charcuterie Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

Taste of the Nation Portland 2014 Recap and Upcoming Blogger Bake Sale #NoKidHungry

May 1, 2014 by Pechluck 3 Comments

Disclosure: I attended the Portland Taste of the Nation as a media member, but I am not being compensated for this post. 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.

Earlier on April 29 (my birthday!), I was proud and happy to spend it at Taste of the Nation Portland, helping to raise awareness through social media for such an important cause, and continuing to do so today.

As I mentioned in my previous post and giveaway, Taste of the Nation is a series of culinary events throughout the US and throughout the year to raise money for Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the US. 100% of ticket sales support the efforts of the Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.

Taste of the Nation Portland, Team No Kid Hungry

This is a very meaningful cause for me. If you enjoy food and think of yourself as a food lover in any way, I consider it part of our duty to also give back in fighting against hunger. We should be thankful of what we are able to enjoy while also being aware not everyone is blessed with the access and plenty that we have and that we have the means, however large or small, in helping to ease that burden. I was fortunate in that I have never known true hunger, and it breaks my heart to think of children crushed when there is not a school day because it means missing a meal, or not being able to concentrate and learn because they are hungry. As little as $1 can connect a child to 10 meals – so feel free to sign up as I did to donate on a monthly basis and take the pledge.

Feel free to learn more at the No Kid Hungry campaign at their official website and also Twitter @NoKidHungry.

I have been watching the feeds as the events in DC, Philadelphia, and San Francisco kicked off, and the one in Portland here coincided also with the one in Boston, though a few hours later because of the time difference. The caliber of the events have been amazing, and so was the one here in Portland. I’ll get to my recap and photos in just a minute!

Gorgeous display by Portland Taste local sponsor Charlie's Produce

Gorgeous display by Portland Taste local sponsor Charlie’s Produce

This year the event was held at the McMenamins Crystal Hotel & Ballroom. The proceeds are going directly to No Kid Hungry Oregon non-profit allies of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Oregon Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul Society and Klamath/Lake Counties Food Bank. The tickets to the VIP admission sold out a week before, and then the General Admission tickets sold out 2 days before the event… so remember that for next year to not wait for the last minute to buy your tickets!

There is still an upcoming opportunity to support No Kid Hungry though- and that’s with the National Blogger’s Bake Sale Portland Edition this upcoming Saturday May 3, 9am-1pm, at Powell’s Book Store, near Couch/11th Ave. I’ll be there after my workout to help support them even though I am planning on purchasing/consuming and not baking anything, or you can also visit the page and click the link to donate towards the Portland fundraising goal!

You CAN help make a difference!

Ok, now onto the Taste of the Nation Portland 2014 Recap. First, a huge round of applause to all the chefs, restaurants, wineries, breweries, spirits, other beverages, and other sponsors who participated. I was really impressed with how prepared everyone was- there was rarely a line to get food because of how prepared everyone was to handle the many excited and hungry supporters of this cause that evening. And there was definitely a serious number of people who are serious about fighting hunger at this event:

Taste of the Nation Portland 2014 at McMenamins Crystal Hotel & Ballroom

Some of my favorite samplings of the event included:

