Quick Bites PDX: Autentica and Laurelhurst Market

The "Feel"
I've written before about how certain chefs just have a "feel" for food. When they put ingredients together, it just works. Chef Anthony Cafiero at Tabla gets it. Two other recent, and equally satisfying, restaurant experiences here in Portland further illustrate that delicious point....
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AUTENTICA
The fact that I don't make the trek to Oswaldo Bibiano's great Mexican restaurant Autentica more often is an oversight that has to be corrected. Bibiano, who is originally from Guerrero, Mexico, is making some of the most interestingly flavored food in town, Mexican or otherwise. He has a way with chili's that absolutely makes your mouth light up. Not just from the heat, but from the electric flavors infused into his dishes. For me his Pollo en Mole Guerrerense, a half chicken covered in a darkly colored, house made mole (easily the best version in town), always satisfies. Mole is a dish that shows who takes shortcuts and who goes the distance. Needless to say Bibiano's 30-ingredient mole is like running a marathon of sensual delights. Rich, intense, so many flavors that are perfectly balanced. Awesome stuff. Sis had the Barbacoa de Res, which was also excellent with tender, slow cooked beef that that was pungent and layered with flavor. Bro-in-law had the Chuleta de Puerco, a thick cut Carlton Farms pork chop that was served with a delicious dried chili mole. w's Pescado con Hueso was the one weak spot in our entrée lineup. She thought the roasted fish steak was a bit bland, especially compared to the other dishes, which had flavors that were practically overflowing the plates.

To end at the beginning here's my recommended starter: Tostada con Puerco Frito...think about it... shredded fried pork with black beans, cabbage, cotija cheese, and pickled jalapeño on a whole crispy tortilla. Let me restate: shredded fried pork. Get it? The guacamole is a very credible version (but if you want to make the best version ever at home, try this!), but the chopped pulpo (octopus) app didn't really work for w and me. Oh, and margaritas, delicious ones at that...lots of 'em!

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LAURELHURST MARKET
I mentioned on twitter what an exceptional meal I had at Laurelhurst Market Monday night. Someone commented back that she "hearts Laurelhurst Market". After this last experience, I heart Laurelhurst Market, too! I gave a quick review previously after my first visit to LM, and this last meal only reinforces that these dudes know their way around various cloven hoofed beasts better than virtually anyone in town. Again, that "feel" for your product is in abundant evidence. With my friends DOR and Bar Avignon owner RG along, we indulged in a meat fest of epic proportions. How epic? You know you're going all in when you have a charcuterie plate for dessert! The highlights.....

Foie Gras Torchon...served with almond butter and peaches, with three small biscuits to spread the goodness upon. Amazing, the almond butter a surprising and satisfying accompaniment to a great piece of foie.

Gazpacho...feeling we needed to introduce some form of non-protein into our meat-centric meal, we had the excellent pureed gazpacho. I'm not a big gazpacho guy, but the LM bowl with bits of Dungeness crab sprinkled on top is one I'd eat any day.

Salt Cod Fritters...not quite up to Toro Bravo standards, but very, very close. A nice amount of cod, and a delicious aioli dipping sauce. Aioli...is this the greatest condiment ever, or what?!

Beef Brisket with a house made bbq sauce...I'm not quite sure how to describe how mouthgasmic this piece of beef was. Hmmm...tender, succulent, fatty in that melt in your mouth way. This is the best piece of brisket I have ever had, with crusty bits on the outside, moist, incredible juicy fork-tender meat that is cooked perfectly. The sauce is rich, but doesn't overpower the meat. A sensual, almost...oh, fuck almost, it IS...a sexy piece of meat! Makes me feel nothing but pity for those poor vegetarians out there who are living but half a life.....

Rib-eye with Roquefort butter and Bavette with romesco....the other two plates to hit our table, both cooked exactly medium rare, with a rich beefy taste. The blue cheese butter and romesco each, like the bbq sauce on the brisket, complimenting and not stealing the show. The quality of the meat cuts at LM is absolutely stellar.

French Fries...some of the best in town. Different in a thicker, more American way than Castagna Café's perfect potatoes, but delicious none the less. But actually perfect with this type of food. With yet more aioli dipping sauce, so how bad can they be?

