From Kezi.com,

Patrol Lieutenant Toby Bottorff reported that the incident occurred after 8 p.m., when three inner tubers were floating downriver from Crystal Lake toward Michael’s Landing. The inner tubes, which were tied together, encountered a snag on the Willamette River about 100 yards upstream from the Marys River.

Authorities said the female victim, who was not wearing a life jacket, went underwater and did not resurface. The other two tubers, one of whom was her husband, survived the incident.

Naomi had a long history in Portland, starting with dinners at her house, Gotham Tavern, Ripe Cooperative, Clarklewis, and Beast. In 2014 she won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest. Naomi was a judge on season 18 of Top Chef Oregon. She wrote Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking. Most recently she was in the process of opening Cornet Custard on SE Division Street in Portland.

According to The Oregonian, her husband, Kyle Linden Webster survived.

My best wishes to her family for this awful news.

I don’t post here anymore, but this shook me so much that I wanted to talk about it here. I will have more personal stories soon.

The post Renowned Portland Chef Naomi Pomeroy Dies appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

The news this morning via local food writer Michael Zusman’s Facebook, was like a gut punch.

I met Sarah several times over the years, but can’t claim to have had deep insights into her personality. But over the years I’ve heard many good things from people who loved her. However, I can speak to her food. In my opinion, she was one of the finest chefs ever to grace the Portland food scene. When she and her fellow chefs Jasper Shen – now at XLB, and Kat Whitehead of Salt & Straw opened Aviary, it shot to the top of every Portland food critic’s list of best restaurants. When it closed in 2020, those who loved the restaurant were stunned by the loss. I still wax rhapsodically about dishes I’ve had at Aviary. I think the best tribute I can give her is to talk about some of the meals I’ve had at the restaurant, so I’ll quote a small part of my review to give you an idea of the cooking she was capable of.

The food they serve is executed with a rare degree of excellence. It is not merely to be consumed; it’s meant to be thought about, tasted with eyes closed, lingered over, and discussed with a good friend. This is modern dining, and the perfect way to do fusion; each cuisine enhancing the other without getting in the way. Dishes show the juxtaposition between the way Aviary can move between simplicity, and complexity bordering on molecular gastronomy without resorting to gimmickry.

A salad of warm snap peas and barley is a gastronomic puzzle, a clever brain tease on how to eat the dish. A large crunchy barley disk astride a brilliant salad hides the surprises beneath. Tender snap peas and un-hulled cooked barley line the plate with delicate hon shimejis Asian mushrooms and lily bulbs. Marble-sized spheres, one containing orange juice and rose-water, the other yogurt, act as little yolks of flavor. Pop them with a fork to change the texture and taste, mixing as you go. Switch to another dish and back a few minutes later, and you’ll find the flavors have bloomed. I was transported to a rose garden.

The brioche-crusted halibut stands out from anything similar in town. Three light brown and white stuffed spheres of halibut with just enough fat to feel sushi-like, stand alluringly in a vibrant green pool of butter-poached cucumber and dark green shiso. Each is topped with a tiny orange bump of sea urchin and a dot of paste made from umeboshi fruit as an accent. Smooth yet pungent greens with wasabi, toasty sesame oil and a hailstorm of sesame seeds sit to the side. If you take a bite from the edge of the halibut it tastes like fish sticks, but swirl one in the sauce and pop it whole into your mouth and a parade of flavors will be revealed, a synergy of rich fish, soft popping sea urchin, cooling cucumber and the complex umami of umeboshi and shiso.

A plate of seared octopus salad looks like a kitchen mistake… but the salad is a masterpiece, showcasing not only the technique but the art of construct and balance.

I loved Sarah Pliner for her cooking, pushing Portland food in a different direction, and her commitment to a quality far beyond the Portland norm. I was so looking forward to her next restaurant. My condolences to her friends, fellow chefs, and family.

From Michael Zusman,

The post Famed Portland Chef Sarah Pliner Dies appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

Rumors started swirling a month ago that Ken Forkish, owner of Ken’s Artisan Bakery and Ken’s Artisan Pizza would be retiring.

