Trev's Bistro

Cocktail of the Week: “Things Done Changed,” The Whey Bar, Portland, OR, Plus Other Portland Cocktail Notes

To close out the Portland reports on this Mardi Gras Tuesday, let’s celebrate with an exceptional riff on the classic Pisco Sour courtesy of the holdover room known as The Whey Bar, at NE Portland’s red hot Argentine-Portland inspired cuisine restaurant, Ox.

The “Things Done Changed” is a force, a glowing sunshine hue with a perfect frothy egg white shaken consistency. The key is the exchange between the smoked lemon and jalapenos with the Pisco, leading to a sensation akin to umami. I noticed some bacon on the palate, but also papaya salsa and bountiful fresh in season citrus without an ounce of bitterness. Unfortunately, the rest of the cocktails didn’t have the same fully locked-in balance or depth at Whey. I was underwhelmed by the “Shipwreck” with Bourbon, Rum, lime, and mint with a dash of Angostura Bitters, and the “Devil in a New Dress” with Tequila, Red Pepper, Combier Orange, Lime, and Mezcal, where the sugary orange notes commanded the proceedings, and more spice and smoke would have elevated everything much higher.

The standard-bearer of the Portland cocktail scene continues to by Clyde Common, anchored by one of the country’s definitive cocktails, the Barrel-Aged Negroni. It’s deservedly a legend, made poetic by fervent admirers such as yours truly. Beefeater Gin, Sweet Vermouth, and Campari, the classic holy trinity, are aged two months in Tuthilltown Whiskey barrels, then shaken with ice, served up in a coupe, and finished by an orange peel garnish. Somehow those two months of aging add vanilla and squeeze out the rosewater notes of Campari with the Juniper in the Gin, sharpening its focus while softening the edges, and together it soars every time.

Inexplicably, the Negroni was out one night. Hence, I was forced to sample a Boulevardier aged in the same manner, essentially the same drink with Bourbon swapped for the Gin. It’s enjoyable, but still just not the same. The Bourbon doesn’t click in harmony with the other elements as much.

Watch Out What Might Happen When Served This Mezcal Pisco Sour at Clyde Common

After numerous visits to Clyde Common, itself also a terrific restaurant attached to the über-hip Ace Hotel, my most recent stop was the first time with Jeffrey Morgenthaler tending the bar. Morgenthaler is the mind behind Clyde Common’s game-changing cocktails and one of the country’s leading “mixologists,” a pioneer for championing barrel aged, bottled, and carbonated cocktails. None of the other cocktails reached the Negroni’s lofty heights, though a version of a Pisco Sour with Mezcal called “I Punched You in the Nut” was close. I asked about the name’s history. Fortunately, it’s only the drink’s name, not what is served as a garnish with it.Continue reading “Cocktail of the Week: “Things Done Changed,” The Whey Bar, Portland, OR, Plus Other Portland Cocktail Notes”

Beer of the Week: Gigantic Brewing Co., Gigantic IPA, Portland, OR, Plus Lots More Beer of the Week Quality Beers Abound in Oregon

I had for the longest time been under the impression that Portland, Oregon only boasted some 45 or so breweries, a runaway winner for the title of city with the highest population of breweries in the country. What a fool I was. Now, according to the Oregon Brewers Guild, the Portland metro area is 68 breweries strong, most of whom (not named Widmer) can be considered microbreweries or much smaller nanobreweries.

At least I’ve made a small dent into those 68 breweries, visiting a dozen or so over time.

The gem of this most recent trip to Portland’s breweries was Gigantic Brewing Co., a not so enormous year old operation from Ben Love and Van Havig that is producing some incredibly gigantic beers.

It’s not easy to craft an IPA that stands out above the competition in this hops to the exponential power mad city. Somehow, Gigantic’s Gigantic IPA is the genre perfected. It is now one of the standards that top tier IPA must be measured by.
Continue reading “Beer of the Week: Gigantic Brewing Co., Gigantic IPA, Portland, OR, Plus Lots More Beer of the Week Quality Beers Abound in Oregon”

Keeping Portland’s Food Unique (And Sometimes Weird)

Which is the “weirder” city between Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas, the two well-known cities that pride themselves on mottos preaching “Keep Portland (or Austin) Weird.”? That’s hard to say. They’re both truly unique cities in their own (sometimes weird) ways.

