Breakfast in Bridgetown

Just in from Sapphire Hotel’s weekend brunch, and first off, it fits a recent pattern. I was at Montage for bunch last week, and both of them are obviously geared mainly for night-time. In Montage’s case, I think it might be to hide some, uh, rough spots — and also because it’s a New Orleans styled place, so it feels kind of hungover and spent during the day.

With the Sapphire, they are clearly going for an evening vibe at all hours, with kind of a vintage angle. With its hanging lampshades, throw cushions on the benches, vaguely Asian artwork, and nine fancy cocktails on the menu, they’re all about being cozy and intimate. Obviously, this would be more effective when the sun isn’t shining.

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So as I go around town, researching my second edition, I will obviously be hitting some food carts. What I want to know from all of you fine folks is: What should I order?

Post a comment here with your favorite cart for breakfast, and your favorite thing they serve. When I’m done researching, I’ll pick one name at random from all the commenters and you’ll get a free, signed copy of the book.

Get after it, Cartivores!

This week, after reviewing brunch at King’s Omelets and Le Bistro Montage, I welcome Kelly Rodgers and Kelley Webb Roy, who are putting together a book on the Portland food cart scene.

To find out more about the book, check out the book’s Facebook Page!

Also, I mentioned on the show that I am now writing for Neighborhood Notes — so here is their site.

And don’t forget — you still have until midnight on January 29 to enter the Breakfast Writing Contest!

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I am part of a really cool project these days: a book about the Portland food cart scene. It doesn’t have a name yet, but it covers the carts from the perspective of the owners, the customers, the city, the architecture, all kinds of stuff.

Today on my radio program, the two women running this show will come on to talk about it, to talk about carts, and to toss around some of the cool breakfast destinations. Also, I’ll remind you that midnight tonight is the deadline for the writing contest, and maybe I’ll work in some details about other breakfasts I’ve been on recently.

And next week, tune in for what should be a great interview with David Machado, owner of Nel Centro and other fine places around town.

That’s each Friday at 1 p.m., on PDX.FM, channels 1 and 2. Click at the top of this page to listen live, and check back here later in the day for the podcast.

A random thought during a lunch break, working at home.

I was looking around for weekend brunches, and I came across the Sapphire Hotel at 50th and Hawthorne. Right there at the first of their “about us” section, they say the place used to be a brothel, and they go on to talk about everybody feeling sexy, come in and get cozy, etc.

This fascinates me. For one thing, how do we know it used to be a brothel? And did every old hotel in America used to be one, because it sure seems that way. Besides all that, who considers a brothel cool or sexy? Even guys who might be tempted to visit one — which is probably every guy who is currently breathing — would never think to tell anybody, much less that doing so would make them seem cool or glamorous. I’ve never been to one, but I would imagine brothels would be kind of depressing, certainly not glamorous, and most definitely illegal. Except in Nevada, of course, but even those can’t be too nice.

And yet, just about every old hotel will have you believe that it used to be a brothel. I guess a brothel in the 40s or 50s was cool and glamorous? The women there were more “ladies” than today’s unfortunate “prostitutes”? The men there were “gentlemen” sewing their wild oats? What difference does a few decades really make?

And for that matter, how far in the past does a brothel have to be before we call it cool? Certainly if I told you a place was a brothel 40 years ago, you’d think something different from me saying it was a brothel last week — and forget about “It’s a brothel right now”! You’d go nowhere near the place, right? Much less, eat in it. And what if I told you “Guys used to visit a brothel here years ago” versus “I was in a brothel last week”?

There are many things in life I don’t get. This whole brothel thing is clearly one of them.

By the way, has anybody actually eaten at the Sapphire Hotel?

UPDATED: We’re now up to six entries, and the deadline is just hours away!

At this point, with just hours left in my Breakfast Writing Contest, if you entered you’d be guaranteed at least second place. Or you’d have a one-in-six shot at winning. Hardly anybody ever mentions this thing to me, and when they do, it’s “I’m gonna get my entry in!”

Well, go ahead! Write a good story, get published and credited in the book. Deadline is midnight Friday, January 29.

How to enter? Best is to email it to me, Paul@BaconandEggsPress.com. Some folks are posting them as comments here, and that’s cool, too.

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.

This week on the podcast, Paul wraps up breakfast news, discusses some recent meals, and introduces the world to his new Tea Consultant, Maria — who’s English, no less!

And don’t forget the writing contest — the deadline is January 29, and the winner gets in the book!

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I’m not sure when Biscuits Cafe closed their NW 21st location, but it’s gone. With their 52nd and Sandy location going down a while back, as well, they no longer have a location in central Portland — just Mount Scott and the corner of Barnes and Miller, of which I have only heard.

Speaking of the West Side, Decarli Restaurant (4545 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton) is apparently about to drop their weekend brunch. According to their Twitter feed, it would take something like a miracle for them to continue it beyond this month.

Today on the “Breakfast in Bridgetown” radio show / podcast:

• some more about our writing contest – winner gets in the book!
• a wrap-up of recent breakfasts
• and the debut of my new Tea Consultant!

That’s 1 p.m. at PDX.FM, or just click the “listen live” link at the top of this here page.