Quick Bites PDX: Rick's Wild Seafood; Bar Avignon; Jade Teahouse; Por Que No

For something with so much universal appeal, why is it so hard to find good fish and chips in Portland? It doesn't seem that tough to make, but still there is constant disappointment to be had in the oily, or over-battered, or soggy, or not fresh fish, or limp fries versions that are littering the restaurant landscape. That's why it was with more than a little interest that I'd been reading about the Rick's Wild Seafood cart on the corner of SW 3rd and Ankeny downtown. Online buzz had it that they are putting out some kickass pieces of fried fish, with better than average fries. Obviously this was something that needed my attention. When I walked up to place my order...for the cod, which is my barometer...I noticed how spotless the cart looked inside. Good in any food cart, but seems especially important in fish shack on wheels. With just a short wait, out came my order (for just $6), three pieces of what looked like lightly battered fish sitting on top of a pile of fries with a side of slaw. I took a bite, hoping for the best. As the thin batter fell away under my bite and I noted the fresh fish flavor, I knew. Mmm, this was good stuff! The fries were also very good, crunchy, not limp or overcooked, nice potatoey bites, and the slaw did not disappoint either, although I would like a touch more dressing. A minor complaint when I know I can get F&C this good. If only there was a beer cart next door, it would indeed be nirvana! I'll be back, regularly, for more. Also, follow Rick's on twitter for specials (@wild_seafood). It seems like the billboard above the cart perfectly expresses the Rick's ethos.

I also have a soft spot for the F&C at Horse Brass Pub. I'd love to know where you get your fried fish on...do tell!
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This is a great time to be going by and checking out Bar Avignon on SE Division & 21st. Owners Nancy and Randy have always had the beverage side dialed in, with food that also doesn't disappoint. But they have just hired Jeremy Eckel as their new chef, and he is slowly making his mark on the menu. Eckel has been in town for about a year, working at Lincoln, and previously in his Bay Area life he was chef at the highly regarded Foreign Cinema. If you go, don't miss his addictive Washington mussels with white wine, cream, and tarragon; the fra'mani ham sandwich; and I just noticed he has some fried squash blossoms working, a rarely seen but always worthy indulgence. The seasonal flag is flying in the kitchen at BA, and combining this new kitchen energy with the always comfy (and affordable) drinking vibe bodes well for future visits!
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What you see to the left are, in my semi-informed opinion, the best salad rolls in the city. Jade Teahouse in Sellwood (@JadeTeahouse on twitter) has once again thrilled my palate. These salad rolls, at a very reasonable $5 for a very generous portion, are sparkling fresh and vibrant with flavor. The chicken or shrimp versions are most desirable, and their peanut dipping sauce (with a splash of Sriracha chili sauce on the side) is the perfect thing to snap your palate into shape. I don't why I am always so surprised at just how good Jade's food is, but this is absolutely some of the best Thai/SE Asian food in town!
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I've mentioned before my appreciation for having the new-ish Por Que No on Hawthorne a mere three blocks away from my front door. It really is unfair to my weak mind and hungry tummy to put their other-worldly carnitas tacos within such easy reach. Not to mention some very credible margaritas that do much credit to their main ingredient. No weak sisters, these beverages. Their whole menu seems to be working, but w and I have a weak spot for Sunday brunch at PQN. Last week I had their migas (pic at left), a mix of tortilla chips, eggs, and veggies perfectly suited for sliding between their house made fresh tortillas. w had the huevos, which never disappoints, and don't miss their ginormous breakfast torta if it's on the specials board of you're a fan of waddling.

It hurts so good

What I just finished eating for Sunday breakfast:
The Breakfast Torta from Por Que No: 7" of porky love shoved in my mouth.......wait, did that sound somehow wrong? What I'm sayin' is this is the famous PQN tinga pork (spiced/shredded)-with gooey cheese-sour cream-and fixin's sandwich that will leave you moaning in pleasure and in serious need of a tummy massage!

