Review of Feast PDX Smoked 2017

Before I start my review of Feast PDX Smoked 2017, I’ll assume you are already acquainted with Feast Portland, an annual food festival that occurs in September every year in Portland, Oregon (2017 was it’s 6th year) that brings together chefs and food producers to offer events large and small benefiting the fight against childhood hunger. Smoked is always the first main evening event to sell out, and from this review of Feast PDX Smoked 2017, soon you’ll see why.

 

Over it’s 6 year run since 2012, Feast PDX has raised over $300,000 to help end childhood hunger in Oregon and across the country, not counting the 2017 contribution which will be announced in November.
 

Smoked takes place at the Fields Neighborhood park in the Pearl District, with the backdrop of the Fremont Bridge. After sunset, the already dramatic scattering of grills all over the park with swirls of aromatic smoke gets even more beautiful as the flames and embers of the fire glow in the darkness with scattered highlights of neon lights.

Smoked at Feast Portland 2015 photo by John Vails / Smoked at Feast Portland 2017 photo by Alan Weiner

The big photogenic and instagrammed dish of the evening came courtesy of Adam Sappington of The Country Cat whose booth had two lines, one for the Not Yo Mama’s Garlic Bread !!! Grilled Snake River Farms Tomahawk Steaks bathed in Smoked Bone marrow, and another line if you wanted the Flinstonian Tomahawk Steakbone. By the time I completed the line for the Garlic Bread with meat and marrow it was dark and my photo didn’t come out, but here are the iconic Tomahawk Steaks!

But not all foods were just hunks of meat – other offerings varied from using smoked meats as an accent to turning to seafood to desserts to smoky drinks and more.
   

Meat

Earl Ninsom of Langbaan served Matt’s bbq brisket, tomatoes and peaches jungle curry, garlic rice probably had the longest line of the night.


Gregory Gourdet of Departure offered Crispy Turkey Wing, Sweet Korean Chilli Glaze and also Duck Fat Ice Cream, Burnt Coconut, Marionerry, Buckwheat Crumble

Next to Gregory was Abraham Conlon & Adrienne Lo of Fat Rice from Chicago with a great tasting and textually fun but messy Char Siu St. Louis Rib with Puffed Rice, Scallion, Jalapeño + Cilantro – it was one of the standouts of the night flavorwise though I didn’t get very much meat on my rib and it was a bit overdone which I can forgive given the mass quantities the chefs have to make for this event it’s impossible to have perfect execution on each and every plate.

Troy MacLarty of Bollywood Theater offered Pork Vindaloo and Juhu Beach Corn

Sunny Jin of JORY at The Allison in Newberg brought Goat Hot Links with Blue Chevre Biscuit, Duck Fat Gravy

Allen Routt of Storrs Smokehouse also from Newberg offered a Smoked Brisket Sandwich

Also on the sandwich front was Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club from San Francisco with Smoked Homemade Spam, Hawaiian Roll, Kimchi Cucumber, 1000 Island, Iceberg

John Gorham from Toro Bravo making fresh pitas for Jerusalem Mixed Grill


Rich Meyer of Trifecta Tavern and Bakery passed out Grilled Goat and Pork Kielbasa with Smoked Corn Salsa

One of my favorite bites was from Aaron Barnett of St. Jack with his Montreal Smoked Beef Tartare, Grilled Bone Marrow, Preserved Egg and Horseradish. This dish is available at his other restaurant La Moule!

Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen made Quail with Indian Spiced Goat Sausage, Pickled Riaita and Fresh Plum Chutney

Ethan Stowell of Ethan Stowell Restaurants in Seattle churned out Smoked Lamb Taco

Jeremiah Langhorne of The Dabney from Washington DC made a dish of Spicy Charcoal-Grilled Chicken with Sweet & Sour Peppers and Schmaltz Mayo

Olympia Provisions and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese Frankfurter Sausages, a special Feast Fab collaboration product for Feast 2017 they did for September (I included it in my previous overview) and which was available to purchase outside the festival at Feast partner New Seasons. I feel like I should have stocked up on a whole bunch to put in the freezer because these were incredible and wish these were available all year round.

Other Bites and Drinks

Gabe Rosen of Biwa gave a meat break with Shazi’s Persian Corn

Jin Soo Yang from Bamboo Sushi gave us a break from the cooked meats with the seared Skipjack or octopur with Wasabi Chimichurri and Late Summer Salad

More high quality seafood from Tyson Cole of Uchi/Uchiko, Austin TX with Smoked Masu, Yuzu Kosho Aioli, Karaage Corn, Grilled and Pickled Negi

Tom Douglas and Matthew Fortner of Lola Seattle with Fire Roasted Clams with Bristol Bay Sockeye & Smoked Pork Jowl

One of my favorite bites of the nights was the Andy Ricker of Pok Pok Hoi Naang Rom Phao: Fresh Oysters Grilled Over Coconut with Naam Jim Seafood, so intense in flavor

Lisa Schroeder of Mother’s Bistro gave us a little creamy comfort with her Fire-Roasted Poblano Pepper, Onion, Fresh Corn & Pulled Pork Macaroni & Cheese with Aged Monterey Jack, Tillamook Monterey Jack, Cotija Cheese & Green Onions

One of my favorite dishes the entire night was this Grilled Corn on the Cob with Huitlacoche Mayonnaise, Quicos with Chile D’Arbol and Tajin Popcorn at the Pacific Coast Fruit Company booth

Leather Storrs of Noble Rot in his booth created a Chewy, Hempy, Hippy Bar with Grilled Peaches & Smoked Yogurt and Scotch Whip

Laura Sawicki of Launderette from Austin, TX found a way to get meat into dessert similar to Gregory Gourdet who also brought ice cream as seen earlier – here in the form of Ricotta Fritter, Apple Butter, Rosemary, Pork Fat Powder

Drinks from House Spirits Distillery like a Smoked Pineapple Daiquiri with the amazing Smoked Pineapple Casa Magdalena Rum, and other cocktails included Blaze Pascale with Krogstad Aquavit and Lemon and Smoked Tea and Celery, or the option of Westward Whiskey Neat

Level Beer


The Bulleit Whiskey booth

More Scenes:

I didn’t even get to photoograph all the bites and even more drinks available – there’s even more then what I shared! I hope this convinces you on why you should be lining up to buy Smoked tickets for Feast 2018 next year when they go on sale,  for the deliciousness and the experience and because it goes to a worthwhile cause.

Which of the dishes would you most like to try of Smoked from this year?