grassa Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

PDX Dumpling Week 2016 So Far…

February 11, 2016 by Pechluck 11 Comments

Right now until Saturday February 13 is PDX Dumpling Week 2016. Essentially, Dumpling Week has a list of 12 Portland restaurants and food carts offering dumplings and for each place you visit and enjoy their dumplings, you receive a sticker to add to a Dumpling Passport (you might have to ask for it after you order as they may not remember to hand it out automatically). Based on how many stickers you collect, you are entered for different levels of prizes.

I listed the participating 2016 Dumpling Week restaurants and the dumplings they are offering last week (I also participated in Dumpling Week last year and wrote a 2015 Dumpling Week Recap). Here’s where I’ve been so far for 2016:

Imperial: Beef and pork khinkali with melted butter, black pepper and dill served with a bit of yogurt. I recommend ordering a Parker House roll because although you can drink up the juice and spoonful of yogurt at the end if you’d like, I prefer dunking a Parker House roll into it and using that as my sponge. The bar is packed during happy hour, so if you are mainly going for dumplings I suggest arriving after Happy Hour is over (the dumplings are not a happy hour special) so you don’t have to wait for a space at the bar – unless of course you are planning on having more of a meal then make dinner table reservations.
Kachka: Mushroom and potato vareniki with porcini pumpernickel breadcrumbs, French onion smetana and scallions. I enjoyed these with 30 grams of Matsutake Vodka (a seasonal one to emphasize the mushroom) and 30 grams of Horseradish Vodka (a usual favorite of mine).
Grassa: Italian soup dumplings. I recommend ordering these with garlic bread to wipe up the sauce, and be generous in adding the Calabrian Chili Oil or Mama’s Lil Chili Oil to your dumplings that come with your order. I also recommend downloading the Chew Dining Club app so that you can input the code at the bottom of your receipt and start racking up credit to earning goodies by dining at various ChefStable restaurants
Sizzle Pie: A team-up of Sizzle Pie and Korean BBQ food cart Kim Jong Grillin’ are offering Korean BBQ-inspired pizza mini calzones. The three options are either Meat, Vegetarian, or Vegan ONLY be available at the West Burnside location at 926 W Burnside and each order comes with three stone oven-baked dumplings. I thought there was too much dough to filling here for my taste, and more gochujang sauce is needed.
- Meat pizza dumplings: Jjajang smoked pork, Sizzle Pie cheese blend, scallions, fermented black bean paste with pickled yellow daikon and gochujang sauce.
- Vegan pizza dumplings: Kim Jong Grillin’ housemade vegan kimchi and “Follow Your Heart” vegan mozzarella with Sizzle Pie’s housemade vegan ranch dip.
- Vegetarian pizza dumplings: shiitake mushroom, Sizzle Pie cheese blend, spicy tofu, scallions with soy plum drizzle and dipping sauce.

Are you participating in Portland Dumpling Week 2016, which is ending in only a few days? Which dumplings sound appealing to you or have you already had?

Filed Under: Festival Event, Food and Drink Tagged With: #dumplingweek2016, #pdxdumplings, #pdxdumplingweek, #pdxdumplingweek2016, Chew Dining Club App, Georgian dumplings, grassa, Imperial, Italian Soup Dumplings, Kachka, Khinkali, Kim Jong Grillin', meat pizza dumplings, Mushroom and potato vareniki, PDX Dumpling Week, Portland Dumpling Week, Sizzle Pie

Dumpling Week 2015 Recap

February 5, 2015 by Pechluck 22 Comments

The Oregonian declared February 1-7 2015 to be dumpling week, and who am I to disagree? It’s been so full of food porn photos and articles, ranging from dumpling recipes you can make at home to how to eat around the world with 14 dumplings at various restaurants in Portland to even Gluten Free Dumplings.

And of course, there are also for this one special week, a Dumpling Passport you can fill out, collecting stickers from various restaurants in Portland who are offering dumpling specials for this week. Besides the eating of the dumplings themselves of course, some of the fun of Dumpling Week has also been running into other dumpling questers, as we compare notes on the dumplings we have eaten and our routes of dumpling eatings. Here is the list of the 19 Portland Restaurants and their Dumpling Dish.

