Back to Bamboo

For the past several months I have been having a not so secret affair with Bamboo Sushi. Here's the trick: I mosey up to the bar between 5 and 6:30, when they have happy hour. This allows me to get in on "the standards" for cheap while spicing it up with a few options off of their regular menu. Yesterday, I was pleased to find out that they have now added drinks to their happy hour offerings. This deal includes $3 draft Sapporos and discounted hot sake and wine. I already felt that their happy hour was one of the best hidden gems Portland has to offer in the happy hour department. They offer $2 handrolls of the day, which generally means $2 spicy scallop handrolls. On top of this they offer $3 Cali rolls, $5 nigiri sets (a sampling of 4 types of their nigiri), $4 NW Philly roll (a tempura battered take on the Philly), as well as a few veggie options and half off many of their kitchen items, including a delicious Kobe brisket. These deals mean that you can get a high quality sushi meal at an overly reasonable price.

Yesterday, I went with the intention of a standard happy hour session. Things turned ugly when I found out that they just brought back their crab flights, featuring six types of crab from around the country. I don't know how "sustainable" this approach to sourcing crab is unless they have porters biking the crabs down from Alaska, nonetheless, it does help sustain my addiction to crustaceans. They also had uni (sea urchin) and live scallops. Knowing that they try to use only the best sources for their seafood, I knew the uni was a must. On top of that I had never tried live scallop, so I figured I should give that a whirl as well. The crab were delicious. I was too busy sitting in sushi bliss to take notes or decide which was my favorite of the six. The scallop was an interesting addition to the meal. It was served in its shell and cut up sashimi style. I enjoyed the scallop, but at $10 a pop, did not think it was all that exciting. When you can get delicious, creamy uni nigiri at $8 a pair, its hard to order anything else. This uni was absolutely delicious. I am not gonna act as though I have consumed a large quantity of uni in my life, but this made my spine tingle.

People argue that Hiroshi is the best sushi in the city and other high end sushi joints seem to overshadow Bamboo on the forums and blogger world. I cannot see past the quality, price, and concept of Bamboo. The staff is also friendly and attentive. Whether you want a delicious sushi happy hour at a fair price, or you want to try the delicacies, I suggest you head over to Bamboo.

Review: HA & VL Sandwiches

HA & VL Sandwiches
2738 SE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97266
(503) 772-0103

Why was I going for a Vietnamese noodle soup for breakfast? It was 9:45, surely I was supposed to be eating a banana, muffin, egg sandwich, or even a scramble. But alas, there I was, in my car, driving out to SE 82nd Ave for a bowl of what was rumored to be the best Vietnamese soup in town. I pulled into the strip mall parking lot located next to Fubonn market and had to look around to find HA & VL Sandwiches. My attention was quickly drawn to a group of Vietnamese men standing against the wall of a building, trying to stay dry as they smoked butts and chatted away. I knew I was in the right place.

HA & VL sandwiches serves Baan Mi and a different Vietnamese noodle soup every day of the week. I have not tried the Baan Mi yet, as the reason for going to HA & VL is the soup. They open at 7:30 each morning and often sell out of the daily soup by 11 or 12. It is not unusual for the place to be full at 10 o' clock of people slurping down soup and Vietnamese coffee or tea. While I had driven by the place several times, and proudly exclaimed "look Vietnamese sandwiches!" I had never actually visited or been inside. After reading rave reviews by foodies and bloggers this past week, I had no choice but to make the pilgrimage. And I'm glad that I did, because this place did not disappoint.

I sat down and quickly ordered the special of the day, Bun Rieu Son Tay, and a Vietnamese iced coffee. I was asked if I wanted my coffee strong. Obviously I wanted it strong. But I had trouble slurping the whole thing down in one gulp, per usual, because I was getting quite the caffeine buzz. It tasted good too. My soup quickly arrived with the traditional accompaniments of lettuce, basil, sprouts, and chilies. On my first sip it tasted slightly fishy but delicious. After that, my taste buds opened up and the rich broth exploded with flavor. I could not quite define the characteristics of the broth, but it was delicious. The broth housed all sorts of flavorful bites. Swimming in the broth were noodles, balls of ground shrimp, pork, pillows of fried tofu, tomatoes, chives, and roasted garlic. The bowl was quite large and my first impression was that I would get to take some home with me. As I sat and enjoyed my "brunch," I watched the group of men get up and smoke cigarettes outside and return to their coffee and chatter. The matriarch came out and talked to everyone. I truly felt welcomed by her when she said "I am glad you are here." She joked with other customers and brought me out a menu and explained the daily specials.

I started to feel at home in this foreign environment. I was at a unique Vietnamese noodle house on 82nd, surrounded by refrigerators housing Capri Sun and other beverages. The walls were green and yellow and had Mardi Gras beads hanging. And of course the scene would not be complete without the cheesy Vietnamese entertainer blaring out of the old school television. Somehow as I sat around, my soup bowl diminished. There would be no leftovers that day. I bundled up in my rain gear and paid the check. As I left and returned to the dreary Portland day, I saw the empty table housing a few cigarette butts in an ashtray, still sending off smoke signals. They seemed lonely without the group of chattering men drinking plastic cups of Vietnamese Iced coffee. But I had hope for that ashtray. Just as I knew that I would return to HA & VL Sandwiches for another late morning soup bowl, I knew that this ashtray would once again be surrounded by chattering Vietnamese men, talking about whatever the hell they talk about.

Happy Hour: Clyde Common

Clyde Common
1014 S.W. Stark Street
Portland, OR 97205
503-228-3333
www.clydecommon.com

I slid into Clyde Common for happy hour the other day. This was my first time checking out this swanky restaurant connected to Stumptown and The Ace Hotel. Surrounded by suits and upper-echelon hipsters, I ordered a beer and watched bar prodigy, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and his team of bartenders pump out some great looking drinks. He writes an interesting blog, dissecting the world of the bartender. It was relatively quiet when I arrived, and by the time I left all of the bar stools were occupied. I obviously couldn't walk into a swanky happy hour without trying just a little food. I split a burger with blue cheese and bacon and some fries with a buddy of mine. The burger was right up there with perfect. It was cooked slightly more than I would have liked, but not to a point of dissatisfaction. The tomato chutney was nice and tangy, while not overpowering the flavor of the burger. The fries came with a spicy African dipping sauce and some creamy white sauce, perhaps ranch. I'd imagine its something slightly fancier, as that appears to be their style. I also had a Bloody Mary to add some data to my new project. As I expected, it was a delicious Bloody, as all of the cocktails produced at this place are done with great care and consideration. I'll be back to try some more of their cocktails and maybe other food items

Happy Hour: Davis Street Tavern

Davis Street Tavern
500 NW Davis St
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 505-5050
www.davisstreettavern.com


I had been hearing good things about Davis Street Tavern for quite some time. The folks over at Portlandfood.org rave about it as if they would like to have their last meal there. I heard rumors about a high quality happy hour, so I rounded up a posse and we headed into Old Town to see what we were missing out on. Don’t worry mom, I brought my mace and locked the doors immediately after I returned to my car.

Old Town really is experiencing “urban renewal”. Good upscale eateries like Davis Street Tavern and Ping are coming in and remaking old run down buildings. There are also modern bars, clubs, and boutiques all around. Old Town is still home to several missions and social service organizations. There is no question that Portland is chock full of crazies.(Myself included) It will be interesting to see what happens as more money is poured into Old Town and it gets a makeover. One cannot help wondering if the crazies will get relocated.

The interior décor of DST is upscale and contemporary, while not being overly stuffy. There is no shortage of exposed brick and wood throughout the building. It has an open layout. We were promptly seated at a table as it was not very crowded at five on a Thursday. They have a good selection of beer, whiskey, and wine. I started with a Walking Man “Hoptoberfest”, which was is a delicious fresh hop beer. I hadn’t tried it before and it was so good that I never moved up to whiskey. I started to get a little lifted after two pints of it.

My main objective was to try out their happy hour grub. I had heard their oysters were the best preparation in town so we started off with two dozen between the three of us. Man, these things did not disappoint. They were little Kumamoto oysters with cucumber, pickled shallot, and rainbow trout row. They made for the perfect little oyster treats. The slippery saltiness of the oysters was chased by little bites of the cool and tangy oysters and shallots. These would be good for an oyster beginner, as they are pretty small and just as the texture begins to get slippery it is chased by the slight crunchiness and tanginess of the toppings. We loved these and ended up getting another dozen just for safe keeping.