Which city has “weirder” food? Again, spend some time at Portland’s food carts or Austin’s food trailers and you’re bound to find some distinctly quirky creations that usually are equally unhealthy.

On both sides of the Willamette, north and south, Portland’s dynamic dining scene is certainly no longer a little regional secret. Yet, what is it that necessarily makes Portland such a stand-out? Is it the endless days of rain? Is it the beautiful parks and gardens? Is it the abundant ingredients chefs can grow and buy from within the city and the surrounding areas?

Perhaps, it just might be those brilliant, daring minds of Portland’s chefs who are not afraid to push the envelope. This isn’t a Nathan Myhrvold-Ferran Adrià type of cutting-edge, avant gârde horizon changing type of cuisine. Sous-vide doesn’t even seem too fashionable in Portland compared to the rest of the country. The futuristic techniques and high wire acts fit in the big ticket dining cities. Here, it’s about channeling your passion to the plate.

It’s that these chefs are so good at finding a particular niche and sprinting away with these fascinating visionary concepts.That is what makes Portland’s unique and weird at times dining scene, truly Portland.Continue reading “Keeping Portland’s Food Unique (And Sometimes Weird)”

More Espresso In Portland…Where It Appears To Rain Coffee

It’s not a little known fact that Portland boasts quite the coffee culture. Think about coffee and you imagine several cities synonymous with either rain or café culture: Vienna, Rome, Buenos Aires, Seattle to name a few.

But, who in the world has 30 coffee roasters within one city? 30. Not a dozen, which even the mightiest of dining scenes like San Francisco and New York haven’t even reached yet.

Hey, Portland, Oregon isn’t a normal city when it comes to eating and drinking. After all, those 30 coffee roasters pale in comparison to the hundreds of food carts and roughly 45 microbreweries now.

Starbucks isn’t from here, but Stumptown started on SE Belmont Street. I’ve enjoyed Stumptown roasted beans in New York and obscure San Francisco Bay Area towns. Is Stumptown more Starbucks or one of the little roasters of Portland still?

Whatever we consider Stumptown, there is no doubt that they led the charge of what is far and away the country’s most dynamic coffee culture. Yes, blue sky is a rare sight. But, it’s not the cloudy days that makes Portland’s coffee roasters and cafés so successful. It’s the people and the companies themselves. If Honolulu had roasters and baristas of this caliber, we’d be rolling up to grab a macchiato after every surf session instead of shaved ice.

Stumptown’s cafes around Portland continue to be local and visitor favorites, whether it’s the hip school hangout at the Ace Hotel, or the original and its annex for cupping at SE Belmont. There is no shortage of competition though for the now nationally well-known pioneer.Continue reading “More Espresso In Portland…Where It Appears To Rain Coffee”

Monday’s Neighborhood: Highlands, Denver, Colorado

Tucked on a somewhat steep slope across the roaring Platte River just northwest of Downtown Denver, the Mile High City’s 250 acre Highlands neighborhood is possibly the new epicenter of what is a Boomtown today for dining and drinking. Long ago we discovered that Denver’s restaurant culture status as a “Cowtown” of old west steakhouses was obsolete. Just think about the city’s importance in the craft brewing world (and host of the country’s most important annual craft brewing event, the Great American Beer Festival) and how chefs including Frank Bonanno and Jennifer Jasinski have become city royalty, almost to Elway levels.

Highland is really the “new” Denver, both when it comes to its recent emergence on the cultural scene, and if you consider so much of its architecture.

A series of three spectacular, modern bridges that all look as if they were designed by Santiago Caltrava lead you from Downtown over the Millennium Bridge to Commons Park (the unofficial official place to walk your dog or go for a jog in the city it seems), the Platte River and its lack of rapids and water, and once initially in Highland, over I-25 (Denver’s closest comparison to a Los Angeles- style mega freeway).

