The first thing I noticed was that nothing had changed since I moved to Portland so many years ago. The same wood floors, white tablecloths, wood trim… the problem was, it didn’t look like the maintenance had kept up with the hard use. The once beautiful wood floors are worn, windowsills and room dividers are dusty, and some areas need painting. For a restaurant of this caliber, the whole place feels like it could use a thorough cleaning and refurbishing. I had to laugh one evening when a spider dropped webs onto the table across from us, and the diners had flailing-around moments trying to clean them off. That being said, I still like the interior design, and have always felt it was a classy, romantic restaurant.

The first thing that stands out is the large beer menu, with 48 available by the bottle and 12 on draft. They make up a broad selection from around the world. I can’t think of a Portland restaurant with more varieties – strange, since we are such a beer town. The wine list is also good, with both regular and reserve menus, at an average markup.

There isn’t a house cocktail list. These days, it seems like everyone pushes overly sweet, so-so drinks, and it’s refreshing to see a restaurant sticking to the basics. I’ve had some excellent, balanced cocktails, like martinis, gin and tonics, and an old fashioned. Prices are considerably less expensive than most restaurants.

With the exception of one meal, which I will detail later, service is always excellent. I felt like waiters were glad to be there, knowledgeable about every aspect of the menu, and efficient. They seem to know when you need them and when you want to be left alone, going a long way towards making an evening enjoyable. One fault, prices on specials are not given during the recitation. I know it’s kind of awkward, but it’s nice to know what you will be charged before receiving the bill.

Appetizers:

Meals begin with good bread, and an excellent grassy olive oil. It’s one of the best I’ve had in some time.

I’ve started every meal with the house charcuterie; not because I need to try it every time, but because I really enjoy it. The Higgins version tends towards 10-12 basic meats, with an occasional rillette. I like every single item. The flavors are distinct and clean, never leaving a greasy coating on the palate, each one having its own distinct character. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the lardo. I don’t know how they cut it so thin without tearing, but it is almost translucent. If you aren’t paying attention to what you are eating, it would be easy to miss the impact, but pay attention, and the flavors are perfectly balanced, slowly building until the lard melts away. Other items include fennel salami, lomo (eye of pork loin), cappacolo (cured pork shank rolled in spices), sopresatta (dry-cured salami), and napoletana. I highly recommend this charcuterie; it’s the best I’ve had in Portland. Its simplicity belies the attention to detail that has obviously gone into the platter. It’s accompanied by a small, piquant mound of house-made pickles, though one busy evening they were forgotten ($13.75).

A salad of autumn greens was just what I’d expect, though better than most restaurants. It is a refreshing palate cleanser with slightly bitter greens as a counterpoint to the herb vinaigrette, sprinkled with crunchy hazelnuts and a pungent blue cheese ($7.25, +cheese $2).

One evening, a special of forest mushroom strudel was available. It arrived as crusty, light little tubes, with a slightly sweet flavor. The mushrooms came through nicely, with Asiago cheese and spicy greens adding to the profile. A little pickled mélange of quince chutney on the side was a vivid and interesting accompaniment ($14.50).

In early fall, they offered a play on a caprese appetizer, with ricotta instead of the more usual mozzarella. The plate was like an artist’s palate of different, flavorful tomatoes, topped with white, slightly smoky homemade ricotta. Direct and unfussy, this is especially recommended ($14.50)

Mains:

All of the entrees tend to be quite large, much bigger than I remember from years ago. I enjoyed a special of saltimbocca.  The server rattled off the details so fast, I didn’t catch them all, but it was made up of pork loin served with a Coca Cola reduction, on a bed of some of the loveliest polenta I’ve ever had. As with all the cured meats at Higgins, the prosciutto was wonderful, the final composition creating depth that is not normally present in this dish ($24.50).

A somewhat less successful plate was also the most expensive item on the menu: “margret and confit of Liberty duck”. Margret is literally “the breast of a fat duck”, though it is usually fairly lean. Unfortunately, this breast could have benefited from some fat, as it was somewhat dry, and didn’t have a lot of the flavor one might expect. The same thing could be said of the accompanying confit. The skin was also disappointing, not imparting much flavor. I’ve had much better duck at Ten 01 for six dollars less. Although huckleberries and Italian plums were added for extra flavor, nothing in this dish really shined. All this taken into account, the plating was beautiful, the portion very large, and the meat cooked exactly as ordered. It was accompanied by a nicely prepared side of cooked spinach, but, on this night, unimpressive cheddar polenta. It was all perfectly fine, but not worth the price ($36.50).

Along with the duck we tried the pork plate, which I would guess is one of the more popular dishes on the menu. A gastronome’s monument to pork, the “whole pig plate” consists of sausage, braised belly, ribs, rillons, and crepinette. First there is a bed of basmati rice, a wonderful light, slightly spicy chili verde sauce, and then all the different preparations of meat on top. There wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy. Though the accompanying sauce changes from time to time, I thought the chili verde was particularly brilliant. It cut the fat and refreshed the palate a little bit with each bite.

