Tasty and Alder Highlights

February 13, 2015 by 10 Comments

Back in 2013, purchased a ticket to my very first Portland Food Adventures eating extravaganzas. What Chris puts together is a special dinner that includes the chef coming out to introduce/discuss the dish, each course comes with a pairing, and at the end we each receive an envelope of gift certificates to encourage us to continue our food adventures at picks for eats by the chef. I highly recommend each and every food experience he puts together both for the excellent food and the outstanding atmosphere of the great people you can meet at these gatherings.

That first one I attended was for right before the opening of Tasty N Alder with John Gorham. I loved my experience, and the fact that during that special dinner I got to try and realize I enjoyed so many options (rather than just an entree or so at a time) made me very confident that this restaurant worked for me.

Tasty n Alder restaurant area Tasty n Alder restaurant space, kitchen bar seating Tasty n Alder restaurant space, bar seating Tasty n Alder restaurant space, bar seating

Since then, I can’t even exactly recall how many times I’ve been to Tasty N Alder. I thought I would list my Tasty and Alder Highlight of some of my very favorite things since it’s now the 2 year anniversary of that first experience for me. Specifically, my top things that I insist you must order when you visit.

1. Bloody Marys. Any of them. Below you see the Cuate Mary with chili infused tequila, tomato, pimenton, and calabrian chili, and then another offering called the Dockside with gin, kummel, tomato, old bay, and shrimp. Both were kickin! I’ve had many other delicious cocktails from the bar here, including three Grown Ass Milkshakes that are alcoholic ice cream dessert drinks, so don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to bloody marys.

The Cuate Mary with chili infused tequila, tomato, pimenton, and calabrian chili at Tasty n Alder The Dockside Mary at Tasty n Alder with gin, kummel, tomato, old bay, and shrimp

2. As a dinner  starter, if you are willing to get your fingers a little messy get the Blaze’s Smoked chicken wings. When I attended the Portland Food Adventures dinner, I got to hear from John Gorham the story about how he had these wings at a big get together and hired Blaze after eating these wings.
Tasty and Alder Blaze's Chicken Wings at dinner as a starter are messy but delicious

3. For a less messy start, the Radicchio​​​ with bacon lardons, manchego & six minute eggs is amazing, and you don’t often hear me praise salads. This is available on all their menus throughout the day, be it brunch, mid day, or dinner. It’s one of my top favorite salads in Portland.
Tasty and Alder famous salad, the Radicchio salad with bacon lardons. manchego. six minute eggs Tasty and Alder famous salad, the Radicchio salad with bacon lardons. manchego. six minute eggs

4. Any steak or duck is good, a version is always on the menu at brunch or dinner. When friends are looking for steak but want an alternative to the plated Steakhouse entree experiences at Ringside, Laurelhurst Market or Urban Farmer, the meats of Ox and here at Tasty and Alder are always my recommendation.  That’s because they are cut to be served family style so that everyone can feast on multiple cuts of meat family style.
Tasty and Alder offers lots of meat dishes at dinner that are steakhouse quality but in a format that is tapas style for sharing family style Tasty and Alder offers lots of meat dishes at dinner that are steakhouse quality but in a format that is tapas style for sharing family style

This is the Duck Duck Steak available at Brunch, where it’s served medium rare with an egg and duck fried crispy potato wedges.
Tasty and Alder brunch dish of Duck Duck Steak Tasty and Alder brunch dish of Duck Duck Steak

5. For a dinner side, get the Skillet Corn Cake at dinner.
Tasty and Alder's buttery skillet corn cake side at dinner Tasty and Alder's buttery skillet corn cake side at dinner

6. It is listed as a starter on the dinner menu, but I also like eating the Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata as a side with the meats here.
Tasty N Alder Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata

7. The best option to eat on the Mid Day Menu between 2-5:30 (aka brunch and dinner) besides the already raved about Radicchio salad, is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken
at Tasty and Alder, the best option to eat on the Mid Day Menu between 2-5:30 (aka brunch and dinner) besides the already raved about Radicchio salad, is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Last year, after surprising Portland residents with listing the Oregonion 2014 Restaurant of the Year as no restaurant at all but the concept of restaurant pop-ups, the next article of dining note was the list of five best new burgers in Portland.  I guess they define “new” pretty broadly since the Number 1 burger from Tasty and Alder, has-been  open and offering that burger for a year and a half almost at the time of the article.
Tasty N Alder burger, composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles. Tasty N Alder burger, composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles. alt=

But, I can’t say the burger isn’t tasty. The Tasty N Alder burger is composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles.
Tasty N Alder burger, composed of Cascade Natural Chubut cheese and bacon, with a hazelnut romesco sauce and housemade pickles

I don’t think it ascends to the height of the Toro Bravo burger, whose burger also boasts romesco and bacon, and I personally like the Manchego cheese better than the Chubut. Not sure how much it matters, as both are the creations of the Gorham empire of restaurants though. The Tasty and Alder burger is available at both brunch and dinner, but not mid-day – which is fine, because if you really want a sandwich get the Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish instead.
Tasty N Alder Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish Tasty N Alder Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish Tasty N Alder Steakhouse Sandwich with Cascade Natural smoked coppa steak with fried onions & horseradish

At just 2 years old, Tasty and Alder has settled into executing good dishes without the mad rush of people and lines that it had during its first few months. The only time I’ve seen a line now is on brunch on the weekends, but that’s easily avoidable since they serve that brunch menu everyday they are open.

