a sunny day in Kitsap, where we ate, drank, and talked books

A little over a year ago, I remember seeing Shauna Ahern and Molly Wizenberg—along with a group of other talented local authors—on the stage at the Palace Ballroom. I’d been a longtime fan of both their blogs: Gluten-Free Girl and Orangette. It is a funny thing to think you almost know a person through their words, their stories, their recipes. After getting to know both women better in the past year, I am happy to say they are every bit as warm, welcoming, and wise in person as their written words will lead you to believe.

Rodstol Farm’s glass bottle tree, shot by my husband

Last weekend, the three of us participated in a panel discussion for our books in beautiful Southworth, a small town a little over an hour away from Seattle. The event? A “Food for Thought” fundraiser to benefit the Kitsap Regional Library. Monica and Mark Downen of Monica’s Waterfront Bakery in Silverdale, along with chef Chris Plemmons of Olympic College prepared the feast.

the barn

succulent, well-seasoned rotisserie chicken

The event was hosted on Rodstol Lane Farm, a gorgeous little 94 year old hazelnut and blueberry farm. One of the proprietors, Cynthia, was simply one of the sweetest ladies I’ve ever met. (Monica and Chris were likewise just wonderful to be around–it is rare to witness that sort of hospitality nowadays!)

roasted potato salad with cranberries and scallion

white bean and tