Forktotheleft’s Blog

Andina was the recommendation of the indigenous population as well as a more well known restaurant guide. However, once I located the web site, I went to a better resource – someone who hails from Peru with a good palette. A business colleague who I’ve known for a couple of years took a look at the menu and was suitably impressed. He indicated Andina served the rarer Andean dishes along with other popular Peruvian items such as cebiche.

This is only the second lunch review we’ve done, with the all afternoon affair at Le Meurice being the first. Truth be told, like Le Meurice, it’s probably the only other lunch we’ve had that’s worth devoting a blog entry to the dining experience.

We arrived unexpectedly late due to our inability to discern Northwest streets from those of a Southwest nature. After calling to indicate our tardiness, we made our way across the river to our destination on Northwest Glisan.

The space that makes up Andina was larger than expected and seems to ramble a bit, having bar space, a dining area, and something that I didn’t explore downstairs. We were seated in a comfortable booth by the window offering an abundance of (gray) natural light. We were at the end of the lunch service so the restaurant was largely devoid of other patrons. There was a table next to us over which the wait staff hovered incessantly and we thing it may have been the owners. Made for fun people watching at any rate.

The lunch menu is extensive consisting of full entrees and dishes that can be ordered in small , medium, and large portion sizes. Initially, I ignored the optionally sized dishes and went straight to my entree. Yet, when James mentioned having a starter of avocado stuffed with crab and shrimp, my head jerked up like an alert prairie dog. Yes, avocado and crab is one of my favorite combinations. We ordered the small portion and what arrived was perfect for the two of us. One avocado halved and stuffed with a combination of finely chopped shrimp and crab, more of the latter than former. A delicate cream sauce was drizzled over the dish. It was perfect. The avocado had absolutely no blemishes and its flesh was vivid, firm, and flavorful. The crab was lightly sweet with no remnants of shell to be found. I eagerly ate my allotment wishing we ordered the medium.

For his main James ordered the ”Five Elements” cebiche with the fish of the day being Ono.  He hadn’t had cebiche in a long time and knew when the reservations were made, this is the dish he would have. The five elements made for a simple but elegant dish with the fresh Ono being the star. He was not disappointed.

My selection was more turf than surf as I chose the braised lamb shank. This was served in the Northern Peruvian style with cilantro, black beer, aji amarillo, onions, and garlic served with a canary bean purée and salsa criolla. Sounding a tad cliche, the meat fell from the bone and melted in your mouth. But not cliche were the flavors bold, spice from the aji and the salsa. Unlike any braised meat I’ve had. Generally, I’m not a person who likes beans of any sort, but those served with dish I could eat for days. Their texture was smooth, almost cream-like, and the flavors from the spices and black beer enhanced them all the more. A truly wonderful dish perfect for the rainy day that it was.

For those of you who enjoy ethnic cuisine that’s not your typical south of the border fare, try Peruvian. If you happen to be lucky enough to find an establishment as good as Andina you’ll like it even better.

Food: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3

Overall: 3.5

I think being first is a difficult thing. Firsts seem to have high expectations placed up on them – first child for example or first in line to deliver a presentation. Such was the case for our first dinner in Oregon. The core of this trip was for the food and wine so some level of expectation was placed on our first dining experience. Fortunately, Genoa didn’t disappoint as a first.

After receiving a recommendation from a Portland inhabitant, we made reservations at Genoa. Based on some cursory research, Genoa was a landmark restaurant that closed, redecorated, updated the menu, and recently reopened. In talking to our server, the transformation was quite extensive. I believe the phrase she used to describe the interior of the former restaurant was the “inside of grandma’s purse”.

We arrived 30 minutes earlier than our reservation specified but were graciously seated by the flamboyant host at a corner table that provided a nice degree of privacy. He introduced our server for the evening and made his way to the back of the restaurant, slipping behind heavy velvet curtains. The restaurant was slow that evening, with only two other couples dining with them – keep in mind it was a Wednesday. However, the restaurant next door was buzzing.

The surroundings at Genoa are intimate and warm – a predominately classic decor with modern touches. The warm feeling was a nice contrast to the cold damps from which we came. Colors are muted earth tones reminiscent of something you’d find in, yes, Italy. The central lighting fixture was a modern piece that consisted of varying sized panels of opaque glass that high around a cluster of central bulbs diffusing the light, once again softening the feel of the space. Romantic is a word that immediately comes to mind when thinking of this restaurant.

James started with his usual and I abstained given my day of over-imbibing. However, for dinner we did choose an amazing ’97 Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino for a relatively modest price considering the vintage. The wine was still vivid with considerable fruit on the nose and palette an excellent representation of what is considered to be one of the best Tuscan Brunello vintages of the 20th century.

The menu is a $55 prix fixe affair consisting of five courses and for the quality of the food we found it to be worth the price. We commenced dinner with an amuse bouche of fingerling potato fried in duck fat with crispy leeks. Simple but quite flavorful – when does duck fat NOT make something flavorful.