Meanwhile, I continue to jealously look at the recaps of other Portland Food Adventures that I don’t get to attend, even though I just went to one (and recapped) a few weeks ago featuring Chef Ben Bettinger at Simpatica. Chris is expanding his Portland Food Adventures to now go abroad with the Ataula Chef Jose Chesa. I love and fully support the idea of a food vacation I don’t have to plan! If you get a chance I highly recommend trying a PFA experience to see the fun of these food parties yourself, and the maybe new regular stops you may learn about from the food adventures.

Have you been to Tasty n Alder yet, or any o the Gorham restaurants? What are your favorite dishes at them? 

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Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

April 22, 2013 by 2 Comments

I attended another Caprial + John cooking class last week, this one centered on Modern Pot Pies. This was held again at their Chef’s Studio 2818 S.E. Pine, and included

  • Radicchio Salad with Black Pepper Fromage Blanc Dressing with toasted hazelnuts
  • Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato Crust
  • Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower Crust
  • Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust
  • Buttermilk and Lime Curd Layered Panna Cotta

As usual, the class started with Cappy opening up various wines for the class- it is BYOB- so that us students could sip and swirl as they started teaching us the various courses that we would also be eating as our dinner. Recipes are already printed with our names for our places at the table so we can take notes as they cook and we drink.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

My favorite of the three pies was the Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese crust. The roasting of the vegetables just brought out a wonderful depth of flavor that I really liked and could make even for F and I (without the bacon). The vegetables in the recipe include onion, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, fennel but Cappy talked about how she loves to throw in swiss chard or kale too, and I love that idea.

The vegetables were already roasted when we arrived as that takes more time, so mainly John and Cappy talked about creating the ricotta crust on top- and I totally agree that the topping alone just thrown with pasta would be delicious. Putting pieces of the recipe on pasta was mentioned a few times- perhaps because they happened during the class to be on day 5 of a no carbs no alcohol diet in preparing to rest their stomach and livers for an upcoming trip to France.

She also made her own ricotta for this recipe using milk, cream, and white vinegar, and talked about her obsession (which will soon become mine) with being able to recreate a baked ricotta dish (just plain pressed ricotta- not ricotta cake) and finally tracking it down in some Australian recipe.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

At the same time, the pork for the Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower Crust was cooking and the cauliflower steaming away in the background: they are definitely multi-taskers in the kitchen. John showed us his trick to very efficiently dice an onion which includes flattening one side and not cutting fully through when doing the first rows so everything holds together at first until you cut the rows the other way.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class dicing an onion Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class dicing an onion Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class dicing an onion Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class dicing an onion

As John sauteed the pork and onions and added potatoes, Cappy talked to us about the panna cotta part of the Buttermilk and Lime Curd Layered Panna Cotta, specifically the combining of cream, sugar, gelatin, and buttermilk so that it would then have time to chill as we returned out attention back to the pies.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

Back with the Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower crust recipe workstream, John zested and squeezed lemons and prepared the mashed cauliflower crust with all its cheesyiness thanks to parmesan and goat cheese. We agreed we could enjoy that mashed cauliflower just as too.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

We finished the Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust assembly and put it in the oven.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust

Meanwhile, the pork was ready to be placed in the pan and topped with the cauliflower mixture, and also put in the oven.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

At this point the Bacon and Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Crust was almost ready, so Cappy quickly talked through the importance of soaking the radicchio while John prepared the dressing and talked through how to attempt to fix the dressing if it breaks. And then it was time to eat the salad and that first pie!
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Bacon and Herb Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie with Ricotta Cheese Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class

The Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower Crust didn’t seem as seasoned as it should be. In order to make it for a meal for vegetarian F, I will probably take their other suggestion which is to just make the cheesy mashed cauliflower and fry those into cauliflower cakes!
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower Crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Pork and Lemon Pot Pie with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower Crust

While we were eating the pork and lemon pot pie with mashed cauliflower, John showed us how to create the mushroom leek mustard and garlic white wine (well, they actually used vermouth) cream sauce for the Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato crust. I don’t have a mandoline, so although I like the idea I’m not sure when I’ll execute this recipe.
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato crust Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Braised Leek and Chicken Pot Pie with Crispy Potato crust

Everyone was close to drinking up every last drop of that Buttermilk and Lime Curd Layered Panna Cotta. Because it was not chilled overnight it was softer than a usual panna cotta, but all the flavors were there, and everyone liked how it wasn’t too sweet (thanks to the buttermilk) and was so light and refreshing. It’s a super simple dessert to make, although since F can’t have gelatin I wonder how agar will substitute in…
Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Buttermilk and Lime Curd Layered Panna Cotta  Caprial + John: Modern Pot Pie cooking class Buttermilk and Lime Curd Layered Panna Cotta

I always enjoy their classes and the little stories they tell and tricks and tips they offer that are outside what you would find in a recipe. They have classes once a week- check out their website to see the menus of their upcoming classes (they always create their own menu for the class), or see if you are interested in attending one of their monthly supper clubs!