This is a huge dish, if anything, a bit too heavy, but there are many out there who would argue with me. The sausage alone is big enough to fill some people. The woman I was with barely managed to put a dent in the different selections, before passing it to me. I didn’t do much better, and had enough to take home for a large dinner the next night. As it was, by the time I pushed the plate away, I wanted to slide under the table and take a long nap, but I thought Mr. Higgins might take offense ($27.50).

Wanting to try the fish, we ordered Alaskan halibut. It was textbook; moist, and slightly perfumed with citrus, nestled in a bed of couscous, nutty, roasted cauliflower on the side. It was complemented by a subtle saffron-ginger beurre blanc, overall much more satisfying than most halibut dishes ($28.50).

I’ve sampled several desserts, and have generally been pleased. Unfortunately, one that sounded interesting was, but not in a good way. It was billed as “roasted figs with honey, gorgonzola ice cream and spiced pecans”. The plate was beautiful, the slices of lovely, brightly flavored figs like a crescent moon, the ice cream on one side. My dining companions both ordered it, took a few bites, and then told me I should have a taste of the ice cream before it started to melt. One bite made me recoil, and they burst out laughing. It was overpowering; like eating a ball of gorgonzola. How they tasted it without changing expression, I’ll never know. I think it would have been much more effective with just a hint of cheese, and not the bomb we were served. That said, the figs with honey were excellent, sparking conversations about our childhood’s ($8.50).

Another night, I tried a crostata with huckleberries and bay leaf ice cream. This time the ice cream played a subtle supporting role against the berries, which were cradled in a wonderful flaky crust ($8.50).

Lunch:

One rainy afternoon, I decided to drop by the bar, or as they call it, “the bistro”, for lunch. It turned out to be a particularly memorable experience – not because it was good, but rather, because it was so bad. Between the three of us, we had soup, salad, mussels, pastrami, and the same halibut I described as “satisfying” above. This was the strangest meal I’ve had in ages.

The mushroom soup was a fairly quick puree, with lots of tiny chunks of what looked like mushrooms. However, it didn’t really have any mushroom taste. Instead, it was overwhelmed by the taste of vinegar, which was so strong, it left my mouth burning. We could barely make a dent in it ($7.00).

The portion of mussels was large. The menu described them as being “steamed in hard cider with celeriac, apples, and garlic toast”. That sounded nice, but we couldn’t taste any of these ingredients. Every mussel had an undercooked piece of garlic the size of the tip of your little finger stuffed into it. I could see the shellfish, but I certainly couldn’t taste it. Like the mushroom soup, the broth was overwhelmed with the taste of vinegar, also burning our mouths. This was another dish we couldn’t finish ($13.50).

Unlike dinner, the lunch version of the same halibut dish had issues. The fish arrived on a stack of greens, which were supported on a bed of mashed potatoes. The same person who had ordered them at dinner also ordered them at lunch, so she could make a direct comparison. “It tastes pretty good, she said, but something’s not right.” I reached over with my fork, and thought it was ok, but agreed with her; something was off. Breaking the dish into separate elements, I soon found the problem. Underneath everything was a thin brown sauce, which tasted strongly of… vinegar! How could any of these dishes have gotten by the chef?

Since the cured meats have been so good in the dining room, I ordered an open-faced sandwich with house-made pastrami. It looked good, a large plate with grilled onions and sharp white cheddar. I took a bite; it was so dry I literally almost choked, and wondered if my friends knew the Heimlich maneuver. The meat was more moist as we got deeper into the sandwich, which made me wonder if it had spent a long period under the heat lamp. This wasn’t the only problem: the meat was tasteless – no tang of cured meat, no salt, no flavor. A bad day at Kenny & Zuke’s would blow this out of the water ($12.00).

Something was terribly wrong in the kitchen that afternoon. Service was friendly but awkward, and the waits were interminable. Every so often, one of the cooks would bring out our plates. We had put 90 minutes on our parking meters, but had to rush through the mains and flag the server down. I made it out four minutes after mine expired. No wonder their afternoon business seems to have fallen off.

I have not been back to Higgins for another lunch since that ill-fated afternoon, so I don’t know if this is a strange aberration, or a normal thing. The food tasted like someone had mixed up the bottles in the kitchen, and maybe the vinegar and olive oil had been switched, but obviously the food wasn’t being tasted before leaving the kitchen. Maybe the lunch chef had dropped dead, I don’t know. I do know there was no excuse for what we were served. In a month or two when I’m feeling strong, I will return for lunch, and if it’s better, I will update the review.

Lunch aside, I was generally happy with Higgins. Maybe my memory is failing, but I don’t remember the restaurant being so reasonably priced, or, as I said before, the portions so large. It is easy for a party of two to have dinner with a couple of glasses of wine for less than $100. You will walk out the door with enough leftovers for a good lunch the next day. Compared to some of the other restaurants I’ve reviewed, this is a deal. Like most places, there are hits and misses, but Higgins is generally good, and is a nice place to take out of town guests. Now if they’d just freshen up the inside.

Ratings:

• Service: A, Lunch: C-
• Atmosphere: B
• Food: B+, Bistro at Lunch: D

Information:

• Phone: 503-484-1099
• Address: 1239 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205. Map
• Hours: Dinner: Mon-Fri: 11:30am-12:00am, Sat-Sun: 4pm-12am
• Website: Higgins

And the second:

6. Do not lead the witness with, “Bottled water or just tap?” Both are fine. Remain neutral.

9. Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically. It is not a soliloquy. This is not an audition.

