Beaker & Flask
September 24, 2009 by Bruce Bauer
Filed under Other Reviews
Dock Ellis Cocktail
When is a bar not a bar? That thought wandered across my mind as w and I were sitting in Beaker & Flask a couple of nights ago in the midst of what was turning into one of the most satisfying dinners we’d had in a long time. The reason for that musing was when B&F was getting started, the buzz around town was that bartending savant Kevin Ludwig was finally fulfilling his dream of opening his own place, and won’t it be a cool place to grab a drink or three? That sort of chatter only increased as he pilfered (and I use that term with all due respect for the talent behind the bar) some of the best mixologists from across the city to work with him. “Oh, and he’s going to have food? Yeah great, but only to soak up those killer drinks, I’m sure.” I was right in there, fully expecting some creative intoxicants to come spilling across the bar, but not imagining the food would be that much of a wow factor. And the cocktails uphold their end. Pictured at left is my Dock Ellis, a heart warming blend of rye whiskey, limoncello, Dolin Blanc vermouth, Cynar, and bitters (not quite as mind bending as the inspiration for the drink’s name, ex-big league pitcher Dock Ellis whose biggest claim to fame is supposedly having pitched a no hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates while peaking on LSD). Well, after last Tuesday’s dinner my preconceived notions about the menu have been tossed aside like a poorly made negroni.
Grilled Pork Cheeks
Turns out this guy Ben Bettinger who Kevin hired to run the kitchen is doing some creative magic of his own back in their open kitchen, at least equaling the stellar drinks that are being shaken and stirred behind the bar. Not only excellent food at outstanding prices, but generous portions on their app menu to boot. Case in point on the new menu are the Grilled Pork Cheeks (pictured above) with braised peppers, pickled octopus, and aioli which Kevin strongly suggested ordering when he and I were
talking before w made her grand entrance. Not ones to ignore insider information we of course ordered it, and it did not disappoint. Perfectly grilled fork-tender pork cheeks, a much underutilized part of this remarkably delicious animal, the B&F version was piled with lightly sautéed peppers and succulent octopus, with a slash of aioli drizzled across the top. The whole was served atop a crispy piece of rustic toast, and it was fabulous. A dish worth developing a serious craving for, and a portion that would easily work as an entrée. All for a meager $9! Since we were sharing a main course, we also ordered the Fried Razor Clams ($10) with beets, frisée, and horseradish cream; and the Grilled Romaine ($7) with salsa verde and smoked feta. Again the razor clam was an eye popping portion, with a light breading, fried to a crispy golden brown, and blessedly tender as there are so many leather tough versions to be had out there. The grilled romaine salad was excellent, the piquant salsa verde dressing complimenting the slight char from the grill and the smoky feta. Really a great start (especially with a mug of hop-a-licious 60 Minute IPA from Dogfish Brewery. With all the genius cocktails to ponder, they’ve also got some great beers frothing out of the taps), and we giving each other that “Wow, this is some seriously good stuff” look.
Pan-Seared Cod
Then along came our entrée, a very lovely to look at, delightful to eat Pan Seared Black Cod with mussels, chorizo, fennel, and green beans. A simple plate like this is surprisingly one of seemingly easiest things for a kitchen to screw up. Is the fish seasoned too much? Is it dry? Too much sauce? Apparently Chef Bettinger hadn’t heard about those concerns, because his presentation was absolutely spot on! w declared the cod perfectly cooked, and we loved its salty, crispy skin. Still so very moist and fresh like it came swimming out onto my plate, with the surround of mussels, chorizo, and veggies providing an inspired textural contrast. In other words our mouths were loving this! I washed it down with a glass of J. Christopher “Croft Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc which is not only the best sauv blanc made in America, but a ridiculously food friendly white.
This was followed not by dessert but an unctuous glass of Bas Armagnac cognac, yet another reason to respect the French and their liqurious ways. I really like the B&F space, brightly lit (at http://images.portlandfoodanddrink.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/DSCF0805.jpg”>
certain times of the early evening a bit too), very comfortable open space. The bar stools are some of the most butt worthy spots to park it in town, and the service is always friendly. With Kevin providing direction and his crew whipping out the goods behind the bar, and Bettinger obviously showing some serious chops in the kitchen, Beaker & Flask is a great, near-bargain priced night out. Put it on your “get there soon” list!
- Address: 720 SE Sandy Blvd, Portland OR 97214
- Phone: (503) 235-8180
- Hours: Mon-Wed 5pm-12am, Thu-Sat 5pm-1am
[Bruce Bauer writes the popular Wine Guy World blog. Every so often we are lucky enough to cross-post his articles.]
Note from Food Dude: This is just a First Impressions piece, and is not intended to be a full review.
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Living just north of B&F, I was extremely excited for their doors to crack open. However, with a group of 8 in tow, my first encounter was a dismal failure. After trying the majority of drinks on the menu I thought my taste buds might be off, or that perhaps I was even getting sick. But upon asking around the table, everyone was having the same experience. The drinks were harsh, the couple of appetizers we tried were quite boring and then, to add insult to injury, the service was slow and condescending.
I’ll probably give it another try to make sure my visit wasn’t a fluke, but compared to the review above, my experience at B&F was white and black.
I don’t always love strong, boozy cocktails as a food pairing, so I can feel your pain on the harshness issue. But which appetizers did you order? Boring? For reals?
I would encourage giving it a second chance; I am jealous of everyone who lives in the neighborhood of B&F.
Not to threadjack too hard, but for the sake of comparison what are your favorite cocktails w/ food places in town? I like the Tamarind Whiskey Sour at Pok Pok with my spicy food. Also I think Gilt Club makes cocktails pretty well calibrated to drink with dinner.
The first few times I went, I thought the cocktails where a bit hit and miss. On my last few visits, every one has been terrific. I think I could say the same for the food (though I haven’t had it in the last month or so). It was hit and miss at first, but has gotten better every time I’ve tried it. Desserts are the only weak point for me
On hdsawtelle’s point, I much prefer good beer/wine with meals. Never quite got the idea of having cocktails with dinner. For me cocktails are always a pre-dinner appetite stoker with snacks (and sometimes regrettably an after dinner indulgence).
There is so much good drink shaking going on right now: Bar Avignon, Teardrop, Ten-01, etc. The three mentioned all have good app menus.
I agree x infinity with this review, with the caveat that I am way more of a food nerd than a cocktail nerd.
Ben is killing it in the kitchen. Every savory plate brought to my table during three visits has been outstanding — creative dishes with big, well-balanced flavors. There are no afterthoughts on these plates; as much attention is given to the sides, sauces, and garnishes as to the main proteins. It’s not easy to find a place with consistent high standards like that in Portland. I’ve also found the service consistently friendly and well-informed.
We’ve had one dessert that didn’t rock our world, but whatever. Also the booths can be a little tough on the buns. And yeah, bring sunglasses on a clear afternoon as the rays can be fierce in certain spots. Very minor nits to pick with my current favorite restaurant in town.
I went once and was pretty underwhelmed. With all the great places to drink in Portland, B+F really needs to step up their game. Everything was good, but it wasn’t “Holy shit!” good, which I think a place like this needs to be (I’m referring only to the cocktails, as we didn’t eat). And I suppose it’s a bit unfair, but when you open after two years of non-stop hype, and are widely considered one of (if not the) best bartenders in town, you’d better be serving far and above the best drinks in town. Don’t get me wrong, if this place had actually opened 2 or 3 years ago, it would be the place to beat. But with Clyde, Teardrop, Secret Society, Pok Pok, etc. ad nauseum, well, Ludwig’s star doesn’t shine as bright.
As for the space, meh. Disjointed and uncomfortable. I really like the chalkboard tap wall, but the mix of “sciencey” glass stuff everywhere and wine barrel tables seems poorly thought out. Pick a theme and go with it, but the pastiche of NW recycle chic and sleek science doesn’t really work, IMO. That big, curvy swath of windows looking out onto Sandy is pretty magnificent though. I’ll be back for sure next time I’m in Portland, food sounds/looks great, and maybe the space just needs some time to get “lived in.”