New shiny lofts in Highlands house many of the city’s new young tech work force and the neighborhood has a very rich Hispanic heritage, adding all sorts of charm to its mostly residential streets and three main commercial areas. West 38th Avenue to the north, the Platte River to the east, Speer Boulevard and West 29th Avenue to the south, and Tennyson Street to the west roughly define what is considered Denver’s largest neighborhood.

What exactly started the emergence of Highland as such a culinary neighborhood? Perhaps it was bacon caramel corn.Continue reading “Monday’s Neighborhood: Highlands, Denver, Colorado”

Restaurants: Paley’s Place: Portland, Oregon

In the city where food carts populate parking lots everywhere, no reservations-hour plus long waits are the norm at the hottest restaurants, and hangover brunch is the official meal, sometimes it’s easy to forget about the tried and true classic restaurants for relaxed, comfortable meals.

It’s also very easy to yearn for an established, refined dining experience when the rough edges of newer destinations start jading the adventuresome diner in you. Sometimes, you just want to make a reservation, arrive on time, sit down on a plush banquette with a crisp glass of J. Christopher’s Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc, peruse the perfectly sized ambitious yet still humble menu, and know that the professional service will pace your meal appropriately.

Dinner might not be an eye-opening tour de force of cutting-edge culinary creativity at the now 18 year old Northwest Portland legend Paley’s Place.

It will, however, soothe you into knowing that there is still a chance to breathe and savor a smooth, very enjoyable meal in this all too chaotic world. This is how neighborhood bistros once were before sous-vide machines and wood-fired pizza ovens became the de rigueur symbols of a neighborhood “bistro.” This is how neighborhood bistros still should be. Remember, “bistros” in France are bustling and mature destinations for weeknight dinners and special occasion dinners alike. They are not gastropubs.

Step off the Portland Streetcar rumbling along Northrup Street at Northwest 21st Avenue and into one of Portland’s icons, almost there with the International Rose Test Garden, the Steel Bridge, and Bill Walton’s 1970’s Trail Blazers teams.Continue reading “Restaurants: Paley’s Place: Portland, Oregon”

The Super Crab Bowl: Baltimore and San Francisco Politicians’ Super Bowl Wagers

There is a lot at stake in tomorrow’s Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Obviously, the most important match-up is the one on the field between the Baltimore Ravens and your five time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. Then there is the HarBowl element of the Super Bowl, with the game pitting brother against brother, John Harbaugh, the head coach of the Ravens, versus Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the 49ers.

Intriguing storylines abound. Over a hundred million people worldwide will be tuning in. Beyoncé is performing at halftime. Who knows how many thousands of gallons of jambalaya will be consumed Sunday?

Add another match-up to watch and analyze Sunday: the food wagers between Baltimore and San Francisco’s mayors, and similar bets between the senators of Maryland and California.

Knowing how iconic crabs are to both cities’ cuisines, is it surprising that the blue or red crustacean plays a prominent role in the wagers?Continue reading “The Super Crab Bowl: Baltimore and San Francisco Politicians’ Super Bowl Wagers”

Plat du Jour Friday February 1, 2013: Taste of the NFL, What is Confit?, Sri Lankan Cuisine on Staten Island, A Few Oregon Pinot Noir Notes, and Super Bowl Reservations

It’s the eve of Super Bowl Eve in New Orleans. Do you think a few people just might be strolling down Bourbon Street right now? Care to take a guess how long the wait at the bar for a cocktail is presently at Cure? My guess is a good hour to 90 minutes.

The dinner hour is presently ending in New Orleans, unless you’re planning on beignets at Café du Monde for a late dinner/ early breakfast, or whatever a 2 am meal is considered.

Looking ahead to prime dinner time Saturday night February 2nd, good reservations can still be found on OpenTable for parties of 2. A Mano, Coquette, Lüke (a CBD John Besh spin-off), Ralph’s on the Park, and MiLa all are excellent choices with availability. But, hurry fast. The list is impressive and extensive for those fully booked: Bayona, Cochon, Emeril’s, Herbsaint, Lilette, Pascal’s Manale, August, R’evolution, Sylvain, and Stella!. Not that that is surprising in the least. You can always gamble and try to walk into Galatoire’s…

Then again Sunday night during the Super Bowl, there is even less availability, with nearly all of these restaurants being somewhat formal and not having televisions. Are people not watching the game or are all the chefs closing so they can watch at home or attend the game? I don’t blame them.

