The Bent Brick

A few months ago I shot some photos for a review of the then newly opened Bent Brick, an endevour of Park Kitchen success Scott Dolich. For this joint Dolich paired with Will Preisch, who heads the Brick's kitchen. Preisch and Dolich are definitely going for something different here, from the interior vibe, to the unique fare. Super high ceilings, cool seating nooks carved out of wood, and lots of brick and mortar adorn the cute little building at the corner of NW 16th & Marshall. It's a tavern for Northwest Portland for those that don't want standard tavern fare, nor peanut shells underfoot. The food is a unique blend of Prieisch and Dolich's trend for local, sustainable, and thoroughly imaginative. Mixing ingredients and techniques that result in one-of-a-kind flavors, textures, and thoughtfully layered presentations. And don't even get me started on the wicked tasteful drinks! Dolich brought in master mixologist Adam Robinson to make sure the cocktails matched the food. The Bent Brick, not your average NW tavern.

A group of customers sample small plates while sitting in the cool little nook by the front window at The Bent Brick.

Executive Chef Will Preisch finishes an order of Smoked Albacore in the kitchen at The Bent Brick.

A "small" plate of Smoked Albacore, with Heirloom Tomato and Seaweed, in a Shellfish Broth, topped with Crunchy Dried and Grated Mussels at The Bent Brick.

Big Prawns, Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Young Corriander on top of a fresh Jonny Cake. Topped with a little Popcorn, just for fun at The Bent Brick.

Buttermilk Pudding surrounded by fresh Blueberries, Blueberry pureé, and a Blueberry Sorbet atop a Graham Cracker Crumble at The Bent Brick.

A "small" plate of Smoked Albacore, with Heirloom Tomato and Seaweed, in a Shellfish Broth, topped with Crunchy Dried and Grated Mussels. Off to the left; Big Prawns, Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Young Corriander on top of a fresh Jonny Cake. Topped with a little Popcorn, just for fun. And for desert; Buttermilk Pudding surrounded by fresh Blueberries, Blueberry pureé, and a Blueberry Sorbet atop a Graham Cracker Crumble. And don't pass up the fresh cocktails at The Bent Brick in Northwest Portland, parked to the far left is a delicious Slabtown Sour.

Executive Chef Will Preisch in the kitchen at The Bent Brick.

TNT Ice Cream

Timothy Croghan makes Ice Cream, with a kick. He infuses his confections with heavy-hitting liquors such as Maker's Mark, Clear Creek Brandy, and Chipoltlé Vodka, and the results are smooth and flavorful. Most of the alcohol is cooked out in the process of tempering the cream, but the bold flavors of the booze remains. Currently, TNT Ice Cream is only available at Pope House Bourbon Lounge in NW Portland, but Timothy has plans to start serving his goodies from a cart, so keep an eye out for him at your local farmer's market soon.

Limo

Limo, on NW Westover, prepares traditional Peruvian dishes that are rich in color, texture, and flavor. The space inside is intimate and well laid out. It's small, but divided into little nooks, giving each table it's own space. Limo also has a substantial patio that should please diners well into the summer. The food is authentic and flavorful, with ample portions being served by friendly staff. I'm a sucker for a nice table outside, and since Limo happens to be in my neighborhood, you'll likely catch me there enjoying happy hour fare on a breezy summer evening.

Causa Sampler; Potato mashed with Lime Juice, Aji Amarillo Chilli and Spices, topped with (L-R) Seared Tuna with Cream of Ginger, Octopus with Olive Sauce, Shrimp with Anticucho Sauce, and Fried Fish with Red Onion and Diced Tomato.

Lomito Rolls; Egg Roll filled with Beef Lomo Saltado and Huancaina Sauce.

Lomito Rolls; Egg Roll filled with Beef Lomo Saltado and Huancaina Sauce.

Camarones al Ajo; Sautéed Shrimp with Roasted Garlic and Fried Yucca.

Seco; Braised Leg of Lamb marinated and cooked with Cilantro, Aji Mirasol, Garlic, and Spices. Served with Mashed Potato and Asparagus.

Bia Wun "Jelly Beer" at Whiskey Soda Lounge

Bia Wun, thai for "Jelly Beer", at Whiskey Soda Lounge in Portland is sure to become a summertime favorite for eastside evening strollers. 12 or 22 ounce Singha bottles are submerged in a refrigerated barrel filled with ice, water, and a touch of salt. All swishing back and forth like a washing machine. The salt, and motion, keep the water from freezing, even though the temp drops below 0ºC. After a few minutes the beer reaches the perfect temperature. A server taps the bottle on the ground a couple times to activate the slushing action, and inserts a straw. The beer turns soft and slushy, but not icy, perfect for sipping on a warm summer evening.