Mediterranean Exploration Company (coming soon from John Gorham, of Toro Bravo, Tasty n Sons/Alder) offered this delectable house canned Albacore Tuna board with Mediterranean accompaniments. I can’t wait for this to open in the former Riffle space (in the Pearl District) in July!
The Country Cat‘s offering of fried chicken lollipops & honey, and also of a vanilla hot fudge sundae! I was a little intimidated to pick up the big drumstick but it was well worth the sticky fingers.
Multnomah Whiskey Library with their Sazerac Punch with James Oliver Rye, Oleo Saccharum, Peychaud Bitters, and Anise spiked Sparkling Wine, a nice updated twist but still classic
Pok Pok‘s Khano Niaw Sangkhaya Bai Toei, a sweet sticky rice with duck egg pandan coconut custard wrapped and steamed in banana leaves was a little bit of sweetness that was a great followup after a sip of Moet, I definitely could have had more of these!
No photo from the event, but the Imperial potato latke topped with salmon pastrami, sour cream and dill cooked in duck fat that I first sampled at the Taste of the Taste preview (and my photo is from that). In addition, Imperial Bar Manager Brandon Wise made two sample cocktails utilizing Dogwood Distilling Union Gin and Franklin Vodka and since it’s from Brandon of course both were excellent.
Renata offered My Pharm Rabbit N’duja with pickled carrots and pea shoots, a medley of textures between the crispy crostini and the rich creamy rabbit
I really enjoyed the St Jack chilled Stinging Nettle Vichyssoise with crispy chicken skin and chili oil, it was definitely one of the top tastes of the evening for me
I know it’s simple, but I confess I had two samples of the Grassa Lumache Cacio e Pepe. I thought it made up for the fact that I resisted the Griddled Mortadella with Provolone, Mama Lil’s Peppers and Mustard Aioli mini sandwich across the way at the Lardo table since I had it during the Taste of the Taste event (with photo of it from then)
I also admit I went back twice for Laurelhurst Market‘s baked macaroni and cheese with house-smoked hot dog and potato chip crust. Of course Mac and Cheese was a perfect snapshot of the theme this year, What My Family Ate and comforting food memories
Bamboo Sushi, Jin Soo Yang, Kalbi Ssam House Kimchee Grilled Short Ribs with Lettuce and Rice was a bright bite of lots of flavors. I wish I could have grown up with this!
Many loved smallwares and their taste of Beef Tataki with Kimchi, Blue cheese, Thai basil, and Pickled pear- a very mature and complex medley of flavors that I wish everyone would demand was regularly on their menu
Aviary, soup dumplings that explain why they are planning a Soup Dumpling pop-up at $35/person on May 20th- check their website for more details!
Batch PDX Jeremy Karp impressed so many of us with his assorted chocolates that included so many interesting combinations of flavors like chocolate with Vietnamese coffee or Thai Ice tea or Earl Grey tea, flavors of Pina Colada and Margarita, this was definitely one of the surprise finds of the evening!
The bar up at the mezzanine included quite a few cocktails, including this Pegu Club with Aria Gin, Orange Liquor, Fresh Lime, and Angostura Bitters, as well as you call it cocktails made from Bull Run Distillery liquors and DRY soda

And here are a few other excellent tastings that evening to give you a feel for why you should go next year if you aren’t convinced already:

Gregory Gourdet of Departure was there, glowing and smiling as always, hands on as they gave samples of chicken stewed with peppers, pickled chilies, and ripe plaintain
Smokehouse 21 was calling my name with this Smoked Land and Sea tasting with pork and eggs. Also bonus points as I watched the man crack half a dozen soft boiled eggs perfectly and speedily. Minus points for what sea are you talking about, what kind of eggs were those…
Produce Row Cafe offered a vegetarian winner with their crispy chickpea fritter, harissa, and cultured cream
Black Rabbit offered “Ham and Eggs” with black truffle custard, Marsala braised duck “Ham” Fennel Jam on a parmesan crostini
Irving Street Kitchen refreshed the palate with a smoked Albacore Tuna crudo with charred padron pickle and creamy tonado
I always love the charcuterie of Olympic Provisions
It was nice to take a break from so much meat with Biwa‘s Ohitashi of asparagus steeped in a dashi base sauce
Boke Bowl brought the heat with their crawfish and pork in spicy black bean sauce over rice tots
Zeus Cafe had a big serving of pork belly and kimchi croquette with black vinegar aioli and herbs.
Gracie‘s taste was a stuffed Medjool date with spicy marcona almond and local goat cheese wrapped in pancetta
I stopped by for some Strawberry rhubarb pie from Pacific Pie, though they also offered their popular staple Chocolate Bourbon Hazelnut. I had to try the Strawberry Rhubarb though, especially after I saw their cute segment about making it on TV the week before
Xocolatl de David‘s Fluffernutter and Chocolate Milk! Great idea for the theme of memories from family time!
Raven & Rose offered a few desserts of delicious simplicity
Moet & Chandon flowing during VIP hour

There was more I missed- with more than 60 possible participating restaurants and beverage providers to visit, there were more tastes than I or anyone could have in one night. I took all my photos and ate and when that was done (because I was getting really full, not because I managed to visit everyone!), that’s when I put my camera away and went beverage tasting, so there are many distilleries and wineries that are not in this recap. Amazing vendors right??

