Bird Bottle Opener

I needed a new bottle opener. The one I'd been using was one of those 99 cent grocery store church key deals. It did the job, but wasn't anything to look at. I kept it atop the fridge for easy access. But, the cheap metal began to bend, and with every bottle I opened, it became more and more misshapen. Hell, the metal looked like it was about to snap in two.

So, when I ran across this beauty at Canoe, I knew I had to have it. My new bird opener wasn't inexpensive, but it looks damn good. This was designed be legendary Japanese iron artist Tadahiro Baba. The beauty if this lovely piece is that the beak opens tin tans (like pineapple juice or like product) while the back of the foot and the tail feathers work in concert to open bottles (like beer or the bottle of ginger beer for Moscow mules).

Here's the rough translation I was given at Canoe of the booklet that came with the opener...

Without speaking of "material," we cannot talk about "craft." Because, character of Iron and Copper have been decorated people's life with craftman's knowledge and skills. We could say that we need space for "crafts" in current society which had broaden and materialized lifestyle. However, "new relationship between human and things" must be created with harmony of design and material. In the past, we had almost lost wealth of our spiritual life to industrial society. We should not lose our humanity to civilization.

European Oils has saxaphones?!?

Just listening to Destroyer's Rubies (for the millionth time), and for the first time ever, I heard the baritone sax in the middle of the song European Oils. Yeah, it's clearly there at the end, but I had never noticed it in the middle before. Damn I love hearing new things in music I've listened to again and again...

Sunday Supper #3

My good friend CC has beaten me to blogging about our dinner on her blog, but I thought I'd throw up a few pics of my own...

What happened to Apizza??

I used to love Apizza. Went last night with CC, and the new space feels empty, unfinished, and cold. We actually waited longer just so we could sit on the old side. Got the usual, the amore, a cesar, and Caldera pale ale. The food isn't what it used to be, either. Not bad, just not the epiphany it used to be. I gotta say it, I don't think the wait is worth it anymore.

Kitchen Bling

I've had Teflon pans for too long. With the health warnings piling up, I knew I needed to change. Recently, the nonstick coating on one of the sauce pans began to flake. That was really the final straw.

And, if you're going to switch up, why not go all the way.

So, I sprung for the All-Clad Stainless starter set. Damn, they work absolutely. They are a true joy to cook with. I'll need to add a couple of pieces here and there, but this 9 piece set is really tight.

Kitchen bling, indeed.

Pizzetta 211, SF

So it's Sunday eve, my last night in SF. -M- and I scour the Slow Food Guide to SF, that Eat Drink Shop SF book, and Chowhound. We aren't quite sure what we are looking for...

Then, somehow, we come across Pizzetta 211. I think we saw it first in the Eat Drink guide. We checked Chowhound again to see how it fared. Lo and behold, a positive review from Kim at Apizza Scholls. That was good enough for us.

Pizzetta 211 is a little out of the way. It's in the Richmond (hope I've got that right, -M-, maybe you can clarify if needed?). We park a few block away and walk on over. There is a bit of a wait as the place is VERY small. Counting outside seating, there can't be many more than 25 to 30 seats. We are told 30 min, but a table gets up sooner than expected, and the wait is more like 5 min.

We order a few things to try...

• White bean and kale soup (or some kind of green, maybe chard) - Tomato-y and delicious. A good start to the evening.
• Artisan cheese salad - Perhaps the only down part of the meal. A plate of slightly overdressed greens and some hunks of cheese on the side. When asked which 'artisan' cheeses they were, they told us cheddar, brie, and a sheep's cheese. All tasty, but not an amazing dish.
• Pizza 1, a basic margherita - Tomato base, mozz cheese, and basil. These are small-ish pizzas (maybe a little smaller that Pizza Fino's small [and yes, I will review them soon]), so -M- and I are able to polish them off with no problems. Good crust, top notch toppings, very satisfying.
• Pizza 2, we go out on a limb - Olive oil base, sheep's milk cheese, pine nuts, rosemary, and farm fresh eggs. We were a little confused about the farm fresh eggs. We imagined hard boiled, which seemed weird, so we inquired. No, in fact, they are over medium. The pie goes into a hot over first, with no egg, to set the crust and melt the cheese. Then, a couple of eggs are cracked on top, and the pie is put into a slightly cooler oven to cook the eggs. When they come out, the eggs are a prefect over-medium. We ask for an egg on only one side, not sure if we are going to like it. We crack the yolk and spread it around. One bite and we're hooked. So rich, so velvety. Why isn't this being done everywhere (although, when I mention it to Queen E, she says they have this over at Nostrana. I'll have to investigate).
• Scharfenberger flourless cake. A good ending to a lovely meal.

The wine list is small but good. Surprisingly it is mostly French, so you know I am happy. We get, through the course of the night, 2005 Chidaine Touraine Blanc, 2005 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone, and 2005 Joguet Chinon (Petite Roches, I believe...) And, of course, I get coffee with the chocolate cake.

A spectacular last meal in SF. Good call, -M-.

PS, image borrowed from http://bayarea.typepad.com/

Sparklehorse at the Wonder

Yep, I go see Sparklehorse again, this time at the Wonder Ballroom in PDX. Smaller space, louder sound, basically the same set. This time, I was much closer. Fast songs fared better then slow songs at the Portland show, basically the opposite of the SF show.

Pre-concert, I ate over at Pok Pok. 45 min wait for a seat at the Whiskey Soda Lounge (and I was already running late) so I grab a few items from the cart and sit outside. It's cool but not cold.

Sparklehorse at the Fillmore

I'm traveling in CA this weekend. Sat and Sun in San Fran, Monday in LA.

Who is playing at the Fillmore while I am in SF?? None other then the mighty Sparklehorse. Yeah, I am going to see them in Portland on Tuesday too, what of it? -M- picked up tickets for us a few days ago. How thoughtful. The Fillmore is nice. The show is spectacular. Although Sparklehorse is really, for all intents and purposes, only Mark Linkous, the live band was a four piece (including long time collaborator Johnny Hott on drums and pump organ, Chris Michaels on guitar and keyboards, and Paula Jean Brown on bass and vocals. They were occasionally joined by a fifth, unnamed person on pedal steel guitar).

The first part of the show relied heavily on the first album, Vivadixie... In fact, they opened with an amazing rendition of Spirit Ditch. Unfortunately, my favorite record, It's A Wonderful Life was neglected a little (they did play Apple Bed and Eyepennies, though). Two encores. The first ended with Homecoming Queen, which would have made for a nice, bookended concert. The second one song encore was Shade and Honey, not a bad song, but certainly a bit of a weak end. Oh well.

It seemed to me that the slower, less rockin' songs held together better in a live setting. Not that the rockers were bad, they just seemed to lose some of the vitality they possess in the recorded versions.

Yep, looking forward to the show at the Wonder Ballroom on Tuesday.

Oh, photo credit (shh... without permission) : Magnet

N. Lombard Taco Taste Test, pt. 1

My friend, the ADC, has decided to eat at all the taquerias on N. Lombard over the course of the next year. I'm trying (with little luck thus far) to convince her to try them all over the course of a week or two, and hopefully expand it to all of north Portland.

Last weekend, we grabbed waffles and coffee at the Flavour Spot (I'll try and post more on that later), and drove all the way up Lombard, way past St. Johns, up to Terminal 4 and beyond. Then, we turned around and drove back, taking copious notes on every taqueria we came across. Address, hours, etc. I'm pushing to include one that is actually on Portland Hwy (which is what Lombard turns into)...

Anyway, here is the preliminary map.

If you have any suggestions for judging criteria, I'd love to hear them. Watch this space for future reports...

