As of today, I am a contributor to Neighborhood Notes, an online source of community-related news. And, of course, I am writing about breakfast. What else do I know anything about?
My first entry covers two old-school places in NE Portland, and it’s called Gateway to Breakfast.
The Food Dude has done another restaurant survey over at PortlandFoodandDrink.com. He’s posting results a few at a time, and the latest batch includes breakfast. Read ‘em here. (Also check out categories 1-6 and 7-10.)
A couple of things strike me:
Screen Door and Simpatica are clearly the two most popular places, and no argument here. What’s interesting is that Screen Door ranks higher on the “best” list, and Simpatica on the “makes me happy” list.
My theory on this is twofold: for one thing, eating at Screen Door is more of a challenge, with heinous lines, a mostly outside wait, and lots of noise inside. So maybe it’s a slightly less happy experience. Also, Simpatica — because of what it does on Fridays and Saturdays — is something other than a normal restaurant, something that seems real Portland-y, so it makes us feel good about our city.
It’s also interesting that Broder makes the “happy” list but not the “best” list — with the caveat that we don’t see results 4 through whatever. This goes with my take on Broder: it’s a little more cute novelty than really good food. And maybe people like it because people like it, if that makes any sense. I might have to put in on my Cadillac List. In fact, Screen Door is already on there.
That’s right, as of this Friday, October 30, PDX.FM will broadcast The Definitive Radio Guide to Portland’s Favorite Meal. I will be the host every Friday from 1 to 1:30 p.m., and I figured folks might want to know a little about the show. Or maybe I just feel like writing about it.
So here’s the very simple premise: I take the whole notion of the breakfast book — a tour of Portland by way of its breakfast places — and carry it over into audio. But there will be a little more. For example, if there’s news to report, like an opening or a closing or some special deal going on, I’ll report on that. Otherwise, most weeks we’ll feature a particular place, or a theme.
For example, I’ve already arranged for the writers of the Stumptown Vegans blog to come on so we can rap about vegan breakfasts. Other ideas I’ve had include a roundup of Southern-style places, some breakfast highlights along the new Max line, the breakfast carts in town, and maybe a whole show called “Good food, no lines!”
I’ve already got the first few shows mapped out, in fact. Week 1 will be an intro to the show, with (hopefully not too much of) me talking about my book, the show, who I am, how I approach things, and so on. The second one will be a discussion of a particular restaurant which you’ve all driven past many times, and very few of you have ever eaten in — though you should. That one will be a chance for me and my guest to showcase how the show will approach each breakfast place.
For each of those I’ll be joined by some other folks from PDX.FM so they can hold my hand and give me somebody to talk to. I’ve been on radio before, but never as the host!
Otherwise, as I start on the second edition of the book, due sometime the first half of 2010, I will constantly be going to new places, so I’ll have folks in to talk about those places. Sometimes that will be the owner, and sometimes it will be members of my crack research team, the Breakfast Crew.
What other suggestions do you have for show ideas?
The show will be “broadcast” on PDX.FM every Friday at 1 p.m., and then soon after be available as a podcast here, on their site, and in iTunes, where you will be able to subscribe and get it automatically each week.
So that’s the show. I’m very excited! I hope you’ll listen in, participate, and send suggestions along.
This Friday, October 23rd, at 2 p.m., please cruise over to PDX.FM and listen to a hiking show called Hike Yeah. (It will also be available later as a podcast, which I’ll post a link to)
On that show, you will hear my internet radio debut, as a guest to talk about hiking and my books, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland and Day and Overnight Hikes on the Oregon PCT.
Also during that show, you will hear a very special announcement, which I am not going to divulge right now, because I’m not ready to, but if you’re curious, a couple of the links in this post will point you towards it.
Every now and then I just cruise through the local blogs and pubs for breakfast-related info. Here’s the latest batch of results:
The Oregonian did a little piece this week on two Northwest Portland breakfast standards, Besaw’s and the Stepping Stone. And they hit on something I often say. Whenever people ask me what my favorite place is, and I get that a lot, my standard answer is “The Stepping Stone is my favorite, but Simpatica has the best food.”
I’m not even sure the Stepping Stone really is my favorite, but there’s a lot of sentimental value there, even with slow service and mediocre food. And that’s pretty much what the Oregonian said.
Can’t say I disagree too much, but I did enjoy my meal there — if that makes any sense at all. According to the Mercury, though, the “Dinerante” is “gimmicky, showy, and plagued with problems.” Ouch.
The New York Times recently called it “a super-designy restaurant that wants you to think it’s just a hipster diner.”
Notice a pattern?
I don’t know what to make of this video’s host — I kind of want to punch him, actually — but hurrah for The Brunch Box (SW 5th and Stark – blog — PDXFoodCarts — Facebook) for getting some great exposure over the internet. Check it out.
Somebody finally did it: they combined a donut and a hamburger, and the New York Times reports on the result. Thanks to Food Dude for sending out the link.
Two notable lines here: 1, the writer said ordering this sandwich “may be the most outrageous step away from sanity you’ve taken in a while.” And 2, she nailed The Original, which has the chutzpah to call itself a “dinerante.” I have eaten there and enjoyed it, just haven’t written about it. I couldn’t quite distill what I thought of it, until I read what this NYT writer said: it’s “a super-designy restaurant that wants you to think it’s just a hipster diner.” Exactly! It’s also good, and expensive. And it has a burger on a donut, apparently.