My next objective was to try their burger, which has a high reputation. It is marked as a “Strip Loin Burger,” with braised pork belly, sharp Tillamook cheddar, crisp romaine, tomato jam, and pickled vegetable salad. What could go wrong when a burger supplements pork belly for bacon? Well, they could of course overcook it… And overcook it they did. As opposed to the red and juicy center one would expect when a burger is ordered medium rare, it was a solid grey throughout. I split the burger with a buddy of mine and we were too bashful/hungry to send it back. This is an issue for me. As a person so passionate about food, I owe it to myself to send back something that the kitchen messes up, especially at a nice place. The issue is that I don’t like wasting food and I don’t want to sound whiny like some older people that I know. Next time I order a burger, I will be sure to put great emphasis on how I want it cooked, that way if it comes out overcooked, I won’t feel bad about having it fixed. Despite the burger being overcooked, the toppings and everything else attributed to the burger were pretty flavorful. The pork belly was not a large amount and it was hiding under the melted cheddar, so I didn’t get a good view of it. This burger would be pretty damn good if it were cooked properly, but that really put a damper on my whole experience.

Between the three of us we also managed to take down butter lettuce and baby spinach salad with grape tomatoes, Rogue River Blue, and cider-pink peppercorn vinaigrette. This was a solid salad at $4. The dressing as very light, as if it were misted on. This was simple, fresh, and delicious. A Bbq pork sandwich with apple fennel slaw and blue cheese potato salad was good but not great and the fish tacos housed large, think pieces of fried fish in them. I think it was mahi mahi or some sort of Hawaiian fish, but I forget. These were good quality and good value, even at $5 for two.

I would definitely return to Davis Street Tavern. The oysters were all stars and the drink selection is solid. I want to return to try the burger again. That misstep turned an excellent experience into a good experience. This is partially my fault for not stepping up and the issue resolved. Nonetheless, this bruise will last until I go back again and either forget the burger or get one properly cooked. This, however, should in no way stop you from getting down to Davis Street Tavern for a meal. I look forward to trying their dinner menu and having more of those delicious oysters.

Hey There, Long Time No See!

Hey buddy!

How ya doin? Ya, I know, it's been a while.

You seem well! I've had a crazy summer, ripe with travel and all sorts of adventure. I traveled in Oaxaca, Mexico and throughout Europe, in Austria, Czech Republic, and Italy. Ya it was a lot of fun. I know I should have been blogging from all these cool places. There was certainly a wealth of different great foods. I managed to eat everything from home cooked meals, to street food, to high quality restaurants. I even managed to pick up a recipe or two while I was there. Fortunately, I took a bunch of pictures. I'm on the hunt for new spots around Portland too. There seems to be no shortage of new restaurants, food carts, and happy hours popping up around the Stump. I hope I didn't let you down by being such a flake. It wasn't you, it was me. I promise! If you would only give me another chance I think we could do some great things together. Anyways, see you soon old friend.

Tanuki- Japanese Drinking Food

Before I went to Tanuki, I heard mixed reviews. Most foodies raved about it, while I heard other complaints like “It smells like fish” and “It’s too dark in there.” Well, I’m not afraid of the dark and if the smell of fish means that there is fresh, high quality fish in close vicinity, then I’m there. I went in with high expectations, which generally means I may be walking away disappointed. Fortunately, Tanuki lived up to the hype and I am dying to go back and try more of their offerings.

I went with my buddy Adam and we started by grabbing a good bottle of sake. I don’t know much about sake and didn’t bring a pen, so I won’t try to describe it. Either way, it was a good accompaniment to our $25 Omakase meal. Tanuki is a Izakaya, a Japanese drinking den that serves food accompaniments. It is one of several Izakayas popping up around Portland. Other restaurants of similar style include Ping, Biwa, and Departure. The interesting thing about Tanuki is that it is in a tiny little spot off NW 21st Ave. It’s dimly lit and the owner/chef Janis Martin runs the whole show. She does all the cooking and is constantly on the go trying to please all of her customers. Somehow she manages to get everything out and I imagine most walk away quite pleased.

