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    Gorham Readies “Toro Bravo”, Spring 2007 Openings

    By PDX Food Dude Last Update May 8, 2017 45 Comments

    As John Gorham readies for his departure from Simpatica to be a full-time restaurant guy, plans are in full swing to lease space to accommodate his Toro Bravo project. Coming on the heels of Simpatica’s Spanish dinner being named USA Today’s best meal in the world for 2006–and the writer, Jerry Shriver, shouting out the paella as the best he’d ever tasted in the USA–Gorham’s timing couldn’t be better. In case you didn’t already know, the site for Toro Bravo has already been identified and lease negotiations begun. Seen the “For Lease” sign next to the Wonder Ballroom on North Russell? Yup, that’s the place.


    So, let’s see, spring openings are apt to include: Clyde Common, Kenny & Zuke’s, Adam Sappington’s new place way out on Stark, Toro Bravo, Pinnochio’s, and the vegan restaurant by the Tabla folks. Oh yeah, and rumored openings (whenever) for Virgo & Pisces (in the Zefiro’s bad karma space) A commenter reminded me of a few more: Also opening in February will be District in the old La Vanguardia/Cobra & Matadors spot on NW 12th. $8.00 plate, $8.00 wines by the glass and $8.00 cocktails. Interesting…
    Also the huge Bay 13 from the Paragon people on NW 13th and Irving. Here comes California. (Thanks Christopher!)

    Related

    Category: Portland Food and Restaurant News and Discussion.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. sidemeat says

      December 23, 2006 at 2:40 pm

      Twice this week I’ve heard that Chris Israel is backing towards the exit at
      23 Hoyt. Know, or hear anything about this?

      Reply
    2. Christopher says

      December 23, 2006 at 6:23 pm

      Also opening in February will be District in the old La Vanguardia/Cobras & Matadors spot on NW 12th. $8.00 plate, $8.00 wines by the glass & $8.00 cocktails. Interesting…

      Also Bay 13 from the Paragon people on NW 13th and Irving. Here’s comes California… Maybe they know something Steven Arroyo didn’t

      Reply
    3. greg says

      December 23, 2006 at 6:33 pm

      Do you have any kind of internet linkage for that USA today stuff? Is that in latest issue etc? By the way – Its Virgo & Pisces, not Sagittarius.

      Reply
    4. hoonan says

      December 24, 2006 at 12:31 pm

      greg,

      Here’s a link to the usa today article:

      http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-12-21-top-meals-of-2006_x.htm

      click on this link to the photo gallery where it talks about simpatica:

      http://www.usatoday.com/travel/bestmeals/flash.htm

      Reply
    5. Two Chefs says

      December 25, 2006 at 12:54 pm

      Don’t forget Stu Stein’s new place, Terroir Restaurant & Wine Bar, opening in late spring in NE.

      Reply
    6. Food Dude says

      December 27, 2006 at 3:58 pm

      Just for the record, that Chris Israel comment did not come from me. However, it is true – I usually just sit around and make things up. It helps make the day go by

      Reply
    7. bad_chicken_ says

      December 27, 2006 at 3:44 pm

      Chef Chris Israel is not leaving 23Hoyt. Not sure where you heard that news. Sometimes I think you make this stuff up for lack of anything better to do.

      Reply
    8. nancy says

      December 27, 2006 at 4:13 pm

      A stunning example of nonlinear logic: bad chicken reads this site — the reviews, the interviews, the links to other food articles; the gossip and serious watching of food trends, presented without any ads and for zero compensation, with an open forum in which others may comment and explore and argue — and concludes that Food Dude “make(s) this stuff up.” Incredible.

      Reply
    9. sidemeat says

      December 27, 2006 at 4:19 pm

      That might have been me. And what could be better than sitting around making stuff up? Days are short, it’s these endless nights that cause this.

      Reply
    10. -s says

      December 28, 2006 at 8:27 am

      The font changing size in the middle of a post reminds me a bit of Dennis Rodman’s first book. Food Dude, are you Dennis Rodman?

      Reply
    11. Food Dude says

      December 28, 2006 at 10:18 am

      -s: Naw, I just thought I’d break every rule about fonts/colors/etc. on a web page. Reading that back, I’m realizing I shouldn’t write these things when it’s that late. “What will be the restaurant closing in 2007”. Goodness. I should at least read them again the next day!