Things I Find Delicious

We just got back from breakfast at Por Que No on Hawthorne. Go there....IMMEDIATELY....and order the Breakfast Torta on special today, which is the unholy marriage of the best carnitas in town and everything else you've ever wanted to have in a breakfast sando, all stuffed between a soft roll. Crazy....and a steal at $7 a pop! As an added benefit to those who overindulged last night: I'm not even hungover and I just know this may be the best hangover cure....ever!!

Quick Bites PDX: 3 Things You Must Try!

First off, after another late Friday at our tasting at the wine shack, w and I popped into the Por Que No on upper Hawthorne, where usually the best-in-town and pork-a-licious carnitas tacos are what fulfills my immediate needs. But last night on their specials board they had butternut squash tacos. Hmm....okay, I guess I can give up my usual carnitas fix. So I ordered a couple to go with one carnitas taco, and oh, my freaking god they were incredible! I don't know if they are running these very often, but if they are, do not NOT try them. Absolutely crazy!! I could happily have these (at least temporarily) instead of carnitas. Vegetarians everywhere rejoice! Also, we usually have a side of what I think are the best chips and guac out there to start things off. Check it out.

Then at EVOE for lunch today, chef Kevin Gibson was throwing down his usual dazzling array of astoundingly good....not to mention beautiful to look at...plates of food. Two things we had are two things you have to have: his perfect croque madam which is ham, gruyere infused bechamel, and mustard grilled between two slices of rustic bread with a fried organic egg on top. Like breakfast for lunch and a killer sando. Also not to be missed is his coquilles ste. jacques nouvelle, which is raw scallops sliced thinly (sashimi style) and plated with grapefruit pieces all bathed in what I thought was a light grapefruit vinaigrette with a drizzle of olive oil.

A few small bites....

This just in from the New York Times "Diner's Journal" blog: writer Zahra Sethna reports that the world's first testicle recipe collection is being released. Included are preparations for testicle pizza, barbecued testicles with giblets, and, um, battered testicles. To which I can only say, Ouch!
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Locally w and I stopped in industrial northwest PDX for the opening peek at the new shared home Oregon wine producers Grochau Cellars and Boedecker Cellars. I love both those wineries, as much for the people behind them as for the stellar reds and whites they produce. They're calling their joint venture the Portland Wine Project (2621 NW 30th Avenue), and it is the only commercial wine production facility within the city limits. Look for their public opening over the Thanksgiving weekend. John Grochau of GC (far right in pic at right) and Stewart Boedecker and Athena Pappas of Boedecker will begin getting in grapes next week, and as Stewart said "we'll throw the switch and hope everything works!"
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Add Stewart and Athena: Check out this article by Athena in the latest Mix Magazine, our local fishwrap The Oregonian's attempt to be foodie hip and cool (with, may I say, very "mix"-ed results), for some of her families Greek recipes. Can't wait to try her Tzatziki, which in Pappas family tradition is eaten with ridged potato chips, because as Athena told me yesterday "then you can eat even more!". Also looking forward to whipping up a batch of Mama's Meatballs!
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Also had brunch yesterday at that fabulous addition to our upper-Hawthorne neighborhood Por Que No taqueria. The perfect way to start my Sunday? A plate of chilaquillas (pic at left) and a carnitas taco!
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Perhaps the peripatetic Mario Batali should spend more time at his restaurants and less time palling around Europe with Gwyneth. The NYT has just reported that his flagship restaurant Babbo has lost its one Michelin star.

Sicilian Sundays @ Apizza Scholls!

