In a blog post at our local daily fishwrap website, writer Karen Brooks has an update on the much awaited Andy "Pok-Pok" Ricker project Ping, opening in February in our, um, "Chinatown" area. if ever you needed proof of past lives and reincarnation, then Ricker may provide it with his American boy obsession with all things southeast Asian and delicious. He travels regularly overseas to Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and elsewhere and brings back his inetrpretations of the best of the street foods he finds along the way. If Ping comes close to
Pok Pok's authentic Asian food vibe, then we're in for a treat.
Click here to read Brooks' report.
##### ##### #####
The Greek inspired glory that is the gyros and fries at Foti'sOne of my favorite spots for years when I'm tooling around midday and suddenly my stomach starts demanding attention is to pop into
Foti's Greek Deli on SE Burnside and 18th. They've always had the best gyros in town, some addictive and thick slabs of Greek seasoned fries that are so freaking good (and the only time I indulge in a side of ranch dressing), plus other very well done Greek specialties and a damn good fried chicken with the same seasoning as on the fries. Plus if you're looking for that hard-to-find ingredient for your home cooked Greek feast, chances are you can grab it off the grocery shelves here. Give your order to Foti's über-nice wife who always seems to be at the counter, pull up a chair at one of their tables that take up one side of their store-cum-Greek taverna, sip a glass of ice cold retsina, and indulge the Mediterranean vibe!
##### ##### #####
After our trip last year to China where, walking up to any number of street vendors, we ate some of the best dim sum on the planet (not to mention the SF/Oakland must stop
East Ocean's awesome offerings for you traveling dim sum fanatics), we knew in Portland's inconsistent dim sum scene we'd never find the heights reached there. But we weren't prepared for the horrors that landed on our table during a recent visit to
Fong Chong in old town. Without question the worst dim sum either of us has ever had. Plate after plate of heavy, ill prepared, greasy or wrapped too thickly bites. We tried four or five different things, didn't finish anything, and walked out. Somebody in that kitchen needs to either start caring or shut the doors. An unrelenting, unmitigated dining disaster!
The Greek inspired glory that is the gyros and fries at Foti's
After our trip last year to China where, walking up to any number of street vendors, we ate some of the best dim sum on the planet (not to mention the SF/Oakland must stop East Ocean's awesome offerings for you traveling dim sum fanatics), we knew in Portland's inconsistent dim sum scene we'd never find the heights reached there. But we weren't prepared for the horrors that landed on our table during a recent visit to Fong Chong in old town. Without question the worst dim sum either of us has ever had. Plate after plate of heavy, ill prepared, greasy or wrapped too thickly bites. We tried four or five different things, didn't finish anything, and walked out. Somebody in that kitchen needs to either start caring or shut the doors. An unrelenting, unmitigated dining disaster!