15. Never say “I don’t know” to any question without following with, “I’ll find out.”

18. Know before approaching a table who has ordered what. Do not ask, “Who’s having the shrimp?”

27. For red wine, ask if the guests want to pour their own or prefer the waiter to pour.

41. Saying, “No problem” is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. “My pleasure” or “You’re welcome” will do.

53. Do not let guests double-order unintentionally; remind the guest who orders ratatouille that zucchini comes with the entree.

54. If there is a prix fixe, let guests know about it. Do not force anyone to ask for the “special” menu.

55. Do not serve an amuse-bouche without detailing the ingredients. Allergies are a serious matter; peanut oil can kill

64. Specials, spoken and printed, should always have prices. (FD – cough. Next review. cough)

74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.

88. Do not ask if a guest needs change. Just bring the change.

I love this, though, as the author says in the opening, some servers will argue these points. Well worth the read. The first 50 are here, the second 50 here.

As I’ve said before, even though I’ve moved to a dedicated server, there are times it struggles under the load, especially when folks get to work, and then during lunch. I’ll be making a few changes this winter to the structure of the site and how it works behind the scenes, but I’ll also be posting little news bits in separate articles. This will result in less people all clicking on the same story at once (plus I like it better that way).

I am told Robert is from NYC, a graduate of the CIA. A quick internet search results in one mention of his name as chef for catering at Haydens Lakefront Grill. I’m assuming this is the same guy. The menu is set to be “eclectic American”. Hours will be 100:am – 2:00am, with a full menu available until 1:00am. Sounds like a nice option for that neighborhood.

Rather than send my regular list, I thought I’d work with you all to come up with our own list. We’ll start with “expensive” and “very-expensive” choices, and we’ll drop down a price tier every week until we have a good list of recommendations.

I will qualify this price range as one where the average price of mains on the menu is $20 – $30, expensive over $30.00.

Anyway, please leave a comment about your nomination for the best in these two price ranges. When we get a good list, I will put them to a vote. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
I am hoping you can recommend restaurants for me to go to. I am very open about cuisine, price, atmosphere…I just want to eat good food!

YamYam’s restaurant in N Portland was being used as a front to launder money from a Crips gang cocaine deals. As someone said on Twitter, no wonder there was a line to get in! Not a line I’d want to get into myself. Nope. Something tells me their business may drop now.

All Coffee News:

Speaking of coffee, Billy Wilson, the barista who just won the NW Regional Barista Competition, is set to open a second Barista location on NE 18th and Alberta. It will face east towards the retail courtyard. Target date is one year from the the opening date of the very popular Barista in the pearl, or February 2010.

Though I switched to a private server a few months ago, it still crawls to a near stop in the morning and at lunch/dinner time. I was told yesterday that I only had 20 concurrent connections, and they doubled it to 40. No, I don’t quite understand what that means. The important thing is, the problem should occur less frequently, though I noticed today, it can still be a bit slow at those times. If you have issue, just try it again at an off time. The price of success.

PS. I was in a hurry when I wrote this, so unless there is a major gaffe, I could care less about grammar/speling issues. Just sayin’

We regret to inform you that Sel Gris is currently closed due to a rooftop fire that swept through the building we occupy.

We are diligently working to reopen our doors on Monday, November 30th and wish for you to join us for a wonderful taste of holiday dining and to bring in the New Year.

I wish them the best.

From the article:

“Ever wonder if the organic-labeled milk you’re drinking is really organic? If you purchased it at Target, it might not be. The Cornucopia Institute, a food and agriculture watchdog group, announced Tuesday that it has filed formal complaints with USDA’s organic program accusing Target Corporation of organic food fraud.”

Read more here.

Many savvy consumers are familiar with the color codes that marine conservationists bestow on fish and shellfish, depending on how they’re faring in the environment: red for avoid, yellow for consume sparingly and green for eat without guilt.

Now, super green has arrived.

On Tuesday the influential Monterey Bay Aquarium is releasing a new set of rankings that identifies fish that are not only fished sustainably but are also rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, a key dietary component in reducing the risk of heart disease. Farmed mussels and oysters make the list, along with line- or pole-caught albacore tuna, wild-caught Alaskan salmon and Pacific sardines.

Another quote:

Although the average consumer might assume that it’s better for the environment to buy wild-caught fish than their cultivated counterparts, that’s not always the case. Farmed rainbow trout scored high on the list, along with farmed Arctic char and bay scallops. Shellfish farmed in the ocean actually filter plankton from seawater for food, leaving the ocean cleaner as a result, and unlike species such as salmon, they don’t consume other fish. Both oysters and mussels are low in fat, and oysters are high in zinc.

Since I’m not dating, I’d just as soon they left oysters off the list. Just sayin’. You can read more here.

