Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Quick Bites PDX- EaT: An Oyster Bar; and Ristretto Roasters

They had me at hello. Either that or this frosty cold mug of Lagunitas IPA. This was a fine intro to the semi-new EaT: An Oyster Bar, in the slightly less semi-new HUB building on N. Williams Avenue (home to Lincoln Restaurant, Ristretto Roasters, and others, and former home of the short lived vegan restaurant Nutshell. I know, I agree...."short lived" and "vegan restaurant" is a redundancy!) EaT is named after partners Ethan Powell and Tobias Hogan (the E and T of the name). We wandered in a couple of Sundays ago on a beautifully sunny fall afternoon when we were in desperate need of sustenance. The word was that E and T were providing it by serving up New Orleans style grub in various forms of po' boys, gumbo, and oysters.

We wandered up to the bar, with the garage style doors wide open letting in copious amounts of light. They serve their beers out of old fridges behind the bar and in some freezing cold 10 ounce mugs (hey, you want a pint? Order two!). So cold that you can see the beer that spilled out frozen on the outside of the mug. Literally and figuratively very cool! After that, we had to have some fresh shucked oysters that must be the best deal in town: around $8 for a half-dozen and $15 for a full dozen. Prices will vary according to what's available. We loved our fresh, briny Willapa Bays. Up next were an equally satisfying bowl of seafood gumbo for w that was nicely spicy, rich, and with plenty of shrimp, oysters, crab and okra; and their catfish po' boy for me which was nicely and lightly fried, and it came with a side of very credible, hand cut fries. All in all a most saisfying Sunday stop and a place we both will be back to. This is what comfortbale neighborhood places are supposed to be like!
The dispensers of malted happiness above, and a shot of the interior below looking out to N. Williams Av.

ADD HUB: We also stopped into Ristretto Roasters (left, from the outside looking in)before our EaT visit. A comfy modern-cool space, mid century-ish, with very able baristas turning out some high quality shots. My cappucino was delicious although the foam could have been lighter (I still prefer the perfection that is the Caffé Umbria version). With it's wide open doors and expansive patio out front, plus that damn fine coffee, if I lived in the 'hood, I'd be there regularly!

No comments: