Amuse Bouche – 12/10/12

The Daily Meal asked top chefs to rate America’s food critics. In their first annual critics’ scorecard, The Daily Meal polled dozens of the nation’s most notable chefs and restaurateurs and asked them to vote on America’s best known critics.

Twenty critics were rated on a restaurant review scale of zero to four stars (four being a glowing review) based on four criteria: culinary knowledge, prose style, integrity (perceived), and likability. Even better, participants could actually critique critics and writers.

The top three scoring critics were LA Times’ Johnathan Gold, Vogue’s Jeffrey Steingarten, and the NY Times Pete Wells. My top vote would go to Johnathan Gold. In a conversation with him not long after I started this site, I came away with the impression that he was incredibly well versed in all things food related – more than anyone I’ve met.

The results are entertaining reading, but what really caught my eye is that, unlike Houston Texas, the editors apparently didn’t think any of our critics even merited a review, in spite of Portland generally being regarded as a leader in the food scene.

The Multnomah Whiskey Library is opening (appropriately) just a block East of the downtown Multnomah Public Library. According to Willamette Week, the owner is Alan Davis of the Produce Row Cafe. As I am a huge whiskey fan, expect to see me there often – it should be noted that it will be stumbling distance to the new Tasty N Alder. It will be at 1124 SW Alder. The Whiskey Library plans to be open daily from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m, and will have a seating capacity of 60. The boxes checked under the “Description of Outlet” on the liquor license are “Restaurant” and “Lounge”. Hmm. No word on opening date.

Lastly, Scott Dolich of  The Bent Brick, has decided to abandon his current menu, and move towards more traditional fare. In an interview with Oregon Live, Dolich said,

“I obviously bet on it when I started the Bent Brick,” Dolich says. “But the dining public in Portland is so well educated and focused on ingredients — thankfully so — I think the technical aspect of cooking can be scary. People in Portland really embrace the fact that they can get perfect peaches and beets and fantastic pork right at their fingertips. Why mess with it?”

The new menu will start in February 2013. Current chef Will Preisch plans to leave Portland at that time.

Though I don’t agree with everything they say, it’s an interesting interview and good food for thought.

Did you get your Christmas or NY Eve event entered in my listing? Time is running out, and they are pouring in. Christmas Eve/day submissions need to get to me soon! You can fill out the simple form here.