Dining out in Portland, Oregon and other Food Travels
Recently, Chef Naoko‘s Bento Cafe remodeled the space next to it on SW 12th and Jefferson. That space recently opened as Shizuku, an expansion to a larger space and a more zen tranquility of a dining space. They still include meals in a lacquered box but also a handful of small plates or a six course kaiseki option. Here’s my closer look at Chef Naoko’s Shizuku.
Today kicks off the 2016 Summer Olympics, also known as Rio 2016 since it is being hosted in Rio de Janiero, Brazil this year. Officially running from August 5 – August 21, besides the ability to admire the best athletes in the world while watching the Olympic events everyday, this time also offers a couple Rio 2016 Olympics specials here in Portland.
I have mixed feelings about this year’s Olympics, which before opening have been rocked by stories reflecting the corruption in Brazil, of doping, and of corporate and Olympic sponsors and the Rule 40 blackout rules. I worry for the physical safety and health (because of Zika virus and contaminated water) of those in the Olympics. Yet at the same time, I have to watch. I have many summer memories of how mesmerizing it is to watching these literally world class athletes in peak condition swish through the water (or into air into the water via diving) in the various aquatic events, which are my favorite of the summer Olympic sports.
Courtesy IOC Media: NANJING, Aug. 23, 2014 (Xinhua) — The multi-exposure photo shows Wu Shengping of China competes during the Women?s 10m Platform competition of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, Aug. 23, 2014. Wu Shengping advanced into the final. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
I also always make sure to catch the Opening Ceremonies (they play at 8 PM today on NBC) as it gives the host country a unique opportunity to highlight and educate the world on their culture and history, and the sheer scale of the various “scenes” of the show numbering hundreds and the entire cast numbering thousands. My favorite remains the Beijing Olympics in 2008 – I remember when I was watching them I was also specifically in Portland to interview for jobs that would finally allow me to move to Portland. The fun tongue in cheek ones in London in 2012 were also fantastic – what will Rio bring this year?
I wonder if it will include a nod to their gauchos – and that brings me to Brazilian food, naturally, to go with these Olympics. My highlights are from a Southern Brazilian steakhouse, Fogo de Chao, and from Southern American inspired restaurant LeChon.
I’ve highlighted Portland’s Fogo de Chão , an authentic Southern Brazilian churrascia, in a previous post where I highlighted each of their available meat options when they had their grand opening of their Portland location 2 years ago. Their fantastic offerings still are available for lunch on weekdays, dinner every day, and brunch on weekends, including their all you can eat salad bar / Feijoada Bar (traditional black bean stew with rice, fresh orange and yucca flour) with Brazilian side dishes, then you can choose to add on the fire roasted parade of meats carved table-side until you can’t take it anymore, or choose the Mango Chilean Sea Bass main dish if you are pescatarian.
I’m also a huge fan of their happy hour weekdays 4:30-6:30 PM because then I can munch on two of my favorite items from them: Picanha Sirloin Sliders, 4 bites of chewy gluten-free Brazilian take on cheese bread of pão de queijo turned into sliders with Picanha (prime cut of top sirloin) while drinking my favorite cocktail from them, and the national cocktail of Brazil, the caipirinha. They have quite a few pretty cocktails to enjoy so don’t overlook them for happy hour even if you aren’t hungry enough for a whole buffet meal. I like to order the Picanha Sirloin Sliders with the Crispy Parmesan Polenta Fries
Fogo de Chão has generously shared their recipe for their caipirinha, as well as creating a great resource guide to Brazil with their Fogo Guide To Brazilian Cuisine that includes
The South American-inspired restaurant LeChon begins screening the Olympic events starting today, August 5th and will continue throughout the 21st! They will also be offering a special “What the Chef is Eating” Brazil menu, which will be served throughout the course of the Olympics which is displayed on the chalkboard by the front bar to the right daily, and they also have a special Olympics Tapas menu.
I’ve highlighted some of their happy hour OMG deliciousness in a previous post, but here’s a look specifically at some of their Olympics specials. The portions you see are from a preview I attended with other bloggers so some were sample size.
Steak Tartare
Cornmeal Porridge with honey chile spiced glazed pork belly, sweet corn, sugar cane syrup, vanilla oil, I think I could have eaten three of these
The most fun Olympic Specials though are the cocktails that have incredible presentations – perhaps a hint of what is to come at the Opening Ceremonies?
This Rompe-hielo (Icebreaker) cocktail seemed to be the favorite of most of us, starring Aguadiente, watermelon juice, mint syrup, lime, and ginger beer comes in a ice sphere that is then broken
The Fogo Laranja (Orange Fire) cocktail with Leblon cachaca, orange juice, lime, cane syrup, Amardo di angostura, and flamed orange is the most dramatic, remiscent of the torch at the Olympics.
The Empressario (The Entrepreneur) cocktail with Bacardi 8 year, Fino Jerez, Sugar Cane, Cola Syrup and finished with Mezcal Mist and Orange Peel looked impressive, though I didn’t get a chance to try it.
Well wait, what’s that misty dish right? Ok, maybe this slightly spicy tuna poke wins for the star of the LeChon Olympics specials they are offering, they made a few a of these dishes for the group and I finished a third of this dish on my own… I didn’t even need the rice and plaintain chip accompaniment, just ate it with a spoon…
Are you going to watch the Olympics 2016 in Rio? What is your favorite summer Olympic sport to watch? And have you been to Fogo de Chão or LeChon yet?
Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but 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.
I admit I’ve been a wine club member and even longer a fan of TeSóAria wines. Recently they have started offering vegan tapas on their daily tapas menu to accompany their dozen or so wines that are available at any one time to taste or purchase by the glass, in flights, or in bottles, and many of those wines are award-winning. At the time of the brunch, they were up to 97 medals!
And now, starting today they have set aside every Thursday for what they call Vegan Thursday: Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables night where all the tapas will be vegan – the menus are available starting at 5 PM. They also will be offering a vegan brunch with wine pairings by reservation only (one seating) every few weeks. It’s not often that you see vegan food paired with wines, and it’s worth highlighting for my vegan friends out and there – and even if you’re not vegan, the Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing is so good you will want it anyway.
The name for TeSóAria Vineyard & Winery comes from combining Terra (earth), Sol (sun), Aria (air and music) which are three important parts that make their wines so unique. Owner and winemaker John Olson and his family love music, and it is part of the TeSóAria experience. At their wine members pick up parties I’ve often enjoyed hearing his children play music and sing, and they host live music in the Portland Tasting Room on Saturdays. While aging the wines in the barrels, TeSóAria plays music through Bose speakers to keep the wine moving – as well as possibly imparting a little extra terroir.
The TeSóAria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing Brunches will be offered every few weeks as a special event – aka, they will not be weekly so check their events listing on the website and sign up for their mailing list to be in the know. The next Vegan Brunch at the Portland Tasting Room is Sunday, July 24th, 11am $45, tout compris. Limited seating, RSVP required to events @ tesoaria.com
The food is inspired newly each time so expect to see new creative additions all the time by Chef Max Germano and Sous Chef Daniel Escalle (seen here preparing the Vegan Cassoulet during the vegan brunch) for what will be on the menu.
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Here’s a look at the inaugural vegan brunch I attended to give you an idea of what the experience could include with the 4 courses with the wine pairings.
Chicory Salad with Roasted Apricot Vinaigrette and croutons paired with 2015 Vermentino Secco and 2014 Field Blend #1. The greens in this salad included endive, frisee, arugula and interestingly some wasabi greens to add a hint of spiciness.
Candied pepitas with radishes and macerated apricots add additional texture and flavors to the plate that I thought were best brought out by the Field Blend #1 since each dish gave me a chance to go a White vs Red: Who Did It Better comparison.
The Field Blend is the red wine that is a tribute to old school wine making where winemakers are more focused on the flavors then getting hung up on specific varietals. TeSóAria, by the way, cultivates more than 25 different varietals from the Southern Oregon Umpqua Valley, Celestina Vineyard in Medford Rogue Valley, riesling from Willamette Valley, and some from Northern California.
