EAT!
Lardo (food cart) - porchetta sandwich, pork belly and farm egg sandwich, lardo fries: I have to say, these sandwiches were flat-out fantastic. The fries were good, the pork on each sandwich fatty and moist, and the bread held up against the meat and toppings very, very well. Both sandwiches were also good the next day. Taste-wise I could eat this all the time. Unfortunately, doing so would probably kill a person in less than a month. Great, great food, but this is a once-a-year type place, unless you really are focused on gaining weight and clogging your arteries. We'll go back. In 2012.
Sweet Pea's Brulee (food cart) - creme brulee, vanilla marshmallows, s'mores, rice krispie treat w/chocolate: We stopped at this cart because it caught our eye while eating at Lardo. Everything looked so good...and ended up being disappointing. The creme brulee had a decent flavor, but was a little lumpy and had a faint taste of just burnt, rather than crisped sugar. This could be because it was melted with a medium duty propane torch - I don't know. The rice krispies were stale, so that was not good at all. The graham crackers of the s'mores were supposedly housemade, but they looked a lot like Nabisco to us. The marshmallows were average, but despite saying vanilla they were actually orange, which isn't the greatest of suprises. We won't be going back.
St. Jack's - smoked salmon tartine, madeleines, chocolate caramel tart, ham and gruyere croissant: We stopped in here just before the full opening of the restaurant, when just the cafe/bakery part was open, for breakfast. The tartine was magnificent, topped with capers, greens, a generous amount of smoked salmon, radish, and cucumber - very light and full of flavor. The baguettes come from Little T, so of course they are good. The croissant was excellent - one of the best I've ever had. (See pictures here.) The chocolate tart had a very light crust and a rich, full chocolate flavor, one I could eat daily (though shouldn't). The madeleines are baked to order and while they were definitely tasty little bits of baked dough, they didn't do anything special for me. Can't wait to go back now that the restaurant is open.
Little T American Baker - apple danish, baguette: I'll just leave it at nothing I have ever had at Little T has been bad. Just go there, see what's in the case, and buy it. And take home some bread. You will be happy. We go back often.
Foster Burger - Kiwi Burger, Foster Road Pileup: In the neverending quest to try all the best burgers in Portland Foster Burger, a newer place, finally made an appearance in my stomach. The Kiwi burger, supposedly #4 on the list, was an excellent burger, but I thought the lamb lacked a strength of meaty flavor to stand up to all the other toppings. It seemed to have good seasoning on it's own, just not enough of "it" for me to say it's really great. Very good, just not great. The Pileup was kind of a big mess, as one can expect. What was not expected was the insertion of super damn hot peppers, which aren't on the online menu but apparently are on the menu at the restaurant. If those peppers hadn't have been there, it probably would have been sufficiently awesome, but I'm not a fan of the hot. The fries were a solid offering as a side; the cole slaw was horrible. I went here for lunch and was one of two tables with patrons. Sure, it was the week before Christmas and this location isn't near offices (best for a lunch crowd), but it was sad. Can't see it justifying lunch hours if that's typical. Also ordered a pint of Black Butte Porter. BBP was typically yummy, but Foster Burger serves it literally ice cold. That's way, way, way too damn cold for a porter - the vast majority of the beer didn't get touched until the burger was gone. Service was fine, nothing special. We'll go back.
Lucy's Original (food cart) - Jucy Lucy, Bistro Burger: In Minneapolis there are a couple places who claim to have created the Jucy Lucy, which is a burger with the cheese actually inside the burger, placed there before it's cooked up. Up until now this wasn't available in Portland, but the wonderful people who previously ran the Little Red Bike Cafe have started a new food truck specializing in just these kinds of burgers. And they are awesome, very awesome. The Jucy Lucy, with American cheese inside the patty, comes with housemade sweet pickles, which I loved even though I'm not normal a sweet pickle fan - they provided a nice balance to the rest of the flavors. The Bistro Burger comes with blue cheese inside the patty, bacon on top, and a spot of fig jam for a striking contrast of sweetness to the meatiness of the bacon and beef and the robust flavor of the cheese. The wheat buns are also tasty and hold up well under the drippings of the burger, making a napking almost unnecessary. Almost. Will definitely be going back.
