portland dining month Archives - Page 4 of 5

Portland Dining Month 2015

February 26, 2015 by Pechluck 16 Comments

Starting Sunday March 1 2015 Portland will be kicking off Portland Dining Month 2015. During this month, more than 100 participating restaurants all over Portland will be offering a special menu of 3 courses for $29 in order to entice you to visit and see what that restaurant is all about.

Almost all the restaurants will also have their regular menu available, so your dining party doesn’t all have to eat the Dining Month menu, though several of the Dining Month menus offer multiple choices for each of the courses as well so you can all dine at that price.

In terms of the Portland Dining Month menu items, make sure you do ask for it because sometimes the restaurant lists it on a separate menu from the regular menu. Other times, it is part of the regular menu because it’s an item usually on their list but in many cases is priced special only for that month, thus lets you have one of the signature dishes of that restaurant for cheaper than normal.

On the other hand, some restaurants create new items especially for Portland Dining Month and so the special is only for this month!

Furthermore, about 1/3 of those restaurants will additionally have curated a beer pairing or incorporated beer into their dish in some way to highlight a local brewer.

If you are an OpenTable user where you can make reservations for your dining party with just a few clicks of a button, about 60+ of the restaurants on the Portland Dining Month list are also available on OpenTable to make your online reservations.

I wanted to highlight my personal picks for some restaurants that are participating in Portland Dining Month and what their dining month menu offers. There are many, many, many wonderful picks on the list, I’m just pointing out a few based on value or what the menu choice item is to my taste.

Aviary

Aviary had me at their first course option… Their food is consistently good and surprising with their twists on Asian inspiration mixed with unusual flavor combinations. And, they take reservations on Opentable. Update! I went and posted a photo recap here

First course (choose one): Dungeness crab chawanmushi with bone marrow, sea urchin, Asian pear, snap peas and truffle vinaigrette -OR- Warm vegetable salad with romanesco, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, lime-pickle vinaigrette and black garlic
Second course (choose one): Miso-braised beef short rib with taro root, Asian pear, yuzu kosho slaw -OR- Pan-seared salmon with cauliflower, saffron, green apple, trout roe and American caviar
Third course (choose one): Chocolate tart with banana ice cream and cocoa nibs -OR- Baked meringue with huckleberries and Meyer lemon sorbet

Laurelhurst Market

Usually that second course item alone at Laurelhurst Market is $26 on their regular menu. Update! I went and posted a photo recap here

First course: Roasted cauliflower arancini with radicchio caponata, roasted red pepper aioli and arugula
Second course: Ten-hour braised beef shoulder with potato pancake, warm oyster mushroom salad and beef jus
Third course: Honey panna cotta with candied fennel and fennel seed brittle

Nedd Ludd

Nedd Ludd not only is a fantastic restaurant in terms of food and charming atmosphere, but with participating in Portland Dining Month are offering you a huge value because their dinner plate mains are already usually already in the 20 dollar range, so you are getting a bonus that you’ll be getting 3 courses! And, you even get a choice with your first or second courses, and the option is vegetarian friendly so I can take my vegetarian F.

First course (choose one): Escarole salad with lemon, egg, olives and crouton -OR- Charred broccoli raab with sumac, za’atar, pomegranate and yogurt
Second course (choose one): Chicken breast with leek and mushroom ragout, preserved lemon and green olive -OR- Vegetable gratin with walnut-parsley sauce and spring greens
Third course: Bourbon-buttermilk panna cotta with cocoa nib crumb

Park Kitchen

Based on last year when I went to a Portland Dining Month dinner at Park Kitchen, I would recommend Park Kitchen as an option for you. Besides just casually dining near the table of Gabe Rucker, the dinner was one of my favorite of all the Portland Dining Month dinners I went to last year. Make sure you get those chickpea fries! And, they take reservations on Opentable.

