Food News for 10-26-09
There hasn’t been much going on lately, so there haven’t been many news posts. I still collect lots of tidbits though, so thought I’d clear them out today.
The building that houses Sel Gris restaurant had a fire, specifically at Barefoot Sage. Early reports said they would be open later this week, but damage was worse than first expected. From their website:
We regret to inform you that Sel Gris is currently closed due to a rooftop fire that swept through the building we occupy.
We are diligently working to reopen our doors on Monday, November 30th and wish for you to join us for a wonderful taste of holiday dining and to bring in the New Year.
I wish them the best.
The former owners of Waddles have moved across the pond to Vancouver. The new place is called “Ducktales“, and is on the corner of MacArthur and Devine. No strippers. It’s actually getting a pretty good buzz.
Really old news, Colosso on NE Broadway has closed. I never went, but it never seemed very crowded when I walked past.
That’s pretty much it for local news. A few ‘circling the drain’ rumors, but I’m going to hold off on them. I’ll just move on to interesting things I’ve heard about in the national scene:
For pure entertainment value: Cakes Gone Wrong
I’m sure we have all wondered: is the organic food we pay extra for in the grocery store really organic? Sure it occasionally looks a little bit used and abused, but how do we really know for sure? Now, an article in The Huffington Post accuses Target of “Organic Food Fraud“.
From the article:
“Ever wonder if the organic-labeled milk you’re drinking is really organic? If you purchased it at Target, it might not be. The Cornucopia Institute, a food and agriculture watchdog group, announced Tuesday that it has filed formal complaints with USDA’s organic program accusing Target Corporation of organic food fraud.”
Read more here.
From the Washington Post, “Super Green” seafood:
Many savvy consumers are familiar with the color codes that marine conservationists bestow on fish and shellfish, depending on how they’re faring in the environment: red for avoid, yellow for consume sparingly and green for eat without guilt.
Now, super green has arrived.
On Tuesday the influential Monterey Bay Aquarium is releasing a new set of rankings that identifies fish that are not only fished sustainably but are also rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, a key dietary component in reducing the risk of heart disease. Farmed mussels and oysters make the list, along with line- or pole-caught albacore tuna, wild-caught Alaskan salmon and Pacific sardines.
Another quote:
Although the average consumer might assume that it’s better for the environment to buy wild-caught fish than their cultivated counterparts, that’s not always the case. Farmed rainbow trout scored high on the list, along with farmed Arctic char and bay scallops. Shellfish farmed in the ocean actually filter plankton from seawater for food, leaving the ocean cleaner as a result, and unlike species such as salmon, they don’t consume other fish. Both oysters and mussels are low in fat, and oysters are high in zinc.
Since I’m not dating, I’d just as soon they left oysters off the list. Just sayin’. You can read more here.
Told you there wasn’t much – that’s it. However, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for their recent donations. My costs have gone up substantially since I had to move to a bigger server to handle the increased traffic. Thanks to all of you, I’ve got ten months worth of those server fees in the bank, and have more reviews in process. They have also paid for last month’s reviews of 23Hoyt and Nel Centro. I will have another full review posted later this week; a restaurant many will be surprised to see. (I’m not going to say which one yet, but when I finish my meals for a review, the menu usually pops up in that section of the site.) Anyway, thank you again. This site has never broken even, it’s a labor of love. Your donations over the years have made all the difference. I’ve felt honored with every donation, big or small.
What is the latest buzz about doc now that they have a new chef?
I haven’t heard a darn thing. I’ve also been wondering about Lovely Hula Hands. Anyone been?
FD – Some NoPo news. A new izakaya has opened on Interstate called Miho. Haven’t been but here’s to hoping. Also, the food court (aka Mississippi Marketplace) on the corner of Skidmore and Mississippi is mostly up and running (though not on late hours until the bar, Prost, finally opens). Nuevo Mexico, The Big Egg, Native Bowls, Magic Bean, SW Pizza, Ruby Dragon and others, along with some limited farmers’ produce and crafts. Lastly, Por Que No on Mississippi closed until November (at least, so says sign in window) due to a “small fire.” Seems like it’s going around.
Pdxmo
Thanks for all the news! I’d forgotten about the Por Que No fire
The Big Egg is fantastic (full disclosure: they sell Ristretto Roasters coffee), and thank you for reminding me about Native Bowls, which has an extremely yummy-sounding menu and, from the two-minute conversation I had with them, very friendly owners. I’m going for lunch today and will report back.
The Big Egg is fantastic! Nancy are you from Ristretto? Is there a particular phiolosophy to the roasting? I don’t mean to be rude but my two Ristretto experiences were awful, espresso based drinks with your house decaff.