LATE ADDITION!
Nostrana - Olio Nuovo small plates, gnocchi in tomato butter sauce, bistecca alla Fiorentina, tiramisu: Nostrana had some special dishes for their Olio Nuovo 2010, which celebrates the new crop of olive oil from Italy. We ordered a special set of three small plates: Manila clams and zolfino beans - clams aren't usually my thing but this was excellent; purees of carrot, lentil, and potato - the oil drizzled over the top made this heavenly; and zuppa alla frantoiana - basically a vegetable soup with a piece of toast and oil mixed in, which was perfect. It really was a very nice set of appetizers and showcased the flavor of the olive oil as well as showed some fun ways to use it. The gnocchi was light and fluffy as gnocchi should be, but the tomato butter sauce - while excellent - may not be the right fit. I should point out this was our choice, so perhaps choosing the pesto would have been a better complement. We also tried a wine flight of reds made from Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany which were supposed to really show off the regions terroir, plus go well with pasta and grilled meat. All three (Dei Rosso di Montepulciano 2007, Pian dell'Orino 'Piandorino' 2006, and Felsina Chianti Classico 2007) did complement the dishes well with notes of leather and some berry. One in particular, the Dei glass, had a soft, buttery aftertaste as well. Not sure I'd buy a bottle of any of them, but we enjoyed them. And then there was the bistecca all Fiorentina. A 50-day aged, two-inch think, one-kilo beast of a steak smothered in Italian herbs and garlic and cooked to the rare side of medium rare before being sliced and arrange on the plate with a side of lemon slices, the steak was a masterpiece. I had seen pictures and this steak lived up to all my expectations. Of course, at $60 (check the dinner menu on the site link above - it's always on there) it better, right? Thankfully we had a certificate for $25 off when you spend $35 or more from Restaurant.com (which I paid $2 for), so that lessened the blow a little bit, but this was still a spendy meal by any stretch. And you know what? I was okay with that - I feel like I got my money's worth. I won't be spluring again for that steak anytime soon, but it was definitely a great meal - and there were leftovers! Oh, and the tiramisu was excellent. We split the dessert and it wasn't all that big, but it packed plenty of flavor. The ladyfingers were still spongy, instead of being a sodden group. To me that speaks of it being fresh, which is a rarity. Of course we'll go back...one of our favorite places in Portland.
Wifey and I also said a goodbye to one of our favorite places, Alba Osteria. That took up it's own post.
DRINK!
BEER
Southern Tier Brewing's Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout: I think the milk stout (milk because it has lactose sugar) part of this beer was very good. The creme brulee part, not so much. The flavoring used, although supposedly brewed with vanilla beans, wasn't up to my vanilla standards. I admit to being a bit of a Madagascar vanilla snob, but this tasted literally like that fake vanilla extract made with "vanillin" - whatever that is. I would try another stout, even a milk stout, from Southern Tier, but not this one.
New Belgium's 2 Below: Many people love New Belgium, but admittedly I have only tried Fat Tire and not been that impressed. This winter offering from them, though, I really enjoyed. It has a nice spicy and somewhat sweet flavor, is nice and light, and smells very good actually. I'd drink more of this.
Deschutes 2010 Abyss: I really enjoyed last year's Abyss and have one of the 2009's I plan on cracking open on January 10th for a certain football game on TV. Personally, I didn't get the feeling the 2010 lived quite up to that standard, though it was still a very good drink and I did buy an extra bottle for saving until the Best After date. Since trying the 2010 Abyss on my own, I've read various reviewers with much more refined beer palattes than I say the 2009 was the worst Abyss and 2010 seems like it could be the best, especially after a little aging. Obviously it's still up to the individual drinker, but I just thought that was interesting. Still, definitely a recommend...and maybe I'll get to the Portland pub to try the Abyss on nitro.
Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws: This is one of the most well balanced beers I've had in a long time. The hops and malt are in perfect harmony and the resulting taste is excellent, with a tiny bit of fruit and a nice sweetness. Supposedly this is a barleywine (11.5% alcohol!) that should age nicely, so I picked up a couple more to save. What's the bonus? It comes in 12 ounce bottles - more special beers should come in 12 ounce bottles.
COFFEE
Batdorf and Bronson's French Roast, Holiday Blend, and Guatemala Antigua Finca El Valle: We wanted to try something new earlier this month and Whole Foods was out of the Dancing Goats and Holiday blends, so we opted for French Roast and the Guatemalan. The French was a rich, dark coffee, but too dark for Wifey and not as strong as Stumptown's Hairbender for me in the morning, so we drank it but it doesn't seem to have a fit for us (we liked it, just not better than our other staples). Holiday is an excellent blend we both liked - smooth, balanced, with nice chocolate notes. The Guatemalan was also well balanced but a little too light for me - not enough caffeine. It's a good afternoon coffee, giving just a little bit of a pick-me-up for the after work writing. As usual Batdorf and Bronson make excellent coffee - haven't had one we didn't like.
WINE
Andrew Rich 2007 Pinot Noir: Wifey and I both really liked this wine. We got the bottle on sale at New Seasons, then used most of it to make French Onion soup. The soup was excellent, if a bit wine-heavy, but the wine also drank very well on it's own. A little fruitiness, a hint of leather, and just a tiny bit of spice for balance. Of course when we went back to New Seasons and wanted more it was sold out and probably not returning. Damn. Rich's wines are at the Winemaker's Studio in Carlton, a place we have been wanting to go anyway, so it might be time to make that trip.
Adelsheim 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris: This wine was supposed to be light, crisp, and bright. It was those things, but it also wasn't very good. We drank it because we can't throw it out (just would be wrong), but definitely wouldn't get again. To me a pinot gris should have at least a note of sweetness in there, preferably something of the peach/pear/citrus category, but this had none of that. Not for us.
12/31/2010
12/28/2010
Misaki Catches A Goose
Around here we seem to always have flocks of Canadian geese, either flying north or south or just simply hanging out on a layover. These geese honk like crazy as they fly overhead and congregate in normal goose hangout spots, like high schools and parking lots.
And when they honk, Misaki looks up. She watches these large birds as they gracefully float on the wind, no doubt wondering just what it would taste like grilled up in her food dish with a nice red wine reduction. And we tell her no, Misaki, that's not going to happen - you don't get to have alcohol. How about a nice goose gravy instead?
Today, though...one of them flew too low. Misaki waited, biding her time...
And waited...
And POUNCED!
Okay, so it's not a real goose. That would be a little odd, with her catching it in the living room and all. Still, she wasn't any less excited than if it was real. This stuffed goose makes a (rather loud) honking sound and crackles a tiny bit too. It took Misaki a few minutes to find the honker, but when she did...oh boy. It literally sounded like a gaggle of the creatures was in my living room.
No, Misaki, you cannot bring this to bed with you. (Bed is in our bedroom.)
We've actually been meaning to get her one these for awhile. At her old home at Sanshou Shibas there was a toy very similar to this one - a duck instead of a goose, I believe - she apparently loved a ton, even though it's really kind of big for her mouth. She carried that thing around and wanted to bring it to her new home, but she shared it with all of the Sanshou Shibas so Misaki had to give it up for the good of the group. What a good pack member!
But now... Now Misaki has an entire goose all to herself. And since it was a Christmas present, I guess that makes it the proverbial Christmas goose.
Here's a few more pictures of Misaki and her Christmas present.