PS - Yes, I know Google has misspelled Javier's Taco Shop. Unfortunate, but not my fault.

Oregon Trail Sourdough Culture

I just ran across this on Boing Boing while waiting in the airport Saturday morning. I've never been able to bake a decent loaf of bread, but I'm thinking about gettin' me some.

Which one are you??

Great post from Indexed, tracked down via Boing Boing, who has this to say...

"If you arrange the 7 Deadly Sins around a heptagon label them A-G, and connect each Sin to the others, you get 21 secondary sins. For instance Sloth + Pride = Slackers."

Short Ribs

CC had the idea to start up Sunday Supper, and I of course took the idea and ran with it. What you’ll see below is a mercifully pared back version of what I had originally envisioned…

But first, the guest list. The gardener and the barrister, who I don’t see nearly enough, agreed to join us. CC was of course in attendance, and my good friend NT also made it over.

CC and I spent the better part of the day shopping, prepping, drinking a little wine, and listening to music. We were, however, no where near ready in time. Last minute details to finish up, you know, frying up pancetta for a crispy soup topping, grating cheese for the polenta, things like that… Luckily, the gardener was up for helping us set the table.

Also, check out my new salt setup... Cyprus black salt, coarse French grey salt, Redmond Utah sea salt, and Hawaiian Alea red salt...

So, here’s the meal, laid out course by course:

To start, n/v A. Soutiran Grand Cru Brut (100%) – Oh, the percents. These will refer to how much of said wine was consumed. Sort of a guide to how much the group liked this or that particular bottle. Bubbles are fully consumed.

Course 1 - Celery Root Bisque. I used veggie stock in place of the water that was called for. I’d found the water version, well, watery, and wanted it to have more flavor. I think I’ll make my own celery stock next time. Bisque was good, good texture and flavor, but not celery-y enough in my opinion. The crispy pancetta topping was really great, though!

• 2005 Dom. De Triennes Viognier “ Sainte Fleur” VdP du Var (80%)
• 2003 Francois Villard Condrieu De Poncins (50%, criminal! This wine was great)
• 2002 Marc Tempe Pinot Blanc “Priegal” (20%, this was going through a secondary fermentation, and was a little spritzy, but still tasted good)
  

Course 2 – Braised Short Ribs with Parsnips and Bacon. I had intended to write this up earlier so I wouldn’t forget too much about the meal, but here it is, a week later, and I’ve forgotten plenty.

We roast the short ribs in the oven, drain fat, deglaze roasting pan, add all to the Dutch oven, add a bottle of Zinfandel, some parsnips (my first experience with them, nicely spicy, cloves and allspice, very cool vegetable, this 'parsnip'), and bacon. We served this up with a little creamy parmesan polenta and some broccoli rabe.

• 2001 Dom. Ott Bandol Rouge (80%, a pretty rare bottle. Too young, even when decanted)
• 2000 Dunham Syrah (30%, NT claims this tastes of Malibu, all coconut and vanilla, like the overly oaked wine it is)
• 2000 La Cave des Vignerons de Chusclan CdRV Chusclan “Les Monticaults” (100%, perhaps the winning red wine. We thought it might have been over the hill, but it was soulful and satisfying)
  

Course 3 – Cheeses. Again, I should have written down the amazing selections CC picked from Pastaworks, but I didn’t. Maybe she can enlighten us with a comment? Anyway, there were amazing cheeses, pecans, hazelnuts, dried cherries, and currants. Served with an amazing 2003 Champlou Vouvray Trie de Vendage “CC” (100%, a sweet Vouvray in a 500 ml btl, fabulous!)

Course 4 - Chocolate Espresso Truffles, Sea Salt Caramels, and Candied Citron. We serve this up with a little cup of French press coffee (COE, Columbia Finca el Placer).

At the end, we all sat back, completely full and satisfied.