Joe…while I appreciate your commenting, I couldn’t agree less. I find it one of the most comfortable places to drink in town. Maybe it’s just me, although I know it isn’t from conversations with scores of others, the vibe and decor give references to classic cocktail culture with the nod to modern mixology (all that pesky “sciencey” stuff) while acknowledging that it isn’t just about cocktails, but great beer and wine with the wine barrels, which work pretty damn well as drinking stations when B&F gets crowded. While I was surprised after your total negative reaction and comments that “I’ll be back for sure next time I’m in Portland” (?!?), I guess I can only appreciate your willingness to give it another try.
Mostly what I’m getting at is that B+F seems like a case of too little, too late. Nothing “sucked,” it just wasn’t anything special. We’re several years into the whole craft bar/mixology/old school cocktail trend, and this place just doesn’t seem to raise the bar or add much. And like I said, this is based purely on the six or so cocktails I tasted right after they opened.
I’ll be back because the food does sound great, and maybe that’s the niche they’ll fill: late night joint with pretty solid drinks and really great food for not a ton of money. I guess no one else is really doing that, as most of the places we’ve mentioned are either food-focused with great drinks but require a time/cash commitment (2pok, Clyde), or drink-focused with mediocre food (Secret Society, etc.). Perhaps B+F will evolve into the pre/post-Doug Fir place to pop in for a quick, quality bite. Great.
As for the space, I’m sure they thought acknowledging the entire history of alcoholic beverages was diplomatic and all, but it makes for an aesthetically awkward experience. I get that wine barrels are useful, I just don’t think they look right covered in those retro-modern coasters, or juxtaposed against the severity of all that metal and glass behind the bar. Like I said, the booths against the big curved bank of windows are great, and the chalkboard tap well is both clever and functional. To each their own, but those are my thoughts.
I was also super surprised by the food here. Way, way better than I expected. I personally love the drinks, but I can see how they are not for everyone. They are much more complex than most cocktails you’ll find and are often a bit more boozy as well. The thing I love, though, is that when I’ve wanted something else like a tequila drink with citrus but not a margarita, or a rum and coke-like drink that’s not rum and coke (cause they don’t do that) they made me a fantastic drink that totally hit the spot. And, they make a great gin and tonic if you’re not feeling adventurous. Love this place.
I’m going there with my A and will order the same items! I’m so excited about the dinner and cocktails. Thanks for the review.
Ben Bettinger was the Ched de Cuisine at Paley’s for years. He’s very talented. The food rocks. Pork rillette tater tots? Sign me up. Oven fresh pretzels with a back of Pilsner? Hit me twice. The grilled corn with pablono ailoi? Incredibly good. My girlfriend and I throw down on food and we filled up for $27 with quail, sauteed beans with pickled octopus, etc. Nothing on the menu over $20 and a budding superstar cranking it out. Very cool.
As far as drinks. I like a dry Manhattan and Kevin steered me to Elmer T. Lee bourbon with Dolin bianco vermouth. It has ruined me for Manhattans around town.
I love the place. Can’t get enough of it.
Had a bite of the rillette tots last night – I could see these becoming quickly addictive. Also had a couple great, inventive cocktails and sampled some gins. Though we were in a booth, we had excellent service from the bartender herself. I liked the space, and I was surprised to see it get quiet after 11pm, which is actually a nice selling point. If I’m seeing a band at Doug Fir, this is a must pre-show stop.
Ate there again last night. Fried sweetbreads with watermelon (sounds odd, tastes amazing), stuffed rabbit with shell beans and braised carrots (ridiculously tasty, complex and fall-oriented) along with various sides. Took some food home. Total food bill was less than $50 and it was dynamite.
I’ve only ordered dinner once at Beaker & Flask and it was excellent. I’m not sure how often the menu changes (or thus how helpful this is) but I ordered the braised (I think it was braised -it was a while ago) beef shoulder with roasted potatoes, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes and it was out of this world good. The cauliflower was particularly fine. The butter leaf salad with buttermilk and tarragon dressing was equally delicious.
Actually, I was surprised the food was so very good because all the pre-opening hype was about the cocktails.