And when they honk, Misaki looks up. She watches these large birds as they gracefully float on the wind, no doubt wondering just what it would taste like grilled up in her food dish with a nice red wine reduction. And we tell her no, Misaki, that's not going to happen - you don't get to have alcohol. How about a nice goose gravy instead?
Today, though...one of them flew too low. Misaki waited, biding her time...
And waited...
And POUNCED!
Misaki: I Can Haz Goose!
Okay, so it's not a real goose. That would be a little odd, with her catching it in the living room and all. Still, she wasn't any less excited than if it was real. This stuffed goose makes a (rather loud) honking sound and crackles a tiny bit too. It took Misaki a few minutes to find the honker, but when she did...oh boy. It literally sounded like a gaggle of the creatures was in my living room.
No, Misaki, you cannot bring this to bed with you. (Bed is in our bedroom.)
We've actually been meaning to get her one these for awhile. At her old home at Sanshou Shibas there was a toy very similar to this one - a duck instead of a goose, I believe - she apparently loved a ton, even though it's really kind of big for her mouth. She carried that thing around and wanted to bring it to her new home, but she shared it with all of the Sanshou Shibas so Misaki had to give it up for the good of the group. What a good pack member!
But now... Now Misaki has an entire goose all to herself. And since it was a Christmas present, I guess that makes it the proverbial Christmas goose.
Here's a few more pictures of Misaki and her Christmas present.
Misaki: Oh my god! So damn awesome!
Misaki: Back off Moochie! I've got this goose intruder under control!
Misaki: I think the correct place to chomp the spinal column is right...here. Cool. Now I don't have to ask Dad to finish off my kill.
Misaki: You are welcome, world. I have slain the goose. And later, I will slay him again. And again tomorrow.
Merry Christmas pups! And hopefully everyone had a good holiday.
12/23/2010
Writing Class Was A Success
So after six weeks and 12 lessons, I decided that online writing classes do not suck. In fact, it was actually quite a bit of fun.
Each of the classes - I signed up through Portland Community College, but the classes were done by a company called ed2go - focused on a specific basic component of writing, with plenty of exercises and examples. Each class also had a written assignment, which was then shared in a message board/forum system for analysis by the teacher and by our peers. There was also a five-question, multiple-choice quiz each week.
I feel like I learned quite a bit. Few of the concepts, admittedly, were new ones to me, but I could remember back to various English classes when I was first introduced to them and understand better why things are as they are. Given I now want to actively use the concepts to write seriously, they mean more.
Most education seems wasted on youth, I believe. It was all great back then, but there was no perspective involved, so most things were learned, tested upon, and summarily disregarded as unimportant.
The end goal of this class was to write a 500-word creative piece, which ended up being our final assignment. It could stand on it's own or be part of a larger piece, so I chose to write a scene from the oft-mentioned novel in my head I hadn't started. 1,900 words and multiple revisions later, I'm pretty proud of the scene I created. (As it turns out it's probably Chapter 2 of the manuscript and Chapter 1 hasn't been written. Whatever. Is that important?)
I took the final, which was holy-crap-36-multiple-choice-questions, and only missed one, which wasn't bad since I didn't study anything - just like back in college. I submitted my final creative piece to the forum for feedback.
I admit it - I was pretty damn proud of myself for writing the piece. Not only because I thought it read well, but because it represents finally starting the book I've been planning for awhile. It's the first step of a journey that will probably be pretty long. Fun times!
In all honesty I had no issues letting others read it. I liked it and thought others would too. I've been writing for the world on the net - here and elsewhere - long enough that a little criticism wasn't going to bother me. As it turned out, people seemed to really enjoy it. I deliberately wrote a serious action scene for this purpose, but everyone said they'd read more, which is all I can hope for, right? My teacher - as teachers are wont to do - knocked me down a couple pegs with some critiques, but she was spot on. I will make those changes, right the first chapter, and then move on with the rest of the story.
After taking the class I feel stronger than ever that this is what I need to do. So strongly, in fact, I signed up for another online class specifically about novel planning, which I found through Tawna Fenske's quite funny blog on gifts for writers.
