Toro Bravo: ¡Así se canta!

NOTE: THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A MORE THOROUGH, CURRENT VERSION. You can see it here. This post is here for the older comments. It is rare for a restaurant to be able to run a smooth kitchen, turn out such a terrific variety of good food on a consistent basis, and have decent service. Toro Bravo manages to do all three. Owner and Chef John Gorham, previously worked... [Read more]

And Even More News

Wildfire Pizza to open at 3925 NE MLK. Talk about a booming area! Toro Bravo, Terroir, Marco Shaw’s seafood place (opening date unknown), and now Wildfire. My question is, where are they going to get all the diners? No, scratch that; I should have said, Where are they getting all the money? None of these are exactly low-budget build-outs. Is the mafia laundering money... [Read more]

Diary Of A Foodie

When Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie was first announced, I checked the local OPB listings, and since they didn’t show it, completely forgot about the series. Months later, my Tivo was smart enough to figure out I might enjoy the show, and started recording it for me. Warm temperatures are not a friend to most of us with MS, so for the last few days, I’ve plopped... [Read more]

Punch Drunk on Food News

News From Food Dude: Working on a new feature for the website: a map of all the reviews. You’ll be able to see an overview of Portland, zoom in on any area, and see all the restaurant we have reviewed listed, with icons showing the type, i.e. coffee shop, dinner, lunch. Click on the icon to get a picture, address, directions, and review link. I’m still working on... [Read more]

Quoth the Food Dude, “Nevermore!”

Making Tonic Water from Scratch, Part II [Note: Part I is here] The next day I woke up with new energy and determination. Fairly bounded into the kitchen, wondering if I had enough ingredients for a second batch of tonic. My socks stuck firmly to the floor every time I took a step, a footprint of fuzz left behind. Undaunted, I made a new batch of tonic water. Started filtering... [Read more]

Making Tonic Water – My Descent into Madness

Not long ago, on a cool spring evening, I spotted an article in Imbibe magazine extolling the virtues of making tonic water from scratch. As gin and tonic is my drink of choice, it caught my eye. Six or seven ingredients. The entire process boiled down to a few pictures. How simple! What could go wrong? You’d think after years of cooking experience, I’d know better. Conveniently... [Read more]

Life is Meals: A Food Lover’s Book of Days by James and Kay Salter

Life is Meals: A Food Lover’s Book of Days by James and Kay Salter Knopf 2006, $27.95 ISBN 0-307-26496-3 Book Review by Hungry Soul Often memorable moments in life are marked by a meal. Graduation dinners at fancy restaurants. Family recipes used only during the holidays. In my family, vacations are centered around where and what to eat. At breakfast we discuss what is for... [Read more]

2007 United States Barista Championship

UPDATED: In a surprising upset, Heather Perry of Coffee Klatch in San Dimas, CA, has won the national barista championships The 2007 USBC National championships are being held the last four days in Long Beach, California. The winner of the 2007 USBC will go on to represent the United States at the 8th Annual World Barista Championship, hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association... [Read more]

Food News Showers

From the Desk of Cuisine Bonne Femme: National Public Voodoo Donut Two weeks ago everyone’s favorite road food trippers Jane and Michael Stern did a focus on Portland donut darlings Voodoo Donut. As everyone else does when they report on this unique Portland donutateur (or shall we call them a donutery?), the Sterns freaked out over Voodoo’s signature Bacon Maple... [Read more]

Shedding a Little Light

Cold hearted orb that rules the night, Removes the colours from our sight. Red is gray and yellow white, But we decide which is right. And which is an illusion. I don’t get it. Even someone who’d never noticed on their own that dim light obscures color has surely heard the mellifluous tones of Richard Burton reciting these lines in the overly dramatic ending of the Moody... [Read more]

A Taste of Portland for A Taste of the Nation

Now with pictures! (gasp) Growing from 15 restaurants, 9 wineries and 1 brewery, and about 350 attendees in 1988; Taste of the Nation now has over 70 participating restaurants, 50 wineries and breweries, and over 1000 attendees. It is the best of Portland in food and drink certainly, but it is also the best of Portland in spirit, good will, and generosity. Last night was the... [Read more]