This Week's Email

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Ben

Okay, I've got a lot of menus and such to go over this week, so I'm not going to waste a bunch of time chatting.

For Friday, we've got a really nice menu lined up, featuring pork chops braised in some of our housemade sauerkraut (delicious!). Be sure to check that one out. Then on Saturday, as promised, I've put together a little Hawaiian menu. We'll start with a trio of Musubi, then I'll be serving a whole bunch of different items, all family style. Should be ono! In addition to those two menus, we've also written the menu for Valentine's Day. Take a peek, I think you'll like it. If so, be sure to make reservations soon; we are already about half full.

Also, as a new element to these emails, I am going to be including some of the wines we are featuring this week at the Dining Hall. Our excellent and talented sommelier Travis Motter works hard to put together a well balanced and approachable wine list each week, in addition to putting together a pairing for each menu we do. Here are some of the wines Travis wanted me to mention:

Sean Thackrey Pleiades XVI
Domaine Serene "Yamhill Cuvee" Pinot Noir
Dom. de la Seigneurie Saumur Champigny
RoxyAnn Pinot Gris
Terredora Dipaolo Falanghina

This part of the email will become a bit more refined and polished over the next few weeks. But it's a start...

Also, remember - Open House next week Thursday (the 12th - I'll remind you again next week). And, one more reminder about Brunch on Saturdays for the next few months - this is your only opportunity to get our Brunch without waiting up to an hour! Okay, here are the menus.

Friday, February 6th

Duck Rillettes with Red Wine-Cippolini Onion Jam on Grilled Breads

Frutta di Mare Seafood Salad served on Your Kitchen Garden Mizuna Mustard Greens and Arugula

Carlton Farms Pork Chops Braised in Housemade Sauerkraut, Served with Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes and Dijon Mustard

Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream

Price is $38 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, February 7th

Hawaiian Night

Trio of Musubi
-Seared Ahi Poke, Kalua Pig and Cabbage, Spam and Egg

-Served Family Style-
Huli Huli Chicken
Kal-Bi Korean Beef Short Ribs
Rice
Macaroni Salad with Taro Root
Gathering Together Farms Greens with Poppy Seed Dressing

Fresh Malasadas
Price is $32 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVP or call the

kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, February 14th

Valentine's Day Dinner

Olympia Oysters on the Half Shell, Grilled Totten Inlet Oysters and a Chervil and Apple Salad

Salt-Cured Foie Gras on Toasted Brioche with a Sauternes-Black Truffle Jelly

Champagne, Grapefruit and Bay Laurel Granita

Roasted Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with a Madeira-Black Truffle Sauce, Celery Root-Potato Gratin and White Wine-Braised Leeks

Cherry and Chocolate Cream Tart
Price is $60 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVP or 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.

Saturday and 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. Have a great weekend, I look forward to talking to you soon.

This Week's Email

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 by Ben

Hey friends. How did you like that snow this morning? I love how nonchalant everyone is these days. Any other year and people would have been outside doing snow angels in the 1" of accumulation, cross-country skiing to the store to buy batteries, candles and PBR. But after what we got in December, everybody has just resorted to just being crabby about it. Love it. Well I thought it was beautiful!

So what's up this week? First off, thanks to all of you who wrote with suggestions of where to get BBQ in South Missouri (apparently pronounced like"Misery" as I've noticed people call it). I ended up going to Lumpy's... great ribs, sauce and service,but I thought the brisket needed a little something. Really makes me appreciate the little jewel known as Podnuh's here in NE P-town (check it out if you haven't already - oh, and Simpatica BBQ Nights).

Where was I? Oh yeah. I have a number of announcements to get through, then on to this week's menus. First off, I've got a class coming up at In Good Taste Cooking School on Tuesday, February 3rd in the Pearl. I'll be going over one of my favorite topics, inexpensive cuts of meat. As our budgets start to retract, unfortunately our appetites don't necessarily follow suit. I'll be talking about some of the different cuts of beef, such as hanger, skirt, flat iron, flank, etc. - where they come from, some of their characteristics, and some different ways to prepare them. I'll be putting a whole meal together, in fact.