View into Nel Centro Bar ©2009 John Anthony Rizzo

On a cool evening a few months ago, I sat with friends on the patio at Nel Centro. Three fire pits allowed heat to drift across our table. The flames, reflected in window after window of the hotel, were sometimes three layers deep. Sheltered from the transit mall, it was a little oasis. Vines climbed nearby walls, the background music was perfect, and the chairs were comfortable. The modern lines of the Hotel Moderna carried over wonderfully, but the space was still warm and inviting. It’s a great place to spend time, possibly the nicest courtyard of any Portland restaurant.

The interior is in such contrast to the patio, it feels like they were put together by two different designers. It transports you to exactly where you are – a hotel restaurant. It’s corporate in feel, with, as another reviewer said, “no soul”. Light comes from a plethora of variously shaped and colored blown glass lamps hanging about the room, in contrast to the rest of the primarily brown decor. Brown colors are everywhere, booths, carpet, chairs, ceiling, pillars and even some of the art elements. They are nice shades of brown, but, for me, in contrast with other parts of the space, it just doesn’t work. Modern lighting notwithstanding, the overall effect is a far cry from the sleek look of the attached Hotel.

Mussels ©2009 John Anthony Rizzo

The kitchen is open; a huge rotisserie entices with burnished golden chicken, and the requisite wood oven sits in the corner. A comfortable, spacious bar takes up a third of the space.

Service is mixed, ranging from just fine, prompt and personable, to one weekend night, when, though there weren’t many people in the restaurant, it seemed like they were understaffed. As we were taken to the patio, I couldn’t help but notice that many used dishes were sitting on empty tables. This was an omen, as plates remained on our table long after we finished, pacing between courses was way too long, and the waiter didn’t come around as often as he should have.

Twelve house cocktails are available. I’ve had a few that I liked; the Nel Centro old fashioned with Maker’s and Mandarin was interesting and balanced, as was a Lillet Midi – Lillet Blanc, Aperol, tangerine & bitters.  Others are too sweet for me, or in the case of a mint julep, downright awful, arriving in a warm tumbler glass. Overall though, they will appeal to a younger crowd, as they tend to have a strong kick, which is masked by other ingredients. However, for an average price of $9-$10.00, you can do better elsewhere. Four draft beers are available for $5, from an Anderson Valley Summer Solstice to Double Mountain IRA. Five more choices are offered by the bottle. A slightly smaller choice of food from the restaurant is available in the bar, with the overall cost averaging $11.00.

Country Terrine with Pate & Salami. ©2009 John Anthony Rizzo

Good bread and olive oil are served after you order, the oil being better than usual for this type of freebie. Although the salt cod fritters were large and had a great texture, they were way too fishy, and had an off-putting taste. An accompanying red pepper rouille was interesting, but overall, I didn’t like the dish ($10).

Salads are quite large – easily big enough for two. I loved the zucchini salad, with wonderful thin slices of raw zucchini that were almost translucent, pecorino Romano cheese, a hint of fresh mint and a scatter of almonds to add crunch. Combined with a perfect dressing, the overall ingredients added up to a wonderful salad ($9). Another interesting option, a mélange of lovely, sweet red and yellow beets with green beans, and a piquant dressing of goat cheese and sunflower seeds, was also successful. The beans provided a nice texture; the goat cheese and beets were great counterpart. All the flavors came together perfectly ($9).

Mesclun salad with croutons and herbs was exactly as billed. The greens were fresh, it was properly dressed. Large, maybe two inch, croutons added a decorative touch, but unfortunately, they were spongy and didn’t have much flavor ($10). Another classic salad, the butter lettuce with sunflower seeds and French blue cheese was also what you might expect. Well made with good ingredients, but just a normal salad – not that there is anything wrong with that ($10).

In my experience, the mains have all had some sort of issue. Take the grilled wild salmon with French lentils and Pommery (champagne) mustard sauce. The salmon was plump and irresistible, everything was direct and unfussy, but the lentils were over-salted to the point where they burned our mouths. This ruined the dish, and I don’t know how it left the kitchen like that ($23). On another evening, I had the same experience with the beef daube, which is a braise of red wine, olives, and nice little cigars of fried panisse (chickpeas). The sauce was dark, nice and thick, and loaded with flavor, the meat fork-tender. The portion was large, and the dish could have been a really nice, comfort food, but again, it tasted like a box of salt had fallen into it. It also had a greasy mouth feel that wasn’t enjoyable. No one at the table could eat it, and we will normally eat anything ($20).

Provenςal roasted pork with tomato gratin and mostarda di frutta was interesting. Mostarda is an Italian condiment made from candied fruit and a mustard sauce. The combination of the sweet fruit and the subtle mustard worked well with the excellent, juicy pork. However, I didn’t like the tomato gratin on the side. It consisted of flavorful bright red tomatoes, breaded and fried. They didn’t go with anything else on the plate. Still, it was a good dish, minus the tomatoes ($19).

Burrida ©2009 John Anthony Rizzo

In general, Nel Centro does a good job on rotisserie food. Chicken was excellent. Moist, crisp skin, properly seasoned, with a hint of thyme. An accompanying panzanella salad was not as successful. As in the forementioned salad, the bread cubes were huge. They seemed brushed with oil, then baked, so they were hard, then put into the salad, i.e., they were croutons. The problem is the bread didn’t absorb any of the other flavors, so the vinaigrette taste was missing. Normally, with panzanella, the bread is  moistened, and then wrung out. As it expands, it absorbs the flavors of the rest of the salad. However, the quality of the chicken made up for the weakness of the salad ($18).

