Meriwether’s works to restore the reputation once enjoyed by its predecessor, L’Auberge, chef Tommy Habetz has some first-rate, if temporary, help in the kitchen. Tony Demes, late of the lamented Couvron is working with Tommy in the back as he seeks out a owner/operator opportunity to showcase his skills. Meriwether’s is also looking for a top-notch general manager candidate to run the front of the house. Know anybody? Good, they need it. Send the Dude an e-mail. The place will never turn around without some FOH talent to pair with Tommy’s magic with pasta and other rustic dishes.
As John Gorham readies for his departure from Simpatica to be a full-time restaurant guy, plans are in full swing to lease space to accommodate his Toro Bravo project. Coming on the heels of Simpatica’s Spanish dinner being named USA Today’s best meal in the world for 2006–and the writer, Jerry Shriver, shouting out the paella as the best he’d ever tasted in the USA–Gorham’s timing couldn’t be better. In case you didn’t already know, the site for Toro Bravo has already been identified and lease negotiations begun. Seen the “For Lease” sign next to the Wonder Ballroom on North Russell? Yup, that’s the place.
So, let’s see, spring openings are apt to include: Clyde Common, Kenny & Zuke’s, Adam Sappington’s new place way out on Stark, Toro Bravo, Pinnochio’s, and the vegan restaurant by the Tabla folks. Oh yeah, and rumored openings (whenever) for Virgo & Pisces (in the Zefiro’s bad karma space) A commenter reminded me of a few more: Also opening in February will be District in the old La Vanguardia/Cobra & Matadors spot on NW 12th. $8.00 plate, $8.00 wines by the glass and $8.00 cocktails. Interesting…
Also the huge Bay 13 from the Paragon people on NW 13th and Irving. Here comes California. (Thanks Christopher!)
Food Network execs have been nosing around Portland. Rumor is they are working on smaller cities with big food scenes. Could it be we’ll get more coverage in 2007?
Twice this week I’ve heard that Chris Israel is backing towards the exit at
23 Hoyt. Know, or hear anything about this?
Also opening in February will be District in the old La Vanguardia/Cobras & Matadors spot on NW 12th. $8.00 plate, $8.00 wines by the glass & $8.00 cocktails. Interesting…
Also Bay 13 from the Paragon people on NW 13th and Irving. Here’s comes California… Maybe they know something Steven Arroyo didn’t
Do you have any kind of internet linkage for that USA today stuff? Is that in latest issue etc? By the way – Its Virgo & Pisces, not Sagittarius.
greg,
Here’s a link to the usa today article:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-12-21-top-meals-of-2006_x.htm
click on this link to the photo gallery where it talks about simpatica:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/bestmeals/flash.htm
Don’t forget Stu Stein’s new place, Terroir Restaurant & Wine Bar, opening in late spring in NE.
Chef Chris Israel is not leaving 23Hoyt. Not sure where you heard that news. Sometimes I think you make this stuff up for lack of anything better to do.
Just for the record, that Chris Israel comment did not come from me. However, it is true – I usually just sit around and make things up. It helps make the day go by
A stunning example of nonlinear logic: bad chicken reads this site — the reviews, the interviews, the links to other food articles; the gossip and serious watching of food trends, presented without any ads and for zero compensation, with an open forum in which others may comment and explore and argue — and concludes that Food Dude “make(s) this stuff up.” Incredible.
That might have been me. And what could be better than sitting around making stuff up? Days are short, it’s these endless nights that cause this.
The font changing size in the middle of a post reminds me a bit of Dennis Rodman’s first book. Food Dude, are you Dennis Rodman?
-s: Naw, I just thought I’d break every rule about fonts/colors/etc. on a web page. Reading that back, I’m realizing I shouldn’t write these things when it’s that late. “What will be the restaurant closing in 2007″. Goodness. I should at least read them again the next day!
Personally, I prefer “nonlinear logic” since it tends to be a lot more fun than the linear kind.
Regarding Chris Israel, my info has been that, without an ownership interest, there is really nothing to hold his attention at 23Hoyt. Maybe that could have sparked a spurious rumor. What you say, chicken person?
Speaking of nonlinear logic, I hear that 23Hoyt is secretly owned by Dr. Pepper–hence the use of 23 in the name to dovetail with Dr. Pepper’s latest ad campaign–and that there are submliminal messages all over the restaurant encouraging the consumption of Dr. Pepper. Not that I would ever make anything up.
–mcz
And another thing. . .I hope Stu Stein is a better cook than he is a writer. Anybody recall the little plagiarism flap this summer? I know at least one contributor to this site who remembers it real well. Plagiarism is really cheezy.