Unfortunately for people hanging on my every word on this blog - probably no one - it means blog production is going down. I won't be writing any less, it just won't be in this space. Once or twice a week, maybe some cute Misaki and kitty pictures when the opportunity presents itself, but I'm shifting my focus for the moment.
You know, just until the BEST SELLER is written. What, are my expectations too high? Shrug.
Right - I have no doubt this will end up being a humbling experience. Or maybe it won't. I really have no idea, but it will be fun.
Each of the classes - I signed up through Portland Community College, but the classes were done by a company called ed2go - focused on a specific basic component of writing, with plenty of exercises and examples. Each class also had a written assignment, which was then shared in a message board/forum system for analysis by the teacher and by our peers. There was also a five-question, multiple-choice quiz each week.
I feel like I learned quite a bit. Few of the concepts, admittedly, were new ones to me, but I could remember back to various English classes when I was first introduced to them and understand better why things are as they are. Given I now want to actively use the concepts to write seriously, they mean more.
Most education seems wasted on youth, I believe. It was all great back then, but there was no perspective involved, so most things were learned, tested upon, and summarily disregarded as unimportant.
The end goal of this class was to write a 500-word creative piece, which ended up being our final assignment. It could stand on it's own or be part of a larger piece, so I chose to write a scene from the oft-mentioned novel in my head I hadn't started. 1,900 words and multiple revisions later, I'm pretty proud of the scene I created. (As it turns out it's probably Chapter 2 of the manuscript and Chapter 1 hasn't been written. Whatever. Is that important?)
I took the final, which was holy-crap-36-multiple-choice-questions, and only missed one, which wasn't bad since I didn't study anything - just like back in college. I submitted my final creative piece to the forum for feedback.
I admit it - I was pretty damn proud of myself for writing the piece. Not only because I thought it read well, but because it represents finally starting the book I've been planning for awhile. It's the first step of a journey that will probably be pretty long. Fun times!
In all honesty I had no issues letting others read it. I liked it and thought others would too. I've been writing for the world on the net - here and elsewhere - long enough that a little criticism wasn't going to bother me. As it turned out, people seemed to really enjoy it. I deliberately wrote a serious action scene for this purpose, but everyone said they'd read more, which is all I can hope for, right? My teacher - as teachers are wont to do - knocked me down a couple pegs with some critiques, but she was spot on. I will make those changes, right the first chapter, and then move on with the rest of the story.
After taking the class I feel stronger than ever that this is what I need to do. So strongly, in fact, I signed up for another online class specifically about novel planning, which I found through Tawna Fenske's quite funny blog on gifts for writers.
Unfortunately for people hanging on my every word on this blog - probably no one - it means blog production is going down. I won't be writing any less, it just won't be in this space. Once or twice a week, maybe some cute Misaki and kitty pictures when the opportunity presents itself, but I'm shifting my focus for the moment.
You know, just until the BEST SELLER is written. What, are my expectations too high? Shrug.
Right - I have no doubt this will end up being a humbling experience. Or maybe it won't. I really have no idea, but it will be fun.
12/22/2010
2010 Pac-10 Bowl Preview
It's Bowl Season! Actually it started last Saturday, but since no Pac-10 teams were involved no one cares, right?
I managed a 3-1 record for rivalry week with my picks, giving me a 57-19 record on the year heading into the bowls. The only one I missed was the Zona-Zona State game, which in retrospect should have been predictable.
Since only four Pac-10 teams made it to bowls this season - Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, and Washington - I'm going to round out this bowl preview with a some Pac-12 (!) action. First up, the Utes, who join the best league in the land next season, followed by the rest in date order.
Las Vegas Bowl
12/22/10
Utah. v. Boise State
You have to feel for the Broncos. One kick away from the Rose Bowl - they would have been ahead of TCU - and they miss. Twice. Utah is a good team and they will be competitive in the Pac-12, but they aren't on the same level as these boys in blue.
