FeastPDX Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting

FeastPDX is the Northwest's premier food and beverage event.   Founded in 2012 by Mike Thelin and Carrie Welch, Feast Portland showcases local culinary talent and Pacific Northwest ingredients alongside internationally recognized chefs, culinary professionals and industry leaders. Feast Portland is also a festival with a mission, donating its net proceeds towards ending childhood hunger in Oregon and around the country through Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Share Our Strength.

The centerpiece of the festival is the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting, a two day event in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.  

This is the second year Fat Boy Heaven has attended this amazing event, and this year was even better than last year.  It is easy to see why everyone from Zagat to Forbes has lauded it as one of the nation's premiere food events, and while naming it one of America's top 15 food events Fodor's Travel said it was "done to such perfection you’d think one of the Pacific Coast’s biggest-catch food events was in its 30th year.”

I could write for days about the flavors and sights of this amazing event, but wiser men than I for generations have said a picture is worth a thousand words so I will give you- the sights of Feast Portland:

Bambuza was making fresh shrimp spring rolls that amazed even a meat and potatoes guy like me

BatchPDX specializes in handmade chocolates

Featuring sweet and savory baked goods Pacific Pie served an amazing sausage roll.

redDuck Foods brought some great sauces, but the most interesting was their Pumpkin Spice ketchup

Whole Foods, a featured sponsor of the event had a large tent set up on the upper level of the square featuring local products they were debuting in their styles from Portland vendors.

And there you have it, the sites and food of Feast Portland's Grand Tasting for 2014.  I'm already looking forward to next year's event. Up next, a new event for this year, the Tillamook Brunch Village.

Thrillist Strikes Again: Portland's 8 Best Whisky Bars

Thrillist today posted their choices for the eight best whiskey bars in Portland, and they took the easy way out in a town known for great food and drink by naming their favorites in eight categories instead of ranking the top eight.

From the article:  

PDX's 8 best whiskey bars

You can drink whiskey pretty much anywhere... except in your car, or at work, or in public, or at the library (unless it's Multnomah Whiskey Library!), but literally almost ANYWHERE else. Portland's best places though, are right here...

Thrillist Rate's Portland's Best Mac & Cheese options

Woke up today to find a great article in my inbox rating the best Mac & Cheese dishes in PDX.  Some great choices here, but my favorite Lobster Mac & Cheese from Ringside Fish House missed the cut.  You can see how your favorite ranked at the link below.

Reviewing the VQ

One of the long standing places to meet and eat in SW Portland has always been the "VQ" (veritable quandary) at 1st and Jefferson is classic old time Portland charm in the middle of the downtown area. While much has changed since it opened in 1971, it has lost none of its charm.

I had today's special, The Italian Meats sandwich, and it did not disappoint. Pepperoni, Salami, and an amazing Coppocollo served with fresh Parmesan and mozzarella on a focaccia roll. It is everything you hope an Italian sandwich will be. Served with a mountain of their famous hand-cut fries it was well worth the $14 price tag.

Carrie went with the classic VQ Burger, 1/2 pound of ground round topped with white cheddar, lettuce, pickled veggie blend and a sweet-basil aioli. This burger is always a safe bet.

If you are in Portland and want to see what dining was like before the hipsters took over the food scene, the VQ will show you the way.

Special Event: Feast Portland Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting

When I was invited to attend the Feast Portland Grand Tasting this weekend at Pioneer Courthouse Square, I was expecting local restaurants to be there showing off their creations, but it ended up being more about ingredients for chefs than finished product on the food side.  Here are a few of the standouts:

Snake River Farms - Slider made from their Kurobuta pork was well prepared and the sauce did not overpower the wonderful pork it was intended to highlight.  SNAKE RIVER FARMS American Kurobuta Pork is lean, with small, fine streaks of marbling that make each cut sweet, tender, and juicy. Unlike traditional white pork that can have a tendency to be bland and dry, American Kurbouta Pork is much darker in color and rich in flavor. In fact, the Wall Street Journal has dubbed it "The Other Red Meat".  Comparing the weight of loins before and after cooking, American Kurobuta Pork has significantly less weight loss – up to 50% less – than some other varieties. This is the succulent and juicy difference you can taste with SNAKE RIVER FARMS American Kurobuta Pork.