Desserts are as good as pastry chef Lee Posey’s well deserved reputation. The changing menu of gratins burst with flavor ($7), and for those into chocolate, the satisfying Scharffen Berger soufflé is one of the best examples of the dish I’ve seen ($8). The same could be said about the lavender-scented crème brulee, which comes with pistachio macaroons which pay a perfect complement to the lavender ($7).

It’s difficult to know what to say about this restaurant. I loved the patio, and as I sat there for the first time waiting for my food, we were so comfortable, I really hoped for a great dining experience. If you pick carefully and the chef is watching the salt, you can have a good meal, but it is just as easy to have one that is unremarkable. The patio is so nice I will still go back, but if this restaurant wants to be taken more seriously than average hotel food, the chef and staff are going to have to step up their game. For the money you are likely to spend for a full meal here, there are better places in town.

You can read an interview with owner Dave Machado here.

Ratings:

• Service: C
• Atmosphere: patio A, interior C
• Food: C

Information:

• Phone: 503-484-1099
• Address: 1408 SW Sixth Ave, Portland, OR
• Hours: Dinner: Sun-Thurs: 5-9pm, Fri&Sat: 5-10pm, Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Brunch: Sun: 8am-2pm, Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30am, Sat: 7:30-11:30am
• Website: NelCentro.com

Welcome to cold season in Portland.

Counter

It seems we each have our own special medicine for cold days, possibly a certain drink, soup, or stew that we are convinced is THE cure. My sure fire remedy when I’m feeling stuffy, and a delicious one at that, is lunch at Hot Pot City.

Open since 2004, and billing itself as Portland’s only Taiwanese Hot Pot Restaurant, this is a very casual, “all you can eat” type of affair, but with a distinctively traditional and healthy Chinese twist. At around $8.50 for lunch (including your choice of refillable soft drinks or tea), it is also a fantastic bargain. Located in an odd strip mall near Portland State University, Hot Pot City is easy to get to, but difficult to find. Hidden behind a tall wall and a parking lot on one side, and a mostly abandoned park on the other, it is worth the hunt. There is plenty of free parking in the lot out front and it is only one block from the streetcar and major bus routes. Just look for the big red and white sign above the door, and the steamed up windows.

Hot Pot City is a cultural melting pot and a popular college student gathering place. As my friend said, “It takes balls to open an affordable ‘all you can eat’ restaurant near a university,” and it can get quite crowded during peak hours. It is usually filled with Asian and non-Asian college students, as well as little old Chinese ladies who lunch, local business folks, and other random food lovers and bargain hunters like myself. Not much effort has gone into the décor – a few potted plants, a couple of wall hangings, and that’s it. There is one wall of simple four-seat tables, a long counter for individual dining, and a buffet lined with self-service beverages, condiments, and a bounty of vegetables, meats, noodles, and other good things for your soup pot.

Hot Pot

Hot Pot is not an unknown dining concept either here or in Asia, but a new version has become popular in Taiwan; this is also the same formula used at Hot Pot City. Rather than a large communal dish meant for sharing, this style of hot pot involves individual pots and heating elements where each diner can chose his own aromatic and flavorful broth base and what to put in it. There is no fighting with your beloved over that last tasty morsel, nor will you need to guess which perfectly cooked piece simmering in the murky brew is yours. It also means you can dine alone quite easily, although you can request one of the tables for a more traditional shared family style meal.

How to Eat Hot Pot

Entering Hot Pot City can be a confusing vacation to another culture – how does this work? What should I order? Where should I sit? How do I eat this stuff anyway?

The drill is this: sit down at the squat counter in front of one of the built-in individual heating elements and order your soup base. Now line up at the buffet, mix your chosen sauce in a little bowl, grab a plate, and go for it. Remember though, it is all you can eat, so no need to pile it up on the first run. You’ll have plenty of opportunities for seconds, thirds, or even fourths if your appetite and gullet are big enough.

When your soup arrives it is a ritualistic process: watch how others do it, or ask the staff for guidance, as they will be happy to help. Put some food in the hot pot, let it cook, remembering that veggies will take less time than meat; after a while fish the cooked food out with the little wire scoop or ladle they give to each diner, put the cooked food into a holding bowl (with some broth if you wish), add new food to the pot, pick up cooked food from your bowl, dip your food in the sauce (or some diners mix it in with the cooked food), eat, and repeat.

It becomes a rhythm: food goes in, food comes out, more food goes in, and eat. Easy. Once going, the hot pot bubbles and steams like a witch’s cauldron, and at times threatens to spill over the top. Staff will come by regularly to adjust the temperature on the burner and will fill up the dissolving liquid as necessary.

Choose your Base

Alas, there are seven distinct soup bases to choose from, and each can be customized with one of the many condiments on the buffet. There is a mild vegetarian broth, one described as meat soup with “long-boiled clear soup of bones and meats,” and more unique choices such as the Xiang-cai soup that has Chinese cilantro with preserved egg. Beware this latter option because if you are non-Asian, the server will most likely drill you to see if you really want it. He doesn’t believe most westerners will like this as it is bold and funky, and generally somewhat of an acquired taste.