Pick: Boise State
Alamo Bowl
12/29/10
Oklahoma State v. Arizona
Normally I like to give Pac-10 teams the benefit of the doubt, but Zona finished the season losing four in a row (albeit to Oregon, Stanford, USC, and the rivalry game). Early on they looked tough and confident, but by the end of the year they simply couldn't stop anyone. And the Cowboys have one of the nation's best offenses. Ouch.
Pick: Oklahoma State
Holiday Bowl
12/31/10
Nebraska v. Washington
When these two matched up back in September, in Seattle, I picked the Huskies to pull the upset - I won't make that mistake again. Remember last season when making the Holiday Bowl meant you were the second-best team in the conference? This year it's the Huskies. Yikes.
Pick: Nebraska
Orange Bowl
1/3/11
Stanford v. Virginia Tech
These Cardinal have been consistently strong in every game they have played. They have the nation's best quarterback - better than Kellen Moore or Cam Newton - who will be the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft (unless he inexplicably stays in school), a balanced attack, and fantastic defense. Va Tech is good too, just not as good. Should be a very good game, very close, but my money - metaphorically - is on the Cardinal.
Pick: Stanford
National Championship Game
1/10/11
Oregon v. Auburn
If I could be objective about this matchup (I can't) I'd give Auburn more credit. They have a fantastic offense that ran roughshod over a SEC normally known for bruising defense. In fact, if you check the offensive numbers for Oregon and Auburn they are cumulatively very, very, very close. The difference in this game will be who can actually make some stops. The first team to punt or settle for a field goal is going to lose - and Oregon has a better defense.
Pick: Oregon
It may have been a generally down year for the conference as a whole, but the top of it was pretty damn good. That truth will be realized out by the time the clock runs out January 10th.
I managed a 3-1 record for rivalry week with my picks, giving me a 57-19 record on the year heading into the bowls. The only one I missed was the Zona-Zona State game, which in retrospect should have been predictable.
Since only four Pac-10 teams made it to bowls this season - Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, and Washington - I'm going to round out this bowl preview with a some Pac-12 (!) action. First up, the Utes, who join the best league in the land next season, followed by the rest in date order.
Las Vegas Bowl
12/22/10
Utah. v. Boise State
You have to feel for the Broncos. One kick away from the Rose Bowl - they would have been ahead of TCU - and they miss. Twice. Utah is a good team and they will be competitive in the Pac-12, but they aren't on the same level as these boys in blue.
Pick: Boise State
Alamo Bowl
12/29/10
Oklahoma State v. Arizona
Normally I like to give Pac-10 teams the benefit of the doubt, but Zona finished the season losing four in a row (albeit to Oregon, Stanford, USC, and the rivalry game). Early on they looked tough and confident, but by the end of the year they simply couldn't stop anyone. And the Cowboys have one of the nation's best offenses. Ouch.
Pick: Oklahoma State
Holiday Bowl
12/31/10
Nebraska v. Washington
When these two matched up back in September, in Seattle, I picked the Huskies to pull the upset - I won't make that mistake again. Remember last season when making the Holiday Bowl meant you were the second-best team in the conference? This year it's the Huskies. Yikes.
Pick: Nebraska
Orange Bowl
1/3/11
Stanford v. Virginia Tech
These Cardinal have been consistently strong in every game they have played. They have the nation's best quarterback - better than Kellen Moore or Cam Newton - who will be the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft (unless he inexplicably stays in school), a balanced attack, and fantastic defense. Va Tech is good too, just not as good. Should be a very good game, very close, but my money - metaphorically - is on the Cardinal.
Pick: Stanford
National Championship Game
1/10/11
Oregon v. Auburn
If I could be objective about this matchup (I can't) I'd give Auburn more credit. They have a fantastic offense that ran roughshod over a SEC normally known for bruising defense. In fact, if you check the offensive numbers for Oregon and Auburn they are cumulatively very, very, very close. The difference in this game will be who can actually make some stops. The first team to punt or settle for a field goal is going to lose - and Oregon has a better defense.
