JUNE 2008 ARCHIVES
This week's email
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 by Ben
Hello, my friends! I hope this email finds everyone well and happy. I've got two menus for you this week, plus an announcement about a very special event coming up later this month with Apolloni Vineyards.
On Friday, June 27th, Simpatica Dining Hall with be teaming up with the fine folks from Apolloni Vineyards. If you came out to our Plate and Pitchfork dinner two years ago, then Apolloni should be a familiar face and name. If not, then let me tell you a bit about them. Located in Forest Grove on40 acres ofLIVE certified sustainable farmland, Apolloni produces premium Pinot Noirs and Italian-Style whites. For their dinner with us, they'll be rolling out a few new releases, including their '06 Pinot and their '07 Pinot Blanc. Dinner will be$75, which will include both food and wine. Reservations can be made by calling the Dining Hall at (503)235-1600 or emailing us at
rsvp@simpaticacatering.com. I'll be posting the menu in the next week or two, but you should definitely think about getting in on this one as early as possible.
Now, for this weekend we've got some goodies in the works. On Friday, our go-to guy Scott Ketterman will be sharing more of his fine craft with all of us, whipping up some asparagus soup, followed by some wood-fired pork loin. And on Saturday, a fine variety of tasties, including a little smoked trout, maybe some cotechino-stuffed pork tenderloin with mushroom spaetzle and a left-right of lemon curd tarts with fresh strawberries. Also, the goat cheese will be wrapped in Fig Leaves from Jason's yard (remember Axis Supper Club?). Here's the menus as they stand...
Friday,June 6th
Baby Beet, Cucumber and Sweet Basil Salad with Dungeness Crab
Asparagus Soup with Creme Fraiche
Wood-Grilled Carlton Farms Pork Loin with New Potatoes, Spring Onions and Piquillo Peppers
Oregon Strawberries with a Muscat and Mint Sorbet
Price is $35 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. Saturday,June 7th
Smoked Trout with Shaved Fennel and Spring Onion Salad with Polenta Croutons
Grilled Fig Leaf-Wrapped Goat Cheese with Rhubarb Mostarda and Grilled Walnut Toasts
Cotechino-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Spaetzle and Your Kitchen Garden Spinach
Bruleed Lemon Curd Tart with Viridian Farms Strawberries and Chantilly Cream
Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
That it, boss. Maybe if we're lucky the sun will shine on us this weekend. I sure hope so. I hope everyone has a great week. Talk to you later
This week's email
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 by Ben
This weekend, we will be featuring not one but two special chefs in the Dining Hall Kitchen. On Friday, we will be focusing on the talents of Mel Pincolini. Mel is one of our regular cooks, and by far one of my favorites. Hailing from a long line of Italian cooks, Mel continues to consistently bring the goods with a grace and a smile that are infectious. If you've been in for brunch, she can always be seen pumping out some top-notch food, usually with a great smile on her face. Check out the menu she's put together for you, I think it speaks for itself. You definitely don't want to miss this one.
On Saturday, we will be opening our kitchen to Chef Tommy Habetz. This will be Tommy's second stint with us at the Dining Hall, and I'm sure he'll be delivering again. Tommy, formerly head chef at the Gotham Building Tavern and at Meriwether's, will be putting togetheran assortment of Roman-inspired treats, presenting a lineup of smaller plates brought out in succession. Check out the menu below to see what he's got in the works.
Also, just as another reminder, on Friday, June 27th, Simpatica Dining Hall with be teaming up with the fine folks from Apolloni Vineyards. If you came out to our Plate and Pitchfork dinner two years ago, then Apolloni should be a familiar face and name. If not, then let me tell you a bit about them. Located in Forest Grove on40 acres ofLIVE certified sustainable farmland, Apolloni produces premium Pinot Noirs and Italian-Style whites. For their dinner with us, they'll be rolling out a few new releases, including their '06 Pinot and their '07 Pinot Blanc. Dinner will be$75, which will include both food and wine. Reservations can be made by calling the Dining Hall at (503)235-1600 or emailing us at
rsvp@simpaticacatering.com. I'll be posting the menu in the next week or two, but you should definitely think about getting in on this one as early as possible.
