Sigh. Busy times. In the gaps of this blog there have been many dinner parties attended and prepared, receptions attended, and meals savored in Portland restaurants. I'm so lucky to live in such a food city, which will be even more so when the International Association of Culinary Professionals' annual conference occurs here in April, and 700 foodies converge. Gastronomica magazine will also celebrate its 10th anniversary here that week. Quite an honor for Portland to host.

Despite all of that eating, it still surprises me that I still haven't been to some buzzworthy eateries in town, and that I even crave going out at all.

New places on my list to check out:
1. Tasty & Sons - Brunch from John Gorham, the brilliant chef at Toro Bravo
2. Foster Burger - They source their beef exclusively from a farm in Southern Oregon, and serve fries with squid ink aioli (it's black!).
3. Saraveza - The bar all of the beer geeks are talking about.
4. Cheese Bar - Fromager Steve of Steve's Cheese just opened his own space with a few tables, cheese, meat and wine.
5. HA & VL - Hole-in-the-wall soup shop with a rotating menu of special Asian soups that sell out, supposedly, by 10:00 a.m. (during the week!).

Cravings, at places I don't get to enough:
1. Steak Frites at Carafe - a truly French bistro
2. Alu - Wine bar with a list of biodynamic wines and interesting small plates
3. Bar Avignon - Good wine, good food, good people who own it
4. Ken's Artisan Pizza - Wood fired veggie platter + pizza w/something green on top
5. Bone marrow at Laurelhurst Market

Before I moved into this apartment a month ago, I was cooking myself oatmeal almost every morning. The finest steel-cut oats, at that. I don't know what happened - life got more fun, I guess. Well, that and... it's not as romantic to switch on an electric coil as it is to light up a flame. Luckily, I work downtown across the river from my sweet neighborhood, and can enjoy one of the comforts of urban living - oatmeal to go.

When I was 22 and living in New York City, I was struck by the idea that anything, no matter how seemingly basic, could be delivered or picked up and taken home. Oatmeal, for example, so easy to make, seemed like a luxury in takeout form. I used to pick it up from Veselka near my apartment on St. Mark's Place. In Portland, I go to Elephant's Delicatessen, where a hearty cup of dry-style oatmeal with raisins is only $1.25. I can't even express how comforting it is to start the day with that after weeks of overindulgences. And, it's the best breakfast deal in town.

Last week was special. One of my oldest, closest, most food-obsessed friends came to visit me for her first visit to Portland. It only took four years to get her here from Hawaii, but her visit was perfect. Somehow it was sunny and dry in March, I just moved into a new apartment and had acquired a car the night before she arrived.

We ate our way through the city of course, and even in a week did not have the chance to visit all of my favorite restaurants. We were too busy toasting to our friendship with wine, cocktails and cupcakes.

Mele and I began our foodie adventures in elementary school with amateur mixology involving liquid pantry provisions, and an early shared affection for pickled ginger. We later lived in New York separately, and in Paris together where each day was a quest for the best croissant.

Portland did not disappoint her (thank god). On the contrary, I think she was more impressed than expected. And I will note, that any time I left her alone, she ended up finding her way to the Ace Hotel, day or night - a testament to its coolness. Here's where we went...

Bakeries
The new Lovejoy Bakers in the Pearl does everything right - flawless classic and original pastries and breads, a lunch menu with elegant salads, savory sandwiches and interesting soups. It reminded me of one of my favorites,Le Pain Quotidien, but it is one of a kind.

Ken's Artisan Bakery - always a favorite to bring out-of-town Francophiles. Their Oregon Croissant is not to be missed (marionberries nested in warm, buttery flakiness).

Cocktails
Mele, and her husband who joined us for a night out in the city were both amazed by Portland's cocktail scene - superb and creative drinks at so many unexpected bars. I was even surprised at how extensive the list was at places like Saucebox and Urban Farmer. Favorites were found mixed by Neil at Clyde Common (the "Autumn Leaves") and in the exotic combinations at Ping (Tamarind Whiskey Sour).

Dinner
Our dinners were admittedly whatever went best with we were drinking when hungry - at Ping it was an array of salty-sour small plates to share and the best roast pork buns (manapua) any of us had ever had. I love their duck egg "salad." It's more like a condiment. We enjoyed wine flights one night at Noble Rot with cheeses and salads, and of course a bite with a glass of rose at Olympic Provisions.

Finally, we left one night to cook together, one of the greatest pleasures of our friendship. We perused the city's finest markets for the best ingredients we could find, and a very simple meal turned out wonderful. Our version of pasta all'Amatriciana. With guanciale, pancetta and fresh pasta from Pastaworks, a slab of olive focaccia from Little T American Baker, produce from New Seasons, and sparkling wine from Cork, how could you go wrong?

It was a lovely time, and I can't wait for her return.


Mele and I in 2006 in New York on her way home from a shift at 'ino. Her city cycling absolutely inspired me before I moved to Portland.

After four years of yearning, I finally made it to Syun Izakaya in Hillsboro. This was lunch yesterday, for three of us. Simple, traditional, and tasty. Richly colored ahi, perfectly shiny beads of rice.

Is it wrong to eat pig skin on your lunch break?

It certainly felt a little wrong. Especially on a sunny day, chowing down on my sandwich from The People's Pig on a park bench watching healthy joggers run past me along the waterfront. Despite all that, I savored every SINGLE bite of it (even the crispy bits), completely engrossed in my Liz Lemon moment.

Approaching this food cart, I saw, sitting there on the counter, a huge, hot roulade of pork - loin, belly, and skin, wrapped and tied with herbs. So decadent, so good. They serve it on a chewy, sturdy toasted bun with caramelized onions, and I added Mama Lil's peppers. The perfect tangy foil to cut the fat. I could have used more. Very decadent - the greasiest lunch I've ever had.

I'll be having a bowl of kale for dinner, in case you were wondering.

Pink deviled eggs - pretty, huh? I know the photo is blurry, and it was dark inside Gruner, where I took it. They color the whites of the eggs with beet juice - I thought this was brilliant. Looking forward to Easter time and spring colors...

I got the February issue of Bon Appetit in the mail today, opened it to the masthead, and saw a little slash under the the Editor-in-Chief, where I used to see the name of someone I knew - Kristine Kidd, Food Editor. So, the rumors are true, she's gone.

Laid off, I heard.

So, I'm flipping through it, noticing one nit-picky flaw after another. And, noticing that a lot of the articles are being written by freelancers, which is great, for freelancers. It opens up more opportunity for other culinary expert contributors, like Bruce Aidells writing in this issue, for example.

Many other thoughts simultaneously flew through my head about the writing of recipes, their simplicity, whether they are actually obsolete at some degree thereof, and whether most mothers even cook anymore.

Anyway, I felt like the overall journalistic integrity of this issue was weak, and I really hope that this isn't a trend that persists. I was a loyal reader of Gourmet, and that might be what I'm comparing this to, but still...

A few things that rubbed me the wrong way:

P. 76 - A photo and recipe for "Piquillo Pepper and Sardine Tartines." First of all, these ingredients are clearly Spanish (a classic pinxo/tapa combination), and a tartine is French. They even go on to define tartines as "French open-face sandwiches." Since when is a slice of baguette enough to be considered a sandwich?

P.100 - I thought it was odd that the caption of the photo of an "artisanal tofu maker" in Japan didn't name the artisan, giving him credit.

P.102 - There is a description of various Japanese cooking ingredients in this article about tofu in Japan, but under the description for red and white miso, it just describes them as a "soybean paste." Nothing about them being fermented, which is an integral part of gives miso umami.

Also on that page, is a description of bonito flakes, "dried tuna...a garnish sprinkled over everything from plain white rice to complex dashi soups." Um, dashi is a broth that is a base for soups, pretty much made from steeping bonito flakes, not garnished with them. It seems to me that if they're trying to educate their readers, they might as well be thorough...lots of white space on that page.

Okay, I'm done, time to go to something more productive with myself.

Yes, this is what I do a Friday night.

Photo-Force/Oregon Food Bank Exhibition

On Thursday night, I dropped into this photo show and fundraiser, which turned out to be one of the most visually brilliant and moving art shows I've seen in Portland. I couldn't help but jot down my thoughts, which just bubbled as I took in image after image.

Farmers, who barely make enough to keep their farms going, donating a portion of their crops. Starting organizations, like Farmers Ending Hunger. Migrant workers, picking turnips on their knees to make a living. Hard work and sweat that goes into harvesting food that often goes to waste.

The Oregon Food Bank collects and redistributes discarded food. And the Blanchet House, taking in leftover deli items, turns them into mix-matched meals. Like shrimp salad on toast, which almost looked gourmet. I was moved by the image of this beautiful composition - food that was destined for the garbage, rescued and replated with care. Served to those in need. Dignifying them with a colorful, healthy meal. Respecting the people, but also respecting the food. The edible. A pile of carrots covered in dirt and dust is food. Bread on the verge of going stale is food. People who are helping, feeding, other people.


Four photographers collaborated on this project. These images (taken on my iphone, really doing them little justice) are by Steven Scardina. His photos especially (color, action) reminded me of the work of my favorite photographer, Andreas Gursky.

Last week I took a little lunchtime field trip with my coworkers to Olympic Provisions, Portland's new and only salumeria. You may remember when I got to sample some of their amazing chorizo at the Ace Hotel a few months ago. Well, I couldn't resist packing a link of sausage in my purse, and for $3, it's the perfect little gourmet snack-on-the-run.

The Olympic Provisions space conjures up recollections of tapas bars in Spain, as well as markets in Italy. A wall of wine, cold cases full of meats (see photo above), white tile, a stand-up bar and a long row of banquets. They cure all the meats on site, and their kielbasa, served with sauteed greens, was perfect in taste and texture. They also do fun things with vegetables, like making a salad with brussels sprout leaves and sunchokes. I'm heading back tonight for a seat at the supper club, Table for Twelve, which I had always wanted to check out but was on hiatus for a while. At this relaunch, the twelve turned into thirty, so all of us obnoxious foodies are going to take over Olympic Provisions at about 7pm. I'm looking forward to sharing a meal with Jen Stevenson, one of the ladies behind the dining club, who writes one of my favorite blogs, Under the Table with Jen.

I met my fellow foodie friend Joe when I first moved to Portland. We shared a few meals, and he often talked about wanting to live in Asia. Not long after, he moved to Japan to teach English, and has been there ever since. In those 3 years, he's traveled all over and taken INCREDIBLE photos of food and culture in many different countries. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joecollver/collections

Inspired by Saveur’s Top 100 list for the year going forward, I made my own of the one left behind. My most consistent cravings, distinct discoveries and memorable tastes of 2009:
1. The Fatty Crab
2. Beaker & Flask
3. Papaya
4. The Hoki Poke box at Bamboo Sushi
5. Wasabi poke at Tamura’s in Honolulu
6. Dulcet Cuisine's Madras Curry Mustard
7. Biwa
8. New Cascadia Traditionals bakery
9. Breakfast at the Portland Farmers Market
10. Bequet's caramels with sea salt
11. Miso Mayo
12. Antica Formula vermouth
13. Kir wine bar
14. Powell’s Home and Garden bookstore
15. Evoe
16. The way Matt Lightner cooks vegetables at Castagna
17. The Slowburger
18. Noble Rot
19. The Country Cat
20. Green smoothies
21. Marionberry preserves
22. Brandy cocktails
23. German riesling
24. Real carrots (from the farmer's market or N.S.)
25. Edible Hawaiian Islands
26. The Diner Journal
27. Gourmet (long live the queen…)
28. Cork wine shop
29. Anzen
30. Dinosaur kale
31. Grass-fed beef
32. Ethical butchery
33. Por Que No? taqueria
34. Hot chocoalate from Cacao
35. Alu
36. Wild Alaskan smoked salmon
37. Coconut oil
38. House-made charcuterie plates
39. House-made pickles
40. Thai basil
41. Lamb from Sudan Farms
42. Pamela’s gluten-free pancake mix
43. Larabars
44. The Secret Society Lounge
45. Tea blends from the Herb Shoppe
46. Yogi Teas
47. Fresh ground almond butter
48. Kleen Kanteen
49. Salads with pineapple in them
50. Prost!
51. Eggs from a farm
52. Exotic sprouts
53. Bryant Terry
54. David Chang and Momofuku
55. Kombu
56. Roasted bone marrow
57. Burgerville’s pumpkin milkshake
58. Pimenton de la Vera
59. Cultured butter
60. Salt, Fire & Time
61. Meriwether’s bar menu filled with vegetables from their farm
62. Pork Belly
63. Flat leaf parsley as a salad green
64. Ethical butchers
65. Kombucha
66. Homemade kimchi
67. Organic Greek-style yogurt
68. Bunk Sandwiches
69. Double Mountain Brewery's India Red Ale
70. The Natural Gourmet Institute’s Consumer Classes
71. Clyde Common
72. Big Table Farm
73. Dungeness Crab
74. Local Ocean Seafood
75. Lucky Strike
76. Gilt Club
77. Twitter
78. Lone Pine Coffee Roasters
79. Breakfast at the Victorian Café
80. Pono Market
81. Classes with the International Sommelier Guild
82. People’s Food Coop
83. New Seasons market
84. Coconut water
85. House Spirits
86. Nettles
87. Haagen-Daz Lehua Honey ice cream
88. Auntie Lilikoi
89. River’s Edge Chevre
90. Fromage blanc
91. Rosemary-cashew brittle
92. The Ferry Building
93. Greens (the restaurant)
94. Brunch at Toast
95. Minetta Tavern
96. Ping
97. Sip
98. Cremant de Loire
99. The food culture of Portland, Oregon
100. Hawaiian wedding food