Pick: Oregon
Sera says Ducks...the rest of the house besides her and I will be cheering for the Tigers and wearing blue.
It may have been a generally down year for the conference as a whole, but the top of it was pretty damn good. That truth will be realized out by the time the clock runs out January 10th.
12/16/2010
A Last Dinner at Alba Osteria
Earlier this month we got some bad news: Alba Osteria, an Italian restaurant in Hillsdale, would be closing it's doors at the end of this year. Considering Alba is one of the top Italian places in Portland and one we've been to multiple times, we decided to give it a proper goodby - by spending money and stuffing our stomachs.
What better way to say goodbye to a favorite restaurant? Wifey and I decided we wouldn't do gifts this year, but instead we decided to pick out some restaurants. We each chose a new one and one we wanted to revisit - with the news Alba was closing, my revisit choice suddenly became very, very easy.
We didn't bring the camera this time - this was a meal to be simply enjoyed, savored. No cameras needed.
The little town of Hillsdale is just up the hill out of downtown Portland, and Alba resides just off the main road in a converted house (I think - it sure wasn't designed for a restaurant) along with a spa, a salon, and at the opposite end of the building Caffe Autogrille, run by the same owner as Alba.
I believe the first time we went to Alba was for one of our birthdays a long time ago. We had been a couple times since, always for special occasions, but probably not nearly as often as we really would prefer. With so many other options in Portland, it's hard for us to go back to a place. Not that we don't, just that we aren't as likely. So many new and enticing places open all the time, so much goodness to try...
When we arrived, perhaps the first customers of the night at 5:30pm to avoid the dinner rush, we were given freshly baked crostini, long and thin like a breadstick. Then came fresh bread and butter.
Dinner at Alba is at once all about the pasta and not only about the pasta. All of the pastas are made by hand at the restaurant and always a delight. We each ordered a first course and then shared: gnocchi in a leek and cream sauce, and agnolotti dal plin filled with ground pork, veal, and rabbit in a light butter sauce.
Both were magnificent.
The gnocchi at Alba are always so light and fluffy they seem to simply melt in your mouth like little fluffy pillows. Clouds on your tongue. The ones I made at home in the past - I've about given up on them with so many options out and about who do it way better than me - never get that lightness.
And the agnolotti? While tiny, they pack a serious amount of flavor, meaty goodness hand-wrapped with care. I could eat these for days.
But at $16 each, neither dish is cheap nor is it filling. Unless one has a very small appetite it's simply not enough. Then again, when I think about making the dough for the agnolotti, cutting them out, scooping out little mounds of meat, and then wrapping them up one at a time, I get it. Considering all of that $16 sounds like a good deal.
Quality costs money, right?
Our main course was a grilled pork loin on a bed of celery root mash and pickled cabbage, then drizzled with basalmic vinegar. Our waitress asked the kitchen to split the order in half (it comes as two pieces of pork - it wasn't cut in half specially for us) and it came on two separate plates, each nicely made up, and each with a serving of pork that was plenty. The mash had great flavor and while I don't normally go for pickled cabbage, when combined with a little mash and a piece of pork dipped in the puddled basalmic, that was a little taste of heaven. The pork was perfectly cooked, with a nice crust on the outside and cooked through with plenty of moisture.
While $16 may seem steep for a small dish of pasta, $19 for an entree big enough for us to split and still have a small amount of leftovers is a steal.
We weren't going to get dessert...but decided to look at the menu anyway, figuring it's probably our last visit so what the heck. And we ordered a apple crostata - basically a free-form apple pie - topped with a small scoop of ice cream. Oh my...oh my. So good. Baked to order, this dessert just had the perfect balance of apple, ice cream, and crust. We have a recipe at home we've been meaning to try - might have to finally do it, see if it's anywhere near as good.
For $8 it wasn't a bad deal - it fed both of us, satisfying our sweet tooth and ensuring we would leave the table stuffed.