A shame about Colosso–I remember back in 2000 or so when I first moved to Portland, it was one of the hotspots. You couldn’t get a table there on a Friday or Sat. night w/o a 30-45 minute wait, and the whole scene was pretty lively. Then they sold the restaurant, I heard bad things about the new owners, other (better) tapas places opened, and the scene moved on. It’s one of those places whose closing I mourn out of nostalgia more than anything else–I haven’t been there in 4 years, and doesn’t sound like many others have either.
Adam was just at Lovely Hula Hands the other night…perhaps his brain can be picked…
Dave J. –
Exactly the same experience (at Colosso); our only difference is that at the time I was sitting on a bar stool waiting for my girlfriend to get off work. That place was the apex of sexy back in the day. Strange that it was almost ten years ago.
Colosso was recently closed by the owner (who apparently was/is going through a divorce) He put it on the market for $40k and currently there is a sale pending tag on it.
Dets are here:
http://www.marlingroup.com/restaurant/listings.php?pid=170
Living about 6 blocks from the Mississippi food-cart court, I was anxiously awaiting the opening. So far, results seem pretty disappointing. There’s an Espresso truck and The Big Egg, which I haven’t tried yet but I’ve heard is really good. The Sugar Cube is a cookie and pastry truck that moved up from downtown at Alder – They’re really god, but I’ve yet to see them open or hours posted. After that – there’s 2 Vegan trucks that are, well, Vegan and therefore hold little interest for me. We got dinner one night from the Nuevo Mexico truck – we really wanted to like it, but it was pretty awful, I thought. There’s a Carribean truck that’s only open on Sat-Sun that looks interesting, but we haven’t seen it open yet. Then there’s a guy making pizzas with flour tortilla “crusts” which don’t seem very appealing. And a guy selling hippieish underseasoned soups in quart jars for $10 or so. Not blowing me away so far.
By now everyone has heard of Prost’s opening this week adjacent to the Miss. Court. Has anyone been?
I have to agree on the food cart. We live very close and I have only been to one, Nuevo Mexico truck. Highly disappointing. I got a Sopapilla, which had unseasoned beans and yellow cheese that would not melt. For $6 I’ll stick to Por Que no. The others seem to never be open, but I will be highly tempted by a good cupcake when the sugar cube opens. I, like Ken, will not sampling any vegan stuff. Moxie down the street is so great, you can’t really beat it for snacky food cart stuff. I will check out Prost soon, but I saw a gigantic TV in there so I think it will not be my scene.
Tried Native Bowl. About a 20-minute wait for two containers of rice with soy protein bits, veggies and sauce. Underwhelming.
I too was excited to try the new “foodcart court”…well, I had the worst coffee ever at the egg cart…took it back ‘cuz thought for sure it was a mistake got a new cup that was worse!! If they server Ristretto they do not know how to make it…ugh. The egg sandwiches were ok…way too much butter and just not outstanding…the vegan place looked awful…some kind of porridge…this is a great concept but they do not have quality carts onsite yet…I’m hoping ‘cuz Prost looks great.
A couple of Saturdays ago we tried to get something from Nuevo Mexico, but it was 7 pm and they closed at 6 pm on Saturdays. Just beware this is not a late-night food cart scene. I’m willing to go try again, especially with Prost now open.
“…that are, well, Vegan and therefore hold little interest for me”
So how’s that all meat, egg, and dairy diet working for you Ken?
Considering that he is successful, well liked by many of his peers and has a lovely family I trust it is working out well for him.
Really? What the hell is wrong with him saying that?
A vegan gets to say “they serve mostly meat and therefore aren’t of any interest to me” don’t they?
Anyway, long time no speak Ken.. love to the wife.
thank the gods for meat cheese and other luscious fats we are provided in this decadent slice of the world. variety is the spice of life right? Bon Appetit!
“Really? What the hell is wrong with him saying that?”
I think its mildly intolerant to dismiss a place simply because its vegan. Some of the great cuisines are essentially vegan. For example, korean royal palace cuisine:
http://www.hangawirestaurant.com/
(One of my favorite restaurants in the USA.)
Heck, my favorite pizza in PDX is the vegan (:-0) alla fiamma at Nostrana.
“they serve mostly meat and therefore aren’t of any interest to me”
*blink*
The vegans I know thank their lucky stars when a restaurant has a single vegan option (or can accomodate them).
“I think its mildly intolerant to dismiss a place simply because its vegan. Some of the great cuisines are essentially vegan. For example, korean royal palace cuisine”
Why? If it’s not to one’s taste, then Ken (or anyone else for that matter) is more than justified in dismissing it. That’s their privilege. He made it clear that it wasn’t of any interest *to him*, right? He didn’t in any way suggest that it wouldn’t be of interest to someone who finds such cuisine interesting.
I’m of the same mind. In enjoy eating meat, and while I might try a vegan dish here or there, I would likely avoid restaurants that serve only vegan cuisine. I doubt that there would be enough there of interest to justify my patronage. I may be wrong, but again, that’s my decision.
It’s your post that comes across as intolerant, to be honest.