I also was outbid on silent auction they were holding, but they had some really unique baskets and experiences- examples were

Summer School that included 4 tickets to an Around the World rum tasting with Blair Reynolds of Hale Pele, tiki mugs, mai tai glasses, and syrups/mixers, and four weekend passes to Tiki Kon;
French Mathematics that included champage tasting for 12 from David Speer of Ambonnay; Chemistry Tutor with cocktail tutoring for 10 with appetizers with Kasey Kasten of Saucebox;
various baskets of impeccable wines (donated by wonderful wineries, or one package in which 12 famous Portland chefs each picked a wine and included a pairing recipe suggestion for the wine!);
and my favorite, a Hall Pass that offers the opportunity to cut to the front of the line at hot spots like Toro Bravo, Salt & Straw, Mother’s Bistro, Pok Pok, Tasty N Sons, Besaws and Multnomah Whiskey Library – WOW!

Taste of the Nation Portland Silent Auction

Remember to support No Kid Hungry at the National Blogger’s Bake Sale Portland Edition this upcoming Saturday May 3, 9am-1pm, at Powell’s Book Store, near Couch/11th Ave. Say hi to me as I drop by around 11:30 Saturday after my workout and squee at the beautiful blogger baked goodies with me, or you can also visit the page and click the link to donate towards the Portland fundraising goal!

Filed Under: Cocktails, Festival Event, Food and Drink, Portland Highlights, Sponsored Post Tagged With: #nokidhungry, #pdxevents, #portlandtaste, Albacore Tuna crudo, Aria Gin, aviary, Bamboo Sushi, Batch PDX, Beef Tataki, Biwa, Black Rabbit, Boke Bowl, Bull Run Distillery, charcuterie, Chocolate Bourbon Hazelnut, crawfish and pork in spicy black bean sauce rice tots, crispy chickpea fritter, Departure, DRY soda, Fluffernutter and Chocolate Milk, fried chicken lollipops & honey, Gracie's, grassa, Gregory Gourdet, Imperial, Irving Street Kitchen, Jeremy Karp, Jin Soo Yang, Khano Niaw Sangkhaya Bai Toei, Kimchee Grilled Short Ribs, Laurelhurst Market', Lumache Cacio e Pepe, macaroni and cheese with house hot dog and potato chip, Mediterranean Exploration Company, Moet & Chandon, Multnomah Whiskey Library, National Blogger's Bake Sale, Ohitashi of asparagus, olympic provisions, Pacific Pie, Pegu Club, pok pok, pork belly and kimchi croquette, portland, Produce Row Cafe, raven & rose, Renata, Sazerac Punch, Smallwares, Smoked Land and Sea, smokehouse 21, soup dumplings, St Jack's Aaron Barnett, Stinging Nettle Vichyssoise, Strawberry rhubarb pie, stuffed Medjool date, Taste of the Nation, Taste of the Nation Portland 2014 Recap, The Country Cat, Xocolatl de David, Zeus Cafe

Higgins Restaurant

April 17, 2014 by Pechluck 8 Comments

A recent dinner at Higgins Restaurant was a revisit of how smooth the experience was, from the high quality food to the high quality service. As you would expect from one of the founding pioneer restaurants that defined Northwest cuisine by emphasizing the local seasonal ingredients available regionally here and is a strong supporter and promoter of sustainable cuisine, the food here changes often based on what is available and fresh. Yet, what I’m sharing below from our meal is typical of the kind of excellent experience you will have here.

