russian party concept is further reinforced as even before I can get past the first table, I am offered my first zakuski as a passed hors d’oeuvre, one not listed on the menu – it was some sort of fried dumpling, a kind of beef piroshky (or piroshki? I don’t know whether it’s an i or a y…).
DaNet, a Russian Dinner Party which pops up at the Portland Penny Diner twice a month. Fried beef piroshky is passed as people are finding their assigned seats

Meanwhile, as you walk through the long room, you can admire the tchotchkes lining the small countertop on your rightside. Real Russian traditional tchotchkes – all random decorative trinkets like nesting dolls and wooden lacquered containers that you wouldn’t actually use because they are too pretty to function. Well, except for the tea-set you see there – you will actually see that used later tonight. I always get a kick out of the political nesting dolls with Yeltsin, Gorbachev, Brezhnev, and Stalin.
Check out some of the tchotchkes along the countertop as you walk towards the tables of DaNet Russian Pop Up

The various decorative tchotchkes all around are the epitome of the strange mix of the traditional Motherland Russia that are remnants of Imperial Russia, as well as the era of the red Soviet Union. Neither of these personify modern Russia and Union Soviet Socialist Republics, but they are still vivid memories and indelibly part of the culture now. On your left is an impressive DaNet ice sculpture. As you head towards the back, Soviet Union era posters are on the wall, as well as lots of candles and a few Russian cookbooks.
Check out some of the tchotchkes along the countertop as you walk towards the tables of DaNet Russian Pop Up DaNet ice sculpture on the bar at the Russian Pop up at Portland Penny Diner Soviet Union era posters along the back wall of Portland Penny Diner during the DaNet popup

As you walk past the tables, look carefully for your assigned seats for your dining reservation, marked by a little sheet stating simply “xxx Party” at each of the designated seats.
DaNet Russian Pop up Experience - find your assigned seats for your dining party at one of the communal tables

Peruse the menus at your seat – one sheet lists the whole dinner so you can begin to fortify yourself for the big meal that is about to come. While the dinner menu refers to one course of “zakuski”, a second menu sheet lists the bounty of what that zakuski actually consists of and you will see that this one “drinking foods” course is actually more like 5 appetizers! You should expect this, as seems to be a Russian custom, you will be served dishes and dishes of food until you are completely and uncomfortably full.

On the back of the dinner menu are a list of optional (at extra cost from the $75 set dinner price) beverages. Should you want to partake in vodka (highly recommended), they have flights of regular vodka, as well as infused vodkas such as horseradish dill vodka, or elderberry vodka. If straight vodka is a bit intimidating (you can choose to share among your dinner party of course), consider the cocktails as the mix of other liquids in the glass help round out the punch of vodka. You can also choose instead to have a matching wine pairing flight with each course. A server will come to your table to introduce herself or himself, and take your drink order.

The first course are the zakuski, which are traditional drinking foods – aka this is the perfect time to get your vodka on. I prefer the flavored vodkas, which I think is a middle ground between the straight vodka (but the more authentic experience) and the cocktails. It is expected that you take little sips of the vodka, and bites of your zakuski.

Chef Vitaly Paley was our guide throughout the night, ringing a little bell his mother had suggested in order to get everyone’s attention before introducing each course and describing the individual food items. I wish he could have talked longer as we were eating each item so I could look and see and think about each food item as he was telling us the history of it, and more about how it was made. To me, this felt like more than just a chef listing what food was on the menu for each course, but like a tour that we were taking to a country we were not familiar with, done via food. So I kept wanting to hear more, not much different from wanting to hear the tales of the old country from your parents or uncles or grandparents.
Vitaly Paley was our guide through the courses at DaNet, the Russian Pop Up experience. Here he is chatting about the zakuski

Meanwhile, kind Chef Paley seems worried about us being hungry and waiting during these intros to the courses (except for the kulebyaka, which is is super proud to tell us about and introduce us to) and tries to not draw our attention too long with him talking. So he goes over details pretty fast so listen up when he speaks! He’s done quite a few of these, yet still seems endearingly a bit nervous about the right amount of story to share. I understand a bit – he actually has a similar background to author Anya van Bremzen who wrote the memoir Art of Soviet Cooking I just read. He too, immigrated from the former Soviet Union and was a concert pianist, but then ended up turning to cooking and excelling in it at an international level (it is really weird that this is her exact story as well, though they come from different cities in former USSR. Not surprising to hear they are friends.). And from her memoir, it seems Russian immigrants have a complex love and hate relationship with the memory of the Soviet Union.

In fact, just look at the name of the popup overall, DaNet. Da means yes in Russian, and Net means no, so putting them together like DaNet (Да Нет) has a meaning of similar to “yes I agree, but no I also disagree, and even though you might think I am therefore neutral I disagree more than agree.” So the phrase together ultimately means no, a softer no than an outright no, and an illustration of the craziness of an everyday Russian phrase that uses two opposite words but still means something. Complicated, mixed feelings here! Anyway, on to the food recap!