First course (choose one): Chickpea fries with squash ketchup -OR- Salad of escarole, radishes, red onion and buttermilk dressing
Second course (choose one): Ayer’s Creek corn grits, mushroom gravy and Hoppin’ John -OR- Payne Family Farms pork roast with collards, red-eye gravy and cornbread dressing. Last year they offered the grits as a vegetarian option as well, but I went with the pork, which last year was this Milk braised pork with Your Kitchen Gardens leeks, curds and whey so I think this year’s Pork Roast will be just as good.
Third course: Double-chocolate tart with salted caramel and hazelnuts

Lincoln or Sunshine Tavern

While Dumpling Week was going on, I had an amazing dumpling dinner (in which the dumpling was Malloreddus tossed in sea urchin butter with mint and preserved lemon) at Lincoln Restaurant. That it was phenomenal shouldn’t be a surprise, especially given that chef Jenn Louis has just released her book Pasta by Hand: A Collection of Italy’s Regional Hand-Shaped Pasta. Based on the fantastic experience I had at that small dinner, I would highly recommend Lincoln for Portland Dining Month, especially since she is showcasing another pasta, and this pasta by itself is usually $18 on their menu. And, they take reservations on Opentable. For a more casual option, consider Sunshine Tavern with it’s list of 8 different sandwiches as your second course.

Lincoln

First course: Baked hen eggs with cream, Castelvetrano olives and herbed breadcrumbs
Second course: Spaccatelli pasta with smoked tallow, speck and sherry
Third course: Brutti ma buoni cookies

Sunshine Tavern

First course (choose one): Salad of romaine with fried capers, Parmesan, croutons and garlic vinaigrette -OR- Iceberg wedge salad with buttermilk blue cheese, roasted tesa pork and sieved egg -OR- Chopped salad of lettuces, pepperoncini, provolone, French fries and salami
Second course (choose one): Chicken burger with provolone, radicchio and arugula -OR- Crispy oyster sandwich with fennel, cabbage and tartar sauce -OR- Monte Cristo sandwich with fried egg and Marionberry preserves -OR- Fried chicken sandwich with blue cheese dressing, celery, red onion and chili mayonnaise with spicy chicken lacquer -OR- Duck-egg sandwich with pimento cheese, spicy pickles and arugula -OR- Pork burger with Swiss cheese, preserved cabbage and brown mustard -OR- Jambon beurre royale with butter, fleur de sel, radishes and fennel -OR -Pork belly medianoche with ham and spicy pickle
Third course:Soft-serve ice cream

Little Bird

Little Bird is giving you a deal as well for Portland Dining Month, since their entrees are usually in the $20s and the appetizers in the $15s so you are making out for a mere $29. That choice of chicken fried trout is enough for two people. And, they take reservations on Opentable.

First course (choose one): Soup du jour -OR- Salad of frisée, citrus, pistachios, olives and sheep’s cheese vinaigrette -OR- Goat cheese gnocchi, celeriac, mushrooms and Le Chevrot
Second course (choose one):Chicken-fried trout, pickled carrots, fine herbs, radish, Dijon and gribiche -OR- Cider-braised pork shoulder with cabbage, carrot and apple slaw, toasted walnuts and bacon vinaigrette
Third course: Chocolate mousse cake with pistachio, Meyer lemon and nougat -OR- Ice cream -OR- Sorbet

Fogo de Chao

Another example of a huge value, the dinners at Fogo de Chao are usually $49 for the salad bar, sides, and meats. The Portland Dining Month menu gives you a more limited selection of the meats, but it’s 8 of them and most importantly includes what I think is their best meat cut, the Picanha. The Portland Dining Month menu excludes the Costela (beef ribs), Beef Ancho (ribeye), Filet Mignons and Lamb Chops. The price you are paying with Portland Dining Month is usually the cost of the salad bar alone during dinner! And, they take reservations on Opentable.

First course (choose one): Fresh seasonal salads, rare and exotic vegetables, imported cheeses and cured meats
Second course (choose one): Brazilian cheese bread (pão de queijo), caramelized bananas, garlic mashed potatoes and crispy polenta
Third course: Fire-roasted meats carved and served tableside, including Picanha, Alcatra, Fraldinha, Cordeiro, Linguica, Costela de Porco, Lombo and Frango. Check out what these meat cuts really are here, and I covered the restaurant opening so have some photos and descriptions also here at “Grand Opening: Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria”

Paley’s Place

An excuse to visit classy Paley’s Place for an intimate, romantic dinner!