Charcuterie plate...after all the above gluttony (with pre-dinner drinks...I highly recommend their daiquiri with crème de violette....and two bottles of wine, and other stuff) we opted, with great restraint I think, for the small charcuterie plate to help wash down one last bottle of wine (a fab 2006 Thevenet "Morgon" Beaujolais).

Laurelhurst Market is the best steak house in Portland, a beacon of beefiness that I will go back to again and again whenever my cholesterol drops to those dangerously low levels!

Quick Bites PDX: Laurelhurst Market

A good sign a restaurant knows its meat: You walk in the front entrance and are immediately greeted by their cooler which is filled with their housemade charcuterie, patés, and trays filled with their more European cuts of beef. I don't remember The Ringside or El gaucho ever showing off their pieces of beef before they cook them. Walking into the front door at Laurelhurst Market on 32nd and East Burnside last night and having that experience only served to heighten my expectations. Thankfully, the meat mavens running LM lived up to almost all of them. Seeing as how they hail from the Viande/Simpatica meat mecca, it comes as no surprise. I went with two other carnivorous types, and we ate our way through a fair amount of the menu. It all only served to make me look forward to a return trip..

Walking into LM, which was built out of the gutted remains of an old convenience store of the same name, you turn left at the meat cooler to enter the light filled dining room. The tables are spread around the room, with the bar curiously hidden behind a half wall on the far side. I only say curiously because they are taking their cocktails seriously at LM, hiring Evan Zimmerman, one of the cities best bartenders. I love watching the action at the bar, and it's odd to see it cut off from the rest of the room. On this warm spring evening they had a few tables arrayed out front, and he big roll up door was wide open, adding to the airy feel of the room. The three of us were seated by the hostess at a table in the middle of the room, and that was where the only glitch of the night occurred. Being the thirsty sorts, we were anxious to explore our beverage options. But for 15 minutes servers kept walking past us, doing that "glancing at the table but not enough for us to engage" thing. Apparently there was some confusion as to whose table it was, to which I can only respond it shouldn't take 15 minutes to figure out. In any event, soon after we had cocktails...a superb sidecar for me and a negroni for my friend AWB which could have used a lemon twist..and wine on the table while we checked out the menu. And there is plenty of temptation on the LM menu.

We started out with their pork rillettes with pickled rhubarb and grilled bread; the house-cured salt cod fritters with aioli (left); the steak tartare (below right); and the Mozzarella, housemade and served with asparagus, bitter greens, and balsamic. All were really delicious. I especially was impressed with the lightness of the salt cod fritters and the dish I can't believe isn't on more menus, the steak tartare. The LM version, mixed with vodka, chives, shallot, and an egg yolk, was chopped and chilled perfectly. This is something I became obsessed with in Italy, and to know I can have it any time within minutes of my house is good news indeed! The rillettes was also moist, tender, succulent under the layer of pork fat, and the mozzarella was exceptionally balanced. The richness of the cheese and dressing played off perfectly against the bitter greens.

For an in between course (and no I can't explain why we needed an "in between course", we just did. I mean, why do certain people "need" fourth meal? Besides the fact that they have no self control or self worth? I mean the fourth meal people, not us.) we shared a bowl of their version of the classic Belgian dish moules frites. They offer it in three different styles. We opted for the seemingly more classic Dijon Crème Fraiche broth, which was excellent. Te mussels were small to medium sized, just as they should be, and the frites were wonderful. Seasoned with salt and herb, they were crispy outside, pillowy inside, plenty of potatoey flavor, and even sitting in the broth they held together. Nicely done.