In an interview with Portland Food and Drink, Ken said both the pizzeria and bakery have been sold to long-term employees, and he would be fully engaged to consult if he’s needed. When I asked why he was selling, Ken stated, “I’m just getting tired. I’m in my 60’s and it is time for me to retire. This change has been three years in the making and I feel really good about the future of the restaurant and bakery. They are both in very good hands.”

Forkish stepped back from day to day operations of both businesses earlier this year. “I’ve had a dream for many years to move on from city life. I’ve just been shadow managing. It is important to me that I can retire with the right people in place. I love to be able to pop in, have a bite to eat, and take off without worrying about the details. I’m lucky to have great people who can take over and keep them going with the same standards we’ve always had.”

The new owners of Ken’s Artisan Bakery are Theo Taylor who started with Ken in 2002, and Pastry Chef Randy Dorkin who started in 2005. Melissa Joubert, another long-term employee who ran the now-sold Ken’s Checkerboard Pizza in Pine Street Market, will be returning to run the front-of-the-house at the bakery.

Ken says,

“Everything will be pretty much the same. They have no interest in changing recipes. We have worked really hard to establish ways of making these things better every time. For example, the croissants are a little bit flakier than they were a year ago; constant incremental improvements. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been thinking a lot about my legacy. I really want it to continue, and it wouldn’t be the same if I sold to an outside business group. Even the business names won’t change.”

Ken’s Artisan Pizza will also see little change. Peter Kost a partner at Carina Lounge and previously Lucy’s Table has taken over day-to-day operations, with current chef Vince Krone staying on in his current position. He feels the restaurant will continue to thrive. “I’ve been working with a team of mostly new people over the past few years. I feel like the pizzeria is the best it has ever been.”

Although the burgeoning pizza scene has brought a ton of competition lately, Ken’s Artisan Pizza has been considered by many to be the best in the area for years. The bakery is at or near the top of every best bakery list in town.

In 2013, Ken Forkish won a James Beard Foundation Book Award for Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza, followed by a nomination for The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home in 2017. Ken was a semifinalist for The James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 – finalist, and 2018. In 2017 he was a named a finalist for JBF Outstanding Bakery.

In a recent Facebook post, Ken talked about the 20th anniversary of the bakery –

Exactly 20 years ago to the day, Ken’s Artisan Bakery opened its doors for the very first time. It started with a dream to have my own bakery that would hopefully remind me and others of the great bakeries I loved in Paris. I wanted to make big round boules of country bread, crusty and airy baguettes, brioches, butter & ham sandwiches, croissants that shatter when you bite into them, caneles, palmiers, tarts and macarons. We once made a pastry called Inspirations. I used to direct-import tea from Mariage Freres and buy 25 kilo bags of still wet Brittany sea salt for our bread mixes.

This was in 2001. Ken’s Artisan Bakery has since birthed Ken’s Artisan Pizza, two cookbooks, Trifecta Tavern [RIP 2020] and Checkerboard Pizza [sold 2020].

Many thanks to all the bakers who have worked through the night so we could offer freshly baked bread and pastry each morning. And to all the counter staff who have served hundreds of people daily. The rest of our team–lunch cooks, delivery drivers, and supporting cast of farmers and purveyors–all were necessary and greatly appreciated.

I’m very proud that my bakery has served a very wide demographic range from young to old, and it’s pretty great to serve adults who were once wide-eyed children staring at our pastry case in years gone by.
Many thanks too to all those who have become frequent guests. We’ll miss those who have moved or who have passed. I feel like my bakery has become a necessary part of the neighborhood and the city, and if we can do anything with our lives that has value it begins with trying to make the world around us a better place. I hope we’ve succeeded.
— Ken Forkish

What’s next for Ken? He has another bread cookbook coming out next September. Beyond that, he chose to be vague, although the rumor mill says he’s moving to Hawaii.

