4.21.2010

Pastrami Quesadilla: What could have been

Being the whore that I am for Portland food publications, it was only a matter of time before I made my way to Super Torta to try their famed pastrami quesadilla. Yes, thats right, pastrami quesadilla! As in a huge folded flour tortilla stuffed with melted gooey cheddar, cheap peppery pastrami, spicy green chilies and buttery avocado. Sound like too much? Well, unfortunately it was. The combination of flavors ended up tasting somewhat similarly to a spicy memphis bbq sauce, which was not at all what I had expected. I wanted the ingredients to stand out, with each one bringing out the best in the next. The smoky pastrami should have complimented the sharp cheddar cheese and the spicy chilies should have complimented the smooth avo, alas, i received Stubbs bbq sauce in a tortilla. The poor quality of the pastrami was by far the biggest culprit in this fusion failure (too much hot dog flavor too little briny, smokey goodness), but hey it's a mexican joint, not Kenny and Zukes. Some good quality, thinly sliced pastrami would have fixed this dish right up by preventing the strange bbq flavors and adding much needed texture. Oh well.
All the aforementioned considered, it was 5.50 for a huge amount of greasy hangover food that left me with a full stomach, sticky fingers, and a yearning for what could have been.
Great idea. Poor execution. -- Brent.

4.14.2010

the Superlative Intoxicant no.1: a date with Owen Roe's Sinister Hand.

Owen Roe's '08 Sinister Hand pours one complex glass; the syrah, mourvedre, and primarily grenache blend is truly erotic fun for all ages.

At first acquaintance, the dusty spice of the nose coerces one into sipping the dark, warm sensuality of subtle, dry, peppered vanilla and decadent raspberry, which continues to tease with little bites (14% alcohol!), finally finishing with hazy nostalgia for the last romantically glowing autumn in which you frolicked about in freshly washed laundry.

To further the wine's erotic personality, the bottle is adorned with a mysteriously gory label and the alluring tale of how a detached appendage was tossed to win sovereignty over an ancestral Irish island.

4.11.2010

On Store Bought Bagels

Though I have never crossed paths with a better bagel than at the Bagel Cafe in Watsonville, California, bagels often weasel their way into my basket at the grocery store. How the masses are satisfied with Noah's or Deluxe Sara Lee bagels slathered in Philadelphia Cream Cheese escapes my comprehension. On the disappointing occasion that I am lured into purchasing mass produced bagels, things get a bit messy; overwhelming toasted bagel delirium ensues. I want herb tofutti and salted cashews. Heaps of peppered avocado. Pepperjack cheese and grilled asparagus. Soft boiled egg with sun dried tomatoes. House whipped honey walnut spread; everything divine about your neighborhood bagelry. Still, through each savory, caramelized flavor, the grocery store bagel insists on drying my palate as if dragging my tongue across cardboard. I say to you, mass produced bagel, good day, sir. I will not be further duped. So if you so desire to eat gourmet style amazing bagels at home, please -- please -- acquire them fresh from the local bagelry. :D

4.09.2010

Fun with Vegans

spicy BBQ tofu sliders with apple cider slaw
cube firm tofu and pan fry in olive oil on medium heat, add salt and pepper. once browned, stir in BBQ sauce and continue to cook on medium high, adding jalapeno hot sauce to desired spiciness. Toast potato dinner rolls after lightly brushing with oil for extra delicious crispiness.
for apple slaw:
veganaise (lightly used)
apple cider vinegar (a liberal pour)
green & red cabbage (chopped/shredded)
apples (thinly chopped/sliced)
carrot (thinly sliced)
pepper (to taste)
Stack ingredients between toasted buns, adding ample BBQ sauce, and you have spawned spicy BBQ tofu sliders with apple cider slaw!

Left overs? Try the extra slaw with hunks of ripe avocado on a bed of spinach.

4.08.2010

Holy Sandwich Trifecta

The Bay Area, California:
Three sandwiches. One divine top three record.

One Santa Cruz Friday special at Jack's Burgers was met with an exuberance that only a true foodie could feel for a tri-tip steak sandwich at 10am. Though it's meat seemed less deliciously marinated than in years passed, the perfectly cooked meal went marvelously dipped in Jack's ranch, satisfying our first of three adventures in consumption.


Previously claiming the number two spot in the sandwich dynasty was Bakesale Betty's fried chicken. Expertly crispy and sporting eccentric flavors and mayo-less slaw, the delightful hoagie has been known to sell out in the midst of a famished lunch crowd. After our first failed attempt to acquire the beloved sandwich, our next visit proved successful and left us happily gobbling away at a sidewalk ironing board table.



Last on the list, the emperador de sándwich, was met with utmost fervor. San Francisco's Metro Caffe is a philly cheesesteak oasis where the art of perfectly integrated melted cheese and expertly chopped spicy meat and jalapeños is combined with just-crispy-enough bread and served with darn good thin cut fries. Directly after ordering the original, we went to split a second: the chicken cheesesteak (opinions were split about the added avocado's superfluous nature) pictured at the right.

Much has changed since the original sandwich hierarchy, and since revisiting the trinity, the list must be revised. Jack's tri-tip failed to uphold it's legendary status, and fierce Oregon competition has proved Portland Soup Co.'s decadent pork butt sandwich a strong #3. Moods may determine the silver medal spot, as Bakesale Betty's fried chicken and Portland's schnitzelwich cart offer similarly eccentric and amazing crispy heavenly sandwiches. The king, however, has kept his throne; never has a philly been made better than Metro Caffe's in San Francisco, California.


-- Devon