      Reply
    12. Cuisine Bonne Femme says

      December 28, 2006 at 10:53 am

      You can read all about what they want to do here

      Reply
    13. mczlaw says

      December 28, 2006 at 10:30 am

      Personally, I prefer “nonlinear logic” since it tends to be a lot more fun than the linear kind.

      Regarding Chris Israel, my info has been that, without an ownership interest, there is really nothing to hold his attention at 23Hoyt. Maybe that could have sparked a spurious rumor. What you say, chicken person?

      Speaking of nonlinear logic, I hear that 23Hoyt is secretly owned by Dr. Pepper–hence the use of 23 in the name to dovetail with Dr. Pepper’s latest ad campaign–and that there are submliminal messages all over the restaurant encouraging the consumption of Dr. Pepper. Not that I would ever make anything up.

      –mcz

      Reply
    14. mczlaw says

      December 28, 2006 at 10:45 am

      And another thing. . .I hope Stu Stein is a better cook than he is a writer. Anybody recall the little plagiarism flap this summer? I know at least one contributor to this site who remembers it real well. Plagiarism is really cheezy.

      Anyway, I guess when you cook it’s OK to use others’ recipes verbatim and present the result as your own. In a way, I guess it kinda is. Kinda maybe.

      So, two chefs, what’s stu’s menu going to look like? Any idea?

      –mcz

      Reply
    15. -s says

      December 28, 2006 at 2:37 pm

      Well once you know all the rules the first thing to do is break them! Your silence regarding my Dennis Rodman question leads me to believe that you are indeed Dennis Rodman. The breakup with Carmen Electra messed you up a bit didn’t it?

      So should I assume that Terroir won’t be using olive oil or citrus in their cooking? Or serving coffee or anything with chocolate in it? Or cinnamon or nutmeg? Or tea? Help! This whole “local food” thing is messing with my brain a bit.

      Reply
    16. foodrebel says

      December 28, 2006 at 6:07 pm

      Do anyone remember when “Chef” Stu Stein got reviewed by FOODday?
      They tried a few recipes from the book and none of them worked!
      Embarassing…
      I hope they’ll work in his restaurant!
      Also, I’d be curious to know the story of what happened at King Estate and then at Rivers, where “Chef” Stu Stein worked for very short times…

      Reply
    17. Mostly Running. says

      December 28, 2006 at 6:53 pm

      Plagiarism is really cheezy.

      Perfect.

      MR

      Reply
    18. pollo elastico says

      December 28, 2006 at 9:38 pm

      The photo on his bio page gives me an uneasy felling, like he’s apt to slip a roofie in my drink and date rape me.

      Reply
    19. nancy says

      December 28, 2006 at 9:06 pm

      It’s incredible that Stein thinks he can publish someone else’s work (which he clearly has) and call it his own. It makes you wonder how stupid he thinks the rest of us are; clearly, very. Considering this, I would never trust him to cook for me. No way.

      Reply
    20. mczlaw says

      December 28, 2006 at 9:24 pm

      CBF (& innocent bystanders):

      I had a look at that website. That’s a lot of blue sky, er, terroir, er, whatever. I read everything and have no idea what this restaurant is actually going to do—other than that it’s going to be p.c. to the max. Hell, maybe it’ll be vegan. Wouldn’t that be novel and delicious?

      Seriously, if you review the site, it is utterly devoid of substance. Instead, it’s full of trite platitudes. At least Stein is consistent: there’s not an original bone in his body.

      –mcz

      Reply
    21. -s says

      December 29, 2006 at 12:08 am

      I have no clue about the legal part, but PE did make me laugh out loud.

      Reply
    22. Cuisine Bonne Femme says

      December 29, 2006 at 9:43 am

      Mczlaw:

      I read everything and have no idea what this restaurant is actually going to do—other than that it’s going to be p.c. to the max.

      Well, that’s because I don’t think they know either, which is why there are few details but lots of buzz words and it is all over the map cuisine wise.

      However, what I think ruffles so many feathers is the grand bravado and egoism that comes across from the site. It’s feels like the chef is trying to tell us ALL ABOUT THIS EXCITING NORTHWEST CUISINE that he is a pioneer of! When of course, he really isn’t from the NW and has done the majority of his cooking elsewhere.