I’ll miss Ken Forkish and his restaurants and wish him the best of luck with his retirement dreams.

You can read a full interview we did with Ken in 2006 here.

The post Ken Forkish of Ken’s Artisan Bakery & Ken’s Artisan Pizza Leaving Portland appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

In Russian, the word “love” is only reserved for people, not places or things, but at Paley’s Place, Kimberly and I endeavored to reimagine what that word means to us.

To us, love includes clinking glasses, shaking cocktails, and phones ringing nonstop. It’s Kimberly blurting out “Let them taste the love!” night after night in the kitchen as cooks cook and servers serve. Each night, love was carried out with every plate and glass. This love affair continued until our last ticket was cooked, and we did it all with love.

On our last night of service, a party of two was the final meal served. As their dessert was plated, we popped champagne, applauded each other, hugged with our masks on, and toasted to new beginnings. We wanted to go out healthy and on a high.

After two weeks of cleaning, we set the dining room one last time as though it were ready for action. Our staff, Kimberly and I stood in silence, admiring our work and feeling accomplished. We took a few deep breaths together and bid our goodbyes, not knowing if our paths would cross again. Kimberly and I looked at each other, held hands, and closed our eyes. As we embraced in the stillness, memories started rushing in.

In that room, we felt the presence of so many who once gathered here to eat, sip and celebrate. The smell of food wafted through. We began to hear familiar voices and the sounds of clanking pots. The occasional “Pick up, please!” rang out from behind the kitchen curtain. When we finally came out of our trance, alas, our place was empty and the dining room was peacefully quiet.

In the end, love was expressed to us by so many of you, our customers, over the years and in the form of hundreds of sweet cards and gifts. Some of you traveled for miles to have one last meal with us. We will deeply miss these connections and, like a very first kiss, we will remember you forever.

Finally, the love affair of Paley’s Place has come full circle. To our kitchen, our staff and our customers, we wish you much love, warmth, happiness and health.

Peace, Love, Foie Gras.

Kimberly and Vitaly Paley

Copyright © 2021 Paley’s Place, All rights reserved.

Such a classy last email, and one of my favorite poems. FD

The post Goodbye From the Paley’s – A Classic Way to End appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

I got a response to this post from the grandson of the owners –

Thanks for posting this menu from L’Abbe at The Mallory. My grandparents operated this restaurant and several others in Portland from the 1920’s until the early 1970’s. My grandfather was a Chef from Switzerland who trained at the Escoffier Culinary Academy in Paris before emigrating to the US in 1910. His last name was Aebi which he converted to l’Abbe for his restaurants. In addition to The Mallory, they operated a L’Abbe at the Roosevelt Hotel at 9th & SW Salmon. In the 50’s, after their kids moved out of the family home in Milwaukie, they converted it into their most dramatic restaurant, Chalet l’Abbe which they sold in the mid-70’s. The new owners changed the name to The Fernwood Inn which continued restaurant operations until recently when it sold and has now been converted back into a residence.

That’s why I love writing about old places. No matter where they are I often get emails back from families that owned the originals restaurants.

Every so often I’ll come across an old menu in a junk bin, or someone will send me one. I love these little windows in time. These two menu pages from L’Abb’es French Wine Restaurant at The Mallory Hotel (now Hotel Deluxe,) were sent to me by a reader. They are from 1945, at or near the end of World War II. I’ll have a bottle of the 1929 Nuits St. Georges please.

According to their website, “Hotel deLuxe began as the Hotel Mallory, commissioned in 1912 by Rufus Mallory. Even then it was a luxurious retreat: the Crystal Room (now the Screening Room) was a ballroom featuring Grand Piano and orchestra pit. In its previous life, the Green Room was a billiard room furnished with a pool table, crystal decanters of spirits and fine cigars. Across the lobby, ladies could socialize privately in the Lady’s Parlor, which is now the Editing Room.”

Thanks to Scott for sending these to me! You can see other menus from the Mallory here and here.

You kids may find the phone numbers a bit confusing – ATwater 9011, but I remember well when phone numbers started with two letters and then 5 digits, the “2L-5N” system. Our phone number in the late 50’s was FR5-1722, or 375-1722. The two letters designated the nearest telephone exchange.

Of course, back then we had “2-way party lines,” where we shared lines with our neighbors. Before making a call, we’d have to pick up the phone and listen to make sure someone wasn’t already talking on the phone. You could hear their entire conversation as long as you stayed on the line. Of course, if you were talking, you’d never dared say anything you didn’t want all your neighbors to know!

This was before numbers were multiplexed, which means every home on a regular line had a pair of wires that went all the way from the nearest central office to each home. Party lines shared wires which saved phone companies (and subscribers) money. The ring patterns were different for every family, so when it rang you had to listen carefully to see if it was the ring for your house. In some neighborhoods, phones were shared by 10 households! Can you imagine trying to figure out which calls were for you? Some of the kids in our neighborhood would call their own number and hang up, which made every phone on the circuit ring. Not me of course. Nope. Is the statute of limitations up?

And now you know.

Yes, geeky, but at one point in my life when I worked for AT&T, I accumulated a collection of very old phones and equipment as I removed them from old buildings in Los Angeles. I loved them.

The post L’Abb’e at the Mallory Hotel Menu from 1945 appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

In a statement released Monday, the Paley’s said the closure will be permanent.

This announcement has hit me hardest if any of the closures over the past few years. I’d write more but I’m in the middle of moving and don’t even have Internet yet. I immediately made a reservation for Thanksgiving, which, pre-covid, sold out months in advance.You can see my full review from a few months ago here.

Here is the goodbye announcement.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
Goethe

Dear Friends and Family of Paley’s Place,
We set down roots in Portland 26 years ago, and that time has been filled to the brim with happy memories. What first drew us to the Pacific Northwest was the stunning natural beauty and the overflowing regional bounty, but chief among it all was the generosity and kindness of people like you.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve you at Paley’s Place for 26 years, and on that sky-high note, we have made the decision to close the restaurant at the end of this year.

The events of the last year and a half have given us all time to reflect on what’s most important, and that was certainly true for us. This next chapter in our lives will be about the two of us, charting out a new life together, whatever that may be.

We have been so privileged to work alongside such incredible culinary talent, and to currently be a home to the dreamiest dream team of both front and back-of-house staff. We feel deep gratitude to you, our community, for your everlasting support and for sharing in the meals that bring us joy. You’ve given so much to us, and we are thankful to you all.

After our Thanksgiving weekend, the doors at Paley’s will close.

With immense gratitude and warmth,

Kimberly and Vitaly Paley

The post Paley’s Place Closing For Good appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

Note: Paley’s Place is permanently closed on November 28, 2021.

Now and then, I’m so inspired by a meal, I want to write about it. This is one of those times. But it is also a goodbye to my mother, who died a few months ago. If you’d like, you can skip directly to the review by clicking here.

I have an immigrant friend whose life has been a long journey over a short time. It has toughened him, and he’s not the type of person who is prone to being overly emotional. I saw him moved to tears on a warm night in June, when he took a few bites of a Smoked Pork Porterhouse at Paley’s Place, chewed for a moment, and hid his face behind a napkin. After he composed himself, he said, “I never knew food could be so good that it could affect me this way.”

This was one in a parade of plates that were so well composed that I could not find a flaw in any of them, and I was feeling a bit off-balance. Paley’s was my mom’s favorite Portland restaurant, and I was there to remember her and toast to her memory.

My mother was a complicated person. She loved kids but wasn’t close to her own. Instead, she focused all of her time on her students, teaching at a run-down public school in Watts, Los Angeles, before and after the riots of 1965. This was a very rough part of town, and at the time, she was one of two Caucasians in the entire area. Mom had the credentials to work anywhere, and it was years before I realized she was trying to give those kids a sense of normalcy that might seem foreign or elusive. She was a small woman, yet had a commanding presence. Occasionally, she’d find guns and drugs hidden in her classroom, and more than once a body would await her when she walked onto the playground in the morning. But she always stayed strong and true to her students. They were her life, and she received grateful cards from them for many years after she retired.