Ken did not dismiss the vegan spot; he said it held “little interest” for him, just as (one suspects) a steakhouse holds little interest for most vegans.
Bagels are vegan. Its not accurate to use “vegan” as a synonym for anemic under-seasoned rice bowls with veggies and soy bits.
I didn’t refer to my meal as vegan. I was speaking of Ken’s preferences, which are not my own. I eat everything (except citron, undercooked eggs, and veal kidneys, which my mother insists on cooking for me each time I visit her in Brooklyn because SHE likes them).
A lot of assumptions you’re making there EYBS “Its not accurate to use “vegan” as a synonym for anemic under-seasoned rice bowls with veggies and soy bits”.
People have something they are looking for when they go out. If something isn’t what they are looking for they “dismiss” the notion. Ken happens to really like food with animal products. That you have a problem with it and feel the need to imply something negative about Ken’s (what health?weight?morals?) in your first response only helps promote the negative image people have of vegans as holier than thou judgemental joyless high (soy)horse nutsacks ever seeking out someone with a throat you can ram your personal agenda down.
There’s a lot of very nice vegans out there.. they are apprently a silent minority.
“…in your first response only helps promote the negative image people have of vegans as holier than thou judgemental joyless high (soy)horse nutsacks ever seeking out someone with a throat you can ram your personal agenda down.”
ROFLMAO, qv. So funny… and alas, so often true.
Enjoy those…errr… brussels sprouts. (yuck)
“and feel the need to imply something negative about Ken’s (what health?weight?morals?)”
I was cheekily pointing out that its impossible to eat an exclusively non-vegan diet. If Ken had said that he does not like vegetarian rice bowls, I would have had no gripe. That’s a legitimate expression of food preference.
“your first response only helps promote the negative image people have of vegans as holier than thou judgemental joyless high (soy)horse nutsacks ever seeking out someone with a throat you can ram your personal agenda down”
I’m not vegan.
I didn’t say you were, because I suspected you weren’t. I actually assumed this was a case of “man claiming to be devil’s advocate really just a jerk”.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t have an agenda. Because you are “coming to the defense of” vegan carts the negative image projects on to them when you a being a jerk in promoting them.
Saying you don’t want to go to a place that is mainly or exclusively vegan is a “legitimate food preference too”. All preferences, so long as they are legal are “legitinate preferences”.
I avoid vegan eateries on principle, despite the fact that I actually eat very little meat.
[blink]
At least your position on Brussels sprouts is moderating. I see that now you only want your readers to eat one apiece.
Signed,
>>> Have Booked Ride To Verboort Next Weekend
“Bagels are vegan.”
Not when properly adorned with cream cheese or butter.
“Its not accurate to use “vegan” as a synonym for anemic under-seasoned rice bowls with veggies and soy bits.”
Maybe not perfectly accurate, but it tends to be the case in practice.
“Not when properly adorned with cream cheese or butter.”
I’d add a mound of capers and several slabs of lox.
i wonder how many places put an egg wash on their bagels?
i think that ken saying he hasn’t tried the vegan food carts because they hold little interest for him isn’t any different than someone saying they haven’t tried the middle eastern cart because middle eastern food holds little interest for them. So what? Does everyone have to try the one thing that some person likes of a particular type of food to convince them that they should like it? Should vegans just keep trying egg scrambles, because they might find one that they like? No, if you’re spending your money on eating out you get to eat what you want.
Thank you for summing this up properly. I’m going to close this incredibly annoying thread!
” Its not accurate to use “vegan” as a synonym for anemic under-seasoned rice bowls with veggies and soy bits”
It sure is fun, though.
If I was vegan, I’d probably be a pretty angry person too.
“holier than thou judgemental joyless high (soy)horse nutsacks ever seeking out someone with a throat you can ram your personal agenda down”
Are you trying to say that qv is vegan, Food Dude?
If so, I would be really happy if she would introduce PDX to shojin-ryori.
http://moonpointer.com/main/shojinryori.jpg
A bit more news:
Word on the street (heard today from a former Beast employee) is that Naomi Pomeroy and Mika (sous chef) from Beast will be featured on an upcoming episode of Iron Chef America on Food Network.
There aren’t enough “rolly eye” emoticons on the interweb to accurately reflect my feelings on this.
For someone that doesn’t appreciate as hominem attacks, you’re awfully good at them. This chain has gotten ridiculously snarky.
that should have been ad not as…..crap.
““I avoid vegan eateries on principle”
Coming from someone who is interested in japanese food and culture this is a bizarre statement.”
That is in itself a ridiculous statement.
Unless you are seeking out shojin ryori you will find very little vegan cooking in Japan. And, while I’ve certainly read enough about shojin ryori (and eaten some) it isn’t something I would “seek out”.
Not to mention the “priciple” thing was an obvious joke meant to make your little troll day a little brighter.