Continuing the theme of simple but flavorful was our first course. A trio (seems like it’s always a trio) of mozzarella with olive oil and sardine, shaved asparagus in a vinaigrette, and a crispy artichoke heart. The restaurant’s philosophy is one of fresh ingredients make the food and this dish exemplified this approach. The start was minimalist in its approach but one could identify all flavors.

Next was a pasta course and we each chose the different of the two selections. My choice was the square cut spaghetti tossed with pecorino romano and fresh ground black pepper. This egg pasta was wonderfully done and perfectly al dente with a firm chewiness that I prefer. The portion was generous but my love for pasta was calling for a little more. The other past dish which James chose was the Tortelli di ricotta con guancial. The pasta was fresh and expertly prepared with great balance. A touch of mint added to the “lightness” of the dish.

The salad course while perfectly fine, did not compare to the rest of the meal. The vegetables were extremely fresh and the creamy lemon-caper dressing was quite good. I’m a fan of subtlety in my food, but the dressing was too scarce. Also, the breakfast variety used here did not impart any real flavor to the salad. Again, I stress the components were good, but the final product did not exhibit the flavor of the other dishes.

For our main course, I chose the braised oxtail (then pan fried) and James’ choice was the chicken “done the Devil’s way”. Again the dish was prepared perfectly with a lot of flavor but not over the top. The chicken was very tender and juicy from being marinated in mustard, herbs, red wine vinegar and chili flakes.   My oxtail was brought to the table on an oval platter and shaped into three triangles that were amazingly tender but crisp at the same time – the texture was quite interesting in a good way. It was accompanied by large (Roman-style) semolina gnocchi and grilled spring onions. The gnocchi were of substantial size and not as firm as I like gnocchi but the flavor was nice. Given that another course was on the way, I took only a small bite of the delicious onions.

Finally, dessert was presented. My selection was the zeppole a confection of Italian cinnamon doughnuts with the most heavenly hazelnut gelato I’ve tasted this side of the Atlantic. Even James did a slight swoon tasting the gelato. James chose the chocolate/espresso semifreddo which was quite delicious as well.

Oh, and not to forget the excellent service. The host handed us over to a fine server who was professional at first, but once we chatted with her a little, she relaxed and introduced a little casualness to her approach. Each dish was presented first by its Italian name then a description in English. Her accent came across as genuine Italian.

Genoa has always billed itself as a special occasion place and with this I agree. It’s intimate, the food is above par, and the service exactly as you want it. Whether you live in Portland or are there for a visit, we suggest you give it a try.

Food: 3.5
Atmosphere: 3.5
Service: 4

Overall: 3.5

Portland often receives attention for its innovative and delicious food scene. In fact, this year four of its chefs were nominated for a James Beard Award. However, something I wasn’t as familiar with was its innovative and very serious cocktail and spirits scene. Perhaps this is to help chase off the cool damp that seems to pervade the region throughout much of the year. Regardless, it’s an interesting way to partake in some of the area’s creativity both in the craft distilling process as well as the development of creative uses of those locally distilled spirits.

My first experience with what the Portland area offers in the form of spirits and cocktails was in our hotel bar, The Urban Farmer. I was fortunate to have Lance as my bartender, a fellow spirits lover and bourbon writer. After the usual small talk, we came to subject of spirits. This opened a whole avenue of conversation and provided me with an education both academic (history, distilling processes, etc.) and practical (tastings). I casually mentioned that gin is one of my favorite spirits and out came the tasting glasses with a selection of locally distilled varieties. Of the five gins that Lance poured for me, Small’s was my favorite. This interesting blend of botanicals imparts a distinct fruit (raspberry) and spice (cardamom) character both on the nose and palette. While many gins are harsh and abrasive in nature demanding to be mixed, Small’s and these other small-batch crafted spirits can be quaffed individually. Another gin by the same producer crafted in an old world style was Old Tom Gin. This gin is distilled in the style prevalent in the mid 1800’s. It’s a honey-amber in color and offers a hint of maltiness due to its base. Both of these fine gins are made by Ransom and unfortunately almost impossible to find outside the state.

Another interesting fact about The Urban Farmer is that it is only bar in the States to produce their own brand of whiskey. This is aged for 15 months behind the bar in small New American Oak barrels. The resulting whiskey is a fine drink, smooth and not the least bit harsh. I tried samples from two different barrels and there was a distinct difference between the two. The bar’s/hotel’s liquor license doesn’t permit them to do general bottles sales unless you buy it by the shot through room service resulting in a bottle of whiskey costing several hundred dollars. While good, not something I would recommend.

Two other interesting things Lance was generous enough to let me sample included two brandies and a highly unusual vodka. A distiller by the name of Clear Creek produces two quite well done spirits, one apple and one pear. The pear brandy is done in classic eau de vie style and made from bartlett fruit. The scent of fruit bursts from the bottle and provides an excellent olfactory experience. Taste is crisp and intensely pear. Lance and I discussed the use of this in Side Car variations. The apple brandy is so good that it can compete with some of the best Calvados Normandy produces. If you’re in the Oregon, don’t miss these two. The final tasting that was highly interesting was Apia Vodka. This vodka comes from a most unusual source, honey. Sweet without being sweet is the only way I can describe this spirit exhibiting the essential flavor of honey. Sadly, the distillery was so artisan that it couldn’t compete with the “easy way out” of doing “craft spirits” that they went out of business. However, I was fortunate to taste some of this fine fine vodka that may never again be produced.