Mom had three other passions: music, travel, and food. It was pretty much de rigueur for everyone in the family to play an instrument. Between the five of us, we played 11. Having summers off, she pursued her interests with vigor. I had a hard time keeping up with where she was from month to month as she pursued the roads less traveled: hiking mountains in Czechoslovakia, visiting galleries in Cuba, hiking around Alice Springs in Australia, or exploring ruins in the Yucatan. She was also an excellent cook, never afraid to push the boundaries or to try a new recipe. Every time I make a soufflé, I remember her whispering to me, “Don’t slam the door… my soufflé will fall!” Dad and I would go diving and bring back lobster, abalone, and a variety of other sea life, and between them, my parents would put together an amazing meal. They were my instructors and influencers, teaching me as I developed a love of food and wine.

In 2010, Mom came to Portland, and I took her to Paley’s Place for dinner. Kimberly Paley came by at one point, heard my mom was from out of town, and had Chef Vitaly Paley drop by the table to chat. The food was excellent, and Mom never forgot that night; she talked about it frequently.

In 2018, she developed dementia. Though for half of my life, we didn’t have much of a relationship, watching her fall away from her living self, I realized that I had the choice of excising all the hurt and anger of childhood. If I set down my heavy baggage and started my memories from those later years, I could be fully there for her.

As she faded, I found there were only a few ways I could get her to respond to me. One of them was through food. I’d bring her a good burger and fries, and as she took a bite, for a few moments, light would come back into her eyes. But towards the end, she couldn’t eat, and I couldn’t get her to respond, no matter what I tried. On my final visit, floundering for something to say, I mentioned our dinner at Paley’s Place. She suddenly sat straight up in bed and, in a clear, strong voice, said, “One of the best meals of my life! I love you!” It scared the crap out of me. She fell back, the light in her eyes faded once again, and it was the last thing I’d ever hear her say. She died a few weeks later.

So when I returned to Paley’s Place in late June, I was not having an easy time. I was thinking about Mom and all of our meals together, and when my companion got choked up, I did too. Of course, that was when the server stopped to check on us. I could only imagine the conversation in the kitchen, “Table 12 says they like the food, but they both seem to be tearing up.” I claim pollen as the culprit.

Paley’s Place Review: 2021

A restaurant meal is like an art piece. Every element is a brushstroke – the way you are greeted, your dining companions, the smells from the kitchen, the feel of the menu in your hands, the chair, the lighting, music, sounds, service, and, of course, the food. It all works together to paint a picture you will carry with you at the end of the evening. Sometimes you end up with garage sale art, but when everything goes perfectly, you leave with a beautiful painting. Like any art piece, you have to pay attention. Don’t just talk and eat, think about the brush strokes that make up each bite. Our dinner at Paley’s Place was like walking into a great painting; astonishing as they have just reopened after the pandemic. I can honestly say that I have never experienced a better meal in Portland.

Like most restaurants, Paley’s Place is a bit of a moving target right now as they figure out what they want to do going forward. One menu section is devoted to prix fixe meals, and another to “greatest hits” – The Burger, Wagyu Tartare, Steak Frites, George’s Gathered Greens, Charcuterie, and more.

We started with a few glasses of champagne while browsing the wine list. There are so many good choices that I had trouble deciding. Many are available by the glass, and more by the half-bottle. After some consideration, I went with a favorite, a 2016 Soter, Mineral Springs Pinot. The markup was restaurant average.