And here’s my Dumpling Week Recap so far of where I’ve been:

Kachka offered a Lamb Pelmeni with adjika butter, smetana, cilantro and mint for $13. So melt in your mouth, I tried to savor each and every buttery dumpling and not inhale these all like Russian dumpling addict. I already love the normal dumplings on their menu (of all dumplings from around the world, I would pick Eastern European ones as my favorite- pierogi, varenky, pelmeni-, even over Asian dumplings) and these were the first ones I had to make sure I get because I knew they would be excellent.
Dumpling Week - Kachka offered a Lamb Pelmeni with adjika butter, smetana, cilantro and mint

Boxer Ramen‘s $5 dumpling week dish was Potstickers boiled in their mushroom broth and they are filled with pork, ginger and chives served with sprouts and pulverized kimchee and a garlic ponzu sauce. I went on Day 2 of these and more recent photos on social media swap the sprouts for pickled carrots. Be aware that Boxer is cash only and only the SW Stark location downtown, not the Alberta branch, is participating in Dumpling Week.
Boxer Ramen's $5 dumpling week dish was Potstickers boiled in their mushroom broth and they are filled with pork, ginger and chives served with sprouts and pulverized kimchee and a garlic ponzu sauce.

Mama Chow’s Kitchen, a food cart, is only open Monday – Friday for lunch and even arriving when they first opened there was a line 12 deep. Everyone was ordering dumplings, so try to get there early for the $7 pan seared version of the wontons that are usually in their wonton soup. Jeff Chow is thinking of keeping it as a regular offering on the menu though, if you want those chubby meaty dumplings but don’t want to deal with the extra crowd right now because of Dumpling Week. The wontons are Chicken and Taiwan Cabbage dumplings on a bed of baby green bok choy served with a spicy dipping sauce. This was one of the few dumpling offerings that came with vegetables, and combined with me also ordering their garlic noodles was a really satisfying lunch worth waiting for it to be made fresh right when I ordered it!
For dumpling week $7 Mama Chow Kitchen offered a pan seared version of their wontons from their standard wonton soup, these are Chicken and Taiwan Cabbage dumplings on a bed of baby green bok choy served with a spicy dipping sauce

Here’s the Dumpling week entry by Grassa for $12 of Crispy Semolina dumplings with Dungeness Crab, Porcinis, Mint, and House Pancetta. I’m glad that Grassa was concerned I may not be getting enough vegetables with Dumpling Week going on, so seemingly supplied a complimentary salad to go with these dumplings. They make them throughout the day, so even if they may run out during the lunch rush, go back during dinner because they may have made more by then.
Dumpling week entry by Grassa for $12 of Crispy Semolina dumplings with Dungeness Crab, Porcinis, Mint, and House Pancetta

Jenn Louis at Lincoln Restaurant went very upscale with her offering of Malloreddus tossed in sea urchin butter with mint and preserved lemon at $18. Malloreddus is a Sardinian word for gnocchi, and these dumplings are a cross between gnocchi and cavatelli pasta, but made with semolina that’s been steeped in saffron water, thus the color you see. While I was here I also had this INSANE dessert special of a Popcorn Panna Cotta with layers of popcorn panna cotta, creme fraiche, and caramel that just freaking incredible. I know some people are filling out their Dumpling Passports by doing a progressive meal with multiple dumpling restaurants (I certainly did that myself), but if you go to Lincoln you should just make it a one stop night because this is so rich that you won’t want to muddle the experience with other stops.
For dumpling week at $18 Lincoln Restaurant offered Malloreddus tossed in sea urchin butter with mint and preserved lemon.

For dumpling week Bollywood Theater‘s two locations offered a chicken/pork version or vegetarian momos, steamed Nepalese dumplings found in Northern India. What you see below are the vegetarian momos because I needed a meat break – they are not vegan because they do have paneer in them with the veggies. Either choice is $8 and is served with radish slaw and spicy tomato chili sauce.
For dumpling week Bollywood Theater's two locations offered a chicken or vegetarian momos, steamed Nepalese dumplings found in Northern India. These are the vegetarian momos

Imperial went back to Chef Paley’s roots in offering Khinkali for Dumpling Week. The $8 dish were 2 palm sized Georgian pork and beef dumplings with herb yogurt. They are served with a little bowl so you can put a dollop of the yogurt in there and make sure to catch the drippings from this soupy meaty dumpling when you bite into/drink from it and eat that with a spoon so nothing is wasted. I turned them upside down in my hand to eat them so they were like a little cup and spooned the yogurt onto my bites as well. Messy but so homey and delicious.
Imperial went back to Chef Paley's roots in offering Khinkali for Dumpling Week. The $8 dish were 2 palm sized Georgian pork and beef dumplings with herb yogurt