Enough preamble, here's the menus as they stand:
Friday,June 13th
Presenting Mel Pincolini
Viridian Farms Asparagus, Baby Artichoke Heart and Fresh Porcini Mushroom Salad with Grappa Vinaigrette, Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Salt
Pan-Fried Pork Shoulder Ravioli with Fennel Jam and Roasted Olives
Spice Butter-Poached Rabbit Hindquarters with a Cacciocavolo and Beet Green Spoonbread and Glazed Beets
Cinnamon Pound Cake with Warm Strawberries and Creme Fraiche
Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. Saturday,June 7th
Roman Dinner Featuring Chef Tommy Habetz
Viridian Farms Chicories and Chicken Livers with Viande Pancetta and Anchovy Vinaigrette
Semolina Gnocchi with Roast Viridian Farms Asparagus and Poached Egg
Grilled Octopus with Fava Bean Puree and Peperonata
Cattail Creek Farms Lamb Shoulder Bruschetta with Green Garlic and Mint Sauce
Sweet Lard Cakes with Strawberries, Mint and Cream
Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
One more plug! If you've been into Viande recently, you've probably seen two new faces behind the counter. Well, those faces have names: Tom Daly and Mike Jennings (Tom's the one with the glasses and the Salvador Dalimoustache on his finger). On Sunday, June 22nd, Tom and Mike will be hosting a special dinner at Echo, on MLK. I told them I would put the word out, because I think they're great guys and I would like to see what they can do when they're not slinging meat behind the counter. The dinner will be by reservation only, with seatings slotted throughout the evening, so pick a time that works well for you, then call and make a reservation at (503)460-3246. Dinner will be $60 per person, wine included. Here's the menu:
Mike and Tom's Echo Dinner
Butter-Poached Monkfish with Grilled Asparagus and Bacon
Mache and Radish Salad with Preserved Lemon and Grapes
Steamed Mussels with Morel Mushrooms
Smoked Braised Pork Belly with Boiled Masa Harina Balls and Cherry-Chipotle Jelly
Marinated Flat Iron Steak with New Potatoes and Market Greens
Voodoo Pound Cake with Strawberry Ice Cream and Candied Rosemary
That, my friends is it. I will be emailing you from a different place next week, I'll let you know where once I get there. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and remember:Father's Day is this Sunday! Allow this to be your warning to go out and get Dad something special. OK, take care all.
This week's email
Monday, June 16, 2008 by Ben
Hey everyone! I'm sending this out a day early because I'll be gone tomorrow, my usual dayto send these bad boys out. Why, you ask? Well, every summer my children (Emma, 8 and Bjorn, 6) spend about a month with my mother, who still lives in Hawaii. I suppose SOMEONE has to take them over, so I <ahem> am going to have to suck it up and do the filial duty, you know, as both a loving father and a loving son. So I thought I'd get this email out of the way now, because, you know, the airlines are always losing luggage and all, and since I'm flying luggage class (the cargo hold is actually bigger than the seats these days), better safe than sorry. Right? You understand. Actually I'll be doing research for my Hawaiian cooking class I'll be doing July 9th at In Good Taste. I swear. Strictly research and family duty. And that's all. I certainly won't be enjoying myself.
Anywho, this weekend we've got not one but two guest chefs again... Scott Ketterman on Friday and (back by popular demand) Tommy Habetz on Saturday. Tommy's got a project he's working on (his own gig), so he's using the Simpatica crowd as guinea pigs. Actually, what I MEANT to was that he's sharing some of his new dishes with a lucky few of you. So come on in and get a sneak peek at what Tommy has in store for all of us. First an announcement or two (nothing new), then I'll get on with the menus.
As yetanother reminder, on Friday, June 27th, Simpatica Dining Hall with be teaming up with the fine folks from Apolloni Vineyards. If you came out to our Plate and Pitchfork dinner two years ago, then Apolloni should be a familiar face and name. If not, then let me tell you a bit about them. Located in Forest Grove on40 acres ofLIVE certified sustainable farmland, Apolloni produces premium Pinot Noirs and Italian-Style whites. For their dinner with us, they'll be rolling out a few new releases, including their '06 Pinot and their '07 Pinot Blanc. Dinner will be$75, which will include both food and wine. Reservations can be made by calling the Dining Hall at (503)235-1600 or emailing us at
rsvp@simpaticacatering.com. I'll be posting the menu in the next week or two, but you should definitely think about getting in on this one as early as possible.
That's enough jabbering and jawing, here's the menus for the weekend:
Friday,June 20th
Presenting Scott Ketterman
Little Gem Lettuces with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette, Basil and Oil-Cured Olives
Piquillo Peppers stuffed with House Cured Salt Cod and Potato Brandade
Moorish-Style Braised Cattail Creek Lamb Shanks with Carrots, Spring Onions and Fava Beans ala Grecque
Dark Cherry-Filled Gateau with Whipped Creme Fraiche
Price is $35 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. Saturday,June 21st
Featuring Chef Tommy Habetz
Pickled Beets with Arugula, Horseradish and Cacio di Roma
Stubby Pasta with Bone Marrow Bologese
Rock Fish with Chickpeas, Hot Peppers and Bagna Cauda Vinaigrette
Bay Leaf Panna Cotta with Cherries and Caraway Shortbread
Price is $35 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
One more plug! If you've been into Viande recently, you've probably seen two new faces behind the counter. Well, those faces have names: Tom Daly and Mike Jennings (Tom's the one with the glasses and the Salvador Dalimoustache on his finger). On Sunday, June 22nd, Tom and Mike will be hosting a special dinner at Echo, on MLK. I told them I would put the word out, because I think they're great guys and I would like to see what they can do when they're not slinging meat behind the counter. The dinner will be by reservation only, with seatings slotted throughout the evening, so pick a time that works well for you, then call and make a reservation at (503)460-3246. Dinner will be $60 per person, wine included. Here's the menu:
Mike and Tom's Echo Dinner
Butter-Poached Monkfish with Grilled Asparagus and Bacon
Mache and Radish Salad with Preserved Lemon and Grapes
Steamed Mussels with Morel Mushrooms
Smoked Braised Pork Belly with Boiled Masa Harina Balls and Cherry-Chipotle Jelly
Marinated Flat Iron Steak with New Potatoes and Market Greens
Voodoo Pound Cake with Strawberry Ice Cream and Candied Rosemary
That's all folks! At this time tomorrow I'll be smelling the flowers, listening to the wild boars snort and staring at the Pacific Ocean. I'll be in touch, though, I promise. I'll talk to you soon. Until then, take care. Mahalo!
This week's email
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 by Ben
I'm just going to come right out with it: I love vacation. No really, it's true. And I'll tell you something else... I'm pretty good at it, too. Whether laying in the sun at Kua Bay, or riding 4-wheelers on the Kohala coast, sea-kayaking down in South Kona, or just sucking down Poke and beer next to the opae-filled brackish ponds and black sand at Manini Beach, I've got it down. Now most of you are probably thinking I'm the Master of the Obvious, but hold on one sec. Growing up in a place that's a global tourist destination, I've seen my fair share of people on the road. And some people really aren't that good at it. Some people hate being out of their safe zone, away from their homes, away from the things they're familiar with, forced to experience new foods, new climates and new experiences, all the while dealing with sunburns, sand in their shorts and the rest of their cranky family members. But not me, boy. I love it. Now I don't know who actually reads this email, but if any of you work for, say, the travel channel or whatever, and need a new host to travel around and have fun, email me - let's talk.
But as they say, all good things must come to an end, as must this vacation. I count myself among the fortunate, however, because at least I get to return to my dream job. One thing I do really appreciate is that everywhere I travel, be it Hawaii or Europe, I am always reminded of how great the Pacific Northwest is in general, and specifically Portland. Great people and great food. Wherever I go, when someone finds out I'm a chef from Portland, I'm always greeted with Ooohs and Aaahs, because my friends, the word is out. People know we've got it going on, andI am so proud and honored to be a part of it. Sheesh, listen to me, you'd think I'm homesick or something (maybe a little...). Anyways, let's turn to the task at hand and talk about food, more specifically what we've got lined up this weekend at Simpatica Dining Hall.
As I've teased over the last few weeks, we've got a dinner coming up on Friday, June 27thfeaturing the fine wines from Oregon's very own Appoloni Vineyards. Located in Forest Grove on40 acres ofLIVE certified sustainable farmland, Appoloni produces premium Pinot Noirs and Italian-Style whites. For their dinner with us, they'll be rolling out a few new releases, including their '06 Pinot Noirand their '07 Pinot Blanc. Dinner will be$75, which will include both food and wine. Read on for the menu. But don't stop there, Saturday's menu is no slouch either. Here's what we've got lined up:
Friday,June 27th
Appoloni Vineyards Dinner
English Pea Soup with Dungeness Crab
Savoy Spinach Salad with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette, Farm Fresh Egg and Cornbread Croutons
Smoked Duck Breast on New Potato, Fennel and Duck Leg Confit with a Cherry Gastrique
Oregon Strawberries with Baked Italian Meringue and Shaved Chocolate
Price is $75 per person plus gratuity, wine included. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
Saturday,June 28th
Crawfish Tail Fritters with Sauvie Island Organics Mizuna and Braised Baby Fennel
Phipps Cranberry Bean and Your Kitchen Garden Kale Soup with Applewood-Grilled Viande Bacon and Green Garlic
Grilled Cross-cut Piedmontese Beef Short Ribs with a Picalilli Glaze and Fava and Sweet Potato Hash
Wood-Fired Banana Splits with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves
Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
I think that's it. I can't wait to see all of you when I get back, I hope all of you have been well. As much as I love leaving, I love coming back to all of you. See you soon!
- Benjamin Dyer
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