In no uncertain terms I love this restaurant and it's sad the city of Portland's food lovers will lose it. The good news is the pasta Portlanders love so much will still be available at Caffe Autogrille - fresh to go - and reportedly will also be coming to local grocery stores.
If this is our last visit to Alba, we truly will miss you.
What better way to say goodbye to a favorite restaurant? Wifey and I decided we wouldn't do gifts this year, but instead we decided to pick out some restaurants. We each chose a new one and one we wanted to revisit - with the news Alba was closing, my revisit choice suddenly became very, very easy.
We didn't bring the camera this time - this was a meal to be simply enjoyed, savored. No cameras needed.
The little town of Hillsdale is just up the hill out of downtown Portland, and Alba resides just off the main road in a converted house (I think - it sure wasn't designed for a restaurant) along with a spa, a salon, and at the opposite end of the building Caffe Autogrille, run by the same owner as Alba.
I believe the first time we went to Alba was for one of our birthdays a long time ago. We had been a couple times since, always for special occasions, but probably not nearly as often as we really would prefer. With so many other options in Portland, it's hard for us to go back to a place. Not that we don't, just that we aren't as likely. So many new and enticing places open all the time, so much goodness to try...
When we arrived, perhaps the first customers of the night at 5:30pm to avoid the dinner rush, we were given freshly baked crostini, long and thin like a breadstick. Then came fresh bread and butter.
Dinner at Alba is at once all about the pasta and not only about the pasta. All of the pastas are made by hand at the restaurant and always a delight. We each ordered a first course and then shared: gnocchi in a leek and cream sauce, and agnolotti dal plin filled with ground pork, veal, and rabbit in a light butter sauce.
Both were magnificent.
The gnocchi at Alba are always so light and fluffy they seem to simply melt in your mouth like little fluffy pillows. Clouds on your tongue. The ones I made at home in the past - I've about given up on them with so many options out and about who do it way better than me - never get that lightness.
And the agnolotti? While tiny, they pack a serious amount of flavor, meaty goodness hand-wrapped with care. I could eat these for days.
But at $16 each, neither dish is cheap nor is it filling. Unless one has a very small appetite it's simply not enough. Then again, when I think about making the dough for the agnolotti, cutting them out, scooping out little mounds of meat, and then wrapping them up one at a time, I get it. Considering all of that $16 sounds like a good deal.
Quality costs money, right?
Our main course was a grilled pork loin on a bed of celery root mash and pickled cabbage, then drizzled with basalmic vinegar. Our waitress asked the kitchen to split the order in half (it comes as two pieces of pork - it wasn't cut in half specially for us) and it came on two separate plates, each nicely made up, and each with a serving of pork that was plenty. The mash had great flavor and while I don't normally go for pickled cabbage, when combined with a little mash and a piece of pork dipped in the puddled basalmic, that was a little taste of heaven. The pork was perfectly cooked, with a nice crust on the outside and cooked through with plenty of moisture.
While $16 may seem steep for a small dish of pasta, $19 for an entree big enough for us to split and still have a small amount of leftovers is a steal.
We weren't going to get dessert...but decided to look at the menu anyway, figuring it's probably our last visit so what the heck. And we ordered a apple crostata - basically a free-form apple pie - topped with a small scoop of ice cream. Oh my...oh my. So good. Baked to order, this dessert just had the perfect balance of apple, ice cream, and crust. We have a recipe at home we've been meaning to try - might have to finally do it, see if it's anywhere near as good.
For $8 it wasn't a bad deal - it fed both of us, satisfying our sweet tooth and ensuring we would leave the table stuffed.
In no uncertain terms I love this restaurant and it's sad the city of Portland's food lovers will lose it. The good news is the pasta Portlanders love so much will still be available at Caffe Autogrille - fresh to go - and reportedly will also be coming to local grocery stores.
If this is our last visit to Alba, we truly will miss you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)