First course: Salad of kale and roasted acorn squash with chèvre and balsamic vinegar
Second course: Red wine-braised elk, soft polenta and orange gremolata
Third course: Warm gingerbread with roasted rhubarb and crème fraîche
Rogue Ales beer pairings for an additional $15 or house wine pairings for an additional $20

Acadia

Take a mini-vacation to New Orleans by visiting Acadia and enjoying Creole cuisine.

First course: Deviled egg with blue crab meat
Second course: Louisiana barbeque shrimp with lemon, black pepper, white wine and butter. I’ve had this dish before and you will want to spoon the sauce onto your bread
Third course: Bronzed wild-caught Louisiana sheepshead with buttermilk cornbread purée, green tomato relish and brown butter. If you haven’t head sheepshead before, it has a texture that is almost creamy but not fatty, and some describe it as “crab-like” which is interesting because the fish’s diet is comprised heavily of shellfish and bivalves. When I had it came with different sides but was still bronzed

Accanto

I love the Northwest freshness at Accanto, which I had blogged about previously for a Portland Dining Month visit in a previous year and also when I went for an amazing brunch (they take reservations for brunch! No waiting in line!). And, they take reservations on Opentable.

Antipasto:House marinated olives and fried almonds with rosemary
First course (choose one): Soup of the day -OR- Escarole salad, goat’s-milk feta and oven-dried olives with burnt orange vinaigrette
Second course: Rigatoncini, water buffalo ragù, broccoli raab and ricotta salata
Third course: Tiramisu

Besaw’s

Above photo taken by my brother and his Canon EOS 60D camera

Everyone thinks of Besaw’s for brunch, but they still utilize the bounty of their garden and local fresh Northwest ingredients at dinner as well. For their Portland Dining Month 2015 menu, they are offering an entree that also celebrates local Oregon brewer Deschutes Brewery.

First course: Grilled prawns with cornbread croutons, arugula and chili aioli
Second course: Fontina- and chard-stuffed pork roulade with soft polenta and Deschutes Cinder Cone Red jalapeño chutney (YUM)
Third course: Rhubarb crisp with vanilla whipped cream

Meriwether’s

Meriwether’s suffers from a similar fate as Besaw in that people think of them too often for brunch and not for all the other goodness they get from their own Skyline Farm. As a plus, I love pointing out Meriwethers has their own parking lot, so is great not only to meet with others (including out of towners) but also if you have a family. Their menu offering includes an amazing entree (note that it utilizes local Reverend Nat’s hard cider) and dessert. And, they take reservations on Opentable.

First course: Salad of arugula with shaved fennel, olive oil-fried almonds, feta and preserved huckleberry vinaigrette
Second course: Braised pork cheeks glazed with Reverend Nat’s Hallelujah Hopricot hard cider, Roy’s Calais flint corn polenta and braised early spring greens
Third course: Butterscotch pot de crème

Which of the Portland Dining Month 2015 restaurants is calling to you? Check out the list at Portland Monthly or the Eater PDX PDM List for their picks, as well as picks from fellow blogger friend Erin at Bakery Bingo and from Annie of Serious Crust and Kristi from Kristi Does PDX (who overall has lots of fun guides of things to do in PDX – not just eating). Blogger friend Meredith at Martha Chartreuse also had put together a great way to break down as you’re reading the list, how to make your own picks!

Filed Under: Festival Event, Food and Drink, Portland Highlights Tagged With: #foodiefriday, #pdxdiningmonth, Foodie Friday, March 2015 dining month, opentable, PDX Dining Month, portland dining month, Portland Dining Month 2015, portland restaurants

Portland Dining Month- A Visit to Park Kitchen

March 5, 2014 by Pechluck 9 Comments

March is Portland Dining Month! During this month, almost 100 restaurants in Portland will be offering a special menu of 3 courses for the low price of $29. In most cases, this prix fixed menu have multiple options for the three courses.

Portland Dining Month 2014 is in March- 3 Courses for $29

I covered some highlights from the list in my last post, and this time I wanted to recap one of my Portland Dining Month dinners, my first one- at Park Kitchen! Located in the North Park blocks, just a little walk from the Pearl but because of it’s location parking is very easy if you need to drive, though it is also only blocks away from the Portland Street Car or the Max Lines. Park Kitchen just recently celebrated it’s 10th anniversary. It is the older sibling restaurant to The Bent Brick (who is also participating in Portland Dining Month).
Park Kitchen in Portland, North Park Blocks

For Park Kitchen Portland Dining Month 3 courses for $29, it is a real value! Let me walk you through the options…

First Course

For the first course, you have the choice of two from their small plates section, either a hot small plate of Chickpea fries with squash ketchup, OR the cold small plate of Winter vegetable salad. I would recommend getting the Chickpea fries because they are famous here, and have been for years. I think there might be a riot if they took these off the menu.
Park Kitchen's Chickpea fries with pumpkin ketchup

In my case the squash ketchup was pumpkin ketchup, and you will want to scrape that empty. When I asked if the chickpea fries could be wrapped up to save room for the other courses and what little pumpkin ketchup was left included in the box, I was lucky enough to even get a little extra in the container, yay! You can see the serving of this hot small plate is more like medium size that can probably feed 4 people. Also you may notice that by total coincidence that Chef Gabriel Rucker (of Le Pigeon) in the background of my shot as he was also enjoying dinner at PK.

Second Course

For the second course, you have the choice of two large plate options, either the Milk braised pork with Your Kitchen Gardens leeks, curds and whey OR the Louisiana rice grits with trumpet royal mushrooms (vegetarian). Both these entrees alone you are already getting your money’s worth via Portland Dining Month, as that pork dish is normally at $29, and I think the grits at $27.

I picked the pork and it’s a beautiful, delicious plate. It made me wonder why it’s been so long since my last visit to Park Kitchen, as this plate was so excellently executed and full of flavors. Sorry, I’ll do better now PK, I will not take you for granted.
Park Kitchen Milk braised pork with Your Kitchen Gardens leeks, curds and whey

Third Course

Sticky date pudding with vanilla-rum ice cream and confit lemon. I love how the very tart confit lemon contrasts with the sticky richness of the date pudding.
Park Kitchen Sticky date pudding with vanilla-rum ice cream and confit lemon

Not part of the 3 courses, but because I needed a little something was this Park Kitchen cocktail of Burnsidecar with Whiskey, Cointreau, Lemon, Angostura Bitters, Spicy Chipotle Sugar Rim.

If you can, make Opentable reservations because if you make you reservation through OpenTable, Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank as long as you use this link. A great majority- 68 last I looked- of the participating Portland Dining month restaurants accept reservations over OpenTable, and Park Kitchen does accept reservations over OpenTable. Last year, more than $1,800 was donated to the Oregon Food Bank to assist with their work of distributing emergency food to hungry families.

Check out the Downtown Portland Portland Dining Month website for a map of where the various participating restaurants are located to be convenient for you, as well as menu listings. If you are interested specifically in which ones have vegetarian or gluten-free options, Portland Monthly has put together a list.

I am also still in the midst of doing a free giveaway where I am giving away a dinner for two at a Portland Dining Month restaurant! You can still enter, but hurry up because it ends Thursday at midnight (when it turns into Friday)! Giveaway has ended
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Cocktails, Festival Event, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: Burnsidecar, Chickpea Fries, cocktail, Milk Braised Pork, North Park Blocks, opentable, Park Kitchen, portland dining month, Sticky Date Pudding

Portland Dining Month: Quartet

June 23, 2013 by Pechluck 7 Comments

I was pleased to see Quartet on the list for Portland Dining Month, as it is a restaurant that is relatively new on the Portland dining scene as it just opened in February. It is located on the South Waterfront, with views of the Willamette River and depending on where you are sitting, several famous Portland bridge (most recognizably Hawthorne Bridge- this post from Portland Travel Tips highlights Portland bridges) or even Mount Hood. The dining room is spectacular, something that fits right in with the fine dining restaurant in one of the big cities like Chicago, New York- specifically this space reminded me a lot of Spiaggia.