Homemade Cashew Cheese Stuffed Peppers with Tabouleh, Sweet Romanesco and Mint Oil paired with 2015 Riesling (sourced from Willamette) and 2014 Bull’s Blood (a Hungarian style red wine). He has a specific way he tells the inspiration story behind the Bull’s Blood name though rest assured there is no bull harmed in the story or in the wine making. One new trivia I learned though is that the Kadarka grape they use for this red were smuggled vines from Hungary that he inherited (he’s a rebel, but didn’t smuggle them in himself, phew)!
With the surprise spiciness from the peppers I thought the Riesling was the winner of this pairing to balance out the dish, though normally I like drinking the Bull’s Blood on it’s own!
Vegan Cassoulet with Fava Beans and Maitake Mushrooms, Chickpea Croutons, Roasted Vegetables, White Miso, and Tahini paired with 2015 Bella Rosa and 2012 Vindetta Reserve.
Cassoulet is traditionally a peasant dish with beans and meat, and I enjoyed here how the use of mushrooms and miso really gave an extra thickness to the cassoulet to make it meaty like without actual meat. For me the Vindetta Reserve red wine was my preferred pairing of the two.
Dessert came as a Rosemary Shortcake with Apricot Jam, Apricots, Lemon Olive Oil, Fried Rosemary and Muscat Agave Nectar. The apricots are macerated in the Bella Rosa that here is also paired with the dish (2015 Bella Rosa Secco).
The other wine pairing here is the 2015 Sparkling Moscato, showing off their recently started TeSóAria Sparkling Wine Program – this particular Moscato just won a Silver Medal at the 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and they were confused/surprised when he entered the wine in a growler! You see, the sparkling wines of TeSóAria are on tap and you can purchase them by the (refillable!) growler here in the tasting room.
Other Excuses/Rationalizations to stop by the Portland Tasting Room:
The vegan only nights are only on Thursdays, but they have also added vegan options to their always available tapas menu that includes choices like
On the Thursday Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables Vegan Takeover day, a recent visit yielded for me choices like
Their tasting menu also includes 5 flight options that include tapas paired with three glasses of wine – cheese, charcuterie, the wine maker’s flight with chef’s choice (1 of the wines will be the live barrel), or a library wine flight with chef’s choice of tapas to pair with the wine.
Suffice it to say you will not lack for choice for types of wine to try at TeSóAria. Usually there are a little more than half a dozen white wine and a dozen red wines to choose by the glass or to make a wine flight, plus 2-3 sparkling wine you can try. Purchase a bottle of wine from the live barrel and they will hand bottle for you and write a custom message.
TeSóAria wines are only available directly from the winery through their tasting rooms, mailing list, and wine clubs.
Locations of TeSóAria Tasting Rooms:
Here’s a look at some of the $29 for 3 courses Portland Dining Month 2016 meals I’ve enjoyed so far. All of these restaurants in this Portland Dining Month 2016 Review are from the list I shared last week of my top picks from the Portland Dining Month list. This is the order I happened to dine at them…
What I really like about Clyde Common‘s options is how it’s a mashup of Northwest goodness with a little bit of a hint of Filipino influence, which is a unique perspective. And those lumpia, which I’ve had before, keep bringing me back, along with the cocktails. Seriously, the lumpia are such an awesome match to alcohol, and every time I see my fellow bar patrons going for the fries (though they are perfectly crispy!) instead of lumpia, I see it as such a missed opportunity. I’ve been visiting the Clyde Common bar for years, but since Chef Carlos Lamagna took over the kitchen I’ve been going more often for lunch and dinner because the food options are now just as compelling as their award winning cocktail program at the bar (OpenTable rez avail). Dinner service starts at 6 PM.
