Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant

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A month ago, I took my mother to see Billy Elliot. She returned the favor, this last weekend, by treating me to Riverdance. We’d planned to hop the MAX (Portland’s mass transit train), and head to Jin Wah for dinner after the show. Yet, after having watched two hours of Irish music and dancing, I was in the mood for a beer, which Jin Wah doesn’t offer. Thus, I talked mother into eating at Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant.

Now I have no doubt that upon reading that last sentence, the jaws of my close friends just dropped. Yes it’s true, I had a humiliating experience there about seven or eight years ago, which I won’t chronicle here. However, I figured the waitress involved was probably long gone. Plus, I wanted a beer, so I chose to put the past in the past and give it another shot.

Located on the corner of 2nd & Morrison, in the heart of downtown Portland, Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant has been a favorite among local beer drinkers for as long as I can remember. In fact, until I visited their website this morning, to check some of my spelling, I thought Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant was a place unique to Portland. I was floored to discover that the restaurant, with its pool tables, dart boards, and sports tuned TVs, is part of a national chain with a location in Washington, Illinois, Colorado, and several along the east coast.

We arrived at 5pm and were seated in about ten minutes. Five of their house beers were on the menu, Kölsch, White Ale, Red Ale, IPA, and their Specialty Dark. I chose their White Ale, which is described as, "Pale and with a touch of haze, this ale gets its unique flavor from orange peel, coriander and Belgian yeast." Served cold, in a pint sized glass, the straw colored beer delivered the flavors of coriander and orange, making it delicious and easy to drink.

I paired the beer with their Steak & Fries, "10 oz. grilled sirloin, sliced and served with our steak butter, seasonal vegetables and French fries," for $14.95 from the "Brewmaster's Selections" portion of the menu. The steak came medium rare, exactly as I’d ordered, and featured a lovely array of grill marks. Tender enough to cut easily, the steak was seasoned without masking the flavor of the grilled beef. The fries, which were cut a bit thinner than an average shoestring cut, arrived crispy salty and golden, and were scrumptious, especially when used to sop up the steak’s savory amber juices. Finally, the seasonal veggies were garlic sautéed green beans sprinkled with bread crumbs, which were quite tasty.

Mother ordered the Lobster & Shrimp Tacos, "Two house made tacos with Pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and citrus sauce in a crisp blue corn tortilla, wrapped with a soft flour tortilla. Served with black beans and Red Ale rice," for $15.95. Large pieces of lobster and shrimp were clearly visible in both tacos. Unfortunately, the pico de gallo and citrus sauce were both so powerful that the flavors of the lobster and shrimp were completely lost beneath the tastes of spice and lemon. Likewise, the black beans were flavored with a little too much jalapeno to allow for more than a few bites to be eaten.

While her meal was slightly disappointing, I was extremely pleased and satisfied with mine. As we ate, we saw several servers walk by with heaping ramekins of Lobster Mac N’ Cheese, “The twist on the classic Mac N' Cheese includes sautéed lobster and shrimp tossed in a creamy Parmesan-Havarti cheese sauce with Cavatappi pasta.” We both agreed we’ll be back to try it along with a few of the starters we hadn’t had room for including the Blue Cheese Chips, Brewery Nachos, and Southwest Egg Rolls.

All things considered, beer, food, price, atmosphere, and service, I give Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant 92 out of 100 points. To view the Portland location’s hours and complete menu, visit http://www.rockbottom.com/portland.

A Bit Of Pink Is Now OK - Micro Blog

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Ever since I was old enough to eat solid food, and probably long before that, my mother has insisted on cooking ALL the pink out of pork steaks, chops, and roasts. She wasn't alone. For years, the USDA strongly recommended that all pork products be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 °F to avoid contracting trichinosis.

Apparently, the USDA no longer feels trichinosis is the threat it once was. As of this month, the USDA instructs cooks to, "Cook all raw pork steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.... If fresh pork has reached 145 °F throughout, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe." However, they still recommend that ground pork products, such as meatloaf mix, be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 °F.

The new guideline allows for a bit more wiggle room for eaters who enjoy their meat a little bit on the rare side. Yet, 160 °F has been the rule of thumb for so long, that I wonder how many cooks will actually be able to embrace the change.

For more information, you can visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/pork_from_farm_to_table/#19 .

A Foodie Can Enjoy Chain Food Too

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Foodies, and most food writers, have a genuine love of, and passion for, food. This passion drives us to focus our attention on exceptional gourmet cuisine and artisan quality fare. We seek local chef owned restaurants which utilize innovative gastronomic techniques, or unique mom & pop places featuring time honored recipes. These types of places can turn out extraordinary food, and are certainly worthy of our attention and patronage. However, as we praise the exceptional, we tend to disparage the mundane as being low brow and undeserving of our notice. I'm referring to fare from chain and fast food restaurants.