The scale of the ceiling to where you are seated in plush chairs is impressive, and one wall of the restaurant is essentially all glass to showcase the waterfront and city viewing. A small moat/river and waterfall runs through dividing the bar area from the dining area. Where we were seated, we were right next to a baby grand piano that you can tell is used to provide live music, though not on the evening we dined. You can tell this is a multi-million dollar space.

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, dining room

The service was smooth and very professional, which stands out in a city where mostly the waitstaff takes a more casual approach to serving its guests, as befits a more casual dining culture. Quartet aims for a more formal dining experience that is refined and takes advantage of the palatial atmosphere. That is one of the reasons I haven’t visited- it really felt like a special occasion type of place, one where we would be completely comfortable dressing up- and most people we saw were dressed more fashionably than I normally see. Despite asking about it a few times this month, F had sprung the 5:45pm invitation/reservation on me after I had already left for work, and I wished I had known beforehand so I could have dressed up a bit, such as worn a summer dress. Although we were not treated differently, both of us felt under-dressed , particularly me trying to hide the fact I was wearing my Nikes for all my walking and jeans under the tablecloth. Meanwhile, F noted on his Foursquare checkin “Way too nice looking in here for the likes of me.”

I started with a spicy drink, the cocktail called “The Strand” with Serrano infused Tequila Avion, fresh grapefruit, honey syrup with a sugar rim that balanced a bit of spicyness with the refreshing grapefruit and sweetness from honey well. We also were given great little dinner rolls that were served with a sweet praline butter that I had entirely too much of. I love the thoughtful touch of detail of a butter that is already soft for spreading, and then to take it up to even more elegance with infusing it with flavor is a big win on the dining experience side.

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, dinner rolls, praline butter

First Course

Q Salad – blended greens, jicama, Cajun pumpkin seeds, lemon-honey-Dijon dressing. It looked nice, but did not seem anything special to me- it could have been from anywhere, and certainly would not have been what I guessed was from a high end restaurant. I could barely detect any dressing at all had been added. I felt mixed. I wanted it to work so much because of the ambiance, yet felt a bit let down, and wasn’t sure whether it was because it was bad day in the kitchen and someone just didn’t dress my salad.

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, Q Salad, blended greens, jicama, Cajun pumpkin seeds, lemon-honey-Dijon dressing

This was then followed by a lemon sorbet palate cleanser, whose tartness was really refreshing. This brought me back into the fine dining mindset that had been established with that roll and flavored butter, ahh.

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, lemon sorbet palate cleanser

Second Course

4 options here, including the vegetarian Butternut squash and Gorgonzola raviolis – hazelnut asparagus, arugula, tomato confit, Pecorino Tartufo, Vincotto, and my choice which was the Flank steak with braised baby bok choy, whipped Yukon Potato mash.

Butternut squash and Gorgonzola raviolis with hazelnut asparagus, arugula, tomato confit, Pecorino Tartufo, Vincotto
Flank steak with braised baby bok choy, whipped Yukon Potato mash
Pan-roasted chicken breast with fried Brussels sprouts, goat cheese-chive grits, cranberries, toast hazelnuts, maple-vinegar sauce
Jade halibut – fried vegetable sushi du jour, yuzu ponzu, ginger-scallion slaw

Both our dishes were beautifully presented, and tasted as fine as they looked.

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, Butternut squash and Gorgonzola raviolis with hazelnut asparagus, arugula, tomato confit, Pecorino Tartufo, Vincotto

Not everything was well though- the miss was definitely an extra side dish I ordered, the Yukon Gold potatoes au gratin with gorgonzola which were a creamy mess. The au gratin that had created the craving for me to order it again, from Urban Fondue, was half the price and 3 times better.
Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, Yukon Gold potatoes au gratin with gorgonzola

Third Course

Key lime pie with fresh berries was decent but nothing that was particularly memorable for me, not sure whether my previous experience with Florida key lime pies has spoiled me so tart I am salivating as I eat them (sounds weird, but it just means it’s soooo good).

Quartet Portland, fine dining restaurant, Butternut squash and Gorgonzola raviolis with hazelnut asparagus, arugula, tomato confit, Pecorino Tartufo, Vincotto

You still have one more week to enjoy Portland Dining Month, so snap up this chance to dine at Quartet- usually the entree prices alone are regularly the price of what Portland Dining Month’s 3 courses for $29 nets you. Come get your fancy fine dining at a unique for Portland high end romantic atmosphere, all at an affordable price while it lasts. Make your Portland Dining Month reservations via OpenTable so that Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank if you go this month! Remember, Portland Dining Month only lasts until the end of June!