Spicy soup bases are labeled as such on the menu and include the Pao-cai Korean style with pickled cabbage, a fairly mild hot and sour Thai style base, and the Ma La herbal and spice soup. The Ma La is my all time favorite, and is a popular and traditional Chinese soup that has migrated over the years from the northern part of Szechuan Province to the island of Taiwan in the south. It will blast the cold right out of you with its searing Szechuan peppers and other tasty herbs.

The Bountiful Buffet

Buffet

The self-service buffet at HPC is clean and always well stocked. Ingredients rotate so you never know what they will have, although many are standards. Little labels in Chinese and English help demystify some of the offerings. During lunch, there are bowls of paper-thin sliced beef, chicken, and pork, and sometimes lamb, and there are always thick chunks of fragrant boneless chicken thighs marinated in ginger, onion, and soy sauce, or sometimes in bright yellow curry paste instead. Seasoned meatballs are another standard, and another perennial favorite, while other “alternative” meats such as tripe and liver make occasional appearances (fear not, those are always clearly labeled). There are usually seafood offerings as well, such as cod fillets, small whole blue crabs (which are difficult to pick the meat from), prepared squid strips, or other shellfish – even “Krab” sticks.

A real treat are the little golden bundles of fried wonton stuffed with ground turkey, vegetables, and seasonings. When I asked the name, the server looked at me like I was an idiot and said, “fried wonton.” Not exactly the Chinese name I was looking for, but correct. Regardless, the fried bundles mix nicely with the broth and form toothsome yet silky and delicate soup dumplings.

Vegetarians and even vegans will be happy here. You can always expect at least two kinds of tofu, both cut into large 2″ cubes: a fresh soft kind, and one labeled “frozen,” which upon further research is actually what the Chinese call “thousand layer tofu” – tofu that has been freeze dried and reconstituted. It has a very non-tofu, almost bread-like texture, and it makes a wonderful dense sponge for soaking up the hot pot flavors.

Vegetable options are also based on the seasons and availability at the market. Greens such as large cleaned spinach leaves, flavorful chrysanthemum stalks, and tiny crunchy pea shoots are always bright and fresh. There are raw onion slices, cilantro, broccoli florets, button mushrooms, and sometimes things like taro root, shitake mushrooms, mung bean sprouts, bitter melon rounds, and hearty half moon slices of vibrant orange squash. Pickled cabbage often makes an appearance, too.

Noodle choices include thin vermicelli rice noodles and thick udon or mein type wheat noodles. A friendly diner sitting next to me once explained that the noodles are often added to the hot pot last to soak up the now concentrated flavors. Although not all diners do this, it is now my favorite way to end the meal.

Buffet

Something else you should know: Hot Pot City has other things not on the menu that can be ordered for a dollar or two per serving. These include all kinds of sea foods such as whole head-on shrimp, oysters, in-shell scallops, sea snails, special cuts of meat, raw egg, or traditional preserved duck egg. Which brings me to one complaint: service is attentive, but not always proactive. For example, it would be nice to know what there is outside of the menu, as this can lead to a guessing game with the server, “do you have….”. I would suggest printing up a specials sheet as a supplement to the regular menu.

Lunches are $8.50, including soft drinks or tea,  and plain steamed rice is served upon request. Dinners offer more choices in meats and seafood including things such as fish cakes and delectable and tender beef meatballs, but run in the $14.00 range. While dinner is still a bargain, given the ingredients and amount of food, it hardly seems worth the extra money unless you plan on eating nothing but oysters or shrimp. There are no desserts that I know of, but there is a “regular” menu of greasy standards such as Kung-Pao beef and sweet-and-sour shrimp, but these are not special.

No, what’s special here is the hot pot. It’s a casual, inexpensive and very authentic dish that is perfectly suited for Portland’s climate.

• Phone: 503-224-6696
• Address: 1975 SW 1st Ave. Portland, OR. 97201 Google Map
• Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Dinner daily 5-9pm. Sat, Sun and Holidays: 12:30pm – 4pm,

Here’s the prob­lem: Into every mod­ern Amer­i­can life, some processed food must fall. We might try might­ily to hew to the straight, nar­row, organic and local, but sooner or later you’re going to be served a restau­rant meal that doesn’t draw its raw mate­ri­als from the Niman Ranch, or your child is going to have to eat the school lunch for one rea­son or another, or you just aren’t going to have the energy to burn a cord of wood to make a cou­ple of eggs (as Anthony Bour­dain amus­ingly summed up Alice Waters’ break­fast for Les­ley Stahl on “60 Min­utes.”). And god­damnit, but it is the government’s job to make sure food-processing facil­i­ties are as safe as can be, and are pro­duc­ing meat that doesn’t have to be han­dled like toxic waste. (If I hear one more indus­try dip­shit telling me I need to clean my cut­ting boards with bleach, I’m going to throw one at their heads.) We’ve clearly seen — sorry, lib­er­tar­i­ans — that “mar­ket forces” aren’t going to shape up the var­i­ous factory-food indus­tries alone, at least not until we have a plague of par­a­lyzed 22-year-olds, or some­thing. The USDA comes across almost as badly as Cargill and the vast Omaha beef proces­sors who put this poi­son into Amer­i­can super­mar­kets. Seizure, forced shut­downs, and a few cor­po­rate exec­u­tives doing a perp walk in hand­cuffs — that’s what it’s going to take. (Although, based on what we’ve seen, or not seen, on Wall Street in the past year, I’m not hold­ing my breath.)