Those iconoclastic dough spinners at the best pie joint in town, Apizza Scholls (although Tastebud is coming hard), who have also been called "One of the Top Five Pizzerias in America", and are also equally famous for their our-way-or-the-highway approach to special requests and to-go orders...both will be met with a fake friendly "Sorry", which I kind of like...and their proclivity for running out of dough and closing early have actually expanded their hours! Shockingly, they are now celebrating "Sicilian Sundays" from 4:00-8:00pm every Sunday. They've been doing it for 3 weeks and when w and I were in last night our server said it has been rocking, and their Sunday-only sandwiches (another WTF?! expansion of their menu), a Classic Italian Hero with Genoa salami, cappicola, mortadella, provolone, and the usual garnishes; and their Classic Meatball Parm Hero with house made meatballs, mozzarella, and parmesan are reputed to be awesome. I'll be reporting back to you all soon, I promise! Besides those two temptations the menu also includes a Sicilian Pizza (cheese & tomato) with your choice of 1 or 2 toppings off a list that includes sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, anchovies, mushroom, olive, onion, or ricotta. And you can also add garlic and basil for a buck each.. Their regular pizzas aren't available. You can also grab a House Salad or their Caesar (for my particular palate one of the best in town). Now here's the REALLY shocking part: people who walk-in (no phone-in orders) can also order to-go!! The end of days must be near, because with this seismic business shift and the opening of Por Que No Taqueria my edible life on upper Hawthorne is getting too good!

picture from slice.seriouseats.com

Carnitas and huevos and chilaquiles, oh my!!

Get set for the biggest, most important Portland restaurant opening of the year this Thursday on upper SE Hawthorne Boulevard, as the long awaited, much anticipated Por Que No Taqueria “Dos” opens. Okay, maybe it’s not the biggest opening. And probably the importance is more personal that universal, but when I can stroll down the street to 4635 SE Hawthorne and get my share of the best carnitas tacos on the planet, then I’m so in. And that Sunday brunch with plates of huevos and chilquiles (pic below right) is a mere four minute walk from our front door (yeah, I timed it!). No more driving to north Portland to PQN "uno" to get our fix….life is so freaking good sometimes!!!

w and I were walking the Chops around the ‘hood Sunday morning and stopped by PQN and were checking out the backyard, peering in the window. Owner Bryan Steelman and his wife Claire were inside and they asked if we wanted to come in and take a look around. Just the fact that they were there alone, getting it ready together was very cool. They are so involved with their spaces, infusing so much personal, positive energy and you can feel their excitement. The space is awesome, much bigger than their N. Mississippi shoebox, but with that same incredible vibe. Their eyes were just sparkling as they showed us around, bragged about their big new walk-in cooler, the new kitchen, the big wall benches that were recycled from an old Masonic temple . I mentioned to Bryan that isn't it cool when your vision turns out even better than you thought, and he said it's so amazing that sometimes he feels the hair on his arms standing up he's so excited! Big roll up garage door-style windows really open up the space to the street. Plus they have a fantastic backyard that promises to be one the most fun places to hang in the city. I can’t wait and am totally down with what Bryan and Claire have accomplished. These two run their restaurants the right way, support their employees and their neighborhoods. All you need to know to know about the PQN ethic can be fond by clicking on the website link above and then clicking the "mythology" tab. It says it all.

Why not, indeed?

As a rule, I'm not a big breakfast person. But on the way out of town yesterday, w and I didn't want to day trip without some sustenance, so we stopped at our favorite tacqueria, ¿Por Que No? on North Mississippi, because when don't little tacos taste good besides never? At least that was our thought heading in. I had forgotten that on weekends they do their version of brunch, where along with their usual killer tacos...including crazy good carnitas that will make you swoon in meaty delight...they offer other specials, which can include among other things huevos rancheros, a tamale with eggs, and my favorite, chilaquiles. Chilaquiles are what Mexicans do with leftover tortillas. They are cut into pieces, fried, then smothered in a red/green sauce, onion, cilantro, cheese, and sometimes (like at PQN) served with egg. It is so good, and I have a feeling something I'll be exploring at home. w had the huevos, that were also muy bueno, but for me chilaquiles are the deal. And at $7.50 a plate, a fabulous deal! Dig this, amigos......