Pizza and Beer

Friday night. I'm exhausted. Long week at work. What I want is a little comfort. Pizza and beer pop into my head, and it seems so right.

On the way home, I swing into New Seasons to pick up some supplies. Lagunitas IPA, pizza crust dough, some fresh mozzarella, spicy Italian sausage, a bulb of fennel, and a little Pastaworks marinara. Oh, and a cucumber for a little salad. It ends up being a pretty full bag of food.

So, once I get home and get the mail, I put on some music. My friend J.R. has recommended 2 bands for me to check out, The Hold Steady and The Walkmen. I like the Walkmen better, and put them on to cook to. To me, the sound a little like French Kicks, but good...

I preheat the oven, put the sausage in a pan to cook, and get to chopping. I'm tempted to pull out the mandolin to cut the fennel, but I still fear this tool after a mishap years ago that left me, at least temporarily, without a fingerprint on my right index finger... I end up with my big, trusty chef's knife instead. I don't get the fennel as thin as I'd like, but I think it'll be good enough.

Next, I slice up the two balls of mozz I have. I wonder if this is going to yield to much cheese, but it ends up being just right.

Finally, I knead and roll out the dough on my lightly floured counter. I pull out the oven rack (which is supporting the pizza stone) and assemble. Crust, light saucing, mozz all over, thinly sliced fennel, Italian sausage, salt, pepper, and oregano.

I put the whole thing back into the oven, and 15 min later, I have a tasty little pizza.

I've been debating buying a peel for making pizzas. Any one have experience with these at home? Is it worth it? I find that by dressing the pizza on the stone, the crust gets a little hard on the bottom before the top is crisp and the cheese in melted.

I eat the pie with a few beers and watch the excellent, riveting documentary Unknown White Male.

All in all, a nice evening.

"Cleaner, healthier, cheaper and kinder."

And creepy.... Sounds like a Radiohead song...

Check out the article "Will the Petri dish put Daisy out to grass?" from the Times Online.

SF Road Trip pt. 3 - Sunday in the city

Cole Coffee

I have this habit of planning a meal or two ahead. You know, asking what is for breakfast tomorrow before we begin dinner tonight…

Before we are served at Chez Panisse, -M- and I ask the experts where we should get coffee in the morning. We briefly consider both Blue Bottle and Ritual, but then rule them out, as we are in Berkeley and they are in the city (you know, San Fran). J finally settles on Cole Coffee, a joint not too far from where we are staying. Before the end of the night, we get directions.

The next morning, we rise and hit the road. Cole Coffee is right where it’s supposed to be. We park and head inside. I had been told that they brew to order. Each cup of coffee ground and brewed as you watch. This isn’t the fancy machine they have down at Stumptown on Belmont, just good, old-fashioned drip. They’ve put together this contraption that can hold 6 or so cups, and dangling above, a filter holder. When the drips stop, you grab your cup and enjoy.

-M- had soy latte and a cinnamon twist. I had coffee. Very dark and rich, just how I like it. It was a little full, so I couldn’t put as much half and half as I wanted into it, but I tried (so now it was WAY too full, and began to drip on my hand from under the lid).


Ferry Market

-M- wants me to see the Ferry Market. We go to CC’s favorite chocolatier, Recchiuti, as well as Boulettes Larder, where I pick up some Japanese salt with gold flecks. Luckily we are there before the crowds show up. Things are just beginning to open, and we have no problem browsing leisurely.


La Palma

After the market, we rendezvous with S and J. We are getting a driving tour of the city. -M- is looking for ‘hoods for apartments.

Lunchtime arrives, and we head to the mission district for tacos. S knows of a great little place, La Palma, which bills itself as a ‘Mexica-tessen.’ More of a market with a deli in back. Piñatas line the ceiling.

They naturally make their own tortillas here. We get some tacos, both pollo and carnitas, and a cheese pupusa . Not bad: tasty, but not spectacular. We eat right outside on the street corner.

