Pinot; An American Brasserie

Welcome Pinot; the most accommodating and gracious $$$ restaurant I've been to in ages. Ruth Reichl (acclaimed food critic) wrote about the concept of spending money on a meal and paying not only for superb food, but for the experience and service. Nothing is worst then putting down a hefty dollar on a dinner and having the service be mediocre or worst.

Pinot may be new, but the chef and restaurant staff know how to make every costumer feel at home in their French kitchen. We were placed at the "chef's table," where we were able to see and feel all the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and see every exquisite meal being prepared.

Miss. Sarah's birthday dinner at Pinot was complete with a complimentary bottle of champagne (and when asked for strawberries, they implemented with raspberry sorbetto, in which they dolloped into each glass).

While I was obnoxiously taking pictures of cheese their platters, my nose practically touching the place, they simply offered me the plate; "That's an extra, would you like this one for your table? Otherwise I'll just have to give it to the staff."



Would I like a cheese platter?! Do you know who I am?

The dinner was spectacular. I had a "young hen." I wonder how young it was. I hope at least a teenager.

whole roast young hen roasted potatoes, carrot, onion and tomato

baby tins filled with fresh bread

Add captionskate wing potato gnocchi, brussels sprouts, preserved lemon, brown butter

alaskan salmon cauliflower and red potato gratin, horseradish

tagliatelle carbonara pork belly, shaved parmesan, duck egg

Birthday girl and Elizabeth

chocolate mouse

A New Beginning: Prasad

Oatmeal, $6.50

Another month of cleansing. No sugar. No dairy. No gluten. No caffeine or alcohol. No fun. This detox is sucking the fun out of life. I'm that annoying patron asking, "is this vegan and gluten free; oh and is there sugar added?--ok, I'll just have water" Ugh. I hate the word gluten-free.

In order to prove to me that my life wasn't over a friend recently took me to this peaceful place in the Pearl, called Prasad. Suddenly I was at a home I never thought would be my home. Health and yoga nuts come from all over to chow down on their all gluten-free/vegan menu . . . oh and I should mention, its delicious!!!

I put on my lululemon generic brand yoga pants, ordered some healthy breakfast and fit right in. There's something tranquil about Prasad. I'm not sure if its the connecting yoga studios energy or the fact that the people eating here are probably well-balanced, healthy individuals who read magazines like Yoga Journal and books on 'mindfulness.' I kinda want to be like them. Oooommmmmmmm.

Their made to order gluten-free oatmeal is a perfect start to any morning with dried figs & currants, Brazil nuts, fresh fruit, vanilla and cinnamon with a side of coconut or almond milk and maple syrup. Its hearty and filled with the combining textures of the apples, bananas, peaches and nuts. Their fruits change from day to day. Lately I wake up thinking about this oatmeal.



I like my oatmeal sweeter then most. I've been known to order the oatmeal brulee from Gravy--encrusted in sugar. Surprisingly the maple syrup and coconut milk add just enough sweetness to this oh so much healthier version.

They juice their own juices and have a wild combination of smoothies. I like the Lucy Blue; blueberries and bananas. I'm dying to try the Stumblebee; peanut butter, cacao nibs, coco powder, Stumptown coffee, banana and the Popeye; spinach, marionberry, blueberry, banana. 

New Cascadia gluten free teff bread with butter and homemade jam.

It's hard to explain this to you, but I left perfectly full and happy and healthy. Thanks Prasad. Gluten-free can be good.

P.S. I promise not to turn this into a Gluten-Free blog

The Last Supper. . . Little Big Burger

I have some very, very bad news. Some news that might change my world as I know it, change my blog and on the flip side, change my stomach.

I found out . . . I'm gluten intolerant. I know I about died when I heard this news too. How could I, a foodie and anti-gluten hater be intolerant to the very thing that makes me, well me? No pasta, no bread, no cheesy burgers? How could this be true?

I can't tell you what this will mean for us. I hope you understand. I'll do whatever it takes to keep lots of gluten on this blog. And for those in the G-Free pact, get ready for some blogs dedicated to you ;)

Thank God I stopped by Little Big Burger in the Pearl before I heard the bad news.

A gourmet burger for $3.75, done, I'll take it. Fries coated in white truffle oil? Yes! Over 20 types of canned beer and root beer floats; not to mention their homemade ketchup!!! I love it all.

Catsup or Ketchup?

Root beer float with Tillamook vanilla ice cream.

Your choice: chevre, Tillamook Cheddar or blue cheese

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Men and Meat: Stepping Stone

Bacon-Spinach-Cream Cheese-Tomato Scramble, w/ a homemade biscuit, $8.25

Last week I had a student ask me if I'd ever tried "The Farm" at McDonald's. "Well no, I don't think I have," I responded, "what is that?" "Its when you order a Double Pounder and a McChicken, put the chicken on the Double Pounder and add bacon. Want me to get you one?"

