Please The Palate |

PDX: Take a Trip to Expatriate

Dark and sexy, Expatriate, owned by bartender Kyle Linden Webster and his wife/partner Chef Naomi Pomeroy, is one of the hot new restaurants of 2013 in Portland. Offering a menu of South Asian-fusion snacks, the flavors are not for the timid. The food is bold, spicy, sweet and full of flavor. We were 4 people, foodies who like to try as much as possible. So, the small plate menu was perfect. Ore Dungeness Crab Rangoon (Wontons Filled With Crab Meat & Cream Cheese, Curried Corn Cream, Crispy Maitakes & Thai Chili Slaw) - This was one of my favorite dishes. The fresh crab meat and cream cheese were well balanced with the spice from the curried corn cream.

06 December, 2013

PDX: Travel to Spain with Toro Bravo

Owner and Chef John Gorham, spent time in Spain exploring the cuisine, before opening Toro Bravo (the Brave Bull). The result is a menu that is influenced by the many regional cuisines of Spain, ranging from the northern Basque area to Catalonia. The menu is divided into Pinchos, Tapas, Paellas, and Desserts. We stuck with the Pinchos and Tapas selections and, along with a glass of wine, were transported to Spain where is food is meant to be enjoyed and shared with friends. Radicchio Salad with green olive toast & manchego vinaigrette

04 December, 2013

Pinot In the City: Willamette Winemakers Come to LA

In September, 66 Pinot Noir producers from the Willamette Valley Wineries Association came to Los Angeles for the first time to demonstrate what make this cool cool climate region one of the nation’s top producers of Pinot Noir. The Willamette Valley is located just outside the super-cool city of Portland, between Oregon's Cascade Mountain Range and the Coast Range, more than 100 miles long and spanning 60 miles. Due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean (50 miles), Willamette averages 52-78 degrees in the summer and 35-47 degrees in the winter. It actually sits at the same latitude as the Burgundy region of France and has a similar climate in which the finicky Pinot noir grapes thrive.

13 November, 2013