Check out my other Portland Dining Month escapades: I ate at Quartet, Accanto, Urban Fondue, Fratelli, H50 out of my initial list!

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: fine dining Portland, high end dining Portland, portland, portland dining month, Quartet, waterfront dining

Accanto – Portland Dining Month + Urbanspoon

June 19, 2013 by Pechluck 14 Comments

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary/provided by Urbanspoon, but they did not require that I write this review. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own, and I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences regardless of whether they were complimentary or not.

I am running out of steam for Portland Dining Month, and thought after the date night at Quartet (upcoming post), that would be the end of it. But, I was thrilled to see in my email inbox from Urbanspoon an invitation to attend an event at Accanto. Accanto is the more casual enoteca sibling to its next door neighbor, fine dining prix fixe and historic Genoa. Both share the same pasta making genius and executive chef Jake Martin and sommelier Michael Garofola, who stopped to chat about Accanto with us for a while about the goals of Accanto and admire the sunshine streaming through the windows. Apparently they keep him in the dark wine cellar 🙂

The airy bright space of Accanto with clean lines of natural wood feels warm and open. There are seats by the window for casual glass of wine and small plates or at the bar, or you can sit at the countertop by the open kitchen to watch the magic happen, or to the sides of the long rectangular space for a bit more privacy with your dining party. Be sure to check out the chalkboard by the bar, which lists the specials. I forgot to take any photos of the insides- I’ll try to correct that in the future.

I was so excited to receive an invitation from an Urbanspoon Event Planner for its first Urban Hour in Portland. This event gave me an opportunity to visit Accanto to sample some of Accanto’s signature dishes and the opportunity to meet and network with other foodies in the Portland area who also participate in Urbanspoon as reviewers, and also an opportunity to meet Carrie Welch.

Carrie is the co-founder of Feast Portland, organizer of an amazing food festival this coming September that includes speakers, panels, chef collaborative brunches and dinners, outdoor markets, cooking demonstrations, competitions, classes… it’s like high quality food channel, but all LIVE and IN PERSON over 4 wonderful days in a setting that is as intimate as a an industry conference of just a few hundred people. And Carrie was so laid back and cool and excited about food, I guess I had this impression that someone who helped produce the insane awesomeness of Feast would be intense and maybe a bit frenetic, but she seemed so approachable and like you could just hang at the bar. I think I successfully held myself back from squeeeing. I think.

I came in to Urban Hour expecting just perhaps a cocktail and a few small plates, but was blown away to hear we would get to taste the Portland Dining Month menu… which means you still have an opportunity to also have this wonderful meal yourself!

You may think Accanto is like any other moderate Italian neighborhood stop, but that’s where you would be wrong. They really take advantage of unique, perhaps even previously never heard of ingredients and bring them to your tastebuds to help you explore how much more is out there. Do not expect your regular Italian food here.

For instance, the first course started with marinated olives and spiced almonds. Sounds simple enough right? But what the heck were these teeny tiny olives I see placed before me- they were almost the size of the almonds, most were half the size. Seriously, if I had the sense to have asked for a piece of bread, I think I might have also poured the marinated olive oil on the bread and eaten that to finish the little container.
Accanto, Portland, restaurant: first course of marinated olives and spiced almonds

Meanwhile, I couldn’t resist trying a few cocktails. I did it for you, it’s all for you. I sipped a bit of my friend’s cocktail, the Lion’s Tail with Temperance Trader Barrel Strength Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, lime and simple which had a nice refreshing beginning that then swirled in spice for an interesting complex but light sipper. Meanwhile, my Guadalajara cocktail with Espolon Blanco Tequila, St Germain, lime, honey, rocks and salt also was refreshing with a nice balance of sweetness and hint of sour that made me long for ocean waves and a beach umbrella over my lounge chair.
Accanto: cocktail of Lion's Tail with Temperance Trader Barrel Strength Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, lime and simple Accanto: Guadalajara cocktail with Espolon Blanco Tequila, St Germain, lime, honey, rocks and salt

