Every year (I say every year, but it’s now twice) I come back from Feast Portland exhausted…exhausted but energized about food. And maybe just a little jealous of what Portland is serving up and enjoying every day of the week — great restaurants and food carts, great farmers markets and a close knit community of chefs, artisans and food lovers. It’s a combo that not only cultivates tremendous local talent, it attracts out-of-towners like San Francisco chef Chris Cosentino, who just announced plans to open a restaurant in Portland.
Out-of-towners were certainly bringing their A-game to Feast and my faves from the weekend are a bit of a mixed bag from both Portland and across the country. In no particular order, here’s a look at my 10 best tastes from this year’s Feast Portland.
Sandwich Invitational People’s Choice Winner: Bollywood Theater’s Mumbai Monte Cristo on pakora bread with plum chutney.
Little T Baker’s Plum Almond-Mac Croissants
Chicago’s Fat Rice delivered a Brunch Village stand-out: Thai Egg Threads with Fish Sauce, Maple, Bacon and Chile.
Onolicious!! Pasture (Richmond, VA) and Old Major (Denver) pushed all the right buttons with this play on a spam musubi slider with kewpie mayo and a cabbage and nori slaw — on a King’s Hawaiian roll!
Anytime John Gorham is making biscuits, I’m there. Fried chicken biscuit with pimento cheese.
Stumptown’s Feast5Collab included two cold brew sodas — the Tonty has a chocolatey, spicy hit. Available in Stumptown’s PDX cafes now, elsewhere on October 1.
Franklin BBQ brisket, ribs, sausage and pulled pork. ‘Nuff said.
The “Water Sports” cocktail featured Prairie Cucumber Vodka, Ancho Reyes, Watermelon Syrup and Lime.
Chef Alon Shaya of Shaya in New Orleans, brought his chicken shishlikh with harissa, tahini and herbs. I could eat this on toast, on rice, in a burrito, or just with my bare hands.
Mark your calendar – Feast Portland 2017 will take place September 14-17. Sign up to receive info on the Feast Portland site. Tickets typically go on sale in May.
