Castagna [ two ]

I usually take a while to write about something I just ate, but with the proximity of the last Castagna post and the natural need to follow up on something so good, I had to throw in the one-two punch. I also usually don't write about the same place twice, just because there are too many places out there to eat at and write about. Finally, I usually don't write about two restaurants in a row, but this summer, things have been a little bit quiet in the kitchen. But not to worry. More chickens and more home-cooked goodness to come.

For now, let's leave it to the professionals. More specifically, let's leave it to Chef Matt Lightner and his awesome team of crazy good food-making professionals. Matt Lightner's last night at Castagna felt no different from the first night I experienced Castagna, and my reaction to his food wasn't any different either. One week later, the flavors still haunt me.

So, same deal. Two four-course meals, surprisingly affordable, just as worth it, but this time, I was with my good buddy, Kenny. Without skipping a beat, our meal started with another slew of snacks.

Look familiar? The same Dehydrated Buttermilk Puff with Herbed Aioli and Trout Roe. Just as unassuming as last time.

The nice thing about the puff this time was that the aioli and roe was neatly tucked away in the buttermilk puff. The sweet puff was light and clung to my teeth. The roe burst with briny flavor and the aioli was creamy, light, and flavorful. Just like last time. Still so great.

Next up on the pre-meal snack list, a Sesame Cookie with a Black Sesame Coating and Rose Hip Jam. When the crackers arrived, they looked like an intensely sweet and cool dark chocolate with a fruit jam. I was immediately surprised when I picked up the cracker. Gooey, slick, and almost as crude as oil. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried.

When I put the cookie in my mouth, I was quickly reminded of why I had such a great time at Castagna last time. The cookie was salty and rich. The rose hip jam was aromatic and subtle. The black tar found its way to the corners of my mouth to create a welcome, lasting flavor profile. Initially, the cracker tasted like a traditional, Korean, black sesame cracker. There I was, munching away thinking I knew all about black sesame crackers. As the rose hip jam coated my tongue, a pleasant tartness found its way into the dense, black sesame flavor. As the collective flavor reached the end of its lifespan, I tasted a unique, staccato note of black sesame that I had never tasted before. The quick, surprising burst of unfamiliar flavor left me confused, awake, and craving more. This was exactly the same feeling I got when I had the purple carrot leather last time. What a trip.

Snack number three was a Rye Cracker with Chicken Liver Mousse and Poppy Seeds. The star of this bite was the mousse. Smooth, creamy, dense, slightly cool, and flavorful. The mousse was only accented by its seedy neighbors. The cracker cracked, the poppy popped, and the mousse...moussey? Anyways, it was delicious.

The Bread Plate rang with familiarity from my first visit. Even so, things were slightly altered this time around. The bread was a housemade rye roll this time. But just like the last set of buns, these had a great crispy and cheesy character to them. They weren't quite as oily this time, but still good.

Next to it was a familiar side of Smoked Pork Fat with Sunflower Seeds and Herbs. I liked the fat better this time. It was smokier and there was a very present taste of fennel. The texture of the fat was a lot smoother and creamier this time, which was a great way to balance out the less oily bread. The fat also really helped the rye flavors come out from the bread.

Next to the bread plate sat a familiar stone with butter on top. The butter this time was a House-Churned Butter with a Brown Butter Solid, instead of brown sugar. Though I loved the simple combination of brown sugar and butter from last time, the brown butter solid wins, hands down. The overall effect was a creamy, sweet butter with strong hints of what tasted like salted caramel. I loved the way this butter really showcased the range and depth of such a simple and familiar ingredient.

Things were looking good, and once snack time was over, things only got better.

The first dish of the first course was Favas (with spot prawns, flowers, and geranium). When the plate came out, I could immediately smell the deep, aromatic, toasted shrimp broth. The fava beans were perfectly toothsome and the fresh, spot prawns were cool and refreshing. The flowers added a beautiful color to the plate and added a light, floral flavor that went surprisingly well with the broth.

Our other first was a Crab (with mascarpone, seeds, juice of celery, and lemon balm). In stark contrast with the previous shrimp broth, the dill and celery broth was light and herbal, but just as aromatic. The lemon balm and mascarpone circlets were absolutely addictive.

The crab, as expected, was insanely fresh and sat on a base of that same brown butter solid from before. The effect was intoxicating. The rich combination of the brown butter and crab struck a perfect balance with the cool broth and acidic lemon balm medallions.