To be honest, I was more impressed with their lard, tortillas, salsas and various grains and masas than I was with the food itself. I almost bought a tortilla press…


Good Luck Dim Sum

I still don’t quite get dim sum. –M- and I attempted it in LA. S swears by this place Good Luck Dim Sum. We get seamed BBQ pork bao, pork shu mai (which were greasy but good) Chinese chives, and a couple of fishy items as well.

We get them to go, and take a cool ride through the Presidio. We park and eat right on the bay, under the Golden Gate, where Kim Novak, playing Madeline in Vertigo, leapt into the water.


Blue Bottle Coffee

I’d found the place while doing some research. I was trying to track down the best coffee in SF, as -M- wouldn’t be able to get to Stumptown quite as often as she used to. Both Ritual and Blue Bottle were the two that kept popping up.

The tour continues to Hayes Valley, a nifty collection of shops and a park full of utopic hula hoopers. Stuck in an ally past the homeless and numerous drug deals, a line ran out the garage door of a fairly nondescript and unmarked coffee shop… The smell was fantastic. Again with the individual drip coffee, I’m seeing this everywhere. We want to get some beans for Margo’s place, but they refuse to grind, so we go away with just a cup for me. Again, dark and tasty. I prefer this to Cole, but the attitude has totally put -M- off.


Pasta Shop

We’re tired after a long day of driving. We hit the 4th Street shopping area of Berkeley to pick up a few wine glasses, dish towels, and the like for -M-‘s temporary place of residence.

We decide that our last night in SF will be spent at home. We get salami and cheese, some bread from Acme, and a few other tasty treats (Cyprus black flake salt, cacao nibs) that actually are not for dinner. We are unimpressed with the produce and wine selection (we really want clementines, and theirs leave a lot to be desired). The store reminds me a little of Pastwaorks and Elephants Deli combined, although, in my opinion, not as cool as either of these Portland institutions. Finnochiona, Genoa, and mild coppa. St. George and a fresh goat cheese with herbs.


Tacubaya

As we are checking out of the Pasta Shop, the aroma hits us. The unmistakable smell of little tacos and corn tortillas. Should we stop in for a few? Of course!

We get a carnitas and an asada taco, as well as a little plate of perfect chips and so so salsa. Also, a litlle limonada. Very satisfying. We knew we were in for a treat when we spotted carnitas on a spit with a chunk of pineapple melting over the top.


Whole Foods

Yeah, not a SF institution, but we needed a bottle of wine (we got a 2004 Tempier Bandol) and a little fruit (a couple of clementines) for diner. Also, a couple bottles of water. We head back to the house, get Mr. Kitty some kibble, and chill. Later, we eat the spoils of the day and watch the latest episode of Top Chef on -M-‘s iPod (all the while chiding Tom Calicchio as he chides the contestants. His food at CraftSteak in Las Vegas was some of the most disappointing food I ate last year).

The evening was simple and plain, but it was very satisfying, and true to our style (and besides, after the drive, late dinner, and all day in the city, we needed a low key evening).


Peet’s

I really wanted to head back out to Cole Coffee this morning, but time just wouldn’t allow it. We get up a bit late, and leave the house even later. Luckily, the highways are fairly clear and we make it to OAK in plenty of time. I check in at the airport, and amazingly, I get an A boarding pass for my flight on Southwest. As I walk to the gate, I pass by numerous Starbucks. I’m hoping that there is another option up the terminal, and sure enough, there is a Peet’s. Not great, but still miles better that the over-roasted (oft burnt) over extracted sludge Starbucks pumps out. I also pick up a little decongestant and a bottle of Fiji water.

And with that, I’m on my way back to rainy, cold PDX. Thanks, -M-, for a fantastic trip.

SF Road Trip pt. 2 - Chez Panissse

We FINALLY pull in to Berkeley. We are a bit late, so -M-‘s friends pick us up (giving us time to change and get freshened up a little from 11 hours in the car). After a surprisingly short car ride, we get to Chez Panissse.

