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duckduck

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    What is Northwest cuisine? Is there such a thing?

    in Pacific Northwest & Alaska: Dining

    Posted

    Salmon, salmon and more salmon...but forget the cedar plank as far as I'm concerned. That's a fad as far as I'm concerned and it ruins the flavor of the salmon. Grill it with a little lemon butter and seasoning salt. Basic fresh ingredients prepared simply are the base of it all here. I'll agree with that. Living here my whole life, my strongest memories are food memories. Peaches, cherries, apples, and melons...watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, casaba...add to that 'shrooms and crab and other seafood. Now that I'm grown up...add a good Oregon pinot noir or any other of the fine choices from our many wineries.

    (PDX) Happy Hour - MERGED

    in Pacific Northwest & Alaska: Dining

    Posted

    When I first looked at the menu posted in the window, I’ll admit I was a

    little skeptical. The color coded menu (orange for energy, etc.) seemed

    a little too new agey and made me expect tofu. (They do tofu and are vegan

    friendly but that’s beside the point.) Stepping inside, I felt a little more at

    ease. The darkly neon lit, funky, artsy vibe suits me.

    Here’s my way of thinking. I see happy hour as a cheap, quick and

    casual first date. No real commitment, just a drink and a little nibble

    to scope things out and see if I want to pursue it further. You can get small

    portions for little $$ that give you the basic idea of the quality of

    ingredients that they use and their style of food. In some cases, as in

    the case of Aura, you can get smaller portions of items on their regular

    menu.

    I normally eat my way through a happy hour menu before venturing an

    opinion but me experience was too good to put off posting. I started with

    orange jicama salad with citrus marinade in a parmesan cup. The first thing

    I noticed was nice presentations and ample servings. It was crisp, refreshing

    and very good. Next was the cheese fondue that you can order “for you,

    for two, or for everyone” and it rivals my own. It’s a must have dish.

    It’s well-balanced…good cheese flavor, wine front and center, nothing

    gets lost. The bread was lightly toasted and the vegetables were of impeccable

    quality and steamed lightly to crunchy perfection. Really good asparagus,

    the perfect wine, gooey cheese…does life get any better than this?

    I washed it down with one of their neo-classic cocktails May Flowers in

    Moscow, a blend of raspberry vodka, raspberry schnapps with fresh lemon

    juice topped with champagne. For the last course, cheesecake flan with

    fresh ripe fruit. Very nice. Service was quick and very friendly. I’m

    looking forward to going back with some friends to try their aura tiers

    which are samplers made to share. I’m a happy camper.

    Aura at 1022 W Burnside across from Powell’s

    Closed Sunday and Monday

    Happy hour 4:30 – 6:30 pm tue-sat

    10pm to close, except fri and sat

    all items $3

    house salad

    orange jicama salad

    fondue for you

    spicy 3 cheese burger duo

    all night diner chicken burger duo

    skewers

    blackened chicken

    chinese beef curls

    vietnamese chicken

    cuban mojo chicken

    deep south pork

    drinks

    vodka or gin martini

    margarita

    lemon drop

    cosmo

    featured draft pint

    featured wine by glass

    Why separate dessert menus?

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I agree with the point that dessert is treated as an afterthought and not an integral part of the meal. Not only as a menu issue but as dishes themselves. I hate it when they don't put the effort into desserts that is put into other dishes. They list drinks quite often, why not desserts? Why do we have to ask for it? And I always have to wait for the list of gelato of the day? Shouldn't they just give you a dessert menu automatically? I have to give credit to Mother's Bar and Bistro for listing the dessert specials along with the specials of the day on their board outside the restaurant. This whole afterthought attitude is a situation that I would like to see change.

    Taste of the Nation PDX

    in Pacific Northwest & Alaska: Dining

    Posted

    For anyone that didn't go...ya'll really missed out. I think this is one of the year's best events not to be missed. For $60 (or for free if you volunteer for the event) you get to sample the best of roughly 50 restaurants and 30 wineries. We had so many wonderful things wandering all four floors. The pick of the evening for MSG and I...the panna cotta with candied fennel and fennel caramel sauce from Tuscany Grill rocked our world. It was one of the most luxurious things :wub: I've ever put in my mouth. A great time was had by all.

    Chocolate Covered Strawberries?

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I'm another one that agrees with foodie52. I've always felt that the two flavors of chocolate and strawberries kind of butt heads. I don't care for them. The exception would be white chocolate dipped or the way we do them at work by the semi-load (literally, guys) at Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. We use cone-coat that we buy in #10 cans by the case which is fairly close to magic shell ice cream topping. It has a much milder flavor that I feel accentuates the berries instead of overpowering them. It also helps with the condensation on the outside when they are put in plastic containers and put in the cold cases at the stores alongside the fruit trays and such.

    Churros

    in Mexico: Dining

    Posted

    Yeah, we should probably continue our discussion by e-mailing direct. I had a cutie-pie chef there for awhile that was telling me that I didn't really need culinary school and when I ordered dessert, I would get a little extra. When I was done this second plate just kind of whizzed around in front of me with a white jacket passing by behind me. I think he just liked to watch me eat.

    Churros

    in Mexico: Dining

    Posted

    I used to pretty much live there. Especially once I started getting serious about pastry. It's really bad when you walk into a shop and instead of asking if they can help you find something, they just give you a nod and a "Hey, You...". :cool:

    Churros

    in Mexico: Dining

    Posted

    That would be cool. Just what I need...one more reason to be at the farmer's market. Yum! Glad to see you pop into my regular little corner here. You know I'll show if you cook for the gang some more! Last time was great! One of these times I should get to bring dessert though. And I finally found the smell. I believe it's the Portland French Bakery on 68th and Marine Drive.

    Churros

    in Mexico: Dining

    Posted

    Hey, MSG, where's mine? I'm starvin'! I'm not that far away. Is that what I smell out the back door of the warehouse? (When the wind turns a certain way, it smells like a bakery outside. I can't figure out where it comes from.) They sound good! :biggrin:

    "The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 2

    in Food Media & Arts

    Posted

    Five pages of posts already? I think eG'ers are the only ones really watching the show and the only reason we watch this train wreck is so we can discuss here the next day. Who else watches this crap other than desperate single women who would travel from LA to NY for a Rocco sighting? I can't discuss anywhere other than here because everyone in the real world when you mention the show says "What?" like they have no idea what you're talking about. And while I'm at it, can that little intern boy get his nose any further up Chodorow's butt? He is just a happy little camper rootin' around there, isn't he? :biggrin:

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