Our first second course was a Ground Anemone (with pine nut gravy, morels, rabbit sausage, and spinach). The pine nut gravy was rich and surprisingly umami, the rabbit sausage was just the right amount of gamey, the morels (Lord knows how much I love morels) added a great earthiness, the anemone added a barely noticeable lightness, and the spinach grounded the whole dish in something more familiar.

Despite all the technique-driven components, this dish was extremely comforting and heartwarming.

The second second was easily the best of the night: Summer Squash (with beef marrow, tongue, and onion blossom). The summer squash came out like a creamy risotto, the bone marrow was rich and plump, the crispy and stringy beef tongue was outrageously delicious and added some great texture, and the light, squash jus tied everything together with a perfect knot. One, huge bucket of that crispy beef tongue to go, please. The right bite with every single component was heaven and each bite hugged me with depth and warmth. Just thinking about this dish is making my stomach grumble and my mouth salivate. So, so good.

For our first main, we had a Lamb Collar (with wheat berries, wheat grass, and buttermilk). When I saw the word "buttermilk" on the menu, I had to order this. My memory of the buttermilk froth from last time was beyond memorable. The buttermilk this time was smoked, and I love myself a smokey dish or drink. This dish was no different. The lamb was cooked perfectly, and the glaze on the meat managed to counteract what would normally be very gamey.

The side of wheat berries were toothsome and the wheatgrass added a beautiful, pastoral element to the dish. A properly constructed mouthful of this course stirred some serious nostalgia for a farm I wish I grew up on. Surprisingly emotional, absurdly delicious.

Come to think of it, the previous two dishes, and the next dish, all had that effect on me. With each bite, these dishes truly made me appreciate the entire process behind getting the food to these plates. The lamb and the squash dishes literally made my eyes well up a little.

Our last savory course of the night was a Pork Roast (with scallions, yeast, and pine nuts). The pork was cooked to a beautiful medium rare, the scallions were perfectly grilled, and the duo of yeast and pine nut sauces brought some sweet, nutty, and tart flavors to the pork. The yeast really brought out that pastoral element that I was talking about earlier.

The crispy ends of the scallions were entirely addictive. How can I arrange for a bucket of these scallion ends mixed with the crispy beef tongue? Because I would love that. Right now. Best snack ever.

And with that, the savory portion of the night ended.

More so than last time, the night's desserts were some of the best I've ever had. First was a Wild Ginger (with long pepper, ginger shortbread, and herbs). This pile of goodies was awesome. I could eat each component of this dish on its own for days on end. The wild ginger meringue cubes were light, airy, and crispy, the thin ginger shortbread wafers were crispy and flavorful, the dill did its job in adding a nice herbal touch to the dish, and the long pepper marshmallows were fluffy and had just the slightest kick. The ridiculous combination of textures and flavors in this dessert was breathtaking. One humungous tub of this dessert to go, please.

The last dessert was also one of my favorites of the night: Sherbet (with lemon pulp, wild flower meringue, and crocus sativus). Okay, okay, saying "crocus sativus" instead of "saffron" is a little bit ridiculous, but you know what? This dessert was ridiculous. So Matt Lightner gets to call this dessert what the heck he wants to call it. The wild flower meringue was super light and airy. Each bit of the meringue melted immediately and coated my tongue with floral subtlety. The lemon pulp curd was creamy, smooth, and deliciously sour. The nitrogen bits of sherbet were cool and reminiscent of a more delicate form of Dippin' Dots. Meanwhile, the quenelle of saffron ice cream was doing a great job at centering the whole dish. This dessert was all about taking a bite and letting every flavor blend seamlessly into one another. This one also made my eyes well up with absolute bliss. So freaking awesome.

The night came to a close again with two Hazelnut Pralines Rolled in Chocolate. Just as delicious as last time and just sweet enough to kiss the diners good night.

All in all, I left Castagna feeling the same exact way as last time: intoxicatingly happy and outrageously pissed.

With most multiple-course meetings, there's always something mediocre in the mix. With four four-course meals under my belt at Castagna, I have yet to encounter that plate of mediocrity. Both times I've been Castagna, I've left with an absurd high, leaving with a spring in my step and a lull in my everyday reasoning.

The first time I left Castagna, I was pissed because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat at Castagna every single night of my life. One, they're not open on Sundays, Mondays, or Tuesdays. Two, I live in Seattle. Three, I'm a law student. There are only so many loans I can take out. Four, I'm not insane.