One of -M-‘s friends works there, so we sneak into a super secret parking area and head inside. Everyone greets us, and we are shown to our booth in the café upstairs. While we are looking at the menu, we get a few glasses of wine. I got the 2006 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, S gets 05 Colle Stefano Verdicchio di Matelica, -M- and J both have the 2005 Tempier Bandol rose.

We get a bunch of apps to start with, all to share. All are well crafted, hyper local, and delicious. Here’s the rundown:

Bread from Acme bakery in SF
Pizzetta with nettles and ricotta salata
House-cured bresaola with rocket, new oil, and Parmesan
Baked Sonoma goat cheese with garden lettuces
And, one other with fish. I didn’t partake, so I’ll not list it here.


S brought a bottle of 2004 Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir which we enjoyed with the meal. I still took a long and carefully glance over the wine list. Well chosen, priced right, and nicely organized…

We all agree to get what we want entrée wise, but promise to share. S and I both get the ‘grilled heritage pork chop with crispy potatoes and frisee and apple salad.’ -M- gets the ‘braised Marin Sun Farms short ribs with kale and cardoon crostini and anchovy-green garlic salsa verde.’ J gets the ‘pan fried Hoffman Farm chicken breast with artichokes, mint, pine nuts, and chopped egg.’

Bites of chicken, pork, and beef cross the table as we all take turns tasting each others’ dishes. I think we agreed that the chicken topped the bill. My second favorite was the short ribs. My entrée was my least favorite (although still pretty damn good).

Desserts we handled in similar fashion. We ordered up a number of dishes and shared. Here’s the list…

Meyer lemon profiteroles with caramel sauce and kirsch cream
Passion fruit ice cream with orange confit and pizzelle cookies
A bowl of Fairview Gardens clementines and Barhi dates
Mocha custard with bittersweet chocolate curls and crème Chantilly

Oh, and of course Moscato d’Asti.

Of the bunch, my pick was the Meyer lemon profiteroles. Absolutely stunning.

On the way out of the dining room, I spy a dessert I wish we had gotten, the ‘red and white wine-poached pear tart.’ This would have been served with vanilla ice cream. Sounds a little plain-Jane, but it look gorgeous…

On our way back to the car, S gives us a tour of the restaurant, the kitchens, wine cellar, cheese locker, the drying/curing meats, whole pigs hung in the walk in. Everything was just as I had imagined.

A truly lovely evening I won’t soon forget.

Blueplate Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain

I met S at the (apparently) hard to find Blueplate Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain (308 SW Washington). This is Jeffery Reiter's (ex-Park Kitchen) little lunch destination. There is the counter (where we sat) and an additional half dozen or so tables.

The food is simple but delicious. They offer a mere handful of items each day. Each dish prepared while you wait. And, they've got an honest to god soda fountain. They make sodas to order.

S and I both get the French Dip. Jeff cut the roast beef by hand, piled it lovingly onto a grilled roll, an served it up with jus and a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.

-M- was SO right, I should have been here way before now. A true gem.

SF Road Trip pt. 1 - On The Road

Albina Press

We hit the road early, 6:30 AM. As it turns out, the coffee shop that opens earliest is also the best (and luckily not too far from my house), Albina Press. I run in for coffee while -M- hangs out in the car with Mr. Kitty. I order up a medium double soy latte and a scone for -M- and a large coffee for myself.

Fittingly enough, they are playing Mulatu Astatqé. You know, the music in the road movie Broken Flowers? We just happen to be on a road trip today. It’s also something I discovered from -M- on our first date between dinner at Noble Rot and the Found show at Holocene.