Now, the food. We began with Steak Tartare. Vitaly uses the Wagyu Coulotte from Snake River Farms. It is hand-chopped to order and comes with all the expected accompaniments. Mix them into the meat – finely diced chives, onions, capers, and a stunningly yellow egg yolk dusted with crystalline flakes of sea salt. Another star of the plate is the toasted rye bread. According to Vitaly, he gets it from Ken’s Artisan Bakery. It was the perfect, crunchy vehicle for moving the meat to my mouth. I wouldn’t change anything. It stirred memories of Sunday afternoons when I was very young; I’d sit on the little kitchen stool and watch while Dad made tartare or caviar just for the two of us.

Next was that evening’s Charcuterie Selection. The portions were large enough to share between three people, the presentation was terrific, and the flavors reminded me of lazy summer afternoons in Italy. Currently, the selection changes as menus rotate. Chef Paley says, “The focaccia is made from a starter at The Crown that we kept feeding all through Covid. Now that we have permanently closed all our downtown spots, it lives and thrives at Paley’s Place.” I’m glad they went to the trouble; it’s one of the best I’ve had. The meat selection began with an earthy chicken liver mousse. Alongside, paper-thin smoked coppa lay alluringly across the plate, and duck rillette provided a grounding counterpoint. They serve it with crispy house pickles and a ramekin of fruit mustard, which is sweet and savory at the same time.

On previous visits, I have indulged in an equally good braised lamb terrine, rich and flavorful, a mosaic of textures. On another night, a terrine combining pork tenderloin, chicken liver, and porcini with prosciutto Cotto was draped across the plate. It was mild in flavor, smooth, and almost creamy, with a dusting of finely chopped hazelnuts. If you want an introduction to Paley’s Place, get a table on the veranda and have charcuterie and Champagne. I’ve done that many times and have never been disappointed.

Ever the optimists when it comes to our stomachs, we plunged on, ordering two prix fixe meals. We picked one of three selections from each category. Summer Clam Chowder, redolent of the sea, pepper, and lovely whole crustaceans, had it all – an ocean of scents in a bowl with a long, lingering finish. Oyster crackers made in-house by pastry chef Tim Washburn add another layer of texture. Once again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Vitaly tells me the chowder is by Luis Cabanas, who has been with the restaurant for 23 years.

A Cobb Salad isn’t something I order very often. Usually, they are a mess of competing flavors all trying to hog the limelight. Not so Paley’s version; a lot was going on, yet the ingredients stayed in balance. Every little detail was thought through, and each ingredient was first-rate. George’s Greens sing of Spring and subtle peppery spice. Dave’s Blue adds smoky, salty notes, Stan’s* cured bacon brings a more smoky texture, while a lovely, creamy avocado mousse adds color and richness – each ingredient adds to the painting. Even the accompanying stuffed eggs made me sit up and take notice; if I could order a side of them, I would. *Stan, Paley’s sous chef for 10 years, was responsible for making all the charcuterie.

We followed the appetizers with “The Beef”, a 10-oz dry-aged, pepper-crusted prime rib with baked potato, creamed greens, “sloppy Joe”, and mushroom gravy. As I stared down, I had to admit to feeling a bit daunted. It’s a large plate, and I thought to myself, “I’ll ignore the baked potato. It seemed so unlike Paley’s. How good could they be?” In the end, curiosity got the best of me, and I tried the potato. Little chunks of house-made bacon added texture and salty goodness. When I pushed with my fork, melted cheese oozed from deep within, giving me pause as I wondered how I was going to eat all of this. One taste and I didn’t care. Yes, it was just a baked potato, but I haven’t had one in years, and it’s a step above most.

The best creamed greens I’ve ever had were at Greens restaurant in San Francisco. Paley’s are of similar quality, simple and singing of Spring, but elevated by the star of the plate, the beef. Medium rare and packed with meaty flavor, it lay in a warm pool of mushroom gravy. On top, a flavor-packed “Sloppy Joe mixture” evocative of a forest floor. I had to ask about the ingredients: ground beef, all kinds of mushrooms from Columbia Mushroom Company, the usual aromatics like herbs and vegetables, grated fresh tomato, veal stock, and apple cider vinegar.

