Nostalgia can do odd things to people. It can turn strong men weepy, and make normally sensible folks act with puzzlingly sentimental yearnings. The word “nostalgia” literally means a sickness for home, and when Ben Dyer set out to re-create the food (no one ever accused it of being a “cuisine”) of his native Hawaii, that sickness caused him to do a curious thing: he opened a … [Read more...] about Review: Ate-Oh-Ate Restaurant
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Review: Thistle Restaurant in McMinnville
A Review of Eric Bechard's Thistle Restaurant in McMinnville By Roger PorterI promised myself I wouldn’t allude in this review to Eric Bechard’s incident this spring involving a defiant defense of local animals, a stance provoked by a rival chef who, in his eyes, had heretically championed a Midwest over an Oregon pig. The great porcine passion probably put Bechard’s name … [Read more...] about Review: Thistle Restaurant in McMinnville
Review: Andina Restaurant in Portland
2017: this restaurant has tobogganed downhill since my original review was written. The food lacks the polish it used to have, and the prices have risen. The restaurant has been expanded over the years to use every square inch of space for seating - basement, upstairs and mid-level. At the same time, the kitchen doesn't seem to have been enlarged to handle the additional … [Read more...] about Review: Andina Restaurant in Portland
Review: Yakuza Restaurant
By Bruce BauerThere are times when I've gone to a restaurant and had an incredible experience, but for various reasons, I didn't make it back. Such was the case with Yakuza Lounge on Portland's northeast side. I had my first experience with my friend DOR last October. It was such an-out-of-control meal we ended up having their burger for dessert. After my rave to w about … [Read more...] about Review: Yakuza Restaurant
Review: Toro Bravo Restaurant
Note: Toro Bravo closed in 2020.To understand Spanish food, it helps to have a little understanding of the culture behind it Spain tugs at something deep in my soul. Maybe it is because taste, music, and memory are so closely intertwined, but every time I hear flamenco, I flash back to a time 25 years ago.I was living in Healdsburg in the Sonoma Valley, where I … [Read more...] about Review: Toro Bravo Restaurant