For the second course we had the soup of the day, which was described as a potato leek soup with a cream base, everyone was surprised that it was a chilled soup. I found it quite tasty, with a bit of the black pepper lingering to balance out the soft smooth thick soup. The other option for the second course was the salad with arugula, radish snap peas, basil and ricotta salata, I had to wipe my face from the long slivers of arugula and radish punctuated by the bits of the salty ricotta salata and pretty edible flower petals.
Accanto: second course of a chilled potato leek soup Accanto: salad arugula, snap peas, radish, basil vinaigrette and ricotta salata, and a few edible flower petals for touch of pretty

My cocktail was replaced by a new one I ordered, the Meads’ Knees with Beefeater Gin, GL Dansk Mead, honey and lemon up. I can drink this all summer long baby, this was so crisp, light and lovely, with an airy sweet carefreeness to it. You know after you pull all the weeds in the yard on a Sunday afternoon and then come in and have that tall glass of lemonade- that’s what this feels like, just the “aaahhhhhhhhh….”.
Accanto: Meads’ Knees with Beefeater Gin, GL Dansk Mead, honey and lemon up

The main courses, the third course were two pasta options, one of potato gnocchi, lamb bolognese, mint and pecorino that had a chewful of doughy gnocchi and nice tangy savoryness to the sauce, though part of me wish they could have seared the gnocchi a bit or added something for a bit of a crispy or crunchy hint to the softness of the dish. I often hear how gnocchi should be pillowy soft, and I have had some that were ethereal and just melted in my mouth. I had to hold myself back from forking too many of my friend’s dish here also though, but these gnocchi are more substantial soldiers that are a bit more toothsome but definitely not tough, they were staunch, hearty little bites of comfort. Think of them as firm pillows instead of feather pillows, both kinds I would be glad to rest my head / take bites of as they gallantly balance and carry the rich lamb bolognese to me.

I really liked my dish as I took each bite of the capellini with samphire, garlic, chili, and fennel seed. Samphire, which I had never heard of, and which was my word for the day, is a grassy vegetable that reminded me a bit of water spinach, but much thinner and younger, sort of the texture of the adolescent years after a baby microgreen has grown up but not quite to the teenage years of a rapini.

This went beautifully with the capellini: as you can see they are basically the same size between noodle and vegetable. So they intertwined as equally matched dance partners as I twirled it on my fork, punctuated now and then by the red pepper and garlic and fennel for some interplaying types of heat that never got spicy, but yet was there, bringing it all together by providing the simple music, making this capellini and samphire pairing seem so natural.
Accanto: potato gnocchi, lamb bolognese, mint and pecorino Accanto: capellini with samphire, garlic, chili, and fennel seed

We then wrapped up with dessert (yes, there was more!!) of Rose panna cotta with strawberries and lambrusco. I couldn’t bear to leave a bite behind even though I was so full from the generous portion of the above pasta, which I also made sure to leave no strand behind.
Accanto: Rose panna cotta with strawberries and lambrusco

See what I mean by how Accanto seems like the so casual next door neighbor, but can surprise you with sophistication because it turns out your neighbor is actually a multi-millionaire living below his means and it turns out he has some really interesting vacation stories to tell.

They had the menus on the table briefly as we were chatting with cocktails before the olives and almonds and I already wanted to be back (before they mentioned we were eating a 3 course meal, I was already wondering if they would find me weird/stalkery/gluttonous if I stayed and ordered more plates after the event… turned out I had no room after dinner) to try out a small plate of “Burrata strawberries, favas, wrinkled crinkled crumple cress “. Crumple Cress? What are you?? WHAT?! I WANT YOU.

Make your Portland Dining Month reservations via OpenTable so that Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank if you go this month! Remember, Portland Dining Month only lasts until the end of June!

Thank you, Urbanspoon, for helping to introduce me. I also really enjoyed chatting with other food lovers- while not everyone was a food blogger specifically (though several were bloggers), we were definitely all appreciators of foods that have opinions and like the ability at Urbanspoon to explore a wider deeper resource for researching deliciousness, since Urbanspoon allows linking to more full content. Particularly, I like looking there to read reviews in the media as well as on blogs where I can get full stories of the experience as both professional and amateur reviewers are aggregated there on a restaurant review page.