We also ordered the Smoked Pork Porterhouse entree. Cornbread featuring Three Sisters Heirloom Hominy Grits glistened with pasilla butter and honey. I’m not normally a fan, but their version showed the difference between a good chef and one obsessed with details. An accompanying salad made of baby corn, mushrooms, and fava succotash was loaded with flavors of a waning Spring. It nestled against the pork and grilled stone fruits, giving the plate a bridge across the seasons. It was wonderful, the best pork dish I’ve had in ages. Juicy meat, piggy flavor, everything on the plate taken into careful consideration, all waltzing together.

We finished with two desserts that were included in the prix fixe. When they arrived, we looked at each other and agreed, “There is no way I can eat this… I’ll just have a taste.” Then we cleaned our plates.

Classic chocolate soufflé is cliché and frequently leaden. This version is airy, lightweight, and loaded with deep chocolate flavor. But for me, the showstopper was the cherry pie, an anthem to summer. The crust was perfect, holding together but giving easily under a fork. The slightly sour cherries were like a firework, an unexpected explosion of flavors. I don’t remember the last time I had cherry pie that good. He could sell them out of the trunk of his car, and I’d wait in line.

I can’t end this review without talking about the service. Though we were outside in front of the hair salon, the waitstaff was exceptional. They were there when we needed them, but never hovering or making us feel rushed. They were professional, personable, and seemed happy to be back at work. Every question was answered quickly. It is rare to find such good waitstaff in our area.

When I contacted Vitaly to check a few ingredients, he said, “What kept us going all this time is a renewed sense of go-for-broke creativity, local ingredients from our farmers, our circle of loyal customers and friends who rain or shine kept coming in for take-out and groceries every week, sometimes twice a week, undying dedication to our craft and hospitality from all of our long time staff that worked tirelessly daily, and stayed focused while safely navigating the daily covid minefields.”

Yes, Paley’s Place is, for most of us, a special occasion restaurant. If you haven’t gone lately, find a reason; it’s the best it’s been in years. Meals like this flood my heart with hope for our restaurant community. With our help and their determination, our food scene is rising again. I’ll be back at Paley’s very soon.

The post Goodbye Mom – Paley’s Place Revisited appeared first on Portland Food and Drink.

When Matt Brown and Jonathan Felix-Lund opened Great North Coffee in St. Johns in 2016, they came with some serious creds. Between the two they have held leadership roles with Clive Coffee, Coava Coffee Roasters, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Barista, and Coffeehouse Northwest over the last 18 years. In January 2020, they opened a second location in Vancouver, WA., took over Lovejoy Bakers Fall 2022, and now have taken over the former Caffe Vita space on NE Alberta.

I asked Matt what drove them to open a new coffeehouse, he said it was all about being at the right place at the right time.

A number of years ago, Jon and I were neck-deep in trying to open a new school convenience store,  and the city just kept putting roadblocks up for us. It was brutal and a little over the 3-year mark of working on it we’d had enough. I figured it probably wasn’t going to happen and Jon suggested we take a “guys night” to regroup. So that’s what we did. Went to get tacos at Taqueria Santa Cruz and found ourselves parked in front of the old Fourth Estate space. It had a sign on it that said the owners were moving to Chicago.

The shop, though small, had a similar vibe as the original Albina Press and it had a La Marzocco and solid Grinders, so we sent them an email and asked what they planned to do with the equipment and what the deal was with their lease… 10 days later we had negotiated the purchase, a new lease, and got our business set up. It’s now been more than 5 years since we opened and business has been great. LaMarzocco Linea is still the tried and true machine for us, and along with that, we use Mazzer Grinders for espresso and Ditting for Drip. The real key piece of equipment that was a huge game-changer for us during the pandemic was our Turbo Chef. It allows us to cook our breakfast sandwiches perfectly every time.

The coffee beans are from Cova Coffee Roasters, but they plan to start roasting their own in 2023. Pastries are from Dos Hermanos and Petunia’s gluten-free bakeries. All the syrups, sauces, chai, and oat milk are house-made. The Great North Coffee makes some of the best I’ve had in the Portland/Vancouver area, and I make sure to drop in when I’m near one of their shops. The team is passionate about their coffee, and it shows. Highly recommended.