In-n-Out

We planned out trip so that we’d hit Redding, CA around lunchtime. Redding, of course, is the northernmost outpost of In-N-Out Burger. We’re a bit behind schedule and don’t get into Redding until 2:15 or so. We also miss the exit. I assumed there would be signs, or that it’d be clearly visible from I-5. No luck. We drive all the way through Redding without finding our destination. Do we turn around or keep going? My thinking is that we have to eat, and Wendy’s and Pizza Hut just aren’t going to do the trick. -M- called 411 and got the number for In-N-Out customer service. They guide us back into Redding, to the right exit, and through a maze of strip malls to the promised land that is In-N-Oout. My oh my is the line long!

The last time I had In-N-Out was in Los Angeles. I ordered a basic cheese burger. I left a little disappointed. Apparently I completely blew it. The menu behind the counter is so vague and simple: little did I know there was another ‘secret’ menu out there for the ordering…

This time, I went in more prepared (thanks in part to both -M- and the Guilty Carnivore). I order up a double double animal style, fries well, and a vanilla shake. -M- gets a double double protein style with grilled onions and no tomato, fries also well, and a coke. [Click here for a link to Wikipedia’s article on the ‘secret menu’]

Since Mr. Kitty is in the car with us, we decide to get drive through and eat in the car. After we eat, we make a trash dump, rearrange the car and hit the road. 3 more hours to San Fran, and 4.5 hours ‘till our reservations at Chez Panisse!

-M-'s Last Dinner in Portland

For –M-‘s last meal in Portland, she picks Le Pigeon, one of our all time favorite spots in Portland, hell, one of our favorite spots anywhere. On the way over, we drop some boxes off with a fellow Reedie who has agreed to carry them down to SF for –M-, whose car is way to full to fit anything else into.

We plan to get there at around 7. I am a little worried, you know, the most popular dinner hour, the fact the they are always packed, it’s a Friday night, and they were just written up in Bon Appetite. We walk in and they are, in fact, packed. (this is a far cry from my birthday dinner back in August shortly after their opening, when we had no problems getting a seat, which is actually a good thing. Gabe and his food deserve all the recognition they are getting, and then some). Tonight, the wait for a two top is 2 hours. We have no option; we have to eat there. It is –M-‘s last night in town, after all.

Gabe, Erik, Bryan, and Leif wish us happy new year as we walk in. They’ve expanded seating as much as they can (it is a small space, after all), and totally revamped the menu for the new year (only two old menu items remain, the beef cheeks and the cornbread dessert).

They take our cell number and will call us when our seats are ready. We walk down to Rontoms for a drink while we wait. We are hungry so we get an order of deviled eggs and an order of Swedish meatballs along with my terminal Gravity IPA and –M-‘s Mai Thai.

We settle up and head over the Ozone to kill more time by browse CDs. We’re about to walk in when –M-‘s phone rings. Dinner time!

We take our seats at the Chef’s counter. M wants the beet/meyer lemon slaw as a starter, and gets talked into oysters as well. They are beautiful together. The beet juice that spills onto the rock salt turns a lovely scarlet color.

I get a frisee salad with pine nuts and cheddar. Dressing is a little strong, but overall, very tasty.

We order up a bottle of 2004 Jasmin Cote Rotie. I fear it may be a bit young, but we are pleasantly surprised. The wine is supple and elegant, with just enough funk and fruit. Very nice.

For the main course, -M- gets the beef cheek Bourguignonne with crispy potato and glazed vegetables and I get Grilled Strawberry Mountain flat iron steak with brandied peppercorn butter, wilted spinach and garlic roasted potatoes.

Cheeks are one of M’s favorite cuts of meat [Last minute correction, she says they are UNDOUBTEDLY her MOST FAVORITE cut of ALL TIME]. She has gotten this dish the last 2, maybe 3 times we’ve been to Pigeon. As mentioned above, this is one of two old menu items left after the new year, perhaps due to it’s mention in Bon Appetite. At any rate, it lives up to the press description ‘so tender they’ll fall apart with a good hard stare.” -M- makes several comments about the melted collagen, and then makes sure that I know I will never find anyone else with such a love a collagen. She’s probably right.