Then it was on to our reason for being here. The cool thing about the LM menu is they offer cuts you usually don't see at most steak houses, which seem to stick to the filet-rib eye-New York formula. Here my Steak frites was a beautifully charred piece of hangar steak, tantalizingly medium-rare, in a marchand du vin sauce with more of those addictive frites. DOR had the bavette steak with romesco (left), also medium-rare, again with that perfect char and a pungent romesco which may be the ultimate sauce with everything grilled. AWB had the Smoked Tri-tip (below), which had the usual tri-tip chew, but not too much, with a striking smokiness and a silky béarnaise sauce. All three were absolutely stellar and perfectly cooked. Again, obviously guys who know how to handle meat, and are meticulous about what comes out of the kitchen and don't mind educating the public to other options beyond the normal. The salads come as extras, in a small and large size. We shared a fresh Arugula with lardons topped with two poached eggs in the large format which was easily enough for four.
We finished off with a lavender crème brulée and a dark, rich chocolate cake of some kind....as usual I didn't grab the dessert menu in the haze of an evenings end. The brulée was outstanding, one of the best I've had in a long time. Plus the wine list is varied with something for every taste, and well priced. All in all an impressive showing for a kitchen that has only been cooking for about a week. It wasn't that busy when we were there so it'll be interesting to see if they can keep it firing as smoothly when the line is jammed. I hope so, because it is such a nice "steak house" option that gets you away from the over-priced and uninspired chains.

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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Italian ideals at Scopa in Healdsburg, Ca.!

Meat magic: Smoked Paprika Butter

Between watching 2-1/2 week old Colman eat at a Herculean level, being back at work, cooking dinner for us when I get home, and "sleeping" (as we call our 2 to 3 hour series of interrupted naps), I hope you'll forgive me for not being in the blogging mood. It doesn't in any way mean we have been suffering from appetite deprivation. What with friends bringing over food to see us through (I'm particularly grateful for a welcome home middle eastern takeout feast from J&K, a super satisfying bolognese sauce from Denise and a few bowls of lovely fresh corn chowder from my sis), Colman's ability to sleep soundly for 2 or so hours at a time allowing us to get our restaurant fix, and my cooking after work, we've actually probably never eaten better. With a ton of things on file ready for my blogging and your consumption, I'll start with one of the easiest and satisfying things we've had. I poached this recipe for smoked paprika butter from Food & Wine Magazine, where after reading through it I was ravenous for a good grilled steak. So a few nights ago, after a quick stop at the butchers at Laurelhurst Market where I picked a beautiful piece of flat iron steak, I was set for an evening of beefy bliss. The F&W recipe was for ten people. Maybe that will work when CTB is a teenager, but right now for two it was easy enough to pare down to size.

The smoked paprika butter would be great with any kind of steak off the 'que. After sprinkling our flat iron (which was about 3/4" thick) liberally with salt & pepper, I fired the Weber up to a high heat and grilled the steak about 3-1/2 minutes per side for a perfect medium rare (be sure to let the steak sit for 5 to 10 minutes loosely covered to reabsorb its juices, and be sure to slice across the grain). The length of cooking time depends on the thickness of your steak, but the key is the initial shot of high heat to get that crusty sear and caramelization to release the meat's inherent umami magic. After that it was a quick plating with some garlic mashers and a side of sautéed spinach, then topping the meat with this inspired condiment....
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Smoked Paprika Butter
adapted from Food & Wine

serves 2 to 3

ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon smoked hot paprika
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

method:
In a small saucepan melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and keep warm until your steaks are done. You can also make ahead and reheat gently when needed. When steaks are ready, spoon paprika butter over and serve immediately.

Cellar Report: 2001 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Syrah

There's almost no one I hold in higher regard in our local wine scene than David O'Reilly, partner/winemaker for Owen Roe wines here in Oregon. His are almost always impeccably made bottles of grape juice. I think in the nine years I've been selling his wine the wines that have only been average or less could be counted on one hand. That takes in scores of wines. His wines are also fairly polarizing. Big fruit extraction, higher alcohol contents and the accompanying richness tend to turn off old world wine purists. But like them or not, there is no denying his passion, his integrity, and his commitment to excellence, both in the vineyard and the winery.

