In an attempt to reduce last-minute cancellations and no-shows, more and more restaurants are now requiring the purchase of tickets in advance rather than standard reservations. I haven't seen this for restaurant reservations in Portland yet, except for special dinners such as Farm to Table events, Portland Food Adventures or Feast PDX. On some event dinners, restaurants … [Read more...] about More Restaurants Requiring Tickets Instead of Reservations
Closures, Chef Shuffles, Rodent Wine, and Yelp on Steroids
The Press Club at 2621 SE Clinton street closed on July 20th. That is the second vacancy on the block this summer after SubRosa.From their Facebook - "I am sorry to say that the finance director of the Press Club has decided to close the doors on July 20th. It is in the hopes of assessing the fiscal aspects of the business and restructure the organization to achieve a … [Read more...] about Closures, Chef Shuffles, Rodent Wine, and Yelp on Steroids
Famed Barman Jim Meehan Relocating to PDX
PDT, or Please Don't Tell in New York City has been called everything from a "secret bar" to a "speakeasy". To get into PDT, you walk down St. Marks Place, follow a flight of stairs into the Crif Dogs restaurant, enter a phone booth, pick up the phone and press the buzzer once. Once you are "approved", the back wall of the booth opens and you are allowed in. Somewhat silly made … [Read more...] about Famed Barman Jim Meehan Relocating to PDX
Musical Chefs: Mondok, Bettinger, Adams, Giambalvo
Daniel Mondok, most recently of Genoa (closed), Paulee (closed), Sel Gris (closed), June (closed), Olea (closed), and Carlyle (closed), has taken a job at Swank & Swine. (Note that I may have missed some restaurants on that list, but does anyone notice anything in common?)Portland Monthly has sort of a review of Swank & Swine that isn't exactly a rave, saying "A few … [Read more...] about Musical Chefs: Mondok, Bettinger, Adams, Giambalvo
Farmers Who Grow Cocoa Beans Taste Chocolate for the First Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEN4hcZutO0It is hard to watch this video without smiling. Cocoa bean farmers from M'batto on the Ivory Coast, the world's leading producer of cocoa, have never tasted the fruits of their labor. They harvest and process the cocoa beans without any idea what they are used for; most have never seen or tasted chocolate. The prevailing theory … [Read more...] about Farmers Who Grow Cocoa Beans Taste Chocolate for the First Time