You notice the focus on celebrating freshness and the best ingredients right away with even the bread service, which comes with perfect bread- crusty crunchy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside- that you can enjoy with organic extra virgin olive oil.
Higgins Restaurant bread service, which comes with perfect bread- crusty crunchy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside- that you can enjoy with organic extra virgin olive oil

Try to start with the famous Charcuterie board of artisanal cured meats and pickles. It’s justifiably reknown – it superb in offering an array of flavors and textures upon its giant marble board, as what you would expect when you hear Chef Greg Higgins has loved charcuterie since he was a boy and has books in his library on charcuterie that daties even to the 17th and 18th centuries.
Higgins Restaurant- Charcuterie board of artisanal cured meats and pickles

I was supposed to come in for Portland Dining Month to try the special menu they were offering, but was persuaded away as soon as I heard the specials. I started with the first special appetizer of Mushroom risotto balls with truffle and hedgehog mushrooms that came with fresh greens that only needed the barest whisper of dressing. The greens tasted as if they were just picked and cleaned just an hour or so before. It really embodies the spirit of what Higgins is all about.
Higgins Restaurant- dinner special appetizer of risotto balls with truffle and hedgehog mushrooms that came with fresh greens that only needed the barest whisper of dressing

My special entree was the Pork Schnitzel, served with cauliflower and cheddar polenta and broccoli rabe. It was as gigantic as it looks, turning into dinner that night and the next. The next day it was wonderful to be able to look forward to going home after work to finish off the other half of this entree.
Higgins Restaurant- pork schnitzel with cauliflower, broccoli rabe, pickled onions, and cheddar polenta

One of the great things about Higgins is not only their great beer and wine selection so that I can enjoy fine wine while he enjoys fine beer paired with our dishes (they even have both a wine and beer sommelier), but we appreciate that they always have 2 vegetarian options to choose from. This night it was the Chickpea crepe with Mughal shiitake & oyster mushroom curry, garbanzo bean salad, horseradish tofu sauce and toasted almonds. Just as it sounds, it had great flavor that meant you did not miss the meat at all, and is an equal rather than lesser entree to all the other dinner entree options.

Higgins restaurant is an enduring Portland classic for a reason, and continues to execute and service beautifully, showcasing Northwest Cuisine reliably and always dependable for a refined meal. Dining here is much like listening to a classical music piece – timeless fine dining.

As an aside, Higgins also just announced their “Spring Tribute” menu for April 29 through May 1 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) during their 5-9pm dinner service. The Spring Tribute menu is a fundraiser towards the James Beard Public Market, a vision towards making a daily year-round farmers market along the Portland waterfront, sorta similar to Pike Place Market in Seattle (Chef Greg Higgins is a board member of the JBPM).

The menu is offering five courses featuring James Beard’s own recipes for dishes like Sorrel soup with Fireside oysters, Asparagus in Ambush, Baked Oregon Chinook with Dungeness Crab, Bay Shrimp and applewood smoked bacon, Roasted Champoeg Farms pastured chicken stuffed with Coteghino sausage, and Warm Rhubarb Grunt with French vanilla ice cream. Geez, that sounds good. Wine pairings from Basel Cellars, Willamette Valley Vineyard, Broadley, and Northstar will round out the meal. Reservations are $125, which includes wines and gratuity. For reservations call (503) 222-9070.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: charcuterie, Charcuterie board, Charcuterie plate, Higgins Restaurant, Mushroom Risotto Balls, northwest cuisine, Pork Schnitzel

The Taste of Zupan’s Recap

November 11, 2013 by Pechluck 4 Comments

The Taste of Zupan’s is an annual event, and for this year (2013) it occurred this past Saturday November 9 from 10:30 am-3 pm. For $20 pre-sale or $25 at the door, guests were able to get a preview and sample various holiday possibilities from Zupan’s Markets and other local vendors, and 100% of proceeds go to the Sunshine Division, who provide Thanksgiving dinners to less fortunate families. Here is my Taste of Zupan’s recap!

Taste of Zupan's

Everything from appetizers and main courses to desserts and wines were available- and here are a few shots I took just to help show what was on the tables!

