The times they are a-changin’

In another sign of an impending restaurant apocalypse, apparently all four Bruce Carey restaurants are feeling the pinch, as a press release I received today states that they are all offering 3-course-for-$25 dinners (the sample menus are below) during all regular dinner hours, I’m sure something Bruce never imagined he would have to do. Not surprising, as I know most higher end places are scrambling to fill seats. From being out what doesn’t seem to be as affected are the mid-level bistros like Bar Avignon, Castagna Café, Three Doors Down, Caffé Mingo, etc. With ever tightening discretionary dollars, it seems inevitable that some big restaurant meltdowns are on the way.

Clarklewis
ROASTED PERSEPHONE BEET SALAD with Point Reyes Blue cheese,
baby greens and sherry vinaigrette
HANDMADE TAGLIATELLE with lamb ragu and pecorino toscano
LIME SHERBET with a wedding cake cookie

23Hoyt
CAULIFLOWER SOUP with caramelized apple, fried almonds and hot pepper
BRAISED PORK CHEEKS with yellow corn cheese grits, grilled rapini and maple jus
ROOTBEER FLOAT with vanilla ice cream

Saucebox
BUTTER LETTUCE, VEGETABLE & HERB SALAD with avocado vinaigrette
CRISPY ROASTED CHICKEN with winter vegetables and chili-hoisin jus
or
VEGETABLES IN RED COCONUT CURRY with steamed jasmin rice
CHOCOLATE CINNAMON ICE CREAM with salted caramel and whipped cream

Bluehour
FIELD ARUGULA SALAD with shaved shallot, grana padano, grilled croutons and lemon vinaigrette
“POULET GRAND-MÈRE” braised free range chicken leg quarter, savoy cabbage,
creamy polenta and cremini mushroom jus
BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO whipped cream and biscotti

You call this work??

I don't know about you and what you do on your days off, but this Monday on one of my sacrosanct days off, I found myself inexplicably having to spend all afternoon working. At my job! Well, not exactly AT my job, but it was still about my job. Sometimes in this thing called the wine business, demands are made that need to be responded to, and this was one such day. I had not one, but two appointments I was expected at. How hard was it? Check this out.....

First off, at 1pm, I had to make my way to downtown PDX and drive around the block twice to find a parking spot a 1/2 block away from Bluehour, where I was expected to sit through a four course wine tasting lunch featuring four Italian winemakers who were in town with their importer to flog their wares. Did I mention this was my day off? So I trudge in, find a seat among others who sacrificed pieces of their own lives, and listen to these winemakers talk about their, well, admittedly stellar wines while being forced to consume a first course of Kumamoto oysters followed by a plate of strozzapretti pasta with a gorgonzola dolce sauce. Then, as if I hadn’t given enough of myself already, they actually had the temerity to bring out a plate of grilled lamb loin chops over slow cooked polenta (that lovely plate of meaty goodness above), while the wine server just would not stop filling my glasses with Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone. So instead of being home relaxing, I find myself having to rush through a final course of artisan cheese with a single-vineyard Amarone Reserva because I had to hustle off to yet another appointment.

Luckily my next “work” appointment was only about four blocks away, so I was able to steel myself to walk upstairs at Masu Sushi to be confronted by this....


And these.....










And yet more of this....


For god’s sake, how much am I expected to put up with?! A sake tasting with endless sushi? Didn’t they hear I was just at a four-course lunch?? Can’t these wine suppliers at least ask me about my schedule? How much do they think I can eat and drink??? Give, give, give...it's all I seem to do, all so that others may drink better at the wine shack. I can only hope my hard work and dedication pays off................