And about the cocktails, unfortunately I can’t remember the ones I’ve ordered off the menu (I know my friend ordered ‘Daddy Issues’ and loved it) except to say they were interesting, but I do remember vividly that the classic cocktails I’ve ordered there have been top notch, namely a just about perfect whiskey sour and a very nice daiquiri.
My only beef with B & F so far is that on busy nights it can take an awful
l–o–n–g time to get a cocktail. Call me crazy but when I sit down in a bar, particularly AT the bar, I expect a drink in front of me within 15 minutes.
But when there’s a full house at B & F, I’ve waited considerably longer than that for a drink, possibly as much as a half an hour after ordering.
Been there many times, and I think the place rocks. Keep it up guys!
Good to hear the food is good. I have been once, just for cocktails, and they were NOT good. I ordered off of the late-night happy hour drink menu, which may have been my mistake, but I was less than impressed (and like everyone else here has said, considering the plethora of excellent and interesting cocktails you can get in Portland–Clyde, Victory Bar, Bar Avignon, Pok Pok…). I also wasn’t impressed by the vibe of the bar in general. It feels a little like you’re in a corporate space (I think it used to be a car dealership? Still feels a bit like one.) If you’re selling the place as a bar, the bar aspects of it have to be spot-on. But, if the food can carry them, great. Excited to try it for a bite.
Bruce is a great guy, great wine shop. But on Twitter (relentlessly positive comments) I don’t recall him saying a bad word about anything. Nearly everything is “great!” Good trait in a human being and that Bruce definitely is, but maybe not so useful if you are going to suggest eating places to others. One tends to quit listening. That said, I ate once at B & F, about a week after it opened, and it was very good. We did not have a cocktail and do not remember the wine.
I’ve heard him advise to stay away from a certain place in the past. Considering I trust his palette, I’m quite confident his recommendations are certainly actionable on my part.
Love this place – if you went early on and were disappointed, go again. I’ve been a few times now, and its early hiccups have smoothed out since then. I’m not sure how to respond to someone whose criticism of the cocktails is that they’re “NOT good” with no explanation for that criticism. My friends and I have tasted our way through almost the entire list and, while there are certain cocktails that will never be my thing, every drink on the list found a fan in one or more of us. And if you like bourbon, get yourself a Map Room. Now.
I also recommend the gnudi. My fellow diners scoffed at it because it’s a vegetarian dish, but were stuck looking longingly at it after our entrees arrived.
Despite the laughably long-winded criticisms above, my every visit to B&F has been largely satisfying and each has improved on the last. Food has been always the second thing on my mind when I visit, but almost without fail the menu coerces my stomach into requiring something fantastic from the kitchen. Sure, the service might not be lightning fast, but what kind of hurry are we in? Don’t go if you’re planning on pounding your drink, you’re already there for the wrong reason.
The BF and I ate at B&F on Friday night. Everything we ate and drank was stellar, and we felt the prices were very reasonable.
There was one big problem, however. They take reservations, and to their credit they appear to have a policy of making sure that a table is open when you walk in, rather than making those with reservations wait for the next open table. But we didn’t have one, and they had an unusually high number of them that night, so what happened was that table after table opened up and we still weren’t seated, because there was always another reservation time coming up. We got there about 6:20 and didn’t get seated until almost 9:00. And I think the main reason we got seated when we did was that we caught the attention of one of the bartenders (I think he heard me talking about how long it had been) and he went and had a few agitated words with the girl doing the seating. We got the next table after that.
We got comped several items over the course of the wait, which was very nice of them and was the reason we waited as long as we did. And the meal was absolutely worth it. But if you’re going on a Friday night make sure you’ve got a reservation, at least until they sort this out!
where you left standing or did you find seats at the bar? I personally would never request a booth(which seat anywhere from 4 to 6 or 7) when its just myself and one other. Seems selfish and self-defeating at the same time. Just eat that the bar and enjoy yourself!?
We started out standing and eventually sat at the bar. But for most of the time we were there no-one was eating anything at the bar, so we didn’t even realize they served food there until right before we got seated, when the people next to us placed an order.
