"I'm always conflicted about how to feel at the end of the year. Like, things were shitty (and for, like, at least the sixth year running). But within that, there are also moments of sweetness. I think that's where we owe Portland's restaurants a big debt of gratitude. It's tough out there, but our chefs and servers are still bringing us the best food in the United States, hands down."
"Right as that happened, Morales became the head chef of República, the flagship in the local República & Co. restaurant group. De Noche closed, but Morales' inventive cooking lives on at her new posting. Eating my way through a May tasting menu, I was blown away by a raw scallop aguachile. The creamy shellfish swam in a bright magenta sauce of citrus and chiles, augmented with first-of-the-season strawberries. Be gay, do great food."
"North Mississippi's Tartuca does not get enough shine. A friend invited me here in June, and I was shocked by how good this unassuming li'l spot was. While I'm a bit tired of Caesar salads at this point, Tartuca's version had crisp radicchio, a nearly obscene amount of finely shaved parmesan, and, PLOT TWIST, dollops of salmon roe. Those little extra pops of fishy saltiness elevated America's most overplayed salad to a new level. Well done, Tartuca."
Year-end feelings oscillate between pessimism and appreciation for small sweet moments. Portland restaurants continue to produce inventive, high-quality cuisine despite widespread challenges. Diners are encouraged to dine out, order appetizers and dessert, and tip generously to support chefs and servers. A raw scallop aguachile at República featured creamy shellfish in a bright magenta citrus-and-chile sauce with first-of-the-season strawberries. Tartuca on North Mississippi elevated a Caesar with crisp radicchio, abundant finely shaved Parmesan, and dollops of salmon roe that added pops of salty umami. Salt & Straw released an Almond Brittle Ice Cream Cake with five layers, ideal for gatherings.
Read at Portland Mercury
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]