Tasty & Son's

John Gorham, of Toro Bravo, has a new spin on brunch. It's called Tasty & Son's, and it's good. I recently dropped in to do photos for a review in Willamette Week. I've photographed John before for an article in Portland Monthly, and he's also the father of one of my kid's classmates, so working with him was more of a pleasure than business. The space on N. Williams is open and bright, with a large window up front that floods the dining room and open kitchen with natural light. Parked next that window is a large farm table, perfect for big groups or the solo bruncher that enjoys a communal dining experience. It was also ideal for shooting food. After I was done with my shots of diners, and portraits of John, I asked him to send out a couple specific plates, and said that it would be fine if he wanted to include a couple choices of his own as well. Out came five plates of various colors and textures, and since the light was so nice, I was pleased to shoot them all.

The lighting setup for the plates was Large Window to camera left, 1 Speedlite backlighting the subjects, and a Gold Reflector directly to camera right and slightly above.

Shakshuka; Red Pepper & Tomato Stew with Baked Eggs.

The Breakfast Board; a Hard-boiled Egg, Viridian Farms Strawberries, Carlton Farms Double Applewood Smoked Bacon, Pickled Beets, Chicken Liver Mousse, and Lebna.

The Bambino; Fluffy Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Biscuit, and Heather's Honey Butter. Pictured in back are Chocolate Potato Doughnuts with Créme Anglaise.

Chocolate Potato Doughnuts with Créme Anglaise.

Soluna Grill

A couple weeks ago I did photos for a review of Soluna Grill on NE Fremont. I came just at the end of their Brunch service and most of the happy brunch patrons were finishing up and heading out. Co-owner, and Executive Chef Dan Straub, was very accomodating, preparing several plates for me to photograph, as well as being willing and available for a portrait. The plates pictured are as follows: Pork Belly BLT; Maple Smoked Pork Belly, Fried Egg, Arugula, and Tomato, on a Brioche Bun. Cheesy Grits with Prawns; Sauteéd Jumbo Prawns, Crimini Mushrooms, Sundried Tomatoes, Scallions, and Red Eye Gravy, atop Cheddar Grits. And Crab Cake Benedict with Sweet Potato Hash. The day I did the shoot, they also happened to be having their Monthly Supper Club event. It sounded very interesting, so I returned later that night to make some photos of that as well. Each month Chef Straub devises the seven course menu around a fun seasonal theme, this month's was Baseball, with dishes like "Cotton Candy"; Sticky-Sweet Spare Ribs with Roasted Corn Slaw.

Gruner

Got Spaetzle? Gruner does. Complex, rich, and flavorful, this dish hits the mark. The version I sampled when I was in last week doing photos for a review in Willamette Week, featured braised chicken and fresh morels. The next subject sampled was Gruner's duck terrine; tender pieces of roasted duck layered into a tight terrine, served with pickled fiddleheads and grilled bread. The perfect appetizer to warm up my palate for the Spaetzle to come. Gruner's location is pretty sweet too; at SW 12th & Alder it's just uptown enough to make parking easy, or if you live in the hood, it makes for a nice evening walk to dinner. The space is classy and cozy, with a nice bar that offers a good variety of happy hour drink and food specials. If your walk home from work takes you up Alder, a stop in at Gruner for a warm plate of Spaetzle will make your day.

Foster Burger

Chef Daniel Mondok is damn serious about good food, in this case good burgers, and Foster Burger is damn good. The product of great restauranteurs and quality ingredients, the new spot at SE 53 & Foster boasts beef from a small ranch in Eastern Oregon, buns baked next door, and produce as local as it can get. Teaming up with Mondok in the burger business is Andy Ricker (chef-owner of Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge and Ping) and Kurt Huffman (developer of Whiskey, Ping and Grüner), a relationship for success, for sure. On my visit, doing photos for a review in Willamette Week, we sampled the Foster Bacon Cheeseburger, Buffalo Fries, and Frog Legs atop Brussels Sprout slaw. The burger was amazing, especially for the $8.50 price tag. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, cooked to perfection, combined with crispy bacon and tangy cheddar. The Frog was buttery and tender with a lightly crispy coating, an interesting and enjoyable dish. And the buffalo fries had the perfect amount of hot, especially when chased with a pint. But guess what!? People have already caught on, so if your up for really good baskets of burgers and fries, head to Foster Burger, but get there before your too hungry, most nights the lineup starts before the doors open.