Open Faced Reuben Sandwiches with Snake River Farms Kobe Corned Beef and Pastrami topped with Beaverton Foods Coney Mustard
Snake River Farms American Kobe Roast Beef Canape with caramelized onion and whipped cream wasabi sauced served on a Grand Central baguette
Various Fresh Dips, one is Zupan’s Jalapeno Artichoke Dip, and other is Zupan’s Spinach Dip, with Grand Central Sourdough
Hors D’Oeuvres of Mini Caprese Skewers with Belgioioso Fresh Mozzarella, and in the back left Medjool Dates with Cashel Blue Bites, to the right Belgioioso Burrata Bites
Fromager d’Affinois with Dalmatia Sour Cherry Spread and Kerrygold Skellig, Laura Chenel’s Blossom Honey Chevre Log with 34″ Crackers
Delicious beverages: La Marca Prosecco, mixed either with Cipriani Peach Bellini Mix or with Zupan’s Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Taste of Zupan's- open faced reuben sandwiches with Snake River Farms kobe corned beef and pastrami topped with Beaverton Foods Coney Mustard Taste of Zupan's- Snake River Farms American Kobe Roast Beef Canape with caramelized onion and whipped cream wasabi sauced served on a Grand Central baguette Taste of Zupan's- Fresh Dips, one is Zupan's Jalapeno Artichoke Dip, and other is Zupan's Spinach Dip, with Grand Central Sourdough Taste of Zupan's- Hors D'Oeuvres of Mini Caprese Skewers with Belgioioso Fresh Mozzarella, and in the back left Medjool Dates with Cashel Blue Bites, to the right Belgioioso Burrata Bites Taste of Zupan's- Fromager d'Affinois with Dalmatia Sour Cherry Spread and Kerrygold Skellig, Laura Chenel's Blossom Honey Chevre Log with 34 Taste of Zupan's- La Marca Prosecco, mixed either with Cipriani Peach Bellini Mix or with Zupan's Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

More appetizers

Columbus Salame Charcuterie: Finocchiona Gigante, Salame, and Roasted Pork Loin with some Columbus Honey Mustard. The Italian Dry Salame with Caper Bites were deliciously folded with cream cheese inside!
Zupan’s Quiches of White Cheddar & Onion Quiche and Quiche Lorraine
Artisan Cheeses like Elderflower Cheese, Deuce de Bourgogne with Raincoast Crisps Fig & Olive, Cave Aged Gruyere dipped in Dalmatia Fig Spread, Point Reyes Farmstead Bay Blue with Solmielato Chestnut Honey. I loved that Zupan’s put these combinations together to show how to layer flavors with the cheeses (except for the Elderflower, which is uniquely showcased) – I am glad I took photos so I can recreate these combinations, and also share them with you for your future cheese plate!
Sampling Hempler’s Artisan Meats, in this case Sundried Tomato Chicken Breast, Beef Summer Sausage, and Pepperoni Sticks

Taste of Zupan's- Columbus Salame Charcuterie: Finocchiona Gigante, Salame, and Roasted Pork Loin with some Columbus Honey Mustard Taste of Zupan's- Zupan's Quiches of White Cheddar & Onion Quiche and Quiche Lorraine Taste of Zupan's- Artisan Cheeses like Elderflower Cheese, La Panzanella Rosemary Crackers, Deuce de Bourgogne with Raincost Crisps Fig & Olive, Cave Aged Gruyere dipped in Dalmatia Fig Spread, Point Reyes Farmstead Bay Blue with Solmielato Chestnut Honey Taste of Zupan's- Point Reyes Farmstead Bay Blue with Solmielato Chestnut Honey Taste of Zupan's- sampling Hempler's Artisan Meats, in this case Sundried Tomato Chicken Breast, Beef Summer Sausage, and Pepperoni Sticks

Now onto some proteins!

Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham and Free Range Turkey
Carlton Farms Crown Pork Roast
Harris Ranch Standing Rib Roast
Cookwell & Co. Green Chili Stew with Turkey – you just have to add beans and the protein of your choice to the packaged Green Chili Stew, in this case he added Turkey
Pacific Seafood offered Jumbo (so chubby and big!) Wild Domestic Cooked Prawns, Smoked Steelhead, Zupan’s Cocktail Sauce

Taste of Zupan's- Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham and Free Range Turkey "Taste Taste of Zupan's- Harris Ranch Standing Rib Roast Cookwell & Co. Green Chili Stew with Turkey was showcased- you just have to add beans and the protein of your choice to the Green Chili Stew, in this case he added Turkey Taste of Zupan's- Pacific Seafood offering Jumbo Wild Domestic Cooked Prawns, Smoked Steelhead, Zupan's Cocktail Sauce

Other local vendors included Olympic Provisions with their charcuterie spread, and also in partnership with Kelly’s Jelly to offer a recipe and sample of Olympic Provisions Sweetheart Ham with Kelly’s Habanero Pepper Jelly Glaze.