This time, I was pissed because I knew that I'd have to go all the way to New York freaking City to eat Matt Lightner's food again. I had fewer reasons, but I was more pissed the second time. Shoot, I still am.

With Matt Lightner gone, many diners will probably not even turn their heads for Castagna. But in some ways, I'm actually very excited to see how the new head chef, Justin Woodward, will fare in his new position. He was Matt Lightner's backbone through all of his accolades and press, so I have no doubt that I'll be back to Castagna within the next year and I'm sure a "Castagna [ three ]" post will find its way into this blog.

Castagna

1752 SE Hawthorne Blvd

Portland, OR 97214

(503) 231-7373

http://www.castagnarestaurant.com/

GET: Multiple sets of the four-course dinner.

Castagna [ one ]

If you haven't heard already, Castagna's relatively new head chef, Matt Lightner, is moving on. After going to culinary school in Oregon and racking up a prestigious pile of serious résumé-builders, Matt Lightner received recognition from Food & Wine as a "Best New Chef" of 2010 for his work at Castagna. But not to worry; you still have a good four days this Wednesday through Saturday before he cooks his last night at Castagna on July 30th and heads to New York. Wait, four days?? Maybe you should worry.

In true Northwestern fashion, the menu changes with each season and day. Though there was an all-out tasting menu when I went a few months ago, my friend and I decided to go with two sets of four-course meals. Each course had three choices, so effectively, we got to try eight rockin' dishes, kicked off with a solid set of small starters.

First up was a Purple Carrot Leather with Violet Crème and Hibiscus served on a bed of pebbles. The earthy leather was firm, but tender, and the smooth violet crème and hibiscus brought some literal floral flavors to the playful styling of the purple carrot leather. By the time I swallowed my last bit of leather, my entire mouth was encased with an earthy and floral aroma. The bite was a great way to wake up the senses and started what would be a consistently playful meal. No, I didn't eat the rocks. Yes, I tried.

The next starter was a Dehydrated Buttermilk Puff with Herbed Aioli and Trout Roe. This dish was entirely unassuming, and I had no idea how amazing this bite would be.

When I picked up the puff, I was surprised to find out that the puff wasn't meant to be entirely enclosed. Instead, the puff revealed a questionable pile of green goop. I hesitantly dipped the puff into the aioli and was shocked by the interesting mix of textures and flavors. The delicate puff was similar to an airy Japanese rice cracker and dissolved into the cool and creamy aioli, which had the consistency of a puréed guacamole. The aioli had bits of trout roe that bursted with flavor. The briny roe, sweet puff, and aromatic aioli worked some serious magic in my mouth.

When the next plate came out, I was excited to see something similar to bacon. The waiter described the dish as Pork Dried with Molasses. Imagine your favorite slab of bacon, with plenty of fat to spare, drizzled with a healthy glob of your favorite maple syrup. Now imagine all that dehydrated to have the texture and crispiness of an overcooked piece of bacon. Now imagine that the flavor wasn't sacrificed at all to get that ridiculously overcooked crispy texture. Yup. It was awesome. I don't know why I thought the rocks would be edible the second time around. They weren't.

Next up was the Bread Plate. Though the server described the bread as sourdough rolls, the bread tasted like it was stuffed with cheese, baked with caramel, deep fried, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with black sesame. The texture was like any other sourdough roll, but with a crispier and more oily exterior. I could've eaten a huge basket of this bread, especially with the two condiments that came with the bread.

The first accompaniment was Smoked Pork Fat with Sunflower Seeds and Herbs. I love pork fat, but I wasn't sure how the seeds, herbs, and smokiness would all come together. Not surprisingly, it was amazing. The texture was similar to a room-temperature homemade butter, and the deep fattiness of the lard was accented by hints of smokiness that were bolstered by the sunflower seeds. The herbs helped to lighten everything up. Eating this lard on top of the bread was a little bit of a headshot, but the combination was intoxicating.

House-Churned Butter and Brown Sugar. The butter was incredibly creamy and the brown sugar added a nice, crumbly touch. Eating this with the bread was also a surefire death wish, but I couldn't stop myself. I definitely went for several scoops of the butter and lard without the bread. Was I ashamed? Maybe. Was it worth it? Definitely.

After all that, out came the first courses. What a great deal.