Ataula for Catalan (Spanish) cuisine by James Beard 2016 nominee for Best Chef Northwest Jose Chesa is a must visit with this deal. The first two tapas together are usually worth $19 and a full version by itself of the third course dish is usually $34 and for two people, so I was happy that now there is a smaller portion option so you can try this paella (ha ha and then you can justify ordering another full size one if you wish to try two paellas, or a lot more tapas… muahaha). And, you get dessert with a warm fresh doughnut! Ataula opens for dinner (no reservations except for parties larger than 6 people) at 4:30 PM Tues-Sat.
Willow is just opening in March right now, but they are participating in Portland Dining Month! They don’t have a regular menu available – this is their only menu for the month before shifting to their 6 course tasting menu in April, so here’s your chance to try them out on a smaller scale. Though when I say that, their 3 courses for $29 also included an amuse bouche, intermezzo palate cleanser, and a little coffee with tiny snack, so is that really 3 courses?
They are working using the Tock reservation system that automatically has you pay for the meal and tip in advance, and you have a choice of whether to also order ahead a beverage pairing whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. They are open Tues-Sat with seatings at 6 PM, 8 PM, or 10 PM. You need to get there pretty much on time because of these seatings because they serve all the dishes at once to all the guests when proceeding through the courses. When you arrive, it’s almost like you are at a supper club at someone’s sophisticated apartment – they have a lounge area for you to wait in until they are ready to seat you.
There is also a living room of sorts that later after dinner you can be served coffee. Their small chef’s counter for the meal almost feels like you are setting at a friend’s bar – it is intimate, seating only 10 people, and easy to converse with fellow dining friends.
Their Portland Dining Month food menu for the month (since you get no choice – though they can accomodate some special diets within reason – for instance the person next to me had a vegetarian meal – the Short Rib steak was switched out for Kabocha Squash steak instead) are
I had the wine pairing which included 2014 Franchere Gruner Veltliner, 2013 Santa Cristo Grenache, and Burmester 10 Year Tawny Port, but the non alcoholic pairing was very intriguing as well, as it included Apple and Celery Kvass, Mirepoix Sun Tea, and Sweetened Oat Milk. There were also a la carte beverages available including Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade or Dandelion & Burdock, Lurisia, Burnside Brewing Couch St Lager, pFriem Pilsner, and Breakside Brewing Wanderlust IPA.
I can’t wait to go back to try the 6 course format in the future at Willow!
You can see the full list of participating restaurants at the Portland Dining Month website.
Where have you eaten, or where are you planning to eat? What’s your Portland Dining Month 2016 Review so far of the participating restaurants you’ve been?
When I saw last year that Stupid F***ing Bird was on the list for Portland Center Stage‘s season, I was pretty excited. Around this time last year I attended the PCS production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike which was a fun modern take with references to famous Russian playwright and short story writer Anton Chekhov as well as a bit of meta mocking and mashup of theater and modern times. I really enjoyed the production. Stupid F***ing Bird is similar, but focuses specifically on having fun with Chekhov’s The Seagull. Stupid F***ing Bird at Portland Center Stage is running now until March 27.
Art by Julia McNamara presenting Stupid F***ing Bird at Portland Center Stage. By Aaron Posner Directed by Howard Shalwitz
You don’t have to know anything at all about Chekhov to enjoy Stupid F***ing Bird. It addresses things we can all relate to as a human being- loving someone and wanting to be loved back, wanting to be meaningful, wondering about the point of life. And as you can tell right away from the title, it does so in a cheeky way that doesn’t hold back from expletives and strength of feelings.
If you want to know a little background though, Chekhov spotlights how the everyday includes opposite moods and emotions occurring simultaneously. Overall, his works reflect that life is comedic and maddening and fascinating in being sorta terrible. I believe Chekhov inspired Leo Tolstoy in showing how unhappy families are all unhappy in their own way.
(l-r): Kate Eastwood Norris as Emma Arkadina, Ian Holcomb as Conrad Arkadina, Charles Leggett as Eugene Sorn and Cody Nickell as Doyle Trigorin in Stupid F***ing Bird at Portland Center Stage. Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv
Similar to The Seagull, in Stupid F***ing Bird not a lot of action happens onstage – instead, the audience experiences the conversations and observations that lead before and in the aftermath of those offstage events – and this script follows suit. You are an observer of a group of people and their relationships to each other because drama is people in the everyday, rather than big events. Thankfully, Stupid F***ing Bird trims down the original play to a manageable number of people and acts, and their names are a lot more normal to make it a lean and more effective and clear story. It doesn’t follow the The Seagull directly but more takes inspiration by carrying forward all the intended sentiments but into more current times, and distills it into bigger emotions.