Taste of Zupan's- Olympic Provisions
This deserved a whole section by itself- Papa Haydn representing sweet holiday possibilities. So in love with the bourbon ball and the macaron tree.
Taste of Zupan's- Papa Haydn representing sweet holiday possibilities alt=

Other sweet offerings included Pecan Pie bars and Truffle Fudge brownies from Kyra’s Bake Shop (which is all gluten free!!), Brownie Nuggets and Chocolate Chip Espresso and Sea Salt Cookies from Sarah’s Cookies, and from the Dessert Tray these lovely looking Italian Almond Cake and Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Swirl and Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Swirl. Ok, yeah there are some other items as well but I’m drawing a blank. There was so much it was hard for me to remember it all!

Taste of Zupan's- Dessert Tray's Italian Almond Cake

Beverage wise, I enjoyed also Val de France Sparkling Juice, which they had in Pomegranate and Pear juice flavors- what a great addition rather than sparkling grape juice or sparkling cider for non-alcoholic beverages! There was also Stumptown coffee, Festeroo Winter Ale fromCatelveltrano Pesto with Pasta, Hop Valley Brewing and Snow Winter Ale from 10 Barrel Brewing (I passed on tasting these as I’ve needed a break from beer), and Pamplin Family Vineyards Red Wine.

There was more food I didn’t mention- Beet Citrus & Mozzarella Skewers, Honey Mustard Pork and Grilled Pineapple Skewers (and 2 other skewers I didn’t try), Truffle Mac & Cheese, 3 soups (one of them was Chicken & Dumpling), various salads, more dips, other desserts, and Moonstruck Chocolates. On my plate I piled on various accompaniments to the ham and pork and turkey like twice baked potatoes, artisan bread sage dressing, butter pecan carrots, green bean almondine, Brussels sprouts and cranberry orange relish and buttermilk rolls… Just look at my first 2 plates (and I still had 2 more!)

Taste of Zupan's

Although this event benefits a great cause, and I enjoyed seeing and being inspired by some options for holiday entertaining, I was really disappointed with the logistics of the event.

Poor line management and and event layout meant a lot of crowding in the hallway waiting to get food or waiting for clean plates or glasses. The kitchen did keep bringing new trays of food out, and for those people there when it first opened, the first hour was bearable. And then I spent 30 minutes trying to get to the first table of food in one of the other rooms. During that same time, one of the wine tables was out of glasses and couldn’t pour. At one point while waiting we show a small showdown as one guest tried to walk up to the tables and other guests who had been standing waiting to get to the tables sent him back.

I’m not sure if it was because more tickets were sold than should have been (though I would think the more money raised the better), or if they need to admit they need to move to a larger space that doesn’t consist of several small rooms (the Heathman is beautiful, but the mezzanine – even with its capacity probably about 400- doesn’t work with all these stations lining all the wall sides and guests trying to find a place to eat. At least one saving grace however is that for the plates they passed out trays that had glass holders, so everyone was at least able to successfully stand and eat since they didn’t have to juggle food, drink, and eating utensil. Hopefully they will learn and improve next year.

Filed Under: Food and Drink Tagged With: artisan cheese, charcuterie, Dessert Tray, Holiday, holiday dining, holiday entertaining, Kelly's Habanero Pepper Jelly Glaze, Pacific Seafood, Papa Haydn, salumi, Sweetheart Ham, Taste of Zupan's, Zupan's

Manhattan Beach Post

July 8, 2013 by Pechluck 3 Comments

The last week of June, I spent in LA and San Diego. One of the best restaurant experiences I had during that trip was at Manhattan Beach Post. The day was beautiful, with lots of sunshine streaming down upon us and a slight ocean breeze as we arrived at Manhattan Beach. After our dinner of lots of small plates and some cocktails, we had a walk to aid our digestion along Manhattan Beach Pier.

