cajungwailo's Profile
Seeking Burger Nirvanas along US Highway 2
Thanks, I'll try and check that out. Who doesn't like sloppy joes?
Eats in Duluth
Here is a pictorial of Deluxe Coney Island in Duluth. Delicious dogs!
http://burgersdogspizza.com/?p=144
Seeking Burger Nirvanas along US Highway 2
Driving from Spokane to Wisconsin along US Hwy 2, looking for burger stops!
Simpatica Dining Hall - Portland (Review)
For those of you not familiar, Simpatica is the restaurant outlet of the catering company by the same name, and also by the operators of viande, a top meat market here. The restaurant is open only Friday and Saturday nites, and Sunday brunch. Reservations required for dinner, not for brunch. You make reservations by signing up for their email list, and you receive that week's menu by email on Tuesday. You RSVP reservation request and they confirm by fone. They require a cc for reservations, if you don't show, they charge you, but issue a gift certificate in the same amount you can use @ a later date. Place holds about 60 people at 4 long "family style" tables. Menu last nite was:
Cornmeal-Fried Trout Salad with Curly Endive, Fried Lemons and Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Whole Rotisserie-Grilled Carlton Farms Pig Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Ozark BBQ Sauce and Slaw
Braised Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks
Hush Puppies
Cherry Tomato and Beet Salad
House Pickles
Bing Cherry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Creams
(these guys love pork!). Everything was excellent. The entree and salads were served plated, the balance was family style. I don't think I have ever seen fried lemons before, they were the rind, free of pulp, dusted in cornmeal, fried, served like onion ring accompaniement on the salad and delicious.
They had slow roasted the whole pig, and taken all the meat, chopped, mixed, for the sandwiches. The sauce was a ketchup base, not a vinegar. The chef comes out at the beginning, explains where he bought everything (local farms and markets) and how it was prepared. $35 a head, drinks extra. Dinner for two, drinks, tip, $105. Interesting mix of people, they have seating arrangements figured in advance. Sat down at 6:55, left @ 9:50PM. Some delay @ the end processing all those credit cards, but not a complaint.
We'll return, for sure.
http://www.simpaticacatering.com/
Portland pizza dough
Winco stores carry it, same as they use @ their inhouse pizza place. It's usually somewhere between the packaged cheese and sausage section. Dough ball, about a buck and a quarter, makes two 14 inch thins. Bellagios Pizza, too, range $2 - $4
Gracie's PDX - Mini Review
Had lunch at Gracie's, in the Hotel Deluxe in Portland yday. Absolutely superb food and service. So much so, I booked a res for their weekend brunch. For lunch, I had veal scallopini, on top of mash, with strips of prosciutto. Cow and pig on one plate!
Appetizer was warmed assortment of olives and almonds. Doting but not intrusive service.
Menu and hours @ http://www.graciesdining.com.
Question, tho. The outside of the hotel has sculptures of "Fruit" above the windows and doors. Does anybody have any idea of the origin? No one at the hotel did. This place used to be called the "Mallory (sp?).
Your hidden gems in SW PDX?
So far, we tried, "Walter Mittys", which is bar food, ok, nothing special. The Old Barn, bar food also, no reason to return ever for any reason. Chopsticks, on Capitol Hwy, pretty good. I have gone into Barbur Foods a couple times, what a bizarre collection of grocries. They tend to have what I don't need, and not have what I do need, but the produce and breads are ok. Thanks for your recs. I will be checking them out. My best meal so far in Portland has been Caffe Mingo on NW 21st. We had brunch @ Mother's, and I don't see what the fuss there is all about. Too spendy, too crowded.
Recent visit to Legin (Dim Sum) PDX
Legin has dim sum every day, we went Sunday. Hours are 10A-3P for dim sum, otherwise open til Midnight Sun thru Thur, 2AM Fri and Sat.
Many reviewers online talk about this is the place one "can't go wrong" because most of the customers are Asian. May be true.
I lived in Hong Kong and China for 8 years, and my observation is that Legin is "pretty OK", but the variety offered in the carts didn't seem that wide. There was a noticeable shortage of steamed dumplings, which is my primary choice for dim sum.
Overall, service was good, quality was good, prices fair, but my personal preference in Portland so far is House of Louie in Chinatown.
Legin is located @ 8001 SE Division. There is a concentration of asian restaurants and markets in the neighborhood. Some people we dined with said there was a "better" dim sum place about six blocks farther east on division.
What's your favorite? Especially if you have a jones for dumplings, like I do.
Your hidden gems in SW PDX?
We have recently relocated to PDX from New Orleans, and are living in SW, near PCC. Would appreciate your recs for "hidden gems" in the neighborhood, places we can become "regulars". All cuisines welcomed. Close-by, is the key. Thanks, 'hounds.
Want a genuine Kobe burger in PDX
transplanted new orleans chowhound wants to know where can I get "real" kobe burger in Portland? Not waygu, thank you. The "real thing"?
thanks
Need a good cooking class in Portland 9/29-10/1
surlatable.com and ingoodtastestore.com have hands on classes, i have the september schedule, but it doesn't show past the 28th, so check with them.
PDX - Where do Mexicans eat?
Visiting chowhound from new orleans looking for real mex food in PDX. No chains, no kitsch, just autentico grub. Thanks for your replies
Fire of Brazil - French Quarter
I have previously dined at branches of the "competition", namely Fogo de Chao, and Texas de Brazil, and the "Fire of Brazil" doesn't compare. It's "generally OK" and with such a large space, might be fun for a private party, but it doesn't live up to its competitors.
Specifically, the salad bar selections aren't as deep @ Fire, and neither are the number of choices of meat. At the other similar chains, it has been my experience that waiters almost "hovered" nearby, ready to refill your plate, but at "Fire" in the French Quarter, the servers were few and far between. Several times I had to ask my waiter to send one by.
Finally, while the meat was "OK", it didn't seem up to the quality I have enjoyed at the competition.
We ate there on a Wed night at 6pm, they weren't very busy. Two people, two entrees, one drink each, including tip $120.
As I live in New Orleans, I just had a hankering for something "different". I won't be visiting, (or obviously recommending) "Fire" again.
North shore round table restaurant?
No, celeste, the bush buffet and the bogalusa buffets are still open (well, reopen). bush is usually very good. I thought someone had said there was a place like Mccomb tho, in abita, lacombe, someplace like that. Seems it had a person's name and/or table in the name.
North shore round table restaurant?
pre-k, wasn't there a restaurant like Mccomb's "dinner bell" on the north shore? anybody know what it is, if it is still open? thanks.