Anyway, I guess when you cook it’s OK to use others’ recipes verbatim and present the result as your own. In a way, I guess it kinda is. Kinda maybe.
So, two chefs, what’s stu’s menu going to look like? Any idea?
–mcz
You can read all about what they want to do here
Well once you know all the rules the first thing to do is break them! Your silence regarding my Dennis Rodman question leads me to believe that you are indeed Dennis Rodman. The breakup with Carmen Electra messed you up a bit didn’t it?
So should I assume that Terroir won’t be using olive oil or citrus in their cooking? Or serving coffee or anything with chocolate in it? Or cinnamon or nutmeg? Or tea? Help! This whole “local food” thing is messing with my brain a bit.
Do anyone remember when “Chef” Stu Stein got reviewed by FOODday?
They tried a few recipes from the book and none of them worked!
Embarassing…
I hope they’ll work in his restaurant!
Also, I’d be curious to know the story of what happened at King Estate and then at Rivers, where “Chef” Stu Stein worked for very short times…
Perfect.
MR
It’s incredible that Stein thinks he can publish someone else’s work (which he clearly has) and call it his own. It makes you wonder how stupid he thinks the rest of us are; clearly, very. Considering this, I would never trust him to cook for me. No way.
CBF (& innocent bystanders):
I had a look at that website. That’s a lot of blue sky, er, terroir, er, whatever. I read everything and have no idea what this restaurant is actually going to do—other than that it’s going to be p.c. to the max. Hell, maybe it’ll be vegan. Wouldn’t that be novel and delicious?
Seriously, if you review the site, it is utterly devoid of substance. Instead, it’s full of trite platitudes. At least Stein is consistent: there’s not an original bone in his body.
–mcz
The photo on his bio page gives me an uneasy felling, like he’s apt to slip a roofie in my drink and date rape me.
I have no clue about the legal part, but PE did make me laugh out loud.
Mczlaw:
Well, that’s because I don’t think they know either, which is why there are few details but lots of buzz words and it is all over the map cuisine wise.
However, what I think ruffles so many feathers is the grand bravado and egoism that comes across from the site. It’s feels like the chef is trying to tell us ALL ABOUT THIS EXCITING NORTHWEST CUISINE that he is a pioneer of! When of course, he really isn’t from the NW and has done the majority of his cooking elsewhere.
It reminds me of a time in Seattle in the early 1990s when I lived there. It was when the concept of Seattle Grunge music became an international phenomenon through the band Nirvana and the record label Sub-Pop. Suddenly, bands were moving to Seattle in droves to cash in on the trend and to try to make a name for themselves and get signed by national record labels by promoting themselves as Seattle grunge musicians. Of course, the bands that had been cultivating the music scene from the ground up for years were pretty annoyed. It felt like many outsiders were using what was a small community of collaborators as a way to merely market themselves first and foremost. Substitute the words “band” and “musicians” with “restaurants” and “chefs”, and substitute “grunge” with “organic, sustainable and local”, and substitute “Seattle” for “Portland”, and it reminds me of the whole Terrier thing. (and I don’t care what y’all say, I’m calling it terrier from now on…)
Ok, thesis over…
What CBF said.
Also, my feeling about the Terrior site is: overwhelming mistrust. (This, before I went and compared Stein’s article with earlier ones on Pacific NW Cheese Project, and read the word-for-word/image-for-image similarities.)
Oh. My. God. Nancy is right. This is just horrible and truly disgusting. Whole, (and very long and descriptive sentences) copied verbatim. There is just no way that this is a mistake or “similar writing styles” or whatever.
I did a scan of the Stein article (dated May 2005) and the Pacific NW Cheese Project articles (dated October 2004 and March 2005) and I couldn’t believe the number of same writing. But both Parr’s articles and Stein’s are listed as being copyrighted. I’m assuming the earlier copyright would trump the later copyright and if so, doesn’t that make Stein in violation of copyright law not to mention the ethical or moral gaff…?
Regardless, respectometer for Stein is now at a negative 100.
It’s like the holocaust, but worse!
I love the drama!
the similarities are too coincidental -
these lines are in BOTH articles…
“pastoral beauty”
“young goats greeted us”,
“For me, one of the most impressive things about Kolisch’s approach to cheese making is his commitment to the craft. Juniper Grove Farms is a true farmstead, where the milk used to make the cheese comes from goats raised on the farm.”
YIKES!
Good eye Gecko, but unfortunately there are even more copied sentences and phrases that appear in both articles.