The restaurant, also known as M.B. Post, was just opening for its dinner service as we arrived, with the front windowed walls thrown open to take in the summer weather, and the wood with modern metal frames throughout the restaurant gave off a beachy chic while touches of nostalgia were brought in with multiple post boxes and the menu delivered in an envelope like a mail package.

Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

We started out with their infamous bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits with maple butter. They are worth the hype, warm, gooey with cheese inside and speckled with bits of delicious salty bacon and everything was gone from when we each picked ours up just a few minutes either. The maple butter was not needed. If we had not already ordered a third of the menu I might have been tempted for another round.
bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits with maple butter, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

Now let me pause to discuss some of the handcrafted cocktails. The impressive looking Mo-Pho-Jito, a mojito with starr, kaffir lime, mint, ginger, and coriander honey and a name that makes you roll your eyes but also crack a smile as you order it. The Manhattan Avenue, a manhattan with templeton rye, vanilla, caramel, and bacon dust. You read right, Bacon Dust.

Then, there was the hint of apple pie but not too sweet with cocktail named The Fall of Man, penicillin with compass box ‘oak cross’, apple, maple, cinnamon. And, the Hearts of Darkness, matador with hacienda de chihuahua, pineapple, basil, clove, smoke, oh so much smokiness. Also, finally, the cocktail called Avila’s Heir, a clean citrusy palate cleansing margarita with corralejo reposado, serrano, mandarin, yuzu.
Mo-Pho-Jito, a mojito with starr, kaffir lime, mint, ginger, and coriander honeyManhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles The Manhattan Avenue, a manhattan with templeton rye, vanilla, caramel, and bacon dust. You read right, Bacon Dust. Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles cocktail named The Fall of Man, penicillin with compass box oak cross, apple, maple, cinnamon, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles cocktail named Hearts of Darkness, matador with hacienda de chihuahua, pineapple, basil, clove, smoke, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles cocktail named Avila's Heir, a margarita with corralejo reposado, serrano, mandarin, yuzu, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

Now back to the food, to our meal of the small plates between the four of us. The ones we loved the most were:

Raviolo- it was a seasonal special of egg yolk raviolo with herb ricotta, snap peas, baby artichokes, red onion jam, and lardo. We attempted to share (each plate had a single supersize ravioli aka raviolo we split in half) and we carefully spooned the broken yolk as we cut the raviolo as to not lose it on the plate. This was the most delicate dish of the evening, and I relished it because of this.
Roasted brussels sprouts with emmental, hazelnuts, sage, which prompted an amusing discussion at our table on the difference between “roasted/browned” and “slightly burned”. Of course the key is charred kind of caramelization, which these sprouts had plenty of
Blistering Blue Lake Green Beans with thai basil, chili sauce, and crispy pork was a bright dish of fresh flavors that had no surviving green beans left
BBQ Moroccan Lamb Belly with harissa caramelized onions, Japanese eggplant was essentially a love note to sticky caramelization
White Oak Grilled Skirt Steak with grilled broccolini and red chimichurri- as you can see, it comes as a layered dish of broccolini, skirt steak, broccolini, skirt steak, one of the best stacks ever!

Raviolo- it was a seasonal special of egg yolk raviolo with herb ricotta, snap peas, baby artichokes, red onion jam, and lardo, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Roasted brussels sprouts with emmental, hazelnuts, sage, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Blistering Blue Lake Green Beans with thai basil, chili sauce, and crispy pork, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles BBQ Moroccan Lamb Belly with harissa caramelized onions, Japanese eggplant, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles White Oak Grilled Skirt Steak with grilled broccolini and red chimichurri, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

The tasty, but not quite as oh wow reactions as the above dishes, were:

Fleur De Sel Pretzel, with “David’s nuclear horseradish mustard” I think oversold us with the name of the mustard but was decent
A charcuterie plate- the only negative surprise of the evening as we asked for them to put together a charcuterie plate for us to share rather than picking and ordering some of the individual 5 meats in their cured meats section, and then when we got the check we saw their interpretation of this request was to put all 5 of the meats at full price/full portions, plus a $2 mustard order they put on the board, totalling that charcuterie plate at a cost of $63! Surprise!
Anyway, the cured meats included La Quercia Spec, an applewood smoked americano prosciutto raised by Heritage Acres; Picante Salami, by Cristiano Creminielli from Utah; La Quercia ‘Tamworth’ Prosciutto and also La Quercia ‘Acorn Edition’ Coppa, both raised by Russ Kremer from Czarks, Missouri; and Cabacero de Iberico de Bellota Puro from Extremadora, Spain. The $2 mustard selection included pink pepercorn, stout, and redwine mustards.
Grilled Yellowtail with smashed cauliflower, crispy onions, romesco sauce was a great steaky cut but without the romesco sauce to help it, seemed to me a underseasoned and a bit dry on the outside as if it didn’t spend enough time in a flavored olive oil marinade before hitting the flames
Broccoflower with lemon, caper, chili flake, parmesan was a great idea for a dish, but based on how hard the florets were seemed like they could have used a few more minutes to soften them up just a smidge more

Fleur De Sel Pretzel, with horseradish mustard, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Grilled Yellowtail, smashed cauliflower, crispy onions, romesco sauce, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Broccoflower with lemon, caper, chili flake, parmesan, Manhattan Beach Post restaurant, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

Despite my notes on the second string dishes, they were still tasty, it was just a matter that we were not polishing it completely off because they were so amazing, unlike the the first string dishes I mentioned.

Looking at the beauty of the food above, it’s no wonder that when I tried to make reservations even a week before, the only two openings for our party were at 5:30 or at 8:30 even on a Tuesday evening. We got there when it first opened for dinner service, and this place quickly got busy, the tables all filling up and every chair occupied. My dining companions had a good time along with I grooving to the good background of fun rock music, the staff was smooth in providing recommendations and checking on us to keep us happy with beverages. Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere, great service, this place has it all together.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Travel Tagged With: Avila's Heir, bacon cheddar biscuits, bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits, BBQ Moroccan Lamb Belly, Blistering Blue Lake Green Beans, carmelized onions, charcuterie, dining, Fall of Man, fleur de sel pretzel, green beans in chili sauce, grilled broccolini, grilled yellowtail, harissa, Hearts of Darkness, Japanese eggplant, los angeles, M.B. Post, Manhattan, Manhattan Avenue, manhattan beach, Manhattan Beach Post, margarita, matador, MB Post, mo-pho-jito, mojito, penicillin, ravioli, red chimichurri, restaurant, roasted brussel sprouts, romesco, smashed cauliflower, smoke, White Oak Grilled Skirt Steak

Leavenworth Sausage Garten + Cured by Visconti

November 29, 2012 by Pechluck 1 Comment

Besides offering an outdoor beer garden featuring local and imported German beers on tap and homemade German sausages such as Bratwurst, Bockwurst, Currywurst, Kielbasa, and more (some other international options include Chorizo and Italian Sausage as well as the standby beef Frank) by the Cured by Visconti Italian Market just a couple doors down, the Leavenworth Sausage Garten also offers a big mustard bar.

The variety of mustards number more than a dozen, and so I couldn’t choose just one for my currywurst. So I went with the Hawaiian Pineapple Mustard, Cranberry Mustard, Maui Onion Mustard, and Russian Mustard. You can also top as much or little sauerkraut as you desire.

In the colder months, they have tents and heated fire lamps to keep you cozy while you people watch and enjoy your sausages. After you order, you can relax at your bench and table as a server will bring your meal to you based on the number they gave you and take back to your seat. Even if you are vegetarian, they have veggie sausage options, as well as pretzels and cheese and a few other sides.

Leavenworth Sausage Garten

If you would like to take some of the sausages home, just walk down to Cured by Visconti Italian Market just a couple doors down to get some packaged up in their cases, as well as see their salami and other offerings.

I was impressed that they had sliced up samples of so much of their deli to try, and picked out my favorite as the Bockwurst, and also the Mole Salami (pure pork chopped, mixed with spices, chocolate, chili peppers, raisins, sesame, peanuts, almonds, than fermented and aged for 30+ days) while my friend picked out the Felino (pure pork chopped and marinated with wine and fermented and aged for 30+ days). I admire their tagline of “Preserving history’s recipes one pig at a time”.

Cured by Visconti Leavenworth WA sausages