First Course

On my dinner night, the zakuski included Solenya (Russian word for pickles), Ash roasted beet pkhali, Traditional Blini served with sour cream and dill, melted butter and seawater cured caviar (of course this was my favorite zakuski), Salade Olivier (a Russian salad with potatoes and vegetables and mayo and whose specific ingredients vary from family to family and is listed as one of the 1001 foods to die for, just like the Blini and Caviar dish). The acidity of the various types of Solenya (each one varying in sourness) were a great counterpoint to the richness of the heavier Salade Olivier and the rich Blini you assemble yourself. If you think you don’t like beets, try the ash roasted beet pkhali anyway as you may be surprised. The Blini pancakes are generously sized like medium pancakes!
Zakuski, variety of Russian drinking appetizers at DaNet. Solenya (Russian word for pickles)

Nope, the list for the first course is still going, the zakuski also included buterbrodi, which are open faced sandwiches with butter and other toppings – we got four different kinds, of which I can no longer read my handwriting on what I wrote what they were – but all were delicious, and I have a little heart drawn next to the duck one (the one at the very top of the buterbrodi platter in the second photo – and the only one I got seconds of).
Zakuski, variety of Russian drinking appetizers at DaNet. We were served four types of buterbrodi, here being described by Vitaly Paley as Karen Brooks dutifully takes notes

As the second bonus of the night already (still on course 1 of zakuski here), Chef Paley had brought some special garlic sausages from his last trip to New York, and generously shared it with us at the dinner, served with a bit of horseradish. I was having a hard time fitting everything on my plate!
Vitaly Paley explained this bonus zakuski (not listed on the menu) was a special garlic sausage he had brought back with him from New York. It is served here with horseradish Zakuski, variety of Russian drinking appetizers at DaNet. Solenya (Russian word for pickles), Traditional Blini (served with sour cream, dill, and seawater cured caviar), ash roasted beet pkhali, and salade olivier, and four types of buterbrodi (open faced bread and butter sandwiches).

Second Course

Time for stew. For this dinner, it was Schi Bogatye and Kartorelkye Klyotski, a game broth and ash roasted cabbage stew with potato dumplings, with chives and herbs to add on top as garnish. The schi was served also with Buckwheat Rastegai (that bread with the hole at the top), and also Red Kraut Piroshki (those had no hole). The rastegai has an open center into which you traditionally could pour some of the stew – though in this case, it seemed the hole was too small for such an action.
DaNet Second course was Schi Bogatye and a Kartorelkye Klyotski, a game broth and ash roasted cabbage stew with potato dumplings. It was served also with Rastegai, and also Red Kraut Piroshki

It may just seem like soup with some filled dumpling bread on the side, but that schi has great texture, lots of layers of flavors, and is quite filling. And there were lots of extra red kraut piroshki on the side too – make sure you add a little spoonful of that side of sour cream to the schi.
DaNet Second course was Schi Bogatye and a Kartorelkye Klyotski, a game broth and ash roasted cabbage stew with potato dumplings. It was served also with Rastegai, and also Red Kraut Piroshki DaNet Second course offered lots of Red Kraut Piroshki - at my end of the table we added the sour cream to the Schi too

Third Course

Ooof, now time for the third course. I was already starting to get pretty full, but tried to soldier on with my comrades at my table. This was a significantly important dish. I know this because Chef Paley became Professor and proud host as he read to us from 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover’s Life List about kulebyaka, as mentioned in multiple Russian literature and food books before the big presentation. Then the kulebyaka was presented at each table for guest admiration and photos before being cut up for individual plating.
At DaNet, Vitaly Paley reads to us about kulebyaka before the big presentation of the DaNet Third course. Kulybyaka (King Salmon with Sturgeon Cheek Porcini Pie with morel and sour cream dill sauce and viziga cracklings) is presented before it is cut for individual plate service

I really wanted to take a photo as he was reading but felt bad about standing up to go to the kitchen area (only a few feet away), but thankfully Karen Brooks got up first, so I totally followed her. This is a really painstaking, ardous dish to make – Chef Paley confessed this took several days to prepare.
At DaNet, Vitaly Paley reads to us about kulebyaka before the big presentation of the DaNet Third course. Kulybyaka (King Salmon with Sturgeon Cheek Porcini Pie with morel and sour cream dill sauce and viziga cracklings) is presented before it is cut for individual plate service

Tonight, the kulebyaka came as King Salmon with Sturgeon Cheek Porcini Pie with morel and sour cream dill sauce and viziga cracklings. The inside of the kulebyaka was fabulous, but I was hoping for more buttery goodness from the pastry after Chef Paley had read to us about how Anton Chekhov had described that

“the kulebyaka must make your mouth water, it must lie there before you – a shameless temptation…butter drips like tears, and the filling is fat, juicy, rich…”

So being a lover of butter, I really was looking for some more butter. Of course, I am also the type of person who empties the entire butter container when eating lobster with butter, and can eat radishes with little pats of butter. The morels were exquisite, and I saved and savored them dividing them carefully among my bites along with the accompanying heavenly roll your eyes back sauce (I wanted twice as much) and crispy viziga crackling.

