Four Things I Learned This Week (February 3)

Panucho party report. Michael Russel at the Oregonian went in search of panuchos in Portland recently (accompanied by Gary Okazaki aka Gary the Foodie during some of it). Panuchos are tasty—they are essentially “hand-pressed tortillas puffed up on a comal, carefully opened, stuffed with a black bean puree then gently fried.” I’d call them cousins to tlacoyos, which I also enjoy. Anyway, this article is a great rundown of the panuchos in Portland. My current favorite is at Ki’ikibáa, deemed “best modern panucho.”

Arden turns 5. Happy birthday to Arden! This “seasonal, wine-driven restaurant located in Portland’s Pearl District” turns 5 years old in February. Hats off to them for making it through the pandemic. On their menu throughout February, they will be “featuring some of the greatest hit dishes from over the past 5 years” of course, with wine picked by the owner, Kelsey Glasser. Think black truffle pierogis, butter poached Mary’s Chicken for two, and housemade chorizo sausage. Or, there’s a prix fixe menu, too ($70/per person), where the chef picks the items.

Fun fact, and one I did not know: Arden is named after Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” The “forest of Arden was a female-led, idyllic place, for those who escaped to live off the land and to live a simpler life.” Arden is also participating in Chocolate for Congo this year. 417 NW 10th Avenue, Portland

Maple Leaf Restaurant is doing repairs and a remodel. I noticed in city documents that the Maple Leaf Restaurant, a Chinese and American diner in FoPo, is doing some repairs. Apparently there was a fire; last time I was in the area, I noticed it was closed. The work includes: repairing fire damaged walls and replacing insulation + drywall; roof modification and a new wall support; new kitchen hoods and vents, exhaust fans; roof repairs, including fire protection. Personally, I’ve never been there, but it’s beloved by many Portlanders. Best of luck to them as they do this work. 7129 SE Foster Road, Portland

Groundhog Day aka Candlemas aka La Chandeleur aka Día de la Candelaria. February 2 (yesterday) is a significant date for a number of cultures. In the U.S., it’s Groundhog Day (or, Ground Hog Day as one of my favorite plays on words) and our own Stumptown Phil tells us we will have six more weeks of winter. But it’s also Candlemas, significant to Christians and as you can imagine, candles are a big part of it. It’s also a cross-quarter holiday, Imbolc, important to pagans.

For the purposes of this blog, what I learned this week about this day is that in France it’s called La Chandeleur. One of the things they do on that day is eat crepes, as the round golden crepe resembles the look of the sun and the anticipation of more light as we head toward the Spring Equinox. In Portland, I like to eat crepes at Frog & Snail (3553 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland); RIP Suzette. And for something completely different from the French approach to crepes, head to the Bing Mi cart (1845 NW 23rd Place, Portland) for a delicious jianbing treat.

I also learned that in Mexico there is a tradition that also connects itself to Three Kings Day. The folks at Masienda posted this: “On Candlemas in Mexico, tradition dictates that whoever cuts through the rosca de Reyes cake on Día de los Reyes (Three King’s Day) and finds the baby Jesus figurine must host a party on February 2 and bring tamales for everyone.” You can find Masienda’s excellent masa harina at Providore (2340 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland).

Here’s to the increasing light each day!

Four Things I Learned This Week (January 27)

 Ki’ikibáa Mexican Restaurant makes delicious food. I met up with my friend Keri last night for dinner at  Ki’ikibáa and boy was it good. We had the panuchos—best I’ve had in Portland so far—and the Poc Chuc, a platter of pork, cabbage, tomatoes, and pickled onions. It was a satisfying and flavorful meal. I loved how crisp the panuchos were (not greasy, as can be the case sometimes) and how tender the pork was along with fresh vegetables on the plate of Poc Chuc. Really nice staff, too, and great to see so many people enjoying their food. I look forward to my next meal there. 3244 NE 82nd Avenue, Portland

Get yer $150 cup of coffee next month. The Oregonian reports, “Starting Monday, Feb. 6, the menu at [Proud Mary] will feature a $150 cup of coffee.” It’s award-winning coffee—Black Jaguar Geisha coffee from Hartmann Estate in Panama. Apparently only 22 cups of this coffee will be available at each U.S. location of Proud Mary: 11 cups in Portland and 11 cups in Austin, TX. But, there will be a twelfth cup for whoever wins a “Golden Ticket” (here’s how to vye for one). 2012 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Cafe Zamora re-opens tomorrow. On their Instagram, the folks behind Cafe Zamora announced their much anticipated re-opening. They will be open from 7am to 3pm this Saturday and Sunday, but “will start with adjustable schedules for the next two weeks while we get our rhythm back.” Find them by The Original pod off SE Powell. 3602 SE Powell Blvd, Portland

Kitchen Culture had their grand opening this past week. A new kitchen store has opened on the edge of FoPo, offering kitchenware, cooking classes, and food preservation instruction. Traci Hildner is behind it, an educator who has also run the company Lucky Larder, which aligns closely with Kitchen Culture in at least one way: it teaches people about food preservation. You can get a better idea of who she is and her work on the What the Foster podcast from last April. 6300A SE Foster Road, Portland


Late afternoon addition: Junior’s is having their soft opening tomorrow. Earlier this afternoon Junior’s Roasted Coffee (sometimes known as Guilder) announced on Instagram that they are doing their soft opening tomorrow, Saturday January 28 from 7am to 3pm at the location on NE Prescott and 72nd Avenue. On the blog I’ve mostly talked about this location as home to the Upright Brewing space, but Junior’s—and Chaat Wallah plus another food cart TBD—is there, too. Look for coffee, pastries (Jen’s Pastries PDX and Shoofly Vegan Pastries) and Guilder packaged goods.

Upright and the food carts will be joining the opening fun very soon. Best wishes to Junior’s on their soft opening day tomorrow!