This must be a high school thing I thought . . . until I went to Stepping Stone and realized this a man and meat thing.

I have these three completely obnoxious friends that I think someday I'll make my bridesmen. They are hilarious, inappropriate, honest to a fault and coincidentally single . . . most likely more protective then my actual brothers, but non the less family. When they are wed, I will cry. Not out of happiness, but rather because sometimes I feel like I'm in a polygamist relationship with them.

We like food. We all like to stuff ourselves silly.

Saturday morning was no exception when we showed up to Stepping Stone (Lucio not surprisingly drunk from the night prior) ready to eat. I had been sick the week before, so found it the perfect excuse to consume my weeks calories in one meal before 11:00 am.

This is how you have to do Stepping Stone: drunk, hungover, diet-free, depressed and/or starved.

Order the scramble. Always ask for cream cheese in it. Substitute the toast for their homemade biscuit. Their biscuits are massive and so buttery. A biscuit a day . . . keeps the doctor astray.



If you are man and want to develope heart disease when you're older or if you're already old and you want to speed up this process, order what the boys got: Smothered B.A.- a slab of chicken fried steak, hash browns, onions, jalapenos, Tillamook cheddar all wrapped into an omelet and wait for it . . . smothered in sausage gravy.

Don't order the Eggs Benedict. This is not the place nor the time.



Order a Mancake, $3.50 to share with the table.

Fancy Mac N' Cheeze

Velvety Mac 'N' Cheese, $5.00

How did I miss this one? It was staring me straight in the face too. I had no clue. I was clueless. Davis Street Tavern's happy hour is now on my hit list. By hit list I mean spots to hit up . . . not shoot up (in case you were confused).

I have one complaint, but I'll wait until after I tell you about this Mac N' Cheese to share it. Davis Street Tavern has incredible, superb, to-die-for, mouthwatering, ooey gooey, cheesy macaroni and cheese. Three cheese  bechamel  they say. I'm guessing . . . an aged white cheddar, cream cheese and a blue or gorgonzola which hits just at the end.

The waiter literally had to pry the plate from my hands.

Ok, so you're lactose intolerant. Not to worry. They have a Bar B Que Pulled Pork Sandwich with Apple Fennel Slaw and Blue Cheese Potato Salad ($5.00).

 Succulent pork. Brightly flavored. Smokey. Ohhh soo good.

One of their specials was Fish Tacos with Guacamole.

Going back very, very soon for the Strip Loin Burger, Crab Bisque and Seared Albacore Carpaccio.

Oh ya my complaint . . . Old Town in the daylight . . . sometimes not so appetizing. Good thing it will start getting dark at 5:00 pm.

Practice doesn't make perfect when no one will allow you to practice . . .

Dear Friends and Family-

You are rude.

You encourage me to blog and chip in to buy me a camera that is worth more than my car. Yet, when we go eat you give me devilish looks for pulling out my camera.

Click. You're embarrassing us. Click. The flash is bothering those people. Click. Just let me eat. Click. Those pictures don't look very good. Click. That click sound is annoying. Click. Can we eat yet, can we eat yet??

No you can't eat yet--I'm trying to capture this meal before you destroy it with your man hands.

Until you can handle my new found art and start posing without posing for pictures, the $2.00 a month that I earn from Foodbuzz will not be shared. And next time you call me frantically searching for a restaurant, I'll tell you nothing. Oh and I'm not afraid to put those really hideous pictures of you stuffing your face on the internet.

 So here are the only decent pictures that turned out from our Lorenzo meal . . .

 

 

Put the BBQ Away; Summer is Over

Its back to school. Registration is tomorrow. The kids will be walking down the halls in a matter of days. The rain has already begun and overnight the leaves have slowly started to turn. I can't help but get excited about neon post-its, new office supplies and pulling out the blankets. Scalding hot coffee. Stocking up on EmergenC and bleach. Running from my car to  . . . everywhere. Hello fall.

Portland likes to kick it though. We like to pretend it doesn't rain so much; like putting carts up all over the city and having outdoor venues. Amnesia is Portland's way of saying F-it. We refuse to put away our BBQ's; we will prosper, even in the rain. We will eat burgers outside in the fall, winter and on the darkest, dreariest days of spring.

We will sip on beer to keep us warm and on the sunny days we will guzzle it like its going out of style.

 

Burgers. Sausages. Beer. That's the menu. Take it or leave. I would suggest taking it . . . Spicy Kielbasa?

 

Their burger . . . makes me feel like summer may never end. So juicy. So flavorful. Especially when reminiscence of charcoal smoke stain my clothes and flood my sense of smell.