Here's the menu:

In Good Taste Cooking Class

Frisee Salad with Brioche Croutons,Bacon Lardons and Warm Stoneground Mustard-Bacon Vinaigrette

Meats Mentioned Above

Potato-Celeriac Gratin

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Anchovy, Caper, Parsley and Lemon

To register for the class, check out the websiteor call them at 503-248-2015 for more info. Hope to see you there.

Also, I have a lot more details about our open house coming up soon. Now, we haven't had an open house since January 2006, when we officially unveiled the Dining Hall in it's unfinished concrete and plaster glory. Well, there have been a number of changes made to both the space and the entire building in the last three years (believe it or not!), and we thought we would invite all of you in to see some of the changes. On Thursday, February 12th from 6-9pm we will have a 6-piece jazz band playing across the hall while we serve beer and wine and appetizers. In addition, for those of you made of sterner stuff, there will be a cash bar with some specialty cocktails available for purchase. Need more? Our good friend Gabe Rosen from Biwa (down the hall) will be serving some appetizers and I believe pouring sake. Let's see... free food, free booze, free music, great space... why won't you be there? Also (here's the plug), if you are looking for an event space for this next year, maybe you want to check out the dining hall (perfect for rehearsal dinners) or some of the other spaces in the building (company parties, receptions, etc.). Who knows?

Oh, and for those of you who have been inquiring, we will be releasing our Valentine's Day menu next week. Promise.

But let's get on to this week, already! I've talked enough (my fingers are going hoarse), so here's the menus:

Friday, January 30th

Pan-Fried Razor Clams with Warm Cabbage, Bacon and Apple Salad

Green Lentil Soup with Housemade Pancetta, Kale, Caramelized Lemon and Butter-Fried Crouton

Braised Piedmontese Beef Short Ribs with Sweet Potato-Chestnut Puree and Slow Roasted Cippollini Onions

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Housemade Orange Marmalade and Chantilly Cream

Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, January 31st
Cassoulet Night

Country Pate with House Pickled Vegetables and Dijon Mustard

Blood Orange and Belgian Endive with Oil-Cured Olive Vinaigrette

Cassoulet with Duck Confit, Toulouse Sausage, Pork Belly, Phipp's Country Store Heirloom Cannelini Beans and Breadcrumbs

Cream-Filled Almond Gateau with Apple Compote

Price is $38 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVP or call the

kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday and 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.

Hey, I'll see all of you at the party. Or maybe at my class. Or maybe at Brunch on Saturday or Sunday. Or at Dining Hall this weekend. Whatever. Have a good Superbowl Sunday, don't get too loaded. Or get too loaded, just don't drive afterwards.

Also, we're thinking Hawaiian Dinner Night soon. Maybe the Saturday following this weekend? I'll let you know next week for sure. Mahalo.

This Week's Email

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 by Ben

Whatup? I hope this email finds all of you well. I've been traveling a bit this week - the fam and I spent the weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah visiting my sister. Besides being a bit interesting for reasons I won't discuss here, I will say this about Utah - wow, that place is gorgeous. The way the mountains surround the city is just amazing. We took the kids up to the Snowbird/Alta ski areas and really had a blast - I even tried skiing for the first time in 27 years, and loved it - I have been a snowboarder since '92. The people were so friendly and nice. Really a pleasure. This morning my mother and I flew into Tulsa, Oklahoma and drove the 90 miles to Joplin, Missouri, where we'll be visiting my brother for the next few days. The jury is still out about the people and the surroundings, but I'm hoping to do some exploring. I want to explore for some BBQ... if any of you know of some kick-butt BBQ in the Joplin area, drop me a note.

I'll be back in time for this weekend, though. The reason I bring that up is twofold: Friday and Saturday. The Oregon truffles have been really fantastic and plentiful recently, so Dave and Scott have put together a rockin' menu for Friday night. And, asa backup plan (in case I don't find any good 'que here in town), Jason's going to throw down on some BBQ of his own on Saturday. Either one of these menus will be a great one to soak up, and really represent opposite ends of the spectrum, a little something for everyone.