If you’re not spending Saturday night February 2nd at Cochon or Bouligny Tavern, then certainly consider attending one of Super Bowl Week’s always special annual events: The Taste of the NFL.Continue reading “Plat du Jour Friday February 1, 2013: Taste of the NFL, What is Confit?, Sri Lankan Cuisine on Staten Island, A Few Oregon Pinot Noir Notes, and Super Bowl Reservations”

Meat Me in Portland: Ox, Laurelhurst Market, and Olympic Provisions

Portland, Oregon might be just a few miles from the Pacific coast and even closer to some of the most fish abundant rivers around, along with being half way across the country from the meat and potatoes heartland. Yet, as is the case for numerous other exciting, major food and drink abundant cities ranging far and wide, coffee to pizza, Portland has a particular forte with meat.

Real, bonafide meat in many forms. Steak. Pork belly. Charcuterie. Foie gras. Salty, fatty, tender cuts of meat, usually in servings more for lumberjacks than ballerinas.

Portland, of course, doesn’t strike you as a steakhouse town like Chicago or a stock yards town like Kansas City or Fort Worth. Not being a local, I am unaware of any stockyards around the city, but if they do exist, one can imagine they have to be humanely raised and loved as if everything in a “Portlandia” sketch were reality.

Not that Portland is the only city in the country where chefs commonly view bacon as essential a finishing touch to a dish as pepper. This is not a barbeque capital of the U.S., though the likes of Podnah’s Pit are starting to stake out Portland’s power in the genre.

Beef Ribs, Smoked Apple-Jalapeño BBQ Sauce, Pickled Turnips

This is about two very unique steakhouses that are so much more than just a steakhouse, and a charcuterie maker-restaurant that is almost unanimously considered the runaway leader in its oeuvre.Continue reading “Meat Me in Portland: Ox, Laurelhurst Market, and Olympic Provisions”

Wines of the Week: Soter Vineyards, 2011 North Valley Chardonnay and 2007 Napa Valley Proprietary Red, Carlton, Oregon

Hold the glass for a moment. A wine of the week, or actually, two wines of the week, both from Oregon, and neither is a Pinot Noir? How say you?

That’s no slight on one of the Willamette Valley’s finest wineries, Soter Vineyards. I’d gladly rave about and will rave about Tony Soter’s very handsome flight of Pinot Noir.

This is a fascinating tale, however, about how a former California winemaker, turned Oregon winemaker, can teach his old state’s wine architects a thing or two about the direction California’s signature varietals should be heading.

Soter made wines as a consultant for several of the marquee names in the Napa Valley: Niebaum Coppola, Shafer, and Spottswoode to name a few, as well as the wines for his own label founded in 1982, Etude.

Courtesy: http://www.sotervineyards.com/productinfotabs.aspx?ProductID=11NVCH

Tony and his wife Michelle are both Oregon natives and returned to the Pacific Northwest a decade ago, escaping the constant pressure of the Napa Valley wine culture. The Soters searched for the heart of New World Burgundy terroir, planting Pinot Noir vines on the Mineral Springs Ranch property in 2002, at the edge of Carlton in the Yamhill-Calrton AVA of the Willamette Valley. Mineral Springs is a very mellifluous, gently sloped, free-flowing landscape, rich with healthy Keasey soil and clay that are perfect with the near constant regional precipitation. At around 400 feet elevation, high winds and severe weather are not a problem, and the vineyard is inland enough to be welcoming to non-coastal grapes, such as Chardonnay.

If the 2010 single-vineyard flagship Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir is any indication, this certainly is the right terroir for exceptional Pinot Noir.Continue reading “Wines of the Week: Soter Vineyards, 2011 North Valley Chardonnay and 2007 Napa Valley Proprietary Red, Carlton, Oregon”