Take this one for example talking about Fraga Farms:
I am totally shocked, utterly stunned and partially hydrogenated. A chef, with a questionable reputation and not an original idea in his head, gets a couple million bucks credit to re-invent dinner. He orders chef coats and sets up a web site… Oh, wait…. I’ve heard this one before.
How do I find some deep pocket enablers? Cause I’ve got this idea for an EXTREEM vegan restaurant; nothing served has ever been alive. And the kicker? STAR WARS THEME!!!!! Make your checks out to Sidemeat LLC.
actually, if you really want to be stunned, just run Tami’s page through Copyscape. It points you to the Ashland Daily Tidings, and highlights the copied section. Just click here to see the results.
This got me thinking. I pulled up another of Steins articles, and did a reverse search through Copyscape. Sure enough, I got a hit, word for word from a site by Scott Hamilton. You can see the results here.
Chef Stein has a personal website with links to other things he has written. I’d guess someone with lots of free time on their hands could find more.
Please, people, when you talk about Stu, make sure you say “Chef” Stu Stein, like he did on a post here a couple months ago…
Anyone who calls himself “Chef” before their name get discredited in my book!
Hope “Chef” Stein will come in this forum and explain himself about this trail…Even students from WCI (where he “teaches”) can spot his bluff…
Sad.
“Chef” Stu Stein was axed from his show on Jefferson Public Radio in Southern Oregon for plagiarism….see this link….
http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2005/1111/local/stories/11local.htm
Chef Stu had a piece in either the 2nd or 3rd Edible Portland’s if I remember correctly. It would be hard to forget that face. Just more fodder I guess.
MR
Geez! That some skeletons in one’s closet!
I’d love to see a journalist expose the whole story!
Might be juicy enough for K. Brooks or Nigel Jaquiss…
Next, we’ll see his face on milk cartons!
pollo, that was one scary pic!
and sidemeat, my vegan (for health reasons) husband would totally love that Star Wars themed restaurant! I just hope it’s in NE PDX so I can ride my bike there!
Regarding Food Network scouting smaller cities with big food scenes, I’m just back from a week in the endless, maddening supersprawl that is Atlanta, and feel compelled to say that in my limited experiences dining out at recommended mid and upscale restaurants over the past few visits, ATL hasn’t got a damn thing on PDX. Based on the places I’ve been steered, it’s all style, no substance.
However, Atlanta beats the pants off of Portland for varieties of inexpensive regional food — the kind you get at blue collar/blue plate/diner/bbq type places. There are lot of long-established, family-owned joints around with cooks who know what they’re doing, and they’ve got the regulars lining up to prove it.
I don’t know if it’s the first closing of ’07 But Graze,in the old Ninas’ place, has been sold and will be closing their doors. That’s a pretty fast crash and burn, but nothing compared to say, Poplars in what is now Lemongrass, or Danny’s European Diner in what I think is now Filberts.(that would have been 1991 or so) Making a buck owning a restaurant is a tough row to hoe. The optimists at Virgo & Pisces open this Thursday. Hope springs eternal.
sidemeat, if what you say about Graze is true, i’m really not surprised. When I ate there just after Christmas, I found the food to be just ok and the location had no energy. Give me a place like Cafe Allora where it’s small, busy, great food and good conversation . Going to Graze felt like going to the cafeteria at Oregon State University back in the 80s.
A friend and I checked out the bar at the new Virgo and Pisces. It was non-smoking (a big plus for us) with a a few flat screens. Sadly, only 4 beers on tap – seems they’re pushing their martini list. We split the scallop cigar appetizer and were both impressed with the texture and flavor.
The brunch and dinner menus both look promising. Overall, a very good experience but I’m going to give them some time to settle in before going back for a full meal.
Welcome to the site, Brodie. I’ll be interested to hear from anyone that tries the food.
word is an incredible indian restaurant is headed into the graze space.
i think there is too much window. nneds to be toned down and warmed up.
Just Me: you are correct… well, I don’t know if it will be ‘incredible’, but it is supposed to be Indian.
actually dude, “incredible indian” is the genre. big in canada.
it’s like regular indian, but with a lot more hyperbole. ;)
Maybe it’s going to be owned by the Indian Tourism department since their slogan is “Incredible !ndia” (yes, with a ! instead of an I)
My wife and I had dinner at Virgo & Pisces last week and were pleasently surprised. I had a pork scallopini dish with a cornbread pudding… a special that night. Chocolate tart was good, too. Fresh sqweezed blood orange screwdriver with grey goose was a rare treat. I was told they do blood orange mimosas for brunch… We’ll have to check that out. Overall it was tasty and we will be back. Best of luck to Virgo & Pisces in a (hopefully not) cursed location. Time will tell.