Just one more reminder, and then I'll probably let it go: Brunch is on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday Brunch is taking off like wildfire, so I probably won't need to fan those flames much more. It's still less of a wait than Sundays, but that is going to change within the next few weeks. So get in while you can!

Friday, January 23rd
Oregon Truffle Menu

Seared Truffle Studded Sea Scallop with Warm Beluga Lentil and Frisee Salad with Shaved Pear and Truffle Crema

Black Trumpet Mushroom Ravioli with Shaved Truffle, Brown Butter and Sunny Side Quail Egg

Piedmontese Beef Tournedos with Truffled Madeira Sauce and Celery Root Puree

Pippen Apple Tart with Truffle-Scented Pastry Cream, Vanilla Gelato and Fleur de Sel

Price is $48 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, January 24th
BBQ Night

Hush Puppies with Remoulade and Housemade Pickles

Iceberg Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Vinaigrette, Fried Shallots and Crisp House Cured Bacon

Smoked Beef Brisket and Pork Spare Ribs with Ozark BBQ Sauce, Braised Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks and Cider Vinegar

Baked Apple Dumplings with Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream

Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the

kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday and Sunday
Brunch

Have a great week, friends. I'll see you back in town... hopefully I can regale you with tales of some life-changing barbecue from out in MO. If not, I'll regale you with tales of life-changing barbecue over at Simpatica Dining Hall. Love ya.

Also, next week I'll have all of the details about the open house we've got planned over at Pine Street Studios. Can you say 6-person Blue Note jazz band provided by the highly talented Northwest Jazz Project? I knew you could...

This Week's Email

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 by Ben

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I have to say I am very pleased that the holidays are behind us. Not because of anything too bad, I'm just ready to make a fresh start with a new year. I am really looking forward to this one, in many ways: the most obvious one, I'm sure is our new project we're working on over here (you know, the restaurant/butcher shop?). I'll have more details on that one for you soon.

While we're in that transition period between the closure of Viande Meats & Sausage inside City Market and the unveiling of the new location, I've been spending a lot more time over at the Simpatica space. My man Mick Vandegrift and I (you've seen Mick at Brunch before) are getting the meat program restarted over at the dining hall kitchen, grinding sausage, curing bacon and hams, and getting a few new goodies in the works. Come check out what we've got going on in a few weeks at Brunch.

Speaking of Brunch, I just want to mention again that we are doing Brunch on Saturdays AND Sundays now. Same hours, 9-2, and same location, with the same reservation policy (parties of 8 or more). We'll be doing this through the opening of our new space; after that we'll be going back to just Sundays. So all you people who work Sundays better hustle down on Saturdays while you

can. Okay?

I think that's it for announcements. Now on to dinner. It's funny, I've noticed that I often refer to our menus as "one of our favorites", whether it be Steak Night, Spanish Night, Seafood Night, Cheesy Italian Night, Cajun Night, etc. I finally realized that they're pretty much always a favorite of some kind. It's pretty sweet, I mean, that's just what we do: we cook food that we love, and it's all favorites. That's what keeps it fun for everyone (ourselves included). Well, this weekend is no different... two of our favorites for you: Steak Night and Cajun Night. Check out the menus, I think you'll see what I mean.

Friday, January 9th
Steak Night

Sauvie Island Organics Squash Soup with Shaved Truffle and Parsley Oil

Frisee au Lardons with Poached Egg and Fried Celeriac

Piedmontese Flat Iron Steak Frites with Sauteed Leeks and Brussels Sprout Leaves, Served with a Red Wine and Veal Stock Reduction and Aioli

Roasted Pear Clafouti with Sweet Rosemary Chantilly

Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, January 10th
Cajun Night

Cajun-Style BBQ Shrimp

Chicory Salad with Fried Oysters and Tasso Vinaigrette

Rabbit and Andouille Sausage Gumbo with Greens and Rice

Chocolate Beignets with Bananas Foster Ice Cream
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday and Sunday
Brunch

That'll do it. Talk to you next week.

