malarkey

bummer, I could do friday night... I can't do sunday, but I can do saturday... BUT I got roped into feeding the horses at the barn saturday evening, so I either 1) have to stay sober, or 2) will need some dry out time before I have to make the trek. damn!!

jesus did it take me long enough to reply this this?! yes, I was refering to the international one. the one COMING UP THIS WEEKEND!! Still wanna go MsRamsey? Anyone else??

just got back from the oregon coast. cannon beach and manzanita and environs. Had dinner at Bistro in Cannon Beach. Still the same owners after 15+ years. Food is good, competently prepared, not perfect, but quite tasty and well worth the visit. Had a lovely crab cake with a hint of asian flavors, a really wonderful avgolomono (greek egg lemon soup) and duck with port cherry sauce & marlin with roasted red pepper vinagrette, rice and fresh green beans sauteed with mushrooms (the duck came with couscous). Really a nice dinner and probably the most sophisticated food you'll find in Cannon Beach. Had an Andrew Will Sangiovese to go with which was soft and lovely after opening up a bit. Fish & Chips: Neptune in Cannon Beach. We had cod w/chips and a crab melt and both were lovely. fresh fresh fish & crab and hot crispy fries with a bit of spice sprinkled on (frozen but came piping hot). adequate tartar. The coleslaw didn't taste right to me, so I didn't finish it. The crab melt would have been perfect with a more toasted english muffin Pacific Oyster in Bay City just south of Garibaldi: Had fish and chips, since someone recommended it. Had halibut. Not bad, but one of my pieces of halibut was way beyond fresh. Not good, didn't finish it in fact. Krinkle cut fries. They get points for that. Not worth the trip if its out of the way. Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City: Great beer on the coast. Had a seasonal "Heiferweizen" (a play on nearby Tillamook) and it was more like a Belgian Wit than a German Hefe. Lovely coriander and orange peel flavors. Great stuff. Had a shrimp sandwich, which consisted of bay shrimp in a pita, with veggies and a cucumber-dill 'remoulade'. They should just make a real greek yogurt-dill-lemon-cucumber sauce and use it. sauce was too thin, but the shrimp was fresh and it was an agreeable, light and satisfying sandwich, especially since it came with great fries ;-) (we were on a mission to eat fries everyday). our one meal in Portland was at Cafe Azul. Had the sangrita, a non-alcoholic drink consisting of chilis, veggies (no tomato) but a sort of V-8 type cocktail. spicy and not thirst quenching, but delish. their bread is fantastic, and it comes with a spiced butter that is slightly hot. nice, nice flavors. Had the 3 taco appetizer: black bean taco, fish taco, and a cheese quesedilla. The quesedilla was my favorite, because I like crispy almost burned cheese. And they make their own tortillas, of course. The fish taco and bean taco were nice, but not 'hey wow' food. Then came the entrees, which we got 2 moles. One with beef and the other with duck. Wow wow wow. this is what this place is all about. Both moles were quite different, very complex, and with roasted veggies on the side the flavor combinations were just outstanding. Grilled veggies included chayote and plaintain and morel mushrooms and zucchini. Each one contributed a diffferent flavor to the mole. Then the meats, aye-yi-yi. the duck legs were crispy grilled but still moist and the flavor... shall I go on?? Check this place out. (Unfortunately, I didn't have dessert here.)

ok, I haven't lived there in years, BUT what about Geppettos for that all american breakfast? (serving breakfast till 2pm!) at least, they used to when I lived there. Food.. how about Chateaulin? is it still there? the only french game in town... There used to be a restaurant in Talent that was fairly high end (well for that area) I can't remember the name... right on the old highway. Also I believe the Winchester Inn used to serve good dinners too. Anything else.. I can't help you. been way too long since I've hung out in those parts. Post your experiences when you are back dfunghi...

A bahn mi sandwich. So hot I had to drink a quart of milk just to cool the fire. woooo.

Why so high? The UK version is £75, which is about $125 US.

AYE!! I adore the Bridgeport IPA. Just had one the other night and it was fresh fresh fresh. Yow.

I've not. but according to Schielke's post, we can find it here. so I'll be checking it out.

IF you are into beer at ALL, Elysian (and Tangletown) have one of the most illustrious brewmeisters in town. Dick Cantwell spent many years perfecting the beer at Big Time, then opened his own place starting with Elysian. The beer is extraordinary. The food... isn't. There ya go. I'm not surprised the food was subpar. The food at Elysian is the same. ya know, it was the same at Big Time too. Such crappy food to go with such good beer, what's up with that??

because you really did want to go all along. sooo?? was there a cancelation?

well good I'm glad. That way 1) I *can't* submit to temptation and go, and 2) tammy's soiree is booked up!

I think we should do the same MsRamsey. Hit the fest right when they open. god forbid we miss any beers, er, biers.

What I'm concerned about Aquitaine, is that you said you have seasonal affective disorder. The biggest impact on you living here is going to be our grey weather and the lack of sunshine. I moved to Ashland from the midwest and it took me a LOOONG time to adjust to the weather. After living there for 4 years, I moved to Seattle and have been here for 18 years. Getting away during the winter is a good idea. Hawaii, even southern california or arizona, wherever its warm & sunny will do wonders. I also have full-spectrum lighting in my house. This is the one thing that gave me pause in your original post. If you do come do a trial visit, come during the winter just to see how it is.

now, who has the best brioche?

come one, come all

LOL, how about the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas??

They exist for the unwashed masses.

LUCKY to have a NOT hoppy IPA?!? Blasphemy!! Actually, I do know that an IPA should have a malty backbone, but I love the ones that scream HOPS. And fresh, floral hops at that. I had one IPA at a tasting that was so hoppy it tasted like how fresh marijuana smells. Very green and floral. But then again, I guess I could be called a 'hop head'.

If you like Hoegaarden, you should try La Chouffe Golden. ooo la la!

oh god, you guys have McMenamin's back there now? I'm sorry.. I'll put Diamond Knot IPA, brewed in Mukilteo WA up to your Victory Hop Devil anyday It IS the shit.

anybody going to this?? I betcha its not full yet...

I love Manzanita. We spend every Thanksgiving there in a cabin right on the beach. And, we've spent a few summer vacations there as well. I just LOVE the Oregon coast. This weather during Tgiving week can vary from daily storms so windy you can barely stand up on the beach to sunny and warm all week long.

buzz foods almost always involve melted cheese of some sort. Tortilla chips with melted pepper jack cheese. (melt till the cheese is almost crispy) even better if you can make guacamole to dip them in..... or a grilled cheese: rosemary bread with smoked mozzarella. oh man. even better if you have some proscuitto and fresh thyme to add to it. too foo-foo?? other late night snack oddity: toasted bagel with butter and salsa.

Is that a good "*$&%*#@^#%!!!!" or a bad "*$&%*#@^#%!!!!", and in regards to what or whom??? oh, just largely because 1) I don't work in Seattle so can't go to lunch at La Spiga/Salumi/you name it good spot, and 2) I never have celebrity run-ins :-( ..like, what? am I gonna run into Jacques/Tony/Mario on the eastside somewhere?!? and 3) I wanna see Mario!!

I want that crown of hops that guy is wearing in one of those pics...