Chef Gregory Gourdet’s winning shrimp dumplings from Top Chef are now at Departure for Dumpling Week, steamed and made with palm sugar, ginger and crispy shallot and those spicy Thai chilis were 3 for $11
Chef Gregory Gourdet's winning shrimp dumplings from Top Chef now at Departure for Dumpling Week, steamed and made with palm sugar, ginger and crispy shallot and those Spicy Thai chilis at $11

Next on my list (Updated 2/6/2015) is Kenny and Zuke’s to try dumplings from a different part of the world: Fried kreplach, a traditional Jewish dumpling, filled with choice of pastrami beef or wild mushroom-leeks. They are served with sauteed onions and sour cream. Between the meat or vegetarian ones, I would recommend the vegetarian ones as the filling has more flavors. You get six dumplings for the $8.75 price, and remember Kenny and Zuke’s is open from breakfast to dinner, unlike some of the other locations which are dinner only.
From Kenny and Zuke's for Dumpling Week are Fried kreplach, a traditional Jewish dumpling, filled with choice of beef or wild mushroom-leeks. They are served with sauteed onions and sour cream. You get six dumplings for the $8.75 price

You can go fancy with the Little Bird Goat cheese gnocchi with mashed English peas, lamb tongue, pea tendrils and fresh Oregon truffles. You can make it vegetarian by asking to hold the lamb tongue if you really need to. A little stingy with the truffles on my plate, but I’ve seen pics that have had twice or three times as many truffle shavings. They have this on their lunch as well as dinner menu, and it is priced at $17.
You can go fancy with the Little Bird Dumpling Week dish of Goat cheese gnocchi with mashed English peas, lamb tongue, pea tendrils and fresh Oregon truffles

Where have you eaten for Dumpling Week so far, if you have participated, and what has been your favorite dumpling? In general what are your favorite type of dumplings?

Filed Under: Festival Event, Food and Drink Tagged With: Boxer Ramen, Chicken and Taiwan Cabbage dumplings, Crispy Semolina dumplings with Dungeness Crab, Departure, dumpling, Dumpling Week, dumplings, First Annual Dumpling Week PDX, Fried kreplach, Goat cheese gnocchi with mashed English peas, grassa, Imperial, Kachka, Kenny and Zuke's, Khinkali, lamb pelmeni, lamb tongue, Lincoln Restaurant, little bird, Mama Chow's Kitchen, momos, oregonian, pan seared wontons, pea tendrils and Oregon truffles, Popcorn Panna Cotta, potstickers, steamed shrimp dumplings

Pasta at Rick Gencarelli’s Grassa Portland

May 16, 2014 by Pechluck 8 Comments

If you are a regular visitor of my blog, you probably know I am a fan of Rick Gencarelli. I’ve been going to Lardo monthly for their Lardo Chefwiches. As an aside, they recently finishd running through the latest 6 chefwiches, so the big Lardo Chefwich Party is now coming up on Sunday June 8th at the 1212 SE Hawthorne location, from 12-4 for $20. If you missed any of this year’s six, here’s a chance to try them all out, and there will be also a beer tap takeover by Crux Fermentation Project at the event.

Sometimes though, I might instead go next door to Grassa which is right next to Lardo (in fact there is a connecting door) at their location of Southwest 12th and Washington. I have not yet had the pleasure/greed to order from both Lardo and Grassa in a single meal- but I have thought about it.

I love sitting at the counter in Grassa and watching them make their fresh pasta. It takes a lot of willpower not to reach over and grab some pasta and just eat it raw, right then and there.

The pasta at Rick Gencarelli's Grassa is made fresh, right in front of you!

On this particular visit several months ago, a friend ordered (I think) the Italian Sausage pasta with peppers, onions, basil, grana, escarole.
Grassa's pasta dish of Italian Sausage pasta with peppers, onions, basil, grana, escarole in Portland

Also on deck for me was the Carbonara with bucatini, pork belly, and slow cooked egg
Grassa's pasta dish of Carbonara with bucatini, pork belly, slow cooked egg in Portland

The meatballs at Grassa are incredible.
Grassa's meatball dish in Portland

I would recommend ordering this as your side instead of the garlic bread that I ordered on my last recap post of a Grassa Visit that included the Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil (which has turned into agnolotti with chicken liver mouse, jalapeno butter, but still that crisp chicken skin this season) and the Bucatini wtih hazelnut pesto, zucchini, mozzarella crema. Neither of those original pasta dishes are on their current menu anymore- so check every once in a while to see what new pasta masterpiece is now on the menu!