This Week's Email

Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by Ben

So here we are... the last email of 2008. I might as well end the year with a bang.

I've got a doozy of an email here for all of you, so pay close attention. I'll start with the easy stuff.

Beginning next week,Simpatica will be proud to offer our world-famous brunch two days a week - Saturday AND Sunday. This doubles your opportunity to get some of our incredibly delicious brunchy goods. I don't know if any of you noticed, but our crepes were featured in January 2009's issue of bon appetit, with full page color photo, no less. Anyway, this new double offering will be available through the rest of the winter, or at least until our new project opens up (still slated for April). Tell your friends.

Speaking of the new project, I have some pretty momentous news. Huge. No, I'm not going to tell you where it is, or even what it's called. But I will say this... remember how I told you a month or two ago that the new project will include a butcher shop in a restaurant? Well, as of Thursday, January 1st, Viande Meats & Sausage will no longer be located inside City Market. It will be... nowhere. We will be relocating to the new digs, but it's going to take us a few months to get there. After much deep thought and soul searching, we have decided to consolidate our entire operation to the East side of the city. A few of you West siders are probably freaking out right now, wondering how you'll be able to continue getting the highest quality and most delicious meats available in the city. First, let me say this - A HUGE heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported us at Viande over the last five years. I will really miss all of you, and hope that you will be able to swing into the new location once it opens. But to answer the original question, here it is: I am proud to say that Paula and Eric will be taking over the butcher shop location inside City Market, renaming their new venture Chop. Good for them, eh? Again, I really will miss seeing so many of you folks that I've gotten to know so well. Come visit, OK?

I think that's it for news for now. In a few weeks I should be able to have more details to share about the new project. I will say this, though. Jason, David and I are super-duper excited about this thing we've got in the works, and we can't wait to show you what kinds of tricks we've got up our sleeves.

But let's stay in the here and now...we'll be seeing a bunch of you for New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow night, can't wait. And this weekend we've got two brunches, on Saturday and Sunday. AND, we are offering two dinners this weekend, one on Friday and one on Saturday. We've got two themed dinners this week. On Friday, one of our favorites, Cheesy Italian Night (think red check table cloths and wine bottlesin baskets - but without the tableclothsor baskets). And on Saturday,another one of our favorites, New England Seafood Dinner Night. Fun, huh? Here are the menus:

Friday, January 2nd
Cheesy Italian Night

Radicchio Caesar Salad with Spiced Grilled Shrimp, Focaccia Croutons and Olive Oil-Braised Fennel

Lasagna with Parsley-Parmesan Meatballs and Garlic Bread with Calabrian Chilies

Pistachio Semi-Freddo with Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Price is $30 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, December 27th
New England Seafood Dinner Night

Chop Salad with House Ham, Pickled Vegetables, Egg and Creamy Herb Vinaigrette

New England Style Clam Chowder and Lobster Rolls

Boston Cream Cake

Price is $32 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Just for giggles, Here's the New Year's Eve menu one more time:

Wednesday, December 31st
New Year's Eve Dinner

Prawn Cocktail, Oysters on the Half Shell with Tabasco Mignonette and Lobster and Housemade Pickle Salad with Lobster Coral Aioli

Hoppin' John Soup (A New Year's Tradition)

Grapefruit and Bay Laurel Granita

Dry Aged Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with Pan Seared Foie Gras,Balsamic-Tart Cherry Sauce, Potato and Root Vegetable Pommes Anna and Sauteed Chicories

Crepes Suzette with Housemade Orange Marmalade and Chantilly Cream

Price is $75 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

Thanks, everyone, for a fantastic year. I have to say I am glad to put this one behind me, and am really looking forward to 2009. It should be an interesting one, and I'm hoping it will be a positive turning point for everyone. Happy New Year, friends. Best of luck to all of you. Much love.

