Tag: Portland

Restaurant review: Remedy Wine Bar

December 2, 2013February 7, 2017

Remedy Wine Bar // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

And we’re back! I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. Mine was filled with family and (of course) a huge amount of delicious food. Just what Thanksgiving is supposed to be. Now it’s time to get back to blogging!

A few weeks ago I was invited to a blogger event at Remedy Wine Bar, a lovely little spot in NW Portland. First of all, let me just say, is there anything that can be bad about good wine, good food, and good company? No, no there is not. But this spot definitely has something about it. Located on the north Park Blocks, the wine bar is chic and modern, but still cozy, with big windows overlooking the park. The building used to be an old pharmacy (that’s where the name comes from), and it definitely feels like a piece of old Portland, updated to meld with the ever hip Pearl. I can perfectly picture coming here for a glass of wine during First Thursday.

It was a Tuesday night, which is flight night at Remedy – each week they feature 2 different flights of 3 wines each on a different theme. The week I went, it was might Malbecs. Among the bloggers, there were definitely those that knew their wines. I was not one of them. As far as wine goes, I get my motto from a professor of mine and her husband: “If you don’t like it, don’t drink it.” I can never remember which wines are supposed to taste like what, and I can’t tell a fancy bottle from a cheap one. So when I like a wine, I drink it; When I really like a wine, I’ll maybe write down the name or snap a picture of the label.

The folks at Remedy were right there to help us learn about the wines as well as to talk with us about what we were tasting. Josh, who brought us our wine, even got out a big old book to show us maps of the regions our wine was from. Manager Dan Beekley and owner Michael Madigan were incredibly friendly, talking to us about their vision for the wine bar, what they love, what they do. They seem to have an incredible knowledge of wine, and it shows on their menu. Everything we tasted was delicious, and I can’t wait to go back to try more. It was just an all around incredible evening.

In addition to some fantastic wine (my favorite that we tried was the Bodegas Azul Reserva 2009, which you can find on their regular wine by the glass menu), we also got to sample some delicious bites by chef Ingrid Chen. The obvious group favorites were the cheesy bits – like a cheez-it but for grown ups, dusted in blue cheese powder from Rogue Creamery – and the tarte flambe with delicata squash, bacon lardons, and caramelized onions. We also enjoyed the white bean dip (one of the creamiest versions I’ve ever had), the warm olives, some marcona almonds, and a cheese plate and charcuterie plate.

If you’re in the neighborhood, looking for a soothing, beautiful spot to enjoy a glass of wine with some delicious snacks, this is most definitely the place to do it.

Restaurant Review: The Sugar Cube

November 8, 2013February 5, 2017

Not too long ago, The Sugar Cube was a little pink and brown cart, sitting outside Lardo’s eastside location. It was good, but you couldn’t do too much in the space of that cart. It was smaller than most that you see around Portland, and I certainly can’t imagine trying to frost a cake in there.

Now, The Sugar Cube has taken over a small, bright space on NE Alberta. (Warning: my grainy, dark iPhone pictures don’t quite do it justice.) There aren’t a lot of seats, but it seems to be enough, and coming here on a weekday morning to meet a friend for coffee and pastries, when it’s relatively quiet, makes you feel like you’re in on a very delicious secret. I was more than excited when my friend Elaine suggested it for coffee and pastries.

The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

The best part of their new shop is that the kitchen is twice the size of the front room, meaning pastry master Kir Johnson now has the space to make sugar sing. And boy, does it hit some high notes. I was there for breakfast, so I didn’t get any chocolatey or dessert-y treats, but I did indulge in the spiced buttermilk cornbread.

More like a slice of spice cake, but with the perfect notes of cornbread, it was doused with a unique salty molasses butter, which balanced out the sweetness perfectly with some more spice and salt. Elaine had the savory strata with mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, and both goat and cheddar cheese. Delectable. And of course I brought Jonah home a couple of jammers – one was oat filled with strawberry rhubarb jam, and the other was poppyseed filled with a lemon curd.