Bucatini wtih hazelnut pesto, zucchini, mozzarella crema and Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil, from Grassa by Rick Gencarelli

On yet another much more recent visit (this month), I tried out the Creste Di Gallo with pancetta, whipped ricotta, English peas, fine herbs and grana.
Grassa Portland's Creste Di Gallo with pancetta, whipped ricotta, English peas, fine herbs and grana

Is this too much pasta porn for you? I don’t feel bad at all about it.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: chefwich, Chefwich Party, Creste Di Gallo, downtown portland, fresh pasta, grassa, Italian Sausage pasta, Lardo, meatballs, pasta, Pasta Carbonara, Portland food, Portland pasta, rick gencarelli

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

Pasta at Rick Gencarelli’s Grassa

July 31, 2013 by Pechluck 11 Comments

Grassa offers another option in the now super delicious West End area of Southwest 12th and Washington, right next to Lardo (both by Rick Gencarelli, and who I’ve been visiting monthly for their chefwich collaboration for charity) and Racion, and also just across the street from Ruby Jewel and Cheryl’s on 12th, also a block from Jake’s Famous Crawfish, Tasty n Alder and Gruner and if you just walk a block more, Petunia’s Pies & Pastries and Saint Cupcake Galore. You can go to Ringler’s Annex for a whiskey, rum, or bourbon flight besides the usual McMenamins beers, but I’m keeping my eye out also on the in progress Multnomah Whiskey Library. This 3 block radius is kicking!

When I heard Rick was opening up a place devoted to pasta, it was at the top of my must try list, and I was happy I was finally able to go this past weekend. As soon as you walk in the glass door etched with their signature eagle, you are at an ordering counter.

A chalkboard that extends up to the high modern workshop loft ceilings with the menu. We decided to go with food only this time, since I had dragged F over here (well, I did give him 3 multiple choice options I had filtered down, so he did get to pick at the end) after an Oakshire Barrel Aged Beer seminar at the Upper Lip (you can read great coverage of that event from a post by fellow blogger Kris at Beer Musings from Portland).

Rick Gencarelli's Grassa menu, Portland PDX

After ordering, you are given a number and seat yourself in the airy space that makes it seem like you are sitting in an extension of their kitchen prep area, or in a cooking class, a combination of industrial modernity and functionality. Look at those extension cords from the ceiling over those prime seats looking into the kitchen and right in front of the pasta machines!

I don’t know how I could resist the temptation of not picking a bite out of those trays of pasta to the right either. Recipes were jotted on a chalkboard – I will try to ignore the amount of butter in the garlic bread I am about to eat.

Rick Gencarelli's Grassa interior Recipes jotted on a board- I will try to ignore the amount of butter in the garlic bread I am about to eat- at Rick Gencarelli's Grassa interior

I started out with the garlic bread.

Grassa, garlic bread, from Rick Gencarelli

I went with the pasta dish of Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil. I loved the play on textures with the shapes of the radiatore and savory braised chicken and saved my last bite to be one of those bits of crisp skin.

Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil, from Grassa by Rick Gencarelli

Vegetarian F had the Bucatini wtih hazelnut pesto, zucchini, mozzarella crema and I was jealous. I love pesto. The pasta was toothy and the hazelnuts gave it some crunch while the mozzarella was the embrace of liquid love on top.

And yes, in case you were wondering, Grassa translated means “fat” in Italian, so he’s still celebrating it, and I’m right there with him!

Bucatini wtih hazelnut pesto, zucchini, mozzarella crema and Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil, from Grassa by Rick Gencarelli

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: bucatini, chicken skin, fresh pasta, garlic bread, grassa, hazelnut pesto, homemade pasta, Italian, pasta, pdx, portland, radiatore, rick gencarelli, tomato braised chicken, west end

PDX Dumpling Week 2016 So Far…

Dumpling Week 2015 Recap

Pasta at Rick Gencarelli’s Grassa Portland

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

Pasta at Rick Gencarelli’s Grassa

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