the goodist

Impressions: Accanto

In the hundred or so evenings that I walked past Genoa on my way to some other place, I never felt compelled to go inside. Why were the diners cloistered behind thick curtains while the tiny kitchen was windowed and on display? It's pretentious facade seemed to warn: "Expensive Cookery inside, middle lower class neighbors need not enter". With the recent rise of great Portland restaurants it's now more important than ever to appeal to your neighborhood, and maybe that was part of Genoa's decline from institution to closed. But now Genoa is not only open again, but there's a new bar/cafe - Accanto - adjoined and it's sporting long hours (lunch!), big windows, and an inviting atmosphere that feels downright neighborly.

Review: Belly Timber - Happy Hour

Bathed in the holy light of stained glass, the four of us managed to completely pack Portland's smallest bar as our pontiff Bradley Dawson poured soul quenching tonics and the kitchen of David Siegel issued forth our cheeseburger communion. Belly Timber shows equal devotion to diverse seasonal dishes as well as craft cocktails from it's cloistered Victorian on SE 32nd & Hawthorne. My penance on this outing would be a few cocktails, a burger, and a bit of marrow.

Review: Carlyle - Happy Hour

We walked into Carlyle the moment it opened on Portland's hottest day in over 25 years. A sweaty motley bunch of food nerds, we basked in what little cool the AC could muster against the 108º onslaught and spread ourselves haphazardly amidst the classy cherry wood bar. We looked out of place, but with nobody else in the joint (and this being casual-everywhere Portland) we didn't give a damn. Class would soon be found however in the exquisite cocktails and one hell of a burger.

Review: Ten01 - Happy Hour

The truffle fries at Ten 01 are a happy hour legend. The $1 oysters are a screaming good value. But I'm not going to talk about either of those things today. In this installment of the goodist's quest for the best burger and cocktail I'm simply going to extoll one of the best ways to spend $15 between 3 and 6pm.

Follow Up: Laurelhurst Market Sandwiches

My immune system is finally starting to leave my iris alone, so I can see and hence write, but posts my be a bit a brief until I'm back to full power. Clearly my ability to focus a camera remains impaired...

The first time I went to Laurelhurst Market for sandwiches it was opening week, and there were some serious bread issues. Although I've continued to hear sporadic reports of mouth pain, I figured it was time to give them another try after really enjoying the restaurant side.

Review: Clyde Common - Happy Hour

Clyde Common inaugurates a series of articles exploring Portland's best cocktail bars and the hamburgers that inhabit them.

Gazing out the window, cocktail in hand, I realized that Clyde Common may be Portland's best bar for people watching. Hip out of towners from the attached Ace Hotel milled about the sidewalk as the ubercool bike set and delightfully trashy Stark St folk passed by - every Portland cliche well represented. The soundtrack isn't bad either. Behind me at the large busy bar were the rants of local cooks packing their chef's knives and touring musicians attempting to brag their way into bed with dolled up ladies. But I had trouble paying attention, my drink was just too interesting and there was a burger on the way.

Review: Indish

A cold glass of 100-proof arrack on ice was just what I needed after a hot nap on the bus. As I slowly come to, Raj - the owner of Indish, excitedly explains his menu: 

Indish is North Indian home cooking, not your normal curry-house fare - no naan, no sauces laden with ghee, spices are abundant but dishes aren't incredibly 'spicy', and oil is kept to a minimum in contrast to what he describes as 'wedding' food thick with spiced oil that clings to the palate. Raj is the first to admit that the sort of Indian 'banquet' food we're accustomed to in the west is delicious and he's certainly sopped up his share of beer with it in his former life as a lawyer in London, but he's here to preach the gospel of everyday North Indian home cooking.

Tanuki Porn 2: The Food is Watching

Tanuki again gets me boozed, brings the love, and cuddles up after. This week's liaison spans the spectrum - from tender lamb to cold soups and a pork belly limit experience that would make Foucault blush.

Impressions: Laurelhurst Market Restaurant

Laurelhurst Market opened the restaurant side of their meat counter/sandwich/semi-steakhouse operation last Friday, and with the perfectly warm evening last night I couldn't resist stopping in to take a seat on the front patio on my way to a show down the street. Sazerac in hand, I perused their menu packed with a blend of steakhouse fare, french brasserie classics, and a few creative one-off's (scotch eggs!). The place was lively for a Wednesday night - the bar was full, most tables filled, and plenty of servers taking time to chat casually with diners. In fact, it felt like half the staff and patrons knew each other, as many of the diners seemed to be in the industry themselves. This could be a good evening.

Impressions: Laurelhurst Market Sandwiches

By now it's obvious that I have a thing for sandwiches - in fact, if you were to judge me based on my posts you'd assume all I do is drink, eat sandwiches, and drown my evenings at izakayas. Of course, my reality is a far more mundane cycle of working and cooking typical fare at home, but come my days off I live the fancy sandwich dream. So when I heard that the legendary Viende folks were opening up a shop slinging their famous animal parts, unique sandwiches, and beginning Friday a full on restaurant, I had to make it a destination.