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Tasty N Sons: Happy Hour and Dinner Visits

July 1, 2011 by 1 Comment

I haven’t been to Tasty N Sons for brunch yet. But, I have been then for happy hour and for dinner.

Happy hour is busy, so be prepared to rub elbows at the bar or communal dining table and possibly wait for a seat. After all, you can get their famous (and justifiably so) super tasty Griddled Bacon Wrapped Dates with maple syrup & almond. At happy hour these are $1 but but normally they are $2 a piece. Instead of bread they give a salted nuts at the bar, but I wish they had given me bread so I could have mopped up that plate.

Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Griddled Bacon Wrapped Dates with maple syrup and almond

You can also get 30% off at their happy hour prices on their also well reviewed Radicchio with parmesan reggiano vinaigrette. It is really good with its crunch of the radicchio with slight bitterness, tamed with the creamyness of the parmesan and the slight acid tang of the vinaigrette- and the portion is enough for two people.

Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Radicchio with parmesan reggiano vinaigrette

Also wonderful is their Tasty Mary, concocted from monopolowa vodka, tomato, worcestershire, horseradish, lemon, sriracha, celery salt rim, plus house pickles (pickled carrots, mushroom one visit, pickled carrots and green bean and beet on another visit as per photo), along with the traditional celery. I also had a delightful apricot fizz while sitting at the bar. I’ve never had a bad drink that had prosecco as one of the ingredients: bubbles makes everything better.

Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Tasty Mary, concocted from monopolowa vodka, tomato, worcestershire, horseradish, lemon, sriracha, celery salt rim, plus house pickles Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Apricot Fizz

On the other hand, I was very disappointed by the Potatoes Bravas with over easy egg. Although they also own the well loved tapas restaurant Toro Bravo, these potatoes bravas were not anything special- essentially potatoes with some thin spicy sauce stirred in and that’s it.

Also, the Tasty N Son’s happy hour dish of Pretty Damn Good Chicken Strips spent too much time in the deep fryer so the outside had absorbed the oil taste, though the insides were still soft and tender. Chicken strips are about quality meat and good execution but the latter didn’t work out in this instance- so even though this small plate was 45% off dinner price it still wasn’t a value. They definitely did not live up to its advertisement when I had them and could have been any chicken strips at any random corner bar.

Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Potatoes Bravas with over easy egg Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Pretty Damn Good Chicken Strips

I came for dinner specifically for “The Toro Burger” with bacon, manchego and romesco. Local blogger Nick Zukin (known as Extra MSG– his list of restaurants was the basis for my eating tour before moving to Portland that finally convinced me I could live in what was at the time very granola-ly hippie Portland even after a couple other visits which were just meh) and restaurateur (of Kenny and Zuke’s Delicatessen) went on a Burgerquest last year and this was ranked #3 of those 72 burgers he had in Portland.

Tasty N Sons The Toro Burger with bacon, manchego and romesco Tasty N Sons The Toro Burger with bacon, manchego and romesco

This burger definitely deserves its ranking among the top 5 in Portland. The fries were nothing special but were adequate. But the burger- it is an incredible burger- it has the right balance of a sweet soft but not too soft bun to hold it together, really juicy flavorful burger meat, and toppings that add richness and contrast to give you a good balance so it never tasted greasy.

They use their same housemade pickles from the Mary here, that gives the burger a great undercurrent of sourness without being too sour and a bit of crispness along with the slightly palate cleaner of lettuce. And then there’s the sharp buttery ness of the manchego cheese and then romesco adding more intensity then the average cheese or ketchup/mustard/aioli/whatever accompaniment (romesco is a sauce originating from Spain that mixes nuts, olive oil, and a kind of Spanish sweet roasted pepper). I even liked the fact that the bacon was placed in an “X” like marking a treasure so I can nibble at the crispy ends sticking out.

Tasty N Sons The Toro Burger with bacon, manchego and romesco

This burger is available at both Toro Bravo and at Tasty N Sons- but with all those delicious little tapas plates to choose from at Toro Bravo, it seems a shame to pass up that opportunity to order 2 more plates in order to have this burger (and also stray from the tapas theme). If you just want the burger, or the dates, I would recommend Tasty N Sons over Toro- though both offer some great food that doesn’t shy away from bold flavor that more than make up for some of the dishes that might miss.

The atmosphere of Toro Bravo is louder and busier and crowded like being at a cool bar, while Tasty N Sons is definitely more relaxed with more air and space around its tables and could even be suitable for a family and conversation where you don’t have to strain your voice through the meal to talk to your dining companions- so it depends on what kind of energy you are looking for.

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