Paradigm Shift

That may be a bit extreme as titles so, but I'm trying something new here and I thought I'd try and catch your eye. Sorry to be so manipulative.

I think about food an awful lot- actually it's my job to think about it all day long, which I think is pretty great. Then, I go home and eat some food, and then read about it and think about it some more. I even talk to my friends about it, but only until they look like they can't stand it anymore and we absolutely must change the topic. Then we talk about something relevent, like if pink scarves look good with brown jackets (they do). Everyone has their limit, and I try to be mindful of that.

What I'm getting at here is that I want to be a better blogger, so I'm going to write more often, though it may not always be a pristine entry, and there will probably not be a picture with every entry because
a) it will take me a while to learn to carry my camera around AND more importantly

b) I refuse to be that person snapping pictures in a restaurant while everyone around me is trying to enjoy their meal. Now, I mean no offense to bloggers who choose to do that- if you are comfortable with that, by all means snap away. However, for me it is an issue of truly experiencing a meal body and soul versus frantically trying to capture it on film for all posterity at the expense of living a moment as it happens.

So, in the interest of being all quick and update-y, which is what this whole blogger/twitter/facebook/digg world seems to be all about these days, I want to share with you my dreamy dinner from tonight! First, a failed attempt to go to Laurelhurst Market--we were very sweetly turned away because they were still in soft-opening mode and I'm not awesome enough yet to go to that. I'll be back Simpatica Boys! Just you wait! I drink your sazerac! I eat your steak frites! I bet I will love it too so just take that!

Hungry and headed back to the 'hood, we wound up at 23 Hoyt. Why don't I go there every night? I have no good answer for that, and I'm not going to try to hard to find one.

Two plump sea scallops were salt-crispy on the sides, with juicy sweet centers. Pillows of brandade brought the deeper ocean. Hen of the woods mushrooms made it totally over the top. Actually, I thought they were so over the top they were sort of lost in the dish, but they were the thing that sold me on t dish, so what does that say? Good marketing idea, if not the most inspired addition flavor-wise? Or perhaps my palate sucks, and they're in fact absolutely necessary. Thoughts?

Burger is a burger, but this one was VERY much a burger. What I mean is that so many restaurants seem to want to mess with the idea Burger and put some sort of little extra on it that make it theirs. I'm an old fashioned girl when it comes to burgers, but that's all you need to know for now-- more on that later, I'd imagine. Anyway, the 23 Hoyt burger is blessedly straightforward. Medium rare came out very much on the rare side, which is more than fine by me, and the meat was just that- meaty. A little white cheddar, and some arugula- one lending salt, the other pepper. Perfect.

Finally, the mac and cheese. Blue cheese, gruyere, thick cubes of bacon. Heavy Cream. Crusty top, curly-Q pasta. Platonic ideal MAC & CHEESE. The pleasant and oh so clean burn of a Vesper and a Zefiro martini, respectively, proved quite helpful in polishing off the majority of this feast. I highly recommend their services.

That's the story, folks. Enjoy the spring, eat some pea shoots. Or some lemon cake. Or best of all, hop yourself over to Sahagun Chocolates and sip a Chile Limon soda, only the very most tasty soda there is in all of Portland! (Couldn't resist a little plug. . .)

I hope your Friday is full of fabulous flavors!