30 April 2010

PORTLAND FOOD SCENE

EATING IN PORTLAND

The restaurant scene in Portland is impressive. I can’t recall being in a city where seemingly all the chefs embrace local produce and where everyone seems to know each other and treat other people’s food with respect. Many years ago the food lovers and culinary professionals formed the Portland Culinary Alliance, and this has given the local industry a terrific base and great strength. Portland also sits in a state, Oregon where everything grows well and the emphasis on fresh produce, straight from the farm, is evident on every menu. There are stunning city farmer’s markets several times a week and on Saturdays the Portland State University campus buzzes with a market that covers several blocks. And the savvy local chefs (most of them) all shop at these markets.

I think it also helps that Portland sits among one of the best wine growing regions in the US. Sure there’s the glitz and glamour of Napa and Sonoma in California, but Oregonian wineries are quietly humble and go about their business of making stunning Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris wines that are the equal of any in the world. Where wine grows there’s always good food. And Portland also provides something else; food carts. Food carts where exciting ethnic food is freshly prepare every day all over the city. 400 of them! The Bosnian stuffed pitas from Ziba pictured above were to die for. Cheese, spinach or spicy meat, rolled and fried.

Look for a list of the best restaurants I visited in Portland in my Restaurant section of this website.