      It reminds me of a time in Seattle in the early 1990s when I lived there. It was when the concept of Seattle Grunge music became an international phenomenon through the band Nirvana and the record label Sub-Pop. Suddenly, bands were moving to Seattle in droves to cash in on the trend and to try to make a name for themselves and get signed by national record labels by promoting themselves as Seattle grunge musicians. Of course, the bands that had been cultivating the music scene from the ground up for years were pretty annoyed. It felt like many outsiders were using what was a small community of collaborators as a way to merely market themselves first and foremost. Substitute the words “band” and “musicians” with “restaurants” and “chefs”, and substitute “grunge” with “organic, sustainable and local”, and substitute “Seattle” for “Portland”, and it reminds me of the whole Terrier thing. (and I don’t care what y’all say, I’m calling it terrier from now on…)

      Ok, thesis over…

      Reply
    23. nancy says

      December 29, 2006 at 12:45 pm

      What CBF said.
      Also, my feeling about the Terrior site is: overwhelming mistrust. (This, before I went and compared Stein’s article with earlier ones on Pacific NW Cheese Project, and read the word-for-word/image-for-image similarities.)

      Reply
    24. Cuisine Bonne Femme says

      December 29, 2006 at 2:45 pm

      Oh. My. God. Nancy is right. This is just horrible and truly disgusting. Whole, (and very long and descriptive sentences) copied verbatim. There is just no way that this is a mistake or “similar writing styles” or whatever.

      I did a scan of the Stein article (dated May 2005) and the Pacific NW Cheese Project articles (dated October 2004 and March 2005) and I couldn’t believe the number of same writing. But both Parr’s articles and Stein’s are listed as being copyrighted. I’m assuming the earlier copyright would trump the later copyright and if so, doesn’t that make Stein in violation of copyright law not to mention the ethical or moral gaff…?

      Regardless, respectometer for Stein is now at a negative 100.

      Reply
    25. sidemeat says

      December 29, 2006 at 3:07 pm

      It’s like the holocaust, but worse!

      Reply
    26. Cuisine Bonne Femme says

      December 29, 2006 at 4:25 pm

      Good eye Gecko, but unfortunately there are even more copied sentences and phrases that appear in both articles.

      Take this one for example talking about Fraga Farms:

      “They started out raising goats, learning the ropes and experimenting with making ice cream, yogurt and the like.”

      Reply
    27. flask mama says

      December 29, 2006 at 3:34 pm

      I love the drama!

      Reply
    28. gecko says

      December 29, 2006 at 3:38 pm

      the similarities are too coincidental –
      these lines are in BOTH articles…
      “pastoral beauty”
      “young goats greeted us”,
      “For me, one of the most impressive things about Kolisch’s approach to cheese making is his commitment to the craft. Juniper Grove Farms is a true farmstead, where the milk used to make the cheese comes from goats raised on the farm.”

      YIKES!

      Reply
    29. Food Dude says

      December 29, 2006 at 5:19 pm

      actually, if you really want to be stunned, just run Tami’s page through Copyscape. It points you to the Ashland Daily Tidings, and highlights the copied section. Just click here to see the results.

      This got me thinking. I pulled up another of Steins articles, and did a reverse search through Copyscape. Sure enough, I got a hit, word for word from a site by Scott Hamilton. You can see the results here.

      Chef Stein has a personal website with links to other things he has written. I’d guess someone with lots of free time on their hands could find more.

      Reply
    30. sidemeat says

      December 29, 2006 at 5:03 pm

      I am totally shocked, utterly stunned and partially hydrogenated. A chef, with a questionable reputation and not an original idea in his head, gets a couple million bucks credit to re-invent dinner. He orders chef coats and sets up a web site… Oh, wait…. I’ve heard this one before.
      How do I find some deep pocket enablers? Cause I’ve got this idea for an EXTREEM vegan restaurant; nothing served has ever been alive. And the kicker? STAR WARS THEME!!!!! Make your checks out to Sidemeat LLC.

      Reply
    31. foodrebel says

      December 29, 2006 at 6:00 pm

      Please, people, when you talk about Stu, make sure you say “Chef” Stu Stein, like he did on a post here a couple months ago…
      Anyone who calls himself “Chef” before their name get discredited in my book!
      Hope “Chef” Stein will come in this forum and explain himself about this trail…Even students from WCI (where he “teaches”) can spot his bluff…
      Sad.