This week's email

Tuesday, December 23, 2008 by Ben

Howdy, friends. Wow, what a crazy week, huh? This is the most and longest lasting snow this city has seen in a long time(some say over 100 years?). Wow. It's been a ton of fun. Not in a retail business, catering business, restaurant business kind of way, but definitely in a take the kids sledding and throw snowballs at people kind of way. I almost wish it wouldn't stop. Almost.

First off, huge thank yous to all of you who have trekked out to pickup your holiday orders from us over at Viande Meats & Sausage. An especially huge thank you to those of you who have been so understanding about delayed/altered product. This weather has really wreaked havoc on the availability of certain items... but I think by tomorrow we'll have everything squared away. I hope everyone has been having a great Hanukah and will have fantastic Christmas Eve/Christmas Day meals. One more day to go...

We've got two great meals lined up for this weekend, be sure to check out those menus. First, I would like to mention New Year's Eve. I'll leave the menu posted... I think we're mostly full, but these things change like the weather, so if you are interested, please give us a call and see what's up. And, if you're looking for something to do after your fine repast with us, maybe you should check out the event at the LeftBank. For more info, got to www.leftbankproject.com and click under Celebrate! Looks like a good time.

OK, what else? I think that's it. I'm a little burnt tonight after the last few days at the shop, so if I'm forgetting anything I apologize. A note about Friday's menu: last year Dave, Jason and I took a field trip up to the oyster beds in Olympia, and made some great friends up there (as well as eating way too many super-delicious oysters). We called one of our friends up there and got some oysters sent down, which we'll be using Friday. We'll also be using some of their oysters for New Year's Eve... Don't miss these beauties! And on Saturday, we went with three super-decadent courses, instead of the usual four moderately decadent courses. This one should be a killer. After being cooped up in your house all week, what could be better than a night out at Simpatica? (Answer: nothing) Here's the menus, we would love to see you this weekend.

Friday, December 26th

Willapa Bay Oyster Stew

Wilted Spinach Salad with Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Egg and Blue Cheese

Red Wine-Braised Beef Shortribs with Broken Potatoes and Gremolata

Lemon Pound Cake with with Clabbered Cream and Plum Syrup

Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, December 27th

Seared Foie Gras with Cast Iron Shallot Tart and Wilted Curly Endive with Pear Butter Vinaigrette

Herb-Crusted Bone In Prime Rib servedFamily Stylewith Sunchoke Mac n' Cheese and Sauteed Swiss Chard with Sherry & Preserved Orange

Chocolate Souffle with Whiskey Anglaise

Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Just for giggles, Here's the New Year's Eve menu one more time:

Wednesday, December 31st
New Year's Eve Dinner

Prawn Cocktail, Oysters on the Half Shell with Tabasco Mignonette and Lobster and Housemade Pickle Salad with Lobster Coral Aioli

Hoppin' John Soup (A New Year's Tradition)

Grapefruit and Bay Laurel Granita

Dry Aged Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with Pan Seared Foie Gras,Balsamic-Tart Cherry Sauce, Potato and Root Vegetable Pommes Anna and Sauteed Chicories

Crepes Suzette with Housemade Orange Marmalade and Chantilly Cream

Price is $75 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

Thanks, everyone. Have a wonderful, safe, happy holiday. I hope Santa brings you everything your little hearts desire. And hey, if you've been bad, a little coal in this weather might not be such a bad thing, right? Take care, everyone, much love to all of you. Until next week...

This week's email

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 by Ben

What a fun week, huh? Chilly willy. It's funny how much frosty weather affects our fair burg. By affect, I mean bring to a sliding halt. You would think the end of the world were here (it's not). But it has been a lot of fun playing in the snow with the kids; they got their snowshoes on yesterday and tromped around in the 2 inches of snow we had in our yard... oh, the look on their ruddy little faces... Undaunted by such trivial things as weather, we are going full steam ahead into the coming weeks. We've got two killer dinners this weekend, then of course we have Hannukah and Christmas this next week. Let us not be daunted by Old Man Winter!

Seriously, though, if you are looking for a reason to bundle up and head out for the night, check out the menus for Friday and Saturday. They are no joke. Also, keep in mind Sunday Brunch, Christmas Eve Brunch, the weekend following Christmas, and then New Year's Eve Dinner. See if you can attend all of the Simpatica events through the rest of the year!