Wrapping up our tasting, I put my cocktail fate in Lance’s hands and asked him to make me a drink that would be unusual – something I’ve probably never experienced. After a moment’s thought, he said “we’re having a Martinez”. Now, the Martinez is considered to be the fore bearer of the modern day Martini; however, looking at them at face value one would be hard pressed to agree. The Martinez uses sweet vermouth creating a cocktail that is dark amber in color. For my Martinez, Lance didn’t use just any sweet vermouth. No, he used the mac daddy version – Carpano Antica. This is considered to be the original formulation of sweet vermouth and often thought to be the “only choice” for your Manhattan. It worked well in the Martinez too. The combination of gin, sweet vermouth, bitters and maraschino was excellent. A small slice of orange peel was brought over and delicately squeezed so that the oils would mist the surface of the drink. Attention to detail at it’s best.

After collecting James from his afternoon nap and dressing for dinner, we left the hotel early to stop at one of the city’s newest watering holes, Beaker & Flask. I started with one of the house concoctions, a Sal’s Minion. This is a combination of aged rum, pineapple gomme, and coconut water ice cubes. As the ingredients would imply, this drink has a bit of a tropical bent to it. The gomme (a thick sugar syrup) adds a healthy dose of sweetness without being cloying. A single, round piece of ice made of the coconut water was included. Perfect ice, perhaps? James selected the Norwegian Negroni – Krogstad aquavit, cynar, and sweet vermouth. As a snack, we chose a plate of smoked trout deviled eggs – quite good.

Our bartender, with his deep radio voice, was a serious sort of fellow. Two days of scruff, a short sleeved batik print shirt, and army green cargo pants, he wasn’t the guy you’d see at a stiff New York bar. An air of intense casualness pervades the Pacific Northwest and Beaker & Flask was no exception. A few minutes after we seated ourselves at the bar, he made a quick dash to his car to retrieve a messenger bag full of bar implements.

After watching him work while sipping my first drink, I put my fate in his hands by giving him some guidance on what I typically drink and let him choose my next cocktail. With almost no hesitation, he said we’ll set you up with a “Between the Sheets”. This slight variation of my beloved Side Car adds light rum to the mix for a flavorful but more potent version of my go to cocktail.

Advance to Sunday and we were seated at the bar in Ten 01, a fantastic place for dinner that we’ll blog about later. Kelley, our bartender for the evening, took especially good care of us. We had heard of Kelley through Lance at Urban Farmer so we knew we would have a good experience with him. For my starter cocktail, I opted for one of his creations, the Portland Pimm’s. This was a mixture of Pimm’s, ginger ale, mint, with fruit and cucumber. Very nice with a tang from the ginger and the spiciness of the Pimms was a winning combination. James’ started and finished with a Stringer’s Bell – a mixture of bourbon, cherry herring, bitters, and lime zest.

Next I moved on to an Alabazam. Once again, a short distance from a Side Car. This time, the drink calls for bitters and a dash of sugar. While the drink was carefully and well mixed, the bitters proved too much for me. I could possibly drink one or two a year but this wouldn’t be a go to cocktail for me.

We could go on about a couple of other stops made along the way (Clyde Common, Departure, Yakuza Lounge) during our two days in Portland, but we think a couple of pages devoted to the subject is sufficient. Portland represents provides a venue to explore your creative cocktail side in a relaxed but passionate environment.

Welcome to our reports on the Rogers-Watson second annual Oregon food and wine get-away. We are now settling in from a quick, but oh-so-good trip to one of our favorite places, Oregon – specifically Portland and the Willamette Valley. During our five days in what we consider to be an exceptional area for food (and beverage), we ran the gamut of cuisine ranging from South American to a restaurant known for meat to formal continental style dining.

Wine country this year proved exceptional in many ways and not just the wine. We met some amazing people and saw some different perspectives of the region than we experienced last year. For those of you who are wine lovers and appreciate a good adventure, I would recommend the Willamette over its California cousins to the South. In many cases, the wineries are still family owned and operated giving a completely different “feel” than what you would encounter in the (cattle herd mentality) Napa Valley. To be fair, Sonoma is quieter and does offer some of this je ne ‘est pas, but nothing like what we’ve seen in Oregon.

Over the next couple of weeks look for posts on these restaurant experiences, plus a view into the wine country and a brief take on the Portland spirits community. I learned (the hard way) that the Portland inhabitants take not only their food seriously, but also their cocktails and liquor.

As usual, we invite you to comment and let us know your thoughts. Our goal is to create a community of those who love both food and beverage.

Enjoy!

Dean and James