H.U.B. - Hopworks Urban Brewery's Bottle Conditioned Belgian-Style Pale Ale was amazing. Smooth and soothing with a bottle charge that kept it bubbly well after opening.  Definately hoppy, without going over the line into IPA territory, it was easily the best beer of the day.

The Pie Spot - kickstarter project trying to get out of the cart and into a store front. Their chocolate hazelnut was messy but delicious, with chocolate chips that were distinct enough to stay suspended in the brown sugar and corn syrup filling rather than breaking down into a gooey mess.

Sasquatch Brewery - Sasquatch brought several beers to the tasting, and I sampled two: The NW Red and Untimely Summer Ale.  Summer ale was very pale but with a smooth crisp flavor.  The perfect beer for a warm Portland afternoon.  The NW Red was sweet and citrus tinged, without the bitterness that sometimes can creep in to the reds from a small brewery.  Overall I was impressed with their offerings, and look forward to stopping in and seeing what the Pub is like.

Food Cart Review: Cultured Caveman

The Cultured Caveman food cart at NE 15th and Alberta

The Cultured Caveman food cart in the Alberta 15 foodcart pod (Located just off 15th and Alberta) started as a Kickstarter project. That is where I first learned of their idea, and I am proud to say I was a backer of this unique cart. Since I live on the west side and don't have much cause to be in NE Portland, this was my first chance to visit Joe and Heather and taste their food.

Rainbow Rosemary Fries and Paleo Chicken Tenders....awesome meal!I went with the Paleo Chicken Tenders and a side of Rainbow Rosemary Fries. The first thing to know about food from this cart is that anything fried is fried in Organic, Grass-fed beef tallow. This imparts a flavor all it's own to any food, but also has a lower smoke point, leaving food a little soggier than some would prefer. Remember that the paleo diet is more about a lack of grains and dairy than it is about being low-fat.
The Rainbow fries were great, if a little soggy. A trade off I will take any time for this flavor profile. Served with their own homemade ketchup, the combination is amazing.

Paleo chicken tenders were as good as any I have had with wheat flour. A nice crispy coating while maintaining a nice tender and moist chicken. Cultured Caveman uses organic raised chickens from Draper Valley Farms, "breaded" in a dredge of coconut flour, garlic, white pepper, and salt. Again, the flavor was amazing, and dipped in their southwestern aioli was a delight.

In all the combination of a crowd-sourced startup plan and amazing food make Cultured Caveman a healthy and tasty piece of Fat Boy Heaven. I'll be back to try their other menu items soon.

Kickstarter Food! - Cheese & Crack

One of the things that is an exciting trend in Portland food is the Food Cart, and I've decided to start highlighting new cart ideas that have taken to KickStarter for final funding to get off the ground.  Crowd sourcing technology has been an ever present fact of life, but crowd sourced local food is an idea I love.

The latest idea is Cheese & Crack, a gourmet cheese and cracker box featuring hand-made crackers with local cheese and meat.  A great concept, and one I can't wait to try this summer.  You can find out how to help here, and check out the video for more information.

Henry's Pub and Gril

Carrie and I were out on the town Friday night and were trying to decide where to eat. After stopping at The Commodore Lounge for a drink the closest place was Henry's in the brewery blocks.
We started of with Gorgonzola Fries, one of my favorite appetizers in town.

Gorgonzola Fries, one of Portlands best appetizers.

Osso Bucco, Henry's Special

Orange Chicken from Henry's

Carrie decided on the Orange Chicken, while I opted for one of the specials, a great Ossa bucco. The chicken was good, not too much breading, nice if mild flavor. The Ossa bucco was fabulous. Full of flavor, and falling off of the bone.

Henry's is close to Carrie's office, so we have visited before, but food like this, especially that wonderful mound of waffle-cut fries drenched in Gorgonzola sauce makes it worthy of the designation we love best, Fat Boy Heaven!