So with that as a background, I was extremely anxious to try the bottle of a wine I took to share with my pals at our dinner at Laurelhurst Market the other night, a 2001 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Syrah. The bottle had been lurking in my basement for several years, coming so close to being opened several times. Last Wednesday its time had come. DuBrul Vineyard is one of Washington's finest vineyard sites, and David has made some stellar reds from those grapes. The question with some of these bigger styled "new world" wines is how will they age? Will the fruit stand up to the higher alcohol contents? Is there enough acidity to hold it together? Last year I had a similarly styled 2000 Sineann Merlot that was absolute garbage...totally fallen apart. Which is really fucking frustrating after holding on to it for so long. So when I took the first sniff of the '01 OR Syrah, I knew immediately I should have opened it a year or two earlier. It still had some great aromatics...blackberry, pepper, hints of meatiness....but the vibrancy, the richness, the bounce the fruit had when it was first bottled had almost disappeared. I was hoping the aroma and flavor would fill out as it sat open, but it didn't. It reminded me of someone just entering dementia. They're still aware and show signs of life, but the lights are starting to dim. It was nice, but it should have been so much more. If you're holding some of these wines, then it seems after five years or so it's kind of a crap shoot. In other words: start drinking! All I know is my corkscrew is coming out. No slam at all on David. His wines are still to me among the best made American wines. So I guess in this instance I would have to side with the old world purists on this one (full disclosure: I am definitely a Euro wine lover), as there's a lot to be said for balance, acidity, and restraint. And maybe there is also a lesson for all of you who are shelling out your ego-driven dollars for all those high scoring, high alcohol domestic reds. Just sayin'..........

Ingulge your senses for a good cause!

I get a ton of stuff from PR flaks around town. Being somewhat cynical as to their motives, most of it gets round filed. But sometimes, from some people (like my pal Lisa at BroussardHill), I will do my pimping best....

Tickets have just gone sale for "Indulge @ the Jupiter Hotel" September 24th. An event billing itself as an Eastside Neighborhood Dining & Spirits Fete benefitting the very worthy Ecotrust Farm to School Program. For what seems like an incredibly reasonable $30 advance purchase ticket, you get the delicious opportunity of sampling food and drink, from among other Eat.Drink.Think. favorites, Alma Chocolate, Beaker & Flask, Bunk Sandwiches, Laurelhurst Market, House Spirits, Navarre, Boedecker Cellars, Tabla, New Deal Distillery, and a posse of other leading indulgence enablers on the PDX eating and imbibing scene. Click here to go to the event website and learn more and get a full list of pleasure purveyors!

First Bite PDX: The Woodsman Tavern

If that ineffable thing called "feel" is any indication, then the new Woodsman Tavern on SE 46th and Division is in for a good ride. I went with my friend DOR last night, and immediately on walking in got hit with plenty of good vibe. Dark wood paneling, exposed brick walls, white painted wood ceiling, lumberjack themed art on the walls (and flannel on the waiters!), and lights dimmed to a burnished glow all lend a cozy feel. You walk in with the bar stretching out right in front of you, dining areas to the left and right, and even with a full house and people waiting it wasn't too loud. After a quick hello to a few people I knew who were already dining, I gratefully wrapped my lips around a perfect rye Manhattan made by bartender Evan Zimmerman, who was a good get for Woodsman owner/Stumptown Coffee magnate Duane Sorenson.

Smart restaurants, when telling prospective diners there's going to be a wait, always overestimate the time. First it saves grief all around if the wait actually is that long, and if you seat someone sooner than they expect you're halfway to a happy customer before they've had a bite. In our case the estimated 45 wait was actually a much appreciated 30 minutes. We were seated at one of two taller two tops along the wall facing the bar. Not optimal seats, especially if you're someone above 6', as the shelf that juts out from the wall is uncomfortably close, not to mention plants hanging down in front of my face. A little manual adjust solved the foliage problem, but the shelf needs some more thought. We started with the much talked about Domestic Ham Plate ($18). It usually features three different artisan hams from around the U.S., but that night they were out of the Benton's ham. The prosciutto-like La Quercia from Norwalk, Iowa and the milder and saltier Johnston County ham from Smithfield, N.C. were both exceptional. We also had a plate of the Grilled Cauliflower ($9) sitting on a cauliflower purée and topped with thin sliced ham and a squeeze of lemon and sprinkling of pistachios. This really worked, the smoky tender cauliflower with the salty sweet ham a perfect pairing. We were washing down these first few bites with a bottle of the 2008 Palacio Bierzo "Petalos" which I was happy to see on their very reasonably priced wine list. There are a slew of great bottles to be had here for under-$40 on the Woodsman list.

