Another food-inspired trip to Portland (Oregon) with friends. We ate well. In a few quick cell phone photos:
Highlights:
Evoe: This place still blows me away. I wish I could cook this effortlessly, casually well. Two chefs at a counter with a simple stove, fresh ingredients, and simple delicious plates prepared to order. Charred greens with egg and anchovy. Piperade (a Basque dish of peppers and onions topped with a soft egg yolks). A salad made from translucently-sliced thin raw squash, soft cheese, and good olive oil. Peach-speck-purslane. Two types of peppers, sauteed with salt.
Ned Ludd: A charming organic (in the design sense) space with plants everywhere, piles of firewood, knick-knacks, and a brick oven. Steak with a nice grain/texture. Mussels and chanterelles. A fantastic creamy-soft sheepsmilk cheese (from Black Sheep, I think?) A spicy pFriem Family Saison.
Cascade Brewing( again). A range of challenging, wild beers. The Summer Gose (slightly tart, slightly salty, refreshing, dry) and the Golden Mulberry (puckering-tart, low on the funk) were both a fine balance between sour and easy-afternoon-drinking, as was the bemusingly clear/golden stout.
Heart Coffee (again). Ultra light roast, tart/acidic. No bitter-coffee aftertaste.
Screen Door. Brunch. My favorite fried chicken in years (moist, slightly spicy breading, so not-greasy it was even good as leftovers). Migas egg scramble with green chiles.
As well as various other food carts, beer bars (Bailey’s: though their new gaudy-bright animated electronic big-screen-TV beer list was a big step backwards in environment, Tugboat), coffee (Stumptown), and more (some mediocre regret poutine)…