Happy new year! After weeks of consuming many delicious meals, drinks and far more sugar than I'm used to, all I want to eat are vegetables. This can be challenging in a cold place like Portland, where the produce section can be a little bit depressing in the winter months - just when I'm craving color.

My happy solution to this was inspired by a suggestion from my Naturopath, the lovely Dr. Rose Paisley. On Sunday night, roast a large sheet pan of veggies, then keep them in the refrigerator to toss in salads all week long. With just the right combination, you get so much flavor that all you need are some mixed greens, balsamic vinegar, good olive oil and sea salt and pepper for a filling lunch. Yesterday, I added a large hunk of smoked salmon, and it was heaven.

Here's my tasty preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut into chunks of equal thickness:
1 Beet
1 Yam
1 Small fennel bulb
1 Large Carrot
2 Parsnips
3. Slice half of a red onion into quarter-inch strips.
4. Toss all of the veggies, and a couple of peeled garlic cloves with enough olive oil to coat (but not too much - no pools of oil), fresh cracked pepper, and sea salt.
5. Spread the veggies out on a sheet pan with edges (make sure they're not on top of eachother), and bake until cooked but still firm (as they will continue to roast after you pull them out of the oven to cool). Toss once or twice during roasting, after they have started to brown/carmelize a bit.

THE NEW GENOA



The fireplace may not have been there the first time around, but the recipes were. This is a good thing- the place is a classic. Our server told us right off that the dishes on the five course prix fixe menu were based on archived recipes from Genoa's historical archives, updated for the restaurant’s reincarnation. The revived interior feels sumptuous and luxe, incorporating an original armoir, recessed ceiling, modern chandeliers and upholstery. Warm, solid, and very classy.

For once, I resisted pilfering a menu, so I’ll go by notes and memory of this very lovely,* 3 hour, Tuesday night, holiday season meal.

1. Amuse bouche: shaved endive with black truffle and very vibrant lemon essence/zest. Wake up, tastebuds!

2. The Genoa cocktail: dry white wine, sweet vermouth and a lemon wedge served in a crystal wine glass. Surprisingly fresh and satisfying as an aperitif (and apparently the original recipe from over 20 years ago).

3. 1st course: Oregon Dungeness crab mixed with micro greens (sprouts) on grilled bread. The crab was so clean and fresh, no need for the bread, I’d rather eat it like sushi. It was paired with an oaked Italian chardonnay, but could’ve used something crisper (sans oak).

4. The pasta course, oh god, THE PASTA COURSE. I was in heaven with the duck confit “tortelli” (ravioli). It was one of those dishes that made me pause, close my eyes for a second, and attempt to permanently remember its taste sensation. So rich in flavor, yet so delicate (crazy umami). And the wild mushroom fettucine (freshly made) was like pasta dressed with butter and the essence of a forest floor. Mmmmmm....

5. Winter salad, a.k.a. palate cleanser. A beautiful presentation of pomegranate seeds, blood orange, arugula, red onion. The onion was a little strong, but it was placed at the perfect point in the meal to cut the heavy stuff. Served with a (almost tropical) Verdicchio, this may have been the best pairing.



6. Lamb chops, cooked perfectly medium rare with a rub of sea salt and rosemary (I licked the bones). Garnet yam souffle, sauteed garlic and greens. This dish was what I am considering my Christmas dinner for 2009. (Notice that I had no time for photos of the best dishes – too busy enjoying). The Chianti paired with it was okay, but I have to admit that I would have loved a glass of Hawk’s View Cellars' Pinot Noir (’07) with this dish.

7. The meal would’ve been very nicely punctuated with a goat/sheep’s cheese plate, but we opted for dessert instead. Their tiramisu was perfect. Espresso, smooth and delicious. Vin Santo, one of my favorite things to drink on earth at the close of a meal (besides chinato).

Merry Christmas and thank you, Genoa!

*Our table was the deuce to the right of the fireplace, and I had the place facing the flames. I couldn’t have asked for a better seat.

Okay, I thought things were good yesterday, when I left my wine class in the rain, stopped by a friend's birthday party at Rogue brewery (Smokey Ale!), and ended up in the cozy confines of another friend's apartment for homemade lasagna and Chianti Ruffino.

I get to work today to recieve an invite for lunch at the legendary Higgins. This is on top of the fact that I was invited to a dinner at the reincarnation of Genoa tomorrow night, and had been looking forward to that meal for weeks. And then... AND THEN, an inquiry into this guy called the Ethical Butcher leads me to get invited to a rare heritage pork dinner that he's cooking up tonight at the ACE Hotel. Can't wait! Exciting stuff happening in this here town known as PDX...

Yesterday in my wine class we tasted through New World Wines, including South Africa (I can't say that I was convinced those wines are worth the effort of exporting). When it came to the food-wine pairing section, my teacher put up a large picture of biltong hanging up to dry. I hadn't seen the stuff since I was about nine, when my dad and stepmom brought some back from her native country for us to chew on back in Hawaii. I loved it as a kid, as I did most dried out meats and fish. My friends and I used to snack on beef jerky, pepperoni sticks, and cuttlefish. I wonder why I don't buy that stuff anymore? Probably because of issues around hormones in meat, industrialized agriculture, etc. Natural beef jerky is pricey! The closest I get to all that these days is salami, and the very rare treat (at $27/lb), the wile salmon jerky at New Seasons (cured with salt and brown sugar).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

How cute is this?! The apron is by Jessie Steele and yes, those are little candy canes and clusters of holly all over it. Her fabrics and cuts are adorable, and I thought that this one was just too over the top not to post. I love all of her aprons and oven mitts (they're affordable, too!). This picture makes me a little bit nostalgic for my Kong Lung Co. days, when I spent lots of time dressing manequins and reading cookbooks.

I can't stop thinking about the food that my friends and I had last Saturday at Beaker and Flask. A couple of entrees, to be specific. The food there is "French/Northwest" which is very Portland - taking our local, seasonal ingredients, preparing them in a traditional French way, etc. Done and done and...boring. And it can be too rich, with pork and cream and butter. Which is why this meal at Beaker was so refreshing. The dishes, while so deep in flavor, were not overly heavy, or rich in fat. The elegant touch which really made them pop was the acid balance with the protein.

One of these was a whole trout, grilled (and I'm sure seasoned and stuffed with some fabulous spices - I didn't order this one), on a bed of purple radicchio salad in a vinaigrette with slices of small fingerling potatoes (I loved how it was just the smallest bit of starch there), and topped with a quince salad. Orange, purple, charred whole trout -a beautiful presentation.

My absolute favorite, which inspires salivation just at the recollection of it, was the porkbelly. Not for the faint of heart, a large slab of browned and jiggling pork fat was placed in a shallow nest of creamed curly kale and teeny-tiny diced green apples. This was the brilliant part - the creamed kale was actually tangy - in the same way that southern collard greens are the perfect foil for greasy bbq ribs, this was the ideal match for the pork belly. There were a couple of rings of yellow delicata squash with it as well. It was perfection. And even more so with Oregon Pinot noir (Soter North Valley '07).

The Roof is On Fire! (Dining at Lucky Strike)



I awoke this morning, uncertain of whether the ache in my stomach was caused by indigestion, or last night’s repeated and uncontrollable bouts of laughter. My friends and I ventured to Lucky Strike, way out on 122nd and Powell (is that Gresham?). Like the group of Chinese students who took the bus to get there, with my first step inside the restaurant I knew it was worth it. Breathing in there is like breathing fire – deep into the dinner service there’s that much spice in the air.

My eyes popped when I saw the finished plate of “hot pepper chicken bath” on a table next to us. It was not empty at all. It was full - of whole, red, chilis. Apparently, when it’s served, cubes of chicken are scattered through them. I’ll admit that I was a little bit afraid of what I was going to force my body to experience. But at this place, flavor and heat combined in a harmonious way that takes over your entire being to provide one of the most experiential dining experiences I’ve ever had.

What ended up being my favorite dish arrived first – pork ribs with noodles. Oh, where do I start – just recalling it makes my mouth water for this savory soup. This thing had umami. Chewy (surely fresh) noodles, baby bok choi and small pieces of pork ribs in this red, oily broth flavored with chili, whole Szechuan peppercorn, clove, star anise, dried orange peel, and a myriad other spices. These are the owner’s family recipes, and she was sweet enough to divulge only a few ingredients.

With this first dish, the reactions began to occur – the extreme degree of heat contained in this meal eventually caused each of us to lose control of our bodies to some degree. After devouring a first bowl of this soup, my friend’s face turned red and broke out into beads of sweat.

Then the spicy cumin beef arrived, buried under those said whole chili peppers, alongside strings of Chinese celery. The spice in this dish turned things up, and with that all of our lips burned red and puffy, and we took turns taking breaks for ice-cold beer and laughter. You have to laugh at yourself when you don’t want to stop eating something that is causing you physical pain and distortion. It was liberating, actually. We started to lose control, but didn’t care, and were more than happy to dribble hot rice from our flaming mouths upon discovering that it only further ignited the fire burning within.

The dan dan noodles (a cult Chinese comfort food) were something I’d always wanted to try, and their spiciness seemed calming compared to everything else. The noodles were perfectly chewy – did I say that already? Thank god for beer and white rice.

Then came that masochistic chicken. At least I knew what to expect after the beef, and my friend was right – the whole chilis add a nice texture to the bite of chicken, and no added heat really, since all of its seeds fell out to basically encrust the bits of meat. (Warning: some chilies can still be full of seeds and if you bite into one of those with the chicken, you’re playing with fire my friend).

I do have a regret about last nights’ meal: not ordering one of the more delicately flavored dishes first so that we could actually taste it. As it was, I loved the kimchi fried rice. Bits of ham (spam?), kimchi, browned egg (the egg bites did a surprisingly good job of cooling things down) and scallions. I also regret not taking home the leftovers.

Then, THEN, lastly comes the tofu (my friend rationalized this one saying “yeah, the tofu will be like dessert – it’s soft and custard like”). No, this thing was packing heat too! Large cubes of pillowy white tofu soaked under a layer of chili oil, along with ground meat, scallions and ginger. The way that the aromatic spices are layered between layers of heat – that’s how they nail these dishes. That flavor was so rich, so deep, I knew it, despite the fact that could no longer trust my taste buds. I can’t wait to go back and order that again. Or anything, really.

As I sit here in my bathrobe, I wonder where those leftovers are right at this minute...


Can you see the deep layer of chilis suspended in oil over the tofu?

I went to New York a couple of weeks ago, so excited to eat. I had a few particular restaurants on my list, including the Fatty Crab and any of the Momofuku places. The former was incredible - sticky, coconuty short ribs (a version of rendang that I'll never forget) and intense laksa soup. Momofuku...well, we were a little bit dissappointed by the Ssam Bar. I had a really tasty meal there shortly after it opened (some pork belly/kimchi combo), but this time, everything but the honeycrisp apple kimchi was just okay. Except for the cocktail I had - whoa - a nori/celery/brandy concoction - their bartender is a mad scientist genius. Anyway, chef David Chang's out in the world on his book tour, and recently in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle), he had this to say:

"The coolest thing was seeing the foragers and purveyors there, talking with the chefs about shrooms, fish, vegetables (in the middle of November!)—just a beautiful, intimate, honest, open relationship between the people picking the food and the people cooking it. Fuck them. We have a "local" FedEx guy who's great during the winter in NYC."

We might not have the breadth of variety, or countless ethnic and regional cuisine represented, but we have more local, seasonal sourcing in our restaurants than you'll find anywhere else.

The blog is looking bare. Maybe I should've added "tiny digital camera with genius micro food setting" to my Christmas list. Often, I really yearn for color on dark winter days. Eating locally and seasonally doesnt offer much on the plate in that department (see above), which is why perusing Flikr can be so refreshing. I just found a Flikr collection by "Moriza," with some super fun vibrant photos. Like these two.

The squid dish looks amazing, by the way. Various fresh and simple components to a perfect meal, in that way similar to the one I had at the bar at Biwa the other night: effervescent daikon/cabbage kimchi, grilled chicken thigh skewer, onigiri and fresh soft tofu with smoky, weightless bonito flakes.