You can read her article here.

The restaurant will be located at 537 SW 12th Ave, downtown. From the Grüner press-release: “Grüner is an adventure through the Alps and along the Danube River which begins in the Black Forest and ends at the Black Sea,” Israel explains. “As it passes through Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Romania, an alternate Europe emerges, with a hearty, earthier culinary tradition favoring savory, dill, caraway seeds, crème fraîche, horseradish and paprika as opposed to the more familiar southern flavors of garlic, basil, olive oil, fennel seeds and tomato. Much like the Pacific Northwest, this rich variety of cuisines is woven together by seasons and mountains and rivers.”

Grüner will have a tasting menu with items like smoked trout mousse with watercress sauce, beef short rib goulash, and shaved black radishes with sea salt and savory, along with dishes like German apple pancake, grilled quail with sour cherries, etc. A full liquor license will allow them to have a full range of cocktails, along with beer and wine to complement the cuisine.

An interesting side-note: Grüner is another project from ChefStable, the group that brought us Ping.

Now comes news of another restaurant with a similar cuisine – Spints Alehouse on the NE 28th area of Portland. It is opening at 401 NE 28th Ave, the old location of the crash and burn “401 Restaurant”. Owner Alyssa Gregg was most recently chef at Teardrop Lounge, before leaving last spring to focus on her new venture. Ted Charak, who you may remember as the affable co-owner of Teardrop, will man the bar. Quick note: I just remembered Catherine Cole did an interview with Alyssa back in 2008.

According to her press release, “Spints will be an alehouse featuring Northern European cuisine and eclectic blend of local and regional beers. In addition, our cocktail menu will focus on local distillers along with in-house craftsmanship. I will be acting as both owner and executive chef. The cuisine will be have its main focus on traditional German food, but have some influence from Belgium and Northern France to add some lighter fare.”

Spints has a website, though not with a menu, at SpintsPDX.com. As of today, Grüner has a website at GrunerPDX.com

Both are hoping for a December opening.

I will wager everyone over a certain age who cooks has a Gourmet story. Here’s mine: I started subscribing to the magazine at age 12, thinking it so beautiful, so sophisticated; all these articles and beautiful photos from places like Gstaad and Vienna. It wasn’t that I dreamed of going to these places, but of being the sort of person who went to these places. In the meantime, I baked from the magazine’s recipes. Yes, at age 12, I was making a 12-layer Dobosh Torte.

I kept my subscription for 20 years, keeping years worth of the magazines shelved in the guest bathroom of the very first home my daughter and I lived in alone. I thought it a beautiful touch. A year later, I was contacted by Bon Appetit, to begin writing for them. They sent me on ski trips and cruises; I ate in cities all over, swam in three seas, for articles with beautiful photos. I had become that person I dreamed of, which astounded me.

Bon Appetit (whom I continue to write for) and Gourmet are both published by Conde Nast, and today, there is no more Gourmet. The wedge cut this makes in my day-to-day life will not be visible (for now), but psychically, something direct has been taken. When I metaphorically close my eyes, I see a road once traveled by a few writers and editors who were moving on by choice, or because they were not suited to the work, now increasingly crowded, moving briskly, but in which direction?

[You can read more of Nancy Rommelmann's writing at her personal blog: NancyRommelmann.typepad.com/]

Since it was first built by Bruce Carey Restaurants, the 23Hoyt space has gone through multiple incarnations. The first was a short-lived Italian restaurant named Balvo, the second, 23Hoyt, managed by the well known chef Chris Israel. Chris has now moved on to open his own restaurant. Now, a third version has emerged, billed as a “New American Tavern.” With the downslide in the economy, changes were made, and the focus and menu changed considerably. The current chef is Chad Church.

The space is intimate, walls painted dark, with a modern, comfortable feel. The lighting is subdued, though bright enough to read the menu. In the downstairs dining room, the very high ceiling brings in plenty of light during the day; I like the effect of the white lights in the trees at night. Candelabra stand on the bar, coated with years of wax. The music is kept at a low level; however, noise from conversations around you can be high, especially downstairs, when the bar is busy. A few large tables are available for groups.

I prefer dining in the upstairs area. It has changed slightly over the years, with the translucent panel running along the back wall now replaced and the walls darkened, resulting in a more cozy space. The balcony looks down over the bar area below, and the view of NW 23rd is quite nice. One warning; heat rises. On cold nights the upstairs area can get unbearably hot.

Service is good, with efficient and knowledgeable waitstaff. Front of the house employees seem very well versed in the various offerings, and when quizzed, always seem to have the right answers. However, the pacing from the kitchen is uneven, with some courses coming out right away, but then appetizers or entrées taking a very long time. This happens even when the crowds have died down.