Real quick though,let's talk about holiday dinner real quick. We've got some special goodies for you to think about... how about 28-day dry aged prime rib, or fresh geese, ducks, rabbits or turkeys? Or maybe you want to get in on some dry aged beef tenderloin and don't want to wait until New Year's Eve (call at least a week in advance for this one)? Or perhaps one of our fine house-cured smoked hams? Maybe a crown roast of Carlton Farms' Pork? Or a bone-in leg of lamb from Cattail Creek Farms? The sooner you get your orders in the better. Give us a call over at Viande and let us know what your evil little culinary minds are scheming. The number is (503)221-3012. Our team of culinary professionals are waiting anxiously by the phone to help you out.

Here's the menus for this weekend... read 'em and weep:

Friday, December 19th

Apple, Yellow Beet and Frisee Salad with a Creamy Grain Mustard Vinaigrette and Spiced Pistachios

Razor Clam Fritters with a Pork Belly Vinaigrette

Double Cut Carlton Farms' Pork Chops with Housemade Sauerkraut and a Brussels Sprout and Bratwurst Hash, served with Picalilli and Pickles

Black Forest Cake

Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, December 20th

Radicchio Salad with House-Cured Pancetta, Your Kitchen Garden Red Beets, Almonds and Preserved Orange Vinaigrette

Washington-Grown Mussels in Fennel-Tomato Brothwith Sweet Potato Fries and Aioli

Espresso-Braised Piedmontese Beef Short Ribs with Stewed Barley, Glazed Shallots and Parsnips

Chocolate "Quake" Cookie and Peppermint Candy Ice Cream Sandwiches

Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Just for giggles, Here's the New Year's Eve menu one more time:

Wednesday, December 31st
New Year's Eve Dinner

Prawn Cocktail, Oysters on the Half Shell with Tabasco Mignonette and Lobster and Housemade Pickle Salad with Lobster Coral Aioli

Hoppin' John Soup (A New Year's Tradition)

Grapefruit and Bay Laurel Granita

Dry Aged Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with Pan Seared Foie Gras,Balsamic-Tart Cherry Sauce, Potato and Root Vegetable Pommes Anna and Sauteed Chicories

Crepes Suzette with Housemade Orange Marmalade and Chantilly Cream

Price is $75 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

That's the extent of it. Have a great weekend, everyone, and stay safe out there. Talk to you soon.

This week's email

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 by Ben

Hey, everyone! I hope this email finds all of you well. I'm going to keep it relatively brief this week, I need to go get my daughter's birthday dinner ready. My 9-year old wants Spaghetti and Meatballs, how can I argue with that? Two weeks ago my 7-year old wanted Tonkatsu for his birthday. I'm so proud.

Before I run, though, I've got a very special announcement to make. We will once again be doing our Fifth Annual New Year's Eve Dinner on... well, on the 31st, New Year's Eve. The boys and I sat down and came up with some yummies to share with all of you. We will be commencing dinner early again this year, giving you folks plenty of time to fortify with us then make it to another New Year's Eve party in time to see that creepy old guy cavorting around in a diaper. Makes it hard to keep all that champagne down, but I'm sure most of you are made of sterner stuff. Send him my regards. Following is the menu... good stuff. Also, Travis our wine guy extraordinaire will be pairing the meal with some really fantastic wines. Or, feel free to embark on your own adventures as you wade through our nicely apportioned wine list, or just stick with straight liquor or beer from our broad selection of libations. Mmmm, libations. Anyhow, here's the menu:

Wednesday, December 31st
New Year's Eve Dinner

Prawn Cocktail, Oysters on the Half Shell with Tabasco Mignonette and Lobster and Housemade Pickle Salad with Lobster Coral Aioli

Hoppin' John Soup (A New Year's Tradition)

Grapefruit and Bay Laurel Granita

Dry Aged Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with Pan Seared Foie Gras, Balsamic-Tart Cherry Sauce, Potato and Root Vegetable Pommes Anna and Sauteed Chicories

Crepes Suzette with Housemade Orange Marmalade and Chantilly Cream

Price is $75 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. Please RSVP or call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Just a few more notes before I get into the menu for this weekend, then I'm outta here. Dave went out today and picked up a little Christmas Tree for the Dining Hall. As he was setting it up, he had one of those lightbulb moments which I will now share with you. Sharing is the key word, here. We have decided to turn it into a giving tree; whenever you come to the dining hall, be it for brunch, a dinner, or just to say "hi", feel free to throw some money into the kitty, or stick some toys underneath. Right before the Christmas holiday, we'll gather up all of your generous gifts and donate them to a local charity (charity to be determined). I'll let you all know how we did. Oh, and a big, fat, huge thank you in advance from me and all of the folks over at Simpatica and Viande.

Speaking of Viande, let's talk about holiday dinner real quick. We've got some special goodies for you to think about... how about 28-day dry aged prime rib, or fresh geese, ducks, rabbits or turkeys? Or maybe you want to get in on some dry aged beef tenderloin and don't want to wait until New Year's Eve (call at least a week in advance for this one)? Or perhaps one of our fine house-cured smoked hams? Maybe crown roast of Calton Farms' Pork? Or a bone-in leg of lamb from Cattail Creek Farms? The sooner you get your orders in the better. Give us a call over at Viande and let us know what your evil little culinary minds are scheming. The number is (503)221-3012. Our team of culinary proffessionals are waiting anxiously by the phone to help you out. Tell 'em Ben sent you.

Also, let's not forget Christmas Eve Brunch, from 9am to 2pm. Now accepting reservations for parties of 4 or more. Make a reservation by calling (503)235-1600 or email us at rsvp@simpaticacatering.com. Tell 'em Ben sent you.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves... we still have this weekend to get through. On Friday our man Scott Ketterman has developed a fine little menu for you. Saturday, unfortunately, has been rented out for a private dinner (unfortunate for you - no dinner for you!). Here's the menu:

Friday, December 12th

Seared Sea Scallops with Cauliflower, Golden Raisins and Lemon

Handmade Spelt Tagliatelle and Chanterelles

Glazed Pork Shoulder with Phipps Heirloom Cannelini Beans and Braised Fennel

Brioche Bread Pudding with Dried Cherry Sauce

Price is $35 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. Please RSVP or call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

Hmm... well, that wasn't short at all. Thanks for listening, though. Have a great weekend everyone. I gotta rush now, bye.

This week's email

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 by Ben

I hope everyone out there had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We are in the final stretch now: it's December, we've got Christmas and Hanukah on the way, followed by New Year's Eve. Santa is probably packing his sacks of toys already, the Elves are probably feeling the pressure and already starting to grumble, and Mrs. Claus has probably started the task of letting that red suit out just a little bit more around the waist (another night of Milk & Cookie overload on the way...). It's definitely the most wonderful time of the year.

Speaking of which, we will once again be doing our annual Christmas Eve Brunch. On Wednesday, December 24th, we will be open for brunch from 9am to 2pm. One of the things that makes this day different from our usual Sunday Brunch is that for this holiday we accept reservations for parties of only FOUR or more, instead of the usual eight. So gather up the family, make some reservations for that morning (or feel free to just drop on by), fortify with some of our brunchy goodness, then go brave the lines for those last minute Christmas gifts (you'll probably see me out there!). What could be better? To make reservations, call the Dining Hall at (503)235-1600 or email us.

Something you might want to start pondering nowish: what to have for Christmas dinner? Start mulling some ideas over, poring over your favorite cookbooks, etc. I'll have a lot more to say on the topic next week, but here's a little teaser - 21-Day Dry Aged Prime Rib. In the words of the immortal Stan Lee - 'Nuff Said.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. We still have this weekend's dinners to get through. And next week's, and the week after. On Friday night, Scott Ketterman will be preparing a little something he like to refer to as New York Italian. The only thing missing is the red check tablecloths and Uncle Guido. And on Saturday, something equally delicious but a bit more... refined. We'll be dishing up one of our most popular items, French Onion Soup, followed by some grilled Piedmontese Beef Tenderloins. How can so much delicious be contained in one tiny paragraph? That's the skills in action. Here's the menus:

Friday, December 5th
New York-Style Italian Dinner

Fried Calamari with Lemon, Capers& Aioli

Romaine Lettuce with Sicilian-Style Olives, Pickled Peppers and Focaccia Croutons

Saltimbocca of Chicken with Polenta and Rapini

Mascarpone-Espresso Tiramisu

Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, December 7th

French Onion Soup with a Gruyere Crouton

Frisee Salad with Fried Oysters, House-Cured Guanciale Lardons and Sherry Vinaigrette

Grilled Fillet of Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato and Leek Latkes, Smoked Chanterelles and Sauce Foyot

Ginger Bread Men with Carrot Ice Cream

Price is $45 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

I apologize for the decidedly Christian bent of this email, what with my constant references to Christmas, Santa and Christmas Eve. I just want to say that I love everyone, of all races or creed (with a few obvious exceptions - no haters). Should you happen to need something special from me for whichever holiday you may celebrate, please feel free to call us at Viande at (503)221-3012. I hope everyone has a great weekend, take care of yourselves. Until next week...

This week's email

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 by Ben

This Thanksgiving holiday is nearly over. I couldn't be happier. While it may not be nearly as busy for me as Christmas, it is twice as difficult. On this holiday, nearly everyone wants the same thing: Turkey. As a retailer, you need to order your birds months in advance, specifying type, size and quantity. Then you (ideally) presell them all to your clientele, hoping and praying that when your birds finally show up, they will be the correct type, size and quantity. You are, proverbially and literally, placing all of your eggs in one basket. And if something goes wrong along the way, there is almost nothing to be done about it. You have just managed to ruin someone's meal with their family and friends. That's a lot of pressure. This one has gone rather smoothly so far(one more day for it all to fall apart, though! Excuse me while I knock on wood). Anyhow, I look forward to joining my friends and family and doing some relaxing and eating on Thursday. Oh yes, and of course giving thanks for the bounty of blessings I have been fortunate enough to receive. I hope all of you have a great holiday, and remember to take a moment to be thankful for what is good in your life. I'll be thinking of all of you, for one.

Before I get into the menus, I would like to send a heartfelt congratulations to my friends Nick Woods and Tommy Habetz, who have finally realized one of their dreams, manifesting itself in the form of Bunk Sandwiches. Located on East Morrison Ave. just east of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., they are now open for breakfast and lunch service. Swing by, check it out, get some breakfast sandwiches, ruminate, enjoy, and return for some lunch! Seriously, though, you should go say hi and show them some love. I promise they'll show some back.

We wanted to keep Friday's menu fairly simple as a follow-up to Thursday's gustatory olympics, so we went with a Burgers and Fries night, one of our most popular menus. Check out the menu and decide if you can really resist the floats for dessert! By the way, Turkey leftovers are much better on Sunday evening, which leaves you ample opportunity to come to dinner on Saturday, then brunch on Sunday. Saturday's menu is no slouch, either. If you make reservations, please remember that we are closed on Thursday, so don't get freaked out if you don't get a confirmation call 'till Friday. Thanks. Here's the menus for the weekend:

Friday, November 28th

Romanesco, Almond and House-Dried Raisin Salad with Crispy Pork Belly

Simpatica Bacon Cheeseburgers with Fries, Aioli and House-Pickled Vegetables

Root Beer Floats with Sweet Spiced Ice Cream

Price is $25 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30 PM. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Saturday, November 29th

Sunchoke Soup with Parsley Oil

Gathering Together Farms Greens with Celery Root, Apple and Manchego Cheese

Brown Butter Skate Wing with Lemon, Capers and Breadcrumbs on Wilted Spinach

Warm Pear Crisp with Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.

Sunday

Brunch

That's all of it. Seriously, everyone, have a great Holiday... take some time to relax and enjoy yourselves. I'll talk to you next week. Much love.

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