For Feast Portland 2016, which just occurred last week, I was really pleased to see several different ethnic cuisines being highlighted as part of the Dinner Series. The one I attended offered me a chance to try Filipino food, which usually I don’t have much access to in Portland and even when I do get it it’s generally limited to lumpia, adobo, pancit and longanisa (and wishful thinking for me on lechón. Come on Carlo, throw together a pop up event!). This Feast PDX Twisted Filipino Dinner photo recap shows how these star chefs not only shared Filipino food with us, but took it up another level thanks to their restaurant perspective to upgrade it from the traditional family kitchen.

The chefs for the dinner included Portland’s Clyde Common Carlo Lamagna, and his LA Filipino friends Alvin Cailan of Eggslut, Chad and Chase Valencia of pop-up restaurant LASA, Charles Olalia of RiceBar, and Isa Fabro of Unit 120.

As we checked in, we were greeted by a welcome cocktail Bamboo of vermouth, sherry, organic bitters and twist of lime oil. Through the evening, beverage wise there were 3 wine pours, 2 beer bottles, and 3 cocktails by Banjo Amberg offerings for this six course dinner.
 

More scenes of the dinner overall to set the stage… These 4 photos are not mine (the rest of the post photos are though) and if you look carefully I’m in the background of two of the photos wearing black and white!

Feast PDX Twisted Filipino Dinner, photo credits for the above 4 photos from Kimberley Hasselbrink

Bread Rolls for the Table

Pan de Sal, Filipino Bread Rolls with Ube Latik butter (purple yam and caramelized coconut milk with palm sugar) by Isa Fabro of Unit 120

First Course

Mais Con Hielo: corn textures (a dairy free corn mousse with crab fat), finger lime, puffed rice, seawater (specifically, liquids from crab and shellfish) paired with 2014 Columbia Winery Ancient Lakes Riesling. Dish by Charles Olalia of RiceBar.

Second Course

Kinilaw: red snapper, nectarine, lemon cucumber, fermented fresno chili, sugar cane vinegar, shiso, fried shallot paired with 2013 Columbia Winery Chardonnay. Dish by Chad Valencia of pop-up restaurant LASA.

Third Course

Abobong Pato: duck adobo croquette (the duck was braised then he reduced the liquid and made into a cake that he deep fried, yay), roasted eggplant custerd, pickled ramps, chicharron paired with Lagunitas Pils.Dish by Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Common.

Fourth Course

Nilagang Baka: beef brisket, napa cabbage, jasmine rice paired with Lagunitas IPA. Dish by Alvin Cailan of Eggslut. Of all the pairings this was the most transformative with the way the IPA brought out new flavors in the food.

Fifth Course

Family Style dishes:

Kalderetang Kambing with goat, olives, Jimmy Nardello peppers; by Carlo

Bringhe with heirloom rice, summer vegetables, coconut cream; by Charles

Gailan of Chinese broccoli and Bagoong XO; by Isa

Kare-Kare with lentils, cannellini beans, shitake dashi, peanut butter; by Chase

All paired with Mojo Filter cocktail of aged rum, coconut rum, lime, and pineapple gomme or a 2013 Columbia Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Sixth Course

Coconut Sage Tart with dulcey mousse with coconut tapioca, passion fruit curd, pineapple, and basil and basil blossoms paired with Palmetto cocktail of aged rums, Italian vermouth, Demerara, bitters, lemon and orange oils. Plus an Extra dessert surprise of a mini-Blondie Dish by Isa Fabro of Unit 120.

Thank you to all the chefs for all the welcoming grins; everyone patiently autographing my menu; the fun atmosphere where they were so proud and enthused to tell us the traditional inspiration for their dish and what they did to add their twist; so many drinks (with a side of swearing starting from the opening speech to cement that we were being treated more like close friends and family rather than just paying customers); and the fact they were laughing and having a good time made sure everyone at the tables eating and drinking (SOOO much food, soooo full) also absorbed that positive energy too. Come back next year!!

Disclosure: I was granted a Blogger Pass for Feast Portland 2016 for blog post and social media coverage but I am not otherwise being compensated. Even before I was given the Blogger Pass I already had tickets for some Feast events that I paid for myself, and this event is one out of my own pocket ($125 all inclusive).  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.