The wine list has shrunk considerably over the years, though there are a few good choices ranging from domestic to French and Italian. About 13 are available by the glass, though I’m not sure how they preserve them from night to night. I’ve had a few clunkers. Bottle markup is average for Portland restaurants. For example, a half-bottle of Matanzas Creek Bennett Valley ‘04 which retails for $14 is sold here for $33. Sixteen beers are available by the bottle, and four drafts. None of them grabbed my attention; a big flaw in the Portland market ($4-$7). Cocktails lack finesse, with focus seemingly paid to cranking them out quickly. I’ve tried both specialty drinks and old standards, and have been disappointed every time. I’ve had drinks that were too sweet, and out of balance. They need to step up their game if they want to attract a more upscale Portland crowd. Prices are $7-$8, with a selection of happy hour specials for $5.

A new focus since the downturn of the economy, the term “New American Tavern” is now being thrown about. This seems to mean most food is cheaper, but unfortunately quality has declined along with the prices. From my experience, one can still have a decent meal here, but stick to the low budget items, and stay away from the more expensive entrées.

Salads are generally good, the Caesar salad being a standout, though not as good as the one they used to serve. Croutons are tiny, and the dressing could use some anchovy – I couldn’t taste any. A single portion is easily big enough to split, and the kitchen is happy to do so ($10). The same can be said of the simple garden greens with preserved lemon vinaigrette. The lemon flavor is interesting and bright, making the salad a good choice for a warm afternoon ($7). I also liked the salad of roasted beets and goat cheese. This classic combination was fine, the beets sweetly contrasting with the goat cheese. A bit of oil and vinegar melded it all together ($8).

Butternut squash soup was average. The portion is large, the consistency silky smooth, with a bit of bacon and mushrooms thrown in, and a drizzle of olive oil over the top. It was fine and satisfying, but lacked anything interesting to raise it above the crowd. I didn’t particularly care for the bacon pieces, as they were somewhat chewy. It seems to me, they could put the bacon in as the soup is made, and then strain it out before serving, so one would get the flavor, but not the gummy mouth feel ($7).

While onion rings seem popular with the happy hour crowd, I found them just average and a bit greasy. Interestingly, they got better as they cooled. An accompanying caper and red onion aioli was nothing special.  The portion is large enough for three persons ($5).

Ravioli with brown butter and sage is a simple dish, easy to make, but equally easy to mess up. The 23Hoyt appetizer was large, but disappointing, with gluey ravioli, a heavy taste of uncooked flour, and sage in dire need of crisping. The flavors just weren’t there, and I couldn’t finish the dish ($9). Mac and cheese with Parmesan, Gruyère and bacon disappointed, lacking creaminess and not thoroughly heated ($9).

The lamb shank with green onions and oregano is large, prompting Fred Flintstone references from the table next to us.  Unfortunately, it was poor, a greasy mouth-coating version that left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the evening. I couldn’t finish it. Accompanying roasted potatoes were starchy and under-seasoned ($16).

Halibut looked beautiful, a large, nicely seared fillet, topped with a melange of corn. It was slightly overcooked and dry, and though the flavor from the late summer corn was pretty good, it was nothing special, especially for $24.00.

I decided to move to simpler fare, and tried one of my favorite sandwiches, a B.L.T. Once again, I was disappointed. The bacon was dry, and looked like it had been cooked earlier in the day. One small tomato was a far cry from what was available in the farmers markets, and there was sad looking arugula in the place of lettuce. The overall effect was a dry sandwich, which did nothing to satisfy my craving ($9). On to the “23Hoyt Burger”; another unimpressive sandwich. I wasn’t asked how I wanted it cooked, and it came out medium. The meat had no grilled taste or char, it was just boring. That’s what I would say about the burger overall: it was nothing special, especially for $11. Both the hamburger and the B.L.T. came with fries, but they were thin, limp, and slightly burnt. I love fries, but only managed a handful of them.

The desserts are fairly standard fare; blueberry tart, cherry crisp, etc. The best was the peach cobbler, which was barely lukewarm. However, the peaches had great flavor. There is nothing special to recommend them, except the lower than average price ($6). The cheese menu is not up to what I’d expect from Bruce Carey restaurants. 23 Hoyt offers four at $8 each, or a sampler for 16, all matched with a little something to accompanying them. The last time I checked, they consisted of Fontina and pear, Boucheron and apple, Fontal and Hazelnuts, or Manchego and spiced almonds. Cheese sources are not listed on the menu.

I haven’t been very happy with my most recent meals at 23Hoyt. Though the prices are much lower than they used to be, so is the quality of the food. Salads or happy hour is the best option, when a variety of small dishes are available at prices ranging from one to five dollars. However, based on my experiences, I don’t recommend having the more upscale dishes.

Grade:

• Food: C-
• Service: B+
• Ambiance: A

Details:

• Phone: 503-445-7400.
• Address: 529 NW 23rd, (at Hoyt), Portland, OR. 97210. Google Map
• Hours: Tues – Sat 5pm – close.
• Happy Hour: Tues-Fri 3pm-7pm, Fri-Sat 3pm-6:30pm
• Website: 23hoyt.com

Free valet parking available. Reservations recommended. If stairs are a problem, ask for a downstairs table when calling.