I was pleased to see Urban Bliss Media again, and also meet in person for the first time the wonderful authors of Salt. Water. Coffee. and Talk. Eat. Drink. Portland. who made me wish my blog name had more clever dramatic statements to it (hee), as well as make the acquaintance of Mommy Travels and Urbanspoon reviewer Navalis and… man, I should have taken a photo of the signin sheet we dutifully all signed at the end of the night, I will stalk everyone from the event that was there dutifully and see if I can update this. Make sure you check out these other peeps for more good food advisers to add to your list, and perhaps see their take on the event!

Check out my other Portland Dining Month escapades: I ate at Quartet, Accanto, Urban Fondue, Fratelli, H50 out of my initial list!

Filed Under: Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Sponsored Post Tagged With: Accanto, capellini, Feast Portland, gnocchi, June 2013, lamb bolognese, portland dining month, rose panna cotta, samphire, Sponsored, Urban Hour, Urbanspoon

Fratelli for Portland Dining Month

June 10, 2013 by Pechluck 6 Comments

A friend had recommended this Italian restaurant Fratelli just earlier this week, which I realized I had always passed by and been intrigued but then forgotten about! So when I looked at the list of Portland Dining Month restaurants and saw it on the list as well, I was happy to finally visit. Fratelli is right next to the more boisterous Oba, but I wanted to enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere and although tempted by the outside tables with sangria as I walked by, I stayed firm- and was well rewarded.

This intimate Pearl District restaurant has been serving regionally inspired Italian cuisine since 1998 and features a simple and regional approach to Italian home cooking, with dishes that use seasonal and local ingredients from area farmers. I sat inside to enjoy the rustic atmosphere, but there were also some tables on the sidewalk which were a bit more lively as they were enjoying their happy hour.
Fratelli restaurant, simple Italian, Pearl district, rustic Italian

It was a warm 80 degree day, so I needed some refreshment first. They were great at refilling my pint sized water glass that I kept draining so I was never thirsty, and I also really was refreshed by their version of a Lemon Drop that uses Limoncello.
Fratelli restaurant, simple Italian, Pearl district, rustic Italian, Lemon Drop that uses Limoncello

The 3 courses they are offering for $29 for Portland Dining Month include

First Course
Board of chicken liver mousse and seasonal pickled vegetables

I know not everyone is a fan of terrines and pates, but I love this stuff, and ever since I have been enjoying it in Portland I have thought Portland is fortunate in that it offers the best charcuterie in the world

Second Course
Smoked Mt. Shadow pork loin – French green lentils, preserved lemon

I cannot emphasize how good this dish was, where there was a perfect balance between the taste of the perfectly cooked pork, the smoky flavor, and subtle seasonings and flavors and textures that were contributed with those lentils that were earthy but as comforting as a carb like rice or pasta.

Third Course
Ginger shortbread cake – strawberry mousse, wild plum coulis

After that large second course, this was the perfect light bite to finish off the meal

Make your Portland Dining Month reservations via OpenTable so that Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank!

Check out my other Portland Dining Month escapades: I ate at Quartet, Accanto, Urban Fondue, Fratelli, H50 out of my initial list!

Filed Under: Festival Event, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: chicken liver mousse, fratelli, French green lentils, ginger shortcake, Lemon Drop, limoncello, Mt Shadow pork loin, Pearl District, portland dining month, rustic Italian, seasonal Italian home cooking, smoked pork loin, strawberry mousse, strawberry shortcake

Portland Dining Month 2015

Aviary

Laurelhurst Market

Nedd Ludd

Park Kitchen

Lincoln or Sunshine Tavern

Little Bird

Fogo de Chao

Paley’s Place

Acadia

Accanto

Besaw’s

Meriwether’s

Portland Dining Month- A Visit to Park Kitchen

First Course

Second Course

Third Course

Portland Dining Month: Quartet

Accanto – Portland Dining Month + Urbanspoon

Fratelli for Portland Dining Month

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