      Reply
    32. just saying... says

      December 29, 2006 at 7:17 pm

      “Chef” Stu Stein was axed from his show on Jefferson Public Radio in Southern Oregon for plagiarism….see this link….

      http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2005/1111/local/stories/11local.htm

      Reply
    33. Mostly Running. says

      December 29, 2006 at 8:44 pm

      Chef Stu had a piece in either the 2nd or 3rd Edible Portland’s if I remember correctly. It would be hard to forget that face. Just more fodder I guess.

      MR

      Reply
    34. foodrebel says

      December 30, 2006 at 10:35 am

      Geez! That some skeletons in one’s closet!
      I’d love to see a journalist expose the whole story!
      Might be juicy enough for K. Brooks or Nigel Jaquiss…
      Next, we’ll see his face on milk cartons!

      Reply
    35. becky says

      January 1, 2007 at 9:08 am

      pollo, that was one scary pic!

      and sidemeat, my vegan (for health reasons) husband would totally love that Star Wars themed restaurant! I just hope it’s in NE PDX so I can ride my bike there!

      Reply
    36. Sir Loins says

      January 3, 2007 at 2:52 pm

      Regarding Food Network scouting smaller cities with big food scenes, I’m just back from a week in the endless, maddening supersprawl that is Atlanta, and feel compelled to say that in my limited experiences dining out at recommended mid and upscale restaurants over the past few visits, ATL hasn’t got a damn thing on PDX. Based on the places I’ve been steered, it’s all style, no substance.

      However, Atlanta beats the pants off of Portland for varieties of inexpensive regional food — the kind you get at blue collar/blue plate/diner/bbq type places. There are lot of long-established, family-owned joints around with cooks who know what they’re doing, and they’ve got the regulars lining up to prove it.

      Reply
    37. sidemeat says

      January 13, 2007 at 8:37 pm

      I don’t know if it’s the first closing of ’07 But Graze,in the old Ninas’ place, has been sold and will be closing their doors. That’s a pretty fast crash and burn, but nothing compared to say, Poplars in what is now Lemongrass, or Danny’s European Diner in what I think is now Filberts.(that would have been 1991 or so) Making a buck owning a restaurant is a tough row to hoe. The optimists at Virgo & Pisces open this Thursday. Hope springs eternal.

      Reply
    38. grapedog says

      January 13, 2007 at 8:45 pm

      sidemeat, if what you say about Graze is true, i’m really not surprised. When I ate there just after Christmas, I found the food to be just ok and the location had no energy. Give me a place like Cafe Allora where it’s small, busy, great food and good conversation . Going to Graze felt like going to the cafeteria at Oregon State University back in the 80s.

      Reply
    39. Food Dude says

      January 22, 2007 at 4:30 pm

      Welcome to the site, Brodie. I’ll be interested to hear from anyone that tries the food.

      Reply
    40. Brodie says

      January 22, 2007 at 4:09 pm

      A friend and I checked out the bar at the new Virgo and Pisces. It was non-smoking (a big plus for us) with a a few flat screens. Sadly, only 4 beers on tap – seems they’re pushing their martini list. We split the scallop cigar appetizer and were both impressed with the texture and flavor.
      The brunch and dinner menus both look promising. Overall, a very good experience but I’m going to give them some time to settle in before going back for a full meal.

      Reply
    41. Food Dude says

      January 22, 2007 at 7:10 pm

      Just Me: you are correct… well, I don’t know if it will be ‘incredible’, but it is supposed to be Indian.

      Reply
    42. just me says

      January 22, 2007 at 6:18 pm

      word is an incredible indian restaurant is headed into the graze space.
      i think there is too much window. nneds to be toned down and warmed up.

      Reply
    43. Casey says

      January 22, 2007 at 7:59 pm

      actually dude, “incredible indian” is the genre. big in canada.

      it’s like regular indian, but with a lot more hyperbole. ;)

      Reply
    44. becky says

      January 23, 2007 at 1:11 pm

      Maybe it’s going to be owned by the Indian Tourism department since their slogan is “Incredible !ndia” (yes, with a ! instead of an I)

      Reply
    45. farm fresh says

      February 5, 2007 at 11:02 pm

      My wife and I had dinner at Virgo & Pisces last week and were pleasently surprised. I had a pork scallopini dish with a cornbread pudding… a special that night. Chocolate tart was good, too. Fresh sqweezed blood orange screwdriver with grey goose was a rare treat. I was told they do blood orange mimosas for brunch… We’ll have to check that out. Overall it was tasty and we will be back. Best of luck to Virgo & Pisces in a (hopefully not) cursed location. Time will tell.

      Reply

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