I would never request one of the bigger front booths for only two people, nor would I insist on a booth if we had gone in just for drinks, but I’ve never been a big fan of eating a full meal at the bar when I’m with someone. It’s hard to face your food and have a conversation at the same time. It’s fine if I’m by myself. Personal preference, I guess.
food menu is underwelming. as a drinker there should be more small plates! The happy hour snacks dont start till 10PM! Ive been twice and while the drinks are good. you can get as good (ACUALLY MUCH BETTER) at secret society or TEARDROP with better lite snacks. Sorry as a drinker and foodie, that will be my last time to the flask.
Have you been there recently David?
From what I’ve heard they got the feedback regarding desire for more drinky-food small plates and have switched up their menu format.
I love Teardrop & SS too. But if your main issue was the menu format (I also prefer small snacks) you may want to give it another go.
What kind of foodie totally writes a place off because it does not have “better lite snacks”. And what the hell is up with spelling light as lite? Do you wear your sunglasses at nite because it’s too brite?
I love this place, and I do think that if you tried it in the beginning and had a mixed reaction, you should try again. The kinks have mostly worked out, the drinks are excellent, and the food is lovely and consistent.
Here are my reservations: First, their drinks are unusual, layered, complex and amazing. However, I would like it if they were able to make a few more drinks that didn’t rely on that slightly funky grandma’s jewelry chest flavor. A few cleaner tasting options would round out the (already excellent) drink menu.
Second, call it “lite” if you want, the place could use more drinking snacks. One of the genius things about Clyde Common is that there are many options for people who just want a little something with their lovely beverage. For $5 you can get a lovely cheese with some fig jam, or a plate of roasted vegetables, or a couple of toasts with pork rilettes. Drinking snacks of a higher order, if you will. Beaker and Flask could use something similar for those of us who come in not expecting to eat a full dinner.
And don’t tell me he menu has changed – I was there last Friday. The menu during prime-time is still plated apps and mains. Yes, there is an antipasti plate now, but no, there are not more small plates. I know of what I speak.
Group of four went on Sat night. Arrived at 7pm. Bar seats all full and each of the three or four wine barrels (doubling as mock tables) had groups of people drinking and waiting for seating in booths or the bar. There were 3-5 empty booths being held for “reservations” which saccording ot he floor manager should arrive any minute. Hmm.. Most of the the standing groups were told that once a booth ‘opened up’ we would get seated. We heard this tale for over an hour- all the while the 3-5 booths remained empty. We did see some people show up for their booth reservation, but only after their booth sat vacate for 30-45 minutes. Empty booths do not pay the bills. We all noted booths that were already occupied seemed to get very slow service. Patrons were ribbernecking, looking for their server. Lots of bare tables with no food and customers clearly waiting for a server, drinks or some kind of food to show up.
It seemed like the floor manager was hesitant to fill reserved booths with groups of people waiting on the floor. After waiting for a hour and 15 minutes we paid our bill and made our way to the door. As luck would have it, the manager ran up and said a booth just opened up. In light of the long wait and probable longer wait to actually get food, we politely declined. We preferred to get food before midnight!
I wish Beaker & Flask my best wishes for success. However, there appears to be a real disconnect going on. I will return, but was disappointed at the apparent inability of the staff to get bodies into seats and getting them food.
Willamette Week last Wednesday named them Restaurant of the Year. What did you expect? I’d never go to a place that was thus named by either WW or the O in that first month afterward.
Sorry you had such a disappointing evening.
pdxyogi – Yes, I agree with you. Yet, it makes me wonder how a place can get ROTY when the service issues were so painfully evident. The place was not so full that mgmt could not seat people or service the tables
I can’t comment as to the service, as it was fine when we were there. But my impression on the seating issues is that they are choosing to make sure that when a person with a reservation walks in the door, their table is ready for them immediately. Since you really can’t predict when the previous party will leave, that results in some tables sitting empty for a relatively long time.
I don’t agree with their choice, but if that is what they are trying to do then the rest of it makes sense. They did tell us that they don’t usually get many reservations, so the policy was probably reasonable when it was made. I’m a bit disappointed to hear that they haven’t changed their ways, though, since it sounds like it is becoming a problem. It’s a very nice idea to reward people for making a reservation by having an immediate table available and not wasting their time, but when you are angering customers and losing sales, it’s time to rethink. IMHO, of course.