The Black Cod (smoked with a variety of radishes in different shapes and textures) took me a second to realize it was the black cod dish. The folded sheets of radish and cod were so thinly sliced, the only way to tell them apart at first glance was by their textures. The sheets were topped with a black cod and horseradish powder and a nitro horseradish cream. The effect was a cool, creamy, and frosty combination of fresh seafood with a kind, horse kick from the radish. The powders melted on my tongue, the fish added a slight chew, the radish sheet interlaced each bite with a little bit of crunch, and the greens added some necessary color to the dish.

The Scallops (cured in sake lees with juice of herbs and apples) was just as refreshing. The fresh scallops sat next to a delicate mound of crushed ice topped with apple sauce, seaweed, and dill. I expected something citric to come through, but instead, I got a cool breeze of sweet, salty, and oceanic air. This dish was one of my favorites.

On to the second courses.

The Sweet Potato (slow baked, hot and cold, hazelnut butter and spicy greens) was simply incredible. The menu description of the dish seemed strange, but the second I took a bite, it all made sense. A creamy mash of baked sweet potato sat on top of a sweet, hazelnut butter sauce, which, when eaten together, hinted at a high-end holiday dinner. On top of the mash sat a dollop of sweet potato ice cream, which added a welcome coolness to the dish. The ice cream was addictive, mastering a balance between sweet and savory. The spicy greens added a pleasant kick to break up the creaminess and sweetness of each bite. So good.

The Celery Root (with cured beef tongue, mustard seed and beef bouillon) was perfect, straightforward, and refreshing. The huge chunks of celery root were bright, the beef tongue was thin and delicate, the mustard seeds were refreshingly potent, and the beef bouillon tied everything together. A bite of this felt like eating a more flavor-focused and lighter version of a traditional steak entrée. Beautiful and intensely delicious.

The third courses were just as amazing.

The Sturgeon (with lard, buttermilk, apple, sorrel and oyster emulsion) was insane. The apple and oyster foam with the buttermilk tapioca was absurdly addictive. I could've just had a plate of foam and tapioca and called it a day. Instead, this duo came with a perfectly cooked piece of sturgeon, topped with a citric stem of sorrel. The sturgeon was delicious and moist, but if I were against eating fish for some reason, I would've been perfectly happy eating a plate of sour sorrel slathered in that sweet, tart, and briny combination of foam and tapioca.

The last of the savory courses was Lamb (with smoked cheese curd, toasted hay and salsify). The lamb came out like a brick of steak next to a creamy mash of smoky cheese, topped with salsify, rapine, and toasted hay. Toasted hay? Yes. Toasted hay. It tasted surprisingly sweet, but in the end, it tasted exactly like what you would expect toasted hay to taste like. This was probably the relative weak point of the night, but I still distinctly remember how the combination of the smoky cheese, earthy greens, and flavorful hay accompanied the simple preparation of lamb extremely well.

The lamb was beautifully cooked, and the first cut opened the meat up to a satisfyingly bloody center. The sprinkle of salt on top ended up bringing the entire dish together for me.

After ending the meal with the heaviest item on the menu, we quickly moved on to the fourth and last course: desserts.

Towards the end of the meal, at a place that had already done so well with all the savory courses, I was naturally doubtful of how the chef would do with desserts. The two desserts that made their way to our table backhanded that doubt out of my head.

The Chamomile (ice cream with crystallized honey and sweet and sour citrus) was the perfect way to follow up a heavy lamb dish. The ice cream was subtle and pleasantly floral, and the bed of honey crystals brought a pop of sweetness to the ice cream. The pair of Meyer lemon and sorrel was intensely citric and sweet, which were both mellowed out by the creaminess of the ice cream. This dessert was so refreshing and uplifting that I felt like I could eat a whole other meal.

The Sunchokes (with poached apples, caramel ice cream and sunflower seed praline) was simply beautiful. The caramel quenelle pointed the diner to a forest of seeds, greens, and delicate sweets. The candied sunchoke was mild and pleasant, the apple discs with chocolate were crispy and barely sweet, the apple gels were nostalgic and flavorful, and the sprinkle of coriander and fennel seeds helped to relate the caramel ice cream to a seemingly random collection of snacks. While the other dessert was a great way to feel like you weren't really eating a dessert, this dish was a great way to remind you that you were eating a dessert without going overboard. Smart, simple, and amazing.

After our two sets of four-course meals, the waiter brought out a pair of Hazelnut Pralines Rolled in Chocolate, as if to satisfy the diners out there who were looking for a straightforwardly sweet end to their meal. The treat was creamy and delicious, and there was really no way I was going to say no to one last bite from Castagna.