The viziga is a very rare specialty, the spinal cord marrow of a sturgeon. I don’t know what trials were needed to extract this (since exact specifications were not detailed in historical recipes, and a dish this gourmet like kulebyaka or viziga would have been viewed as czarist and a target of Soviet class warfare). I don’t know what then further mysterious technique then would transform that gelatinous delicacy into these crackling vaguely reminiscent of the best lil nuggets of fried chicken skin… But it’s mouth magic.
DaNet Third course. Kulybyaka (King Salmon with Sturgeon Cheek Porcini Pie with morel and sour cream dill sauce and viziga cracklings)

Fourth Course

After a little palate cleanser between the last and this course of Beryozovy sok, a birch sap (it tastes like water with a subtle sweet taste to it), came the dessert platters with tea service. The Chai black tea from Samovar comes with accompaniments like sugars and jam (!) to sweeten the tea.
Dessert course is served with Chai black tea from Samovar with accompaniments like sugars and jam to sweeten the tea

Four desserts! I don’t know if I got all these names right, so forgive me:

Baked Milk Ice Cream on a Stick (Toplyonoye Moloko Eskimo) – my favorite of the four
Bird’s Milk Cookies (Ptychye Moloko)
Rhubarb Jam Stuffed Donuts (Ponchiki S Varenyem)
Chef Vitaly Paley’s mom’s Cacao and sour cream layer torte (Steopka)

Dessert course includes Baked Milk Ice Cream on a Stick (Toplyonoye Moloko Eskimo), Bird's Milk Cookies (Ptychye Moloko), Rhubarb Jam Stuffed Donuts (Ponchiki S Varenyem), and Vitaly Paley's mom's Cacao and sour cream layer torte (Steopka), served with Chai black tea from Samovar with accompaniments like sugars and jam to sweeten the tea DaNet Dessert course includes Rhubarb Jam Stuffed Donuts (Ponchiki S Varenyem), and Vitaly Paley's mom's Cacao and sour cream layer torte (Steopka)

The final and last time my plate was full of an assortment of goodness – it started and ended that way.
DaNet Dessert course includes Baked Milk Ice Cream on a Stick (Toplyonoye Moloko Eskimo), Bird's Milk Cookies (Ptychye Moloko), Rhubarb Jam Stuffed Donuts (Ponchiki S Varenyem), and Vitaly Paley's mom's Cacao and sour cream layer torte (Steopka), served with Chai black tea from Samovar with accompaniments like sugars and jam to sweeten the tea DaNet Dessert course includes Baked Milk Ice Cream on a Stick (Toplyonoye Moloko Eskimo), Bird's Milk Cookies (Ptychye Moloko), Rhubarb Jam Stuffed Donuts (Ponchiki S Varenyem), and Vitaly Paley's mom's Cacao and sour cream layer torte (Steopka), served with Chai black tea from Samovar with accompaniments like sugars and jam to sweeten the tea

You can make reservations now for DaNet, which it seems for the summer is scaled back to only popping up once a month – and June has already sold out 3 weeks ahead of time! To reserve your space for July or August, contact Imperial at (503) 228-7222. See the DaNet website for more details on dates.

If you have the opportunity, II really enjoyed the way that I set the experience up for myself- that is, making myself read the Art of Soviet Cooking before coming to this popup. Reading a bit before gave me a lot more context behind so many of the things I saw and ate (in particular, Anya has her first chapter in which she talks a great deal about kulebyaka). But, I also think this is a great Russian dinner experience even without the book. The communal adventure of sitting with others and meeting/talking with them while sharing dishes family style, together learning through the guide of Chef Paley, plus the expert technical culinary execution combined with the labor of love of this complicated food… This is a Russian party that you will be hard pressed to find unless you find some immigrant friends who are willing and able to spend so many days and so much time to create these all these dishes.

Have you had Russian food before?

Filed Under: Food and Drink Tagged With: Ash roasted beet pkhali, Baked Milk Ice Cream on a Stick, beef piroshki, beef piroshky, Beryozovy sok, birch sap, Bird's Milk Cookie, blini, Buckwheat Rastegai, buterbrodi, Cacao and sour cream layer torte, Caviar, Da Net, DaNet, DaNet popup, Downtown PDX, Foodie Friday, klyotski, kulebyaka, PDX Eats, PDX Food, pickles, piroshki, Piroshkis, Piroshky, Pop up restaurant, Portland Penny Diner, Portland pop up restaurant, Ptychye Moloko, rastegai, Red Kraut Piroshki, Russian cuisine, Russian Experience, Russian Pop Up, Salade Olivier, Schi Bogatye, Solenya, Steopka, Toplyonoye Moloko Eskimo, Vitaly Paley, zakuski

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Review of Food: A Love Story

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