Although they recommend medium rare for the steak, I have it cooked medium; it arrives absolutely perfect. The steak itself (tender and juicy) sits atop a bed of wilted spinach and potatoes. Atop the steak, a lovely pat of pepper butter. I watch Gabe melt it a little with a blowtorch. It’s a little showy, but it certainly does the trick.

I need to backtrack a little here…

As we are about to order our main courses, we hear Bryan (-M-‘s favorite server of all time) tell a table they are out of the cornbread dessert that we have come to know and love. We pull him aside and tell him that we MUST have this dessert. He assures us there is more in the oven.

Jump forward again…

When we are ready for something sweet, the cornbread is done. We get both this and the crème brulee with espresso pot au crème. A couple glasses of Moscato d’Asti make dessert compete. (We get Moscato EVERY time we are here, and they know it; so much so that both Bryan and Leif make sure to let us know they have switched from Elio Perrone to Vietti).

Dessert is lovely, and as usual, the apricot cornbread with bacon and maple ice cream wins out. This is the other item that was held over from last year (again, it was mentioned in the BA article).

On our way out, everyone wishes us well, and says a bittersweet farewell to M, whom they make promise she will stop back in whenever she is back in PDX.

Next up, our road trip to San Fran...

Screen Door - 12/27/06

Yes, yes. I know, faithful reader. You’ve checked back, week after week, hoping for a new post. I’ve let you down. This trend is about to change…

Last night, -M- and I went back to Screen Door. You see, -M- is moving to San Francisco VERY soon (like in a week), and she had a list of spots she wanted, needed to eat at before she left. The last spot on the list was Screen Door (other notables included Pok Pok/Whiskey Soda, Le Pigeon, Caffe Mingo, and Apizza Scholls).

We had been to the Screen Door once, a few months back, and really enjoyed it. We sat at the bar and had a good chat with David, the owner, about food, music, all sorts of things. Upon our return, we take seats at the bar again (I love eating at the bar), and sure enough, David is there. I am fairly sure he’ll have no idea who we are, but he does. He even remembers my drink, the Moscow Mule.

Let’s start with the drinks. -M- and I both get the mule. Screen Door has this fantastic, slightly sweet ginger puree (they source it from Aloha Juice in SE Portland). Ingredients include only ginger, cane sugar, and water. Honestly, this is the best mule I have tasted anywhere outside my own home (-M- actually prefers the Screen Door’s version, mine is too gingery, she thinks). Mmmm. Nice work, David!

We start with Hush Puppies, fried oysters, and a side of grits (-M- has never had grits before). The hush puppies are delish. Minced green onions and whole corn kernels dot the inside. There is a little ramekin of the tastiest mustard sauce ever. And, the salt is perfect. So nice!

I generally like grits, and these do not disappoint. They arrive with a little grated white cheddar on top. I add a little salt, and eat most of the bowl myself. Here’s -M-‘s take on grits… “I like these. Innocuous, comforting. Like a down blanket made of carbs with cheese on top.”

And, since I detest seafood, I didn’t taste the oysters. Again, here’s what -M- has to say… “Fantastic, crispy crunchy layer of breading that gives way to a burst of briny, meaty goodness. Mmm”

Main courses… -M- gets the fried chicken (also what she got last time). This time, she swears she will not overlook the side of smoked tasso gravy. This is some tasty fried chicken. Crisp on the outside, super moist and juicy on the inside. Served with a side of wilted greens. -M- is very happy.

I get the burger. I’d been craving a burger all day. It’s a pretty standard burger, cheddar, onion, lettuce, tomato, and the like. A side of tasty fries completes the meal.

We skip dessert, we are both super full.

If you haven’t gotten over to the screen door yet, you should make the trip. Sit at the bar, order up a Moscow Mule from David, and enjoy!