At the end of the night, my friend and I were perfectly satisfied. As I thought back on all the crazy things I just put in my mouth, I couldn't help but recognize how vegetable-centric the meal was. Sure, there were globs of lard and slabs of lamb, but the components that really popped on each dish were the vegetables. How incredible is that? Pretty darn incredible.

Before taking off, my friend and I noticed the owner waving her patrons goodbye. Because we had just eaten such an amazing meal, we made it a point to thank her for the great experience. Without a second's hesitation, she invited us to meet the chef. After suppressing my inner school girl, I followed the owner to the kitchen, which was beautiful, but entirely modest.

We walked in on the chefs finishing up the last few dishes of the night's service, and Matt Lightner smiling and cleaning the kitchen floor. Matt Lightner, recipient of a ridiculous number of awards over the past year, cleaning the kitchen floor. With a smile. That's him at the bottom right corner of that picture right there. Cleaning the floor. Once he noticed us, he walked over and introduced himself with the utmost humility. My inner school girl broke loose and I blabbered on about how much we enjoyed his and his team's food.

The conversation was short and came to its inevitable end, but the congeniality and warmness of the head chef, owner, kitchen staff, and service staff was notable, especially at a restaurant that could easily get away with being as high-brow and detached as it wants. The frequency of instances like this are what I love about the Northwest food scene.

How this will all fare in the midst of New York City's infamously competitive restaurant world should be interesting, to say the least. Though I'm sad that Matt Lightner will no longer be a three-hour drive away, I'm excited to see what more he will become in the next few years. I'm also excited to see what the current sous chef, Justin Woodward, will bring to the table as Castagna's new head chef starting next week.

But before all that, I'm mostly excited to see what Matt Lightner will serve this Saturday to close his chapter at Castagna. 9:00pm reservations? Check.

Castagna

1752 SE Hawthorne Blvd

Portland, OR 97214

(503) 231-7373

http://www.castagnarestaurant.com/

GET: Multiple sets of the four-course dinner.

Laurelhurst Market

Laurelhurst Market makes you fall in love with beef all over again. With an increasingly criticized beef surplus in the United States, you can't help but think that Laurelhurst Market is doing everything right. This isn't a place you go to to waste meat. This is a place where you pay homage to an amazingly delicious meat and savor every single morsel of perfectly cooked beef.

Tucked away in a relatively deserted area of Burnside Street, Laurelhurst Market bustles with excitement.

Though they only take reservations for parties of six or more, the line moves fast enough for you to grab one of their famous cocktails before getting seated.

The bar is well-stocked, from Jim Beam to celery bitters.

I had a chance to sample their two whiskey-based cocktails.

The Smoke Signals features Tennessee Whiskey, sherry, pecan, lemon, and smoked ice. Let me say that again. Smoked. Ice. Technique aside, this cocktail combines flavors that have the effect of feeling like you're drinking a city whiskey at a rural campfire. Addictive and delicious.

The Vieux Carre has rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, and benedictine. In a way, this tasted very much like a Manhattan with less citrus and more herbal flavors. This was also an excellent drink that made me wish I had the tolerance of a whale.

I've had the chance to sample Laurelhurst Market's food twice now, and each time has been amazing. The first time, I went with the insatiable baker and Doug, her hubs. The second time I went with effing dericious and his sister, Charlene.

Both times, I had the House-Cured Oregon Ling Cod Fritters with Aioli, and both times, they hit the spot. The fritters are nice and crispy, and give way to a well-seasoned mash of cod. Though the fritters were delicious on their own, the aioli adds a nice creamy balance to the saltiness of the fritters.

Similarly, the Fried Zucchini with Harissa were fried to perfection, and were extremely addictive, partially because I felt like the squash was healthier and warranted stuffing them in my mouth more quickly. The harissa added a nice amount of heat to the mix and the harissa also added that same creaminess as the cod fritters aioli did.

The Fried Sweetbreads with Whole-Grain Mustard are the last of the fried foods I've had here. Whoever is in charge of frying in the kitchen has some serious frying skills. This was basically a glorified chicken nugget with some glorified mustard dipping sauce, and both are glorified versions for good reason. Whole-grain mustard is one of those things that I could seriously eat by itself for extended periods of time.

And the sweetbreads had that nice, plump, juicy texture that makes sure you remember that you're not eating anything close to a salad. Overall, really good.