Next time, I’m going for the sweets no matter what time of day it is. The ultimate brownies with olive oil and sea salt look too good to pass up.

Weekend Finds 10:5:13

October 5, 2013February 5, 2017

I’m writing this weekend finds post from my mother’s living room in Seattle, where she has been surprised for her birthday by myself, Jonah, and my older sister (yesterday at about 5) and then again by her mother, sister, brother-in-law, brother, and sister-in-law. I love seeing the absolute joy on her face when she is surrounded by her family. Her boyfriend really pulled off an incredible surprise. How fun.

Now let’s get to the finds!

1. Pok Pok Wings

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Pok Pok’s Famous wings with Uncle Ike

The time has come. The recipe for the chicken wings that launched a thousand ships has finally been released, as part of the publicity for Pok Pok’s new cookbook. It certainly seems like a bit of work, but man oh man, if they taste anything like the original, it’s so worth it. And hey, I’m lucky enough to live in Portland, so if it’s too hard, I’ll just drive across town and pay to have someone else make them for me.

2. It’s Pumpkin Time

It’s officially October, which means we can officially start obsessing over everything pumpkin. While some people love their pumpkin spice lattes, I am a bigger fan of pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, and maybe if I get really ambitious, this pumpkin cheesecake.

3. Holiday cocktails

Maybe you’re a member of one of those families that all gets together and doesn’t drink at all. I am not a member of one of those families. My family likes their wine. And their cocktails. And occasionally their beer, too. And the holiday themed cocktails are starting to appear. This pisco apple sour and this apple pie cocktail with cinnamon meringue look like a perfect place to start.

4. How to Fry an Egg

No, it’s not the title of a chapter from How to Cook a Wolf or An Everlasting Meal. This egg frying tip is seriously about to change lives. When you crack your egg into your pan, add a bit of water and a lid – the water will steam the top of the white that’s over the yolk that never gets cooked otherwise. It’s a perfect solution to a serious problem.

5. Miso-creamed Kale

A friend of mine recommended this miso-creamed kale recipe from the now shuttered Wafu, a ramen restaurant in Portland. While I wasn’t crazy about their ramen, I was crazy about their small plates. This dish looks delicious and fairly easy to make.

Weekend Finds 9:29:13

September 29, 2013February 5, 2017

Well, it has been officially windy and rainy in Portland this week (downing trees and outing power and everything!), so the time has come to hunker down, put on those shawl collar sweaters, and bring some of these weekend finds to life.

1. How to Make a Good Crockpot Meal

First and perhaps most importantly, let’s revisit slow cookers as it gets colder. I never know which recipes on the internet to trust, but one resource I always listen to is Bon Appetit. This is a great little reminder of the do’s and don’t’s of crockpotting.

2. Pumpkin Time!

Portland is certainly getting into the fall swing of things, as many bakeries are featuring pumpkin on their menus. This article from Portland Monthly tells you who’s falling for what fall treats. Pumpkin streusel muffins, pumpkin caramal ricotta tart, pumpkin cupcakes with molasses butter cream… how can I decide? It’s also inspiring me to revisit some of my favorite pumpkin recipes…

3. Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ok, admittedly, all of these breads from A Subtle Revelry look beautiful, but the cinnamon raisin loaf really stood out to me. I grew up eating cinnamon raisin bread, toasted, slathered with cream cheese. I remember how good it would make the kitchen smell in the morning before I went to catch the bus to school. Imagine how heavenly the house would smell if you made a whole loaf. From scratch.

4. Leif

This online shop has some beautiful tabletop items. I’m particularly into the dip dye place mats, the dipped mini bowls, and the agate platters, which would make for an AMAZING cheese spread, and you know it.

5. Buttermilk Bacon Grease Cornbread

I can’t even. This buttermilk bacon grease cornbread from Local Milk sounds so effing good, I have a feeling that once I make it I’ll hide it from everyone else and eat the whole dish, still warm, slathered in butter and honey. Ok, maybe not, but I’d like to do that. There’s another variation for Coconut cornbread in her post that also sounds scrumptious.