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The past few months have seen some changes in the Portland food scene (I’m talking the one I’m interested in – pizza, bbq, hot dogs, bacon-dusted fries, etc., not that fancy or healthy stuff!). Here’s a quick update:
Opening almost two months ago was the Skinny Cart BBQ at 202 Washington Ave. While I was off in Austin consuming as much BBQ as I could possibly find, Portland was getting its own fill of some delicious new smoked, grilled, and messy meats. Ron Gan opened the cart in the bright green shack next to his house and plans to add more mobile carts to his arsenal before too long.
From one friend who hadn’t yet tried the food, it “looked legit.” I knew what he meant before even laying eyes on it – as many foods go, especially of the barbecue variety – the more dilapidated the restaurant/cart/truck looks, the more delicious the food is. As it turns out, this theory holds true with Skinny Cart.
The menu is very limited – to just two items, in fact. Their names seem to change, but basically you can either get a beef or pork sandwich. On this trip I had the pork – listed that day as “pulled pork” though what ended up on the bun was less the stringy stuff and more full chunks of shoulder pork, which is fine by me! I was surprised on my first bite (through some tangy peppers and onions on top) when I felt the crunch of – yes, here it comes, folks – bacon! Full, tasty, crispy strips of bacon inside the pork sandwich. Perfect!
While there’s no proper seating to rest while you enjoy your meal (I recommend stopping by on a bike trip, it’ll make you justify the meaty goodness if you’re one of those calorie-conscious people – I’m not) though there are some concrete blocks by the driveway which provide a partial view of the city. Hours are 11am-3pm (I think…) most days.
In other food news, my favorite pizza joint in town, Otto, is growing up a bit. The owners have opened Enzo next door. The beer-and-wine bar has table where you can order drinks and full pies from next door, which are passed through a pizza-sized window in the wall.
Finally, in what will certainly be even more of a bummer in the summer, when cheap hot dogs and onion rings are what you want at 2 am, Papaya King on Dana Street is long gone. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
Nosh, the new “Kitchen Bar” opening in the space at 551 Congress Street formerly occupied by The White Heart, looks like it’s just about ready to open (
I noticed that the new Figa Restaurant on Congress Street has a sign up and it looks like the interior is coming along nicely, with chairs and other furniture in place… but when is the opening? If you know, please share! In other food news, the Phoenix recently featured my favorite pizza joint, Otto (who appear to have a fancy new website!). review by Biscuit Wakefield – please read “Biscuit On Cookies“ Big Sky Bakery However, in my mind, there is a clear distinction between a chocolate-chip cookie and an oatmeal chocolate-chip cookie. Oats lend sturdiness, texture, and yes – flavor. Oats in a CCC aren’t an ‘add-in.’ They’re a revision (OCCC). Mind you, it can be a tasty revision, as this OCCC from Big Sky proves. Butter fans, take note! Real creamery taste shines in this cookie, and there’s just enough salt to cut the rich sweetness. Big Sky is, of course, known for its breads – the Honey Whole Wheat is a staple of the Wakefield household – and while it seems odd to say this, it’s possible to detect the quality flour in Big Sky’s cookie. It’s oaty, yes, but wheaty too; I’d be curious to taste a version of this cookie sans oats, just for comparison’s sake. Walnut fans, also take note! I do not, for the record, prefer walnuts in my cookies. But these are fresh and flavorful, lacking the bitter tang that plagues cheap (or aged) nuts. As for the chocolate, it’s dark and assertive enough to mingle with all these other flavors, though I wish there’d been more of it. I say that, though. What really grabbed me about this cookie, and what I’m remembering now as I write about it, is the phenomenal, comforting, homey taste and mouthfeel of the grains surrounding said chocolate. I guess this is the only cookie that’s ever made me crave a bowl of oatmeal. I mean this as a great compliment. review by Biscuit Wakefield
I realize that Bryan, Hilly Town’s owner, asked me to review chocolate-chip cookies for this fine web site. I am sorry that my CCC reviews have slowed of late — the summer was busy, my garden was suffering, and other obligations interfered. I promise I will have more cookies to discuss with you soon but first, a brief detour into the world of the savory. As I have mentioned previously, Mr. Wakefield’s boat business takes him occasionally to New York City. I accompanied him on a recent trip and while we were there we decided to visit Luke’s Lobster, a new spot run by a man whose family is from Cape Elizabeth. According to the New Yorkers, this place guaranteed a “real” Maine lobster roll at a reasonable price. I hear this is something of a rarity in New York, those poor souls! But is this “real” lobster roll really real, and is the price reasonably reasonable? Only one way to find out. Below the jump, you will see the results of my investigation. Let’s get one more food post in, while we’re on a roll.
Again we take an optimistic look at late night pizza options in Portland. The other day I spotted this Craigslist ad (thanks, job search rss feed!), and then the Psst! confirmed it: a new restaurant by the name of Otto’s Pizza would be opening up at 576 Congress Street. Today was apparently the soft opening, advertised by a cute sign constructed with paper plates. Read on for the full review and more photos! Read on… I know, two food-related posts in a row? I thought this was a music blog! Don’t worry, it is. I just enjoy food, as you may have noticed. Drinks, too. At El Rayo Taqueria (aka that new taco joint in Portland that’s really good) yesterday I noticed an interesting beverage on the drink menu: a Michelada. It was described as “Beer of choice served over ice with Worcestershire sauce, lime, tabasco, and salt.” Sounded perfect to me. When I ordered it I was asked “are you from the Southwest?” No. “Have you lived in Mexico?” Nope. “Been there?” Not once. “Oh. Usually those are the only people that drink this.” Now if only someone would open up a late-night taco truck in Portland, all my Mexican food-related needs would be fulfilled! |
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