Fast food and food from national chains, is generally dismissed by food enthusiasts as being mass produced junk, which isn't reflective of a particular culture. Certainly, there's some truth to this train of thought. One is as likely to find a Four Cheese Pastachettis or Stuffed Crust Pizza in Italy as they are to find a Chalupa or Double Decker Taco in Mexico. It's not going to happen. Places such as Chevy's, Taco Bell, Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, and Panda Express sell Americanized food loosely based on foreign classics.

However, these dishes are reflective of cultures, namely modern suburbia and urban life. Think about it. On Wednesday, Mommy X gets home from work just in time to pick up Missy from band practice, drop her at ballet, and take Junior to soccer. It's after 7 by the time everyone's back in the car ready to head home. Mommy's pooped, so she stops at the Taco Bell drive thru on the way home, or calls ahead for a pizza to be delivered. Five year's later, Junior gets his first job at Burger King. He wants to date Suzie Q, so he takes her to Red Robin for burger, or fish basket, and a shake. We typically don't think about such food as being part of our culture, because it's an almost invisible part of normal life.

When food writers do pay attention to such fare, they focus on fat and calorie totals by revealing that one popular burger, supposedly designed at a scientific institute, with 3 beef patties, 2 slices of cheese, 3 half slices of bacon, all smothered in sauce has 650 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, 145 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1020 milligrams of sodium. Another popular burger consisting of two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun delivers 540 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1040 milligrams of sodium.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, even did a feature length film to prove that eating a steady diet of fast food isn't healthy. To this, I must respond with a resounding, "WELL, DUH!" No restaurant food is meant to be eaten everyday. It's meant to be a special treat, or stop gap measure for the few times cooking at home isn't an option. Yes, they advertise to sell their product, that's what businesses are supposed to do. Yet, a person who eats out more often than not, then gets fat, doesn't get to blame the clown, king, or chihuahua for their inability to climb stairs without being winded. The eater has to apply common sense when choosing what to put into their belly and the bellies of their family.

Some people object to fast food and chain restaurants on moral grounds. Granted, reports of inhumane living conditions, and other forms of animal abuse, are too numerous to dismiss. Those who truly take a stand, and only eat free range animals, are to be commended. Personally, I'll support legislation to improve the living conditions of food animals and will support restaurants which only use free range animals when I can. Such places are so few and far between though, that I can't realistically limit myself to such places.

One chain, which does claim to use completely ingredients is Five Guys: Burgers & Fries; their beef is ground fresh, and a white board, near the counter, tells patrons which farm their potatoes came from. Because the burgers are made to order, they charge a bit more than a typical fast food place. Yet, I love a bacon & onion cheeseburger from there alongside a bulging paper bag of salty fries.

As low brow as some foodies may find it, I also really enjoy an order of wings & fries at Buffalo Wild Wing while sipping a beer and being challenged by their trivia screens. Occasionally, I'll even treat myself to a steak and/or lobster at Red Lobster or The Cheesecake Factory. And, I don't want to know the person who can go to the mall and not be tempted by a soft warm salt covered pretzel from Auntie Anne's Pretzels. Enjoying such delights makes me no less of a foodie. I still seek and demand quality, just as any patron should, no matter where they eat.

With the possible exception of Morton's or Ruth's Chris, diners will never find Michelin Star cuisine at a chain restaurant. A fast food burger will never be as good as a burger from a steak house. An Americanized pasta dish or chow mein will never be as good as the genuine article from an independently owned ethnic restaurant. However, these mass produced offerings, when partaken of sensibly, are affordable tasty food.
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NV Oregon Blossom from Willamette Valley Vineyards - Micro Blog

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This semi-sweet Rosé is a blend of Chardonnay, Early Muscat, Concord and Marechal Foch grapes. I drank it along side the dark meat of an herb roasted chicken, bacon/mushroom risotto, and a spinach/raspberry/feta salad. While promised hints of strawberry and bubblegum never reached my palate, the wine was definitely floral on the nose, and presented a sweet/tart flavor with notes of melon and a smooth clean finish.

Claiming to be, "Oregon's answer to California's White Zin," NV Oregon Blossom from Willamette Valley Vineyards retails between $10 and $13, making it a decent and affordable everyday table wine.

*NV = Non-vintage

Shock Top Raspberry Wheat Beer - Micro Blog

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In 2006, the seasonal beer Spring Heat Spiced Wheat hit the market. After winning a gold medal in 2006 and bronze medal in 2007 in the Belgian White category at the North American Beer Awards, the brewer decided to sell the beer year round, and changed the name to Shock Top Belgian White. The success of the company's flagship beer allowed them to expand their line to include the beer I had last night, Shock Top Raspberry Wheat.

I enjoyed this beer along side a helping of spicy garlic buffalo wings and shoestring cut fries. The wild raspberry essence, added to the brew, gives the Belgian-Style wheat ale a fruity undertone. Served ice cold, it drinks smooth with a mildly sweet finish, and pairs well with spicy food.