The Marrow Bones with Parsley, Pickled Shallot, Capers, and Toast are also addictive. The marrow is thick and comforting, and the parsley pistou adds a nice brightness to the dish. A scoop of marrow on the toast, topped with some pistou, capers, and pickled shallot made for an irresistible bite filled with umami, acidity, and freshness with crunchy textures from the toast and the shallots. Marrow bones is one of those things that tips you into knowing that this butcher shop doesn't like to waste parts of the cow.

Both times I had to get the "Egg in a Hole" with Chanterelle Gravy. The egg is cooked in a frame of brioche toast, which is then served on top of an addictive chanterelle gravy. The gravy is just salty enough, and soaks into the toast with the egg yolk. This was what inspired me to do a mushroom gravy for Thanksgiving.

The Dijon & Creme Fraiche Mussels Frites with Cippolini Onions and Preserved Lemon are a standard, and are also really addictive. The creaminess from the creme and the dijon balances really well with the citrus from the preserved lemon. The only bad part about this dish is that it's a little difficult to handle the Jenga tower of fries and mussels. Other than that though, I had a lot of fun soaking up the well-fried fries (again, who is in the kitchen frying these masterpieces) in the creamy, delicious broth. The mussels were standard, but good, as expected at a meat shop.

Of the sides, the Braised Lacinato Kale with Housemade Bacon is a perfect way to convince yourself that you're eating something healthy with your steaks and fried foods. The kale takes on the nice meaty flavor of the bacon, but not so much as to make you feel like you're eating pig leaves. The braise makes the kale soggy, but full of flavor. This reminded me of a solid bowl of Southern collard greens.

The Bluebird Grains Emmer Farro, Wild Mushrooms, Creme Fraiche, and Winter Squash is also a great way to feel like you're eating something healthy, but actually is healthy. The farro was cooked perfectly and the chunks of winter squash added little bursts of flavor. The creme also brought everything together to make the dish taste more like a risotto, and the wild mushrooms added one last earthy flavor to the mix.

The Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon, Anchovy and Piment d'Espelette were probably my favorite of the sides, and also my favorite preparation of brussels sprouts. The sprouts had a nice char, which added a lot of flavor to a sometimes unpleasant green. The lemon provided a great acidity to balance out the oils from the pan roast, and the strong flavor from the anchovy. The piment also threw in a nice, light heat to the dish.

Alright. Enough with the starters and sides. On with the meats!

As expected, the meats here were quality.

I've had three of their steaks so far, and my least favorite was probably the Grilled Piedmontese Ribeye with Blue Cheese Butter and Fried Walla Walla Onion Rings. Though the onions were beautifully fried (again, I know), the meat was a little dry for me. Even though the ribeye was doused in blue cheese butter, I felt like there wasn't enough fat or the cut was too dry to make for enough juiciness or easy chewing. I'm positive, however, that this was just a one in a million misfortune and I'm definitely going to try this again when I get the chance.

The Steak Frites with Marchand de Vin, and Hand Cut French Fries were killer. You already know that the fries are going to be amazing, but after trying that ribeye, I was a bit worried about how the rest of the meats would perform. Some traditionalists think that steak should never be pre-cut, but for me, I don't care, as long as it's good. This steak was good. Really good. It was a perfect medium-rare cut, and the outside of the steak was charred just enough to give it that delicious grill taste. The marchand de vin took on a delicious beef gravy flavor with a strong presence of onion. Dipping the fries in the marchand de vin was heaven. Dipping the steak in the marchand de vin was heaven. Dipping my hand in the marchand de vin was heaven.

The last thing I've had from Laurelhurst Market is the Niman Ranch Bavette Steak with Creamed Chanterelles. The steak was again cooked perfectly to medium rare with that nice outer char. The creamy chanterelles that sat on top of the steak oozed into each slice of meat. And if you know anything about me by now, it's that I love nearly anything with chanterelles. The light green onion garnish also added a light contrasting flavor to the creamy mushrooms and the heavy steak.

Overall, service was great, the interior was lively, and the bar scene was world class. I loved every part of both of my experiences there and I can't wait to go again soon.

Laurelhurst Market

3155 E Burnside St
Portland, OR 97214

(503) 206-3097

http://www.laurelhurstmarket.com/

GET: "Egg in a Hole" with Chanterelle Gravy; Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon, Anchovy and Piment d'Espelette; Steak Frites with Marchand de Vin, and Hand Cut French Fries; Niman Ranch Bavette Steak with Creamed Chanterelles.