The play brings the weight of the inner turmoils and longings within each of its characters quickly and succinctly – each of the actors and actresses were perfect in completely embodying who they are even without words. Each person is complex – with a positive trait as well as a negative trait that helps you empathize but at the same time shake your head a little.
Con, played by actor Ian Holcomb is the energy that propels the people through the story with his desperation for love and meaning. I don’t know how as an actor he digs in every night to find the emotional energy to pour into portraying the brash ambitions of that kind of young man so well. He really makes it real, helping everyone feel for his “I want to change the world” hopes while also feeling exhausted as he takes himself so seriously. You can relate to the bemusement, patience, and exasperation reactions of the other characters to him.
Meanwhile, you can understand his obsession with the radiant Nina played by Katie deBuys whose presence is like a breath of fresh air compared to all the glass half empty viewpoints everyone else has. She does a wonderful job of presenting that lightness at the start that contrasts sharply as she hardens, with a great assist from wardrobe from floaty ethereal garments to being all wrapped up in layers from coldness at the end.
(l-r): Katie deBuys as Nina, Cody Nickell as Doyle Trigorin, Kate Eastwood Norris as Emma Arkadina, Charles Leggett as Eugene Sorn, Darius Pierce as Dev and Kimberly Gilbert as Mash in Stupid F***ing Bird at Portland Center Stage. Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv
I most fell in love with Kimberly Gilbert’s Mash through her brilliant physical presentation with her body language, fully taking advantage of stage presence. While Con and Nina may be the center of the story, it’s the tragedy and comedy as represented by Nina, or the perfect timing of observations by Charles Leggett as Sorn, that I think are the heart of the play. They experience a quieter, parallel addressing of Con’s and Nina’s yearning for love and meaning, and I think Masha and Sorn serve as the author and audience surrogate. The script also breaks the fourth wall immediately, including us the audience as observers that those on the stage are conscious of and sometimes directly address and interact with at times, and getting meta with it’s source material as well as theater in general and us!
After the play, it’s interesting to chat with others who have seen the play on your order of who you liked the most to least, in order. I won’t give away the end, but it’s one that leaves it open to us and ensuing conversation to decide what it all means, if anything at all…
There is some mature language and sexuality so PCS recommends it for ages 16+. The play notes that “Contains mature language (surprise!) and content, fleeting nudity, fog, loaded guns and theater people.”
Stupid F***ing Bird at Portland Center Stage run until March 27. The performance runs for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission. All performances are at the Armory (128 NW 11th Avenue, in the Pearl District) on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. See more details and other ticket specials for groups, students, military, or learn about rush tickets here.
You can enjoy $10 off select tickets to Stupid &?@#!*% Bird using promo code “SOCIAL”. Note that the promotional code valid only on seating areas 1-3 and is not valid on previously purchased tickets, student tickets or in combination with other discounts and is subject to availability.
As a special for March, PCS is hosting a special March series of Social Hour events featuring local performance companies Hand2Mouth, Performance Works NW, PETE and Shaking the Tree. These are events that allow you to connect with Portland artists prior to a performance on all Thursdays in March from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (includes a beer or glass of wine on PCS) and all Sunday’s in March from 1 to 2 p.m. (includes a complimentary mimosa on PCS)!
Disclosure: I was invited to see this production, but 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.
Pechluck's Food Adventures
Enjoying deliciousness in Portland & wherever travels may lead me.
My name is Pech, short for Pechluck. I enjoy adventures in eating - dining out and cooking and imbibing for local Portland deliciousness or wherever travels lead.
Disclosure: There may be at times sponsored posts where the ticket to an event or meal or sample product to review was complimentary, but 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.
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