You can see a map of our reviewed coffeehouses here.

• thegreatnorthcoffee.com
• 7373 N Burlington Ave., Portland, OR 97203 (971) 258-2202  Map
• 602 N Devine Rd., Vancouver, WA. 98661 (360) 217-9005  Map
• 939 NW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97209  Map
• 2909 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211  Map

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I get so many questions about what is next for the vacant Cheese Bar space, I thought I’d post this update from Steve Jones.

Apologies for the long pause in getting this email out after the closure of Cheese Bar. I was busily working with someone who was interested in taking over the Cheese Bar space, but unfortunately it did not materialize. If anyone knows of someone looking to open a little coffee shop, bistro, cheese shop, etc. in the old space, let me know, and I will put you in touch with the landlord.

Meanwhile, as promised, here is a list of places to buy great cheese in Portland in our absence:

Providore Fine Foods – Providore has a beautiful, well appointed and cared for case with an attentive staff. This is a cut-to-order case, which is always my preference. They lean heavier on European cheeses but have some nice American artisan options also.

Cowbell Fine Cheese – Cowbell is an importer/distributor with a small but well executed retail space open Wednesday thru Sunday. Their display is non traditional i.e., no cheese case, but, they do have the cheeses close at hand so you can see them if you ask. Their variety is very solid, though often on the smaller side. Their pricing and quality are top notch. All cheeses are cut-to-order by knowledgeable staff.

Elephants Deli – Elephants is an old school Portland cheese case that keeps the tradition going. It is primarily cut-to-order, with good variety and helpful staff. This is a classic.

La Bouffe – La Bouffe is my go-to favorite for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cheeses. They stock a nice variety from those regions that are seldom seen elsewhere, and their prices are great.

Market of Choice, New Seasons, Whole Foods, World Foods, Zupans – These supermarkets all do very good work on purchasing, cutting, and presenting great cheeses. They are primarily pre-cut, but the cases are well maintained by well-trained mongers. My favorites from these chains are: New Seasons-Slabtown. Market of Choice-Belmont, Whole Foods-Hollywood, and Zupans-Burnside.

There are a handful of other shops around town that have small, well maintained selections. I always suggest talking to the staff, asking what they like, and befriending a monger.

I’m still tossing around ideas on how best to do a bi-monthly cheese pick up. I will keep everyone in the loop as I solidify those plans. In the meantime, keep buying great cheese from small producers, eat well, and be well.

All my best-
Steve

Links by PFD

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His photos were gorgeous, not just shots of food, but of moments that make the viewer pause to take it all in; moments that tell a story in a perfectly lighted, single image – a stolen moment. David had a way of capturing people at just the right moment, a hint of a smile, a quiet thought, lost in their art… he was one of the go-to people for Portland restaurateurs of all types. His book credits include Hello! My Name is Tasty, The Tastemakers: Portland Chefs Calendar 2012, A Field Guide to 75 Perfect Pairs – Cheese Beer Wine Cider, Cocktails on Tap – The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer, Le Pigeon – Cooking at the Dirty Bird, Toro Bravo Cookbook,  Pure Beef, and Eggs on Top; Recipes Elevated by an Egg. He shot for Olympia Provisions, Ava Genes, Union Wine Company, and more. His collection of pet portraits, a project for a veterinary clinic in Bend, never fails to make me smile.

From his bio, “There are no models in my imagery, no strobe lights, and definitely no smoke and mirrors. All of my projects document real people who love to cook, love to eat, and most importantly, love to share their talent and time with everyone around them. Having myself been a professional cook for over 12 years, I have a very unique perspective into the spirits and souls of people who love to entertain, as well as the products they use and the dishes they create. When I am not shooting, I can almost always be found in the kitchen.”

My heart goes out to his wife, family, and the friends he left behind.

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