The menu has several interesting offerings. However, the best approach is to order Omakase style. You have to go in open minded, but if you do, you will be kindly rewarded. Ordering Omakase style allows the chef to customize your dining experience. Now you don’t have to go in completely blinded. The chef is willing to take many things into consideration, including dietary restrictions and food choices. Adam and I had no restrictions so we let the food flow. Janis starts by asking what you are drinking and immediately picks good dishes to accompany your beverage(after all it is a drinking den). As the dishes came out we were asked other probing questions to see what our preferences were, such as “How spicy do you like your food?” and “Are you starting to get full?” or “Are you thinking your next course should be heavy or light?” If you do a $25 Omakase, they likely won’t permit you to leave hungry at all. After some sake infused math I came to a total of roughly 10 courses. THAT’S $2.50 A COURSE. And the food is high quality too. Janis changes the menu daily and revolves it around fresh seasonal produce and fresh seafood from her distributors. I won’t try to recount all of the courses but some of the highlights were fresh Uni (sea urchin), Hamachi toro (yellowtail belly), Oysters with kimchi shaved ice, Kimchi fried rice, and spicy hamachi and maguro hand rolls.

It was amazing to see a place that was able to hold up to the hype. I got the opportunity to talk about Tanuki with Janis for a little bit and to introduce myself. She clearly feels passionate about what she does. She wants food with integrity. She is trying to give all people the opportunity to access great food. She provides customizable meals, using quality ingredients at extremely reasonable prices. Tanuki is a special place. It’s a place to go with friends to get good, interesting food and to catch a buzz. I suggest getting down there and supporting Tanuki. When we left I couldn’t help but hug Janis, and she didn’t even freak out. They are doing a real cool thing at Tanuki and despite all of the great food in Portland, we need more of this love. My only gripe is that its across the river-- this place has East side soul.
Oysters With Kimchi Shave Ice (Amazing)
Yellowtail Belly
Uni (Also rediculous)

Le Pigeon- Awesome Burger

So a few weeks ago Sarah and I had our first meal at Le Pigeon- a great Portland based French restaurant. The meal was amazing. Everything was rich in butter- French cooking style. We sat at the chef’s counter observing the masters at work. While there, something caught my eye-- a beautiful burger. Now, I thought I had a decent grasp on the high quality burgers that Portland had to offer (Slow Bar, Sapphire Hotel, etc.). I would in no way consider myself an expert, but for a while these two were battling for best PDX burger that I had exposure to. When I saw this beautiful mountain of cow butt, bread, lettuce, and other greatness it left me in a trance.

Well, last week Sarah was out of town and I had to drown my lonely sorrows in something. You guessed it, the burger at Le Pigeon. I got there early, about 5:45 or 6. Rumor has it they only serve 5 of these a night, so you have to get in early if you want it. The place is small too, so don’t bring the whole crew for the perfect burger. I would suggest going in ninja style, maybe 3 people max. When I went in it was pretty dead being so early. I immediately sat at the chefs counter. I don’t even know why they brought me a menu as I had tunnel vision. So I order it and at $9 for the burger with potatoes and $11 for the burger with mixed greens it is clearly comparable if not cheaper than any other high quality burger in town. I opted for mixed greens as I was already feeling guilty as I have already fallen off the diet wagon, for the most part. I waited around and chatted for a while with my neighbors and the servers….

…Then it arrived in all its glory. Let me describe this thing as best as I know. From what I gathered this thing is about ½ pound, Strawberry Mountain (Local as hell ) beef. Its hand pattied and cooked to order perfectly. This is a top notch PDX restaurant, so you can’t expect less. It comfortably lounges on a nicely fluffy and chewy ciabatta roll. I watched the chef spread some mustard on the bun and I wouldn’t be shocked if it were not made in house. Next, there are some pickled onions placed gingerly on top of the burger, which also has some sort of quality cheese melted on top of it. Now, heres where it gets interesting. They have some juliened lettuce, that’s tossed in a dressing, that the sous chef carefully places on the burger. He then puts the lid on it and sticks a knife down the center, as this thing HAS to be cut in half. There may be more to this I’m missing-- my bad.

Anyways, this thing is a giant mess of awesome. I was sitting in this intimate French restaurant grubbing tough and spilling burger all over my face. It was great… I don’t think they would offer it if they didn’t know that would go down. It may have been the best burger I’ve ever had. I have heard about some other good ones around town and I will have to test them and report back. In the meantime, if any of you guys want to get a burger, hit me up and we will sneak in ninja style. (Maximum of me and you)