After that promising start we ventured to the main events, in my case a beautifully tender and fatty Pork Loin with shell bean ragout and chili sauce ($26). Perfectly cooked, almost fork tender, dripping juice, and seasoned just right this was one of the best pork loin entrées I've had in a long, long time. DOR had the Skirt Steak with french fries and béarnaise butter ($21), the Woodsman version of the bistro classic steak frites. The steak itself was a bright red medium rare, but really could have used a blast of heat to crust the outside of the meat. It came off kind of limp and underwhelming. The fries suffered the same fate, being unexceptional, almost soggy and lacking texture inside and out. This was only opening day +2 for Woodsman, and with the rest of dinner going so well, I can only assume this is a kitchen finding its feet. We also ordered a bottle of Burle Gigondas, a personal favorite of both of ours, which I think is a steal on their list for $36 a pop. The best of the south of France, big and gutsy and versatile enough to work with almost anything (also if you're inclined check out this French video of winemaking at Burle. I have no idea what they're saying, but having been there and met Damien it's pretty cool to watch). Along with the main plates we ordered two sides, one a relatively uninspired dish of stewed green beans ($4), the other an absurdly delicious savory bread pudding ($6) that was studded with mushrooms and seemingly soaked in butter. Mushrooms, butter, and bread...a very dangerous combination when it's this good, because it is absolutely crave worthy.

We finished with a ginger cake which was fine. It may have been very good, actually, but after the indulgence we had prior it was probably an unneeded overkill. All in all I will definitely look forward to a return visit as there's a much more temptation to explore on the talented chef Jason Barwikowski's menu. Jason's kitchen, for being so new and getting hammered this night, kept up the pace and all of our food came out in a timely manner, which speaks very well of him and his crew and bodes well for future visits. The service was equally up to the task, and it was nice to see Duane watching over it all from the corner. He's a great guy, and if you get a chance to talk with him you'll get a warm welcome. The place was buzzing the whole time we were there, and it seems Duane is getting much love from the food community as Ben Dyer of Laurelhurst Market, David Anderson from Genoa, and Barista coffee owner Billy Wilson were among the throngs.

Seasonal Satisfaction

How fortunate. Just as tomato season kicks into high gear, I have the perfect opportunity to showcase this most seasonal of foods and get a little much needed culture at the same time. Not to go all Monte Burns on you, but all I can say is "Excellent!"

The occasion was w's friend Sue's b-day, which she had thoughtfully chosen to hold in Laurelhurst Park here in PDX at an evening performance of the Portland Festival Symphony. As our contribution to the potluck on the grass, we brought along some freshly roasted yellow and red peppers (from pepps we picked up at the Montavilla Farmer's Market that morning), as well as an über-seasonal fresh tomato and basil pasta that we adapted from an article we saw a few weeks ago in the NYT Sunday Magazine. All the food was fab, and again I thank the Gods of All that is Edible that my friends all seem to have mad skills in the kitchen, but I have to say our little pasta killed! It was so easy to throw together, nothing could be prettier with the vibrant yellow and red tomatoes practically jumping off the plate, and of course crazy delicious in that super-summery way. Try this soon, while the tomato bounty is in full swing. Your friends, and your hungry tummies, will thank you!

How nice of them to play at our dinner party!





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Summer Pasta
adapted from the New York Times Magazine

ingredients
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
12 basil leaves
5 or 6 large ripe tomatoes (red and yellow make a great visual)
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 pound dries penne (or rigatoni)
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella
Country bread

1- Take out large bowl. Add garlic. Pour in olve oil. With scissors, snip the basil leaves into shreds over the garlic mixture. Gently combine. Let sit all day.

2-About 2 hours before serving, chop the otmatoes and add to the bowl. Gently combine.

3- When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until done. While pasta cooks, cut the mozzarella into small cubes.

4-Drain the pasta and pour it on top of the tomato mixture. Do not stir. Spread the mozzarella on top of the pasta and toss only the pasta and cheese; the cheese will soften slightly, and the pasta will get coated with fat. Then gently stir up from the bottom, incorporating the tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread.
Serves 6

DRINK: Wine, preferably cold and crisp. We took a well-chilled bottle of 2006 Palazzone "Terre Vineate" Orvieto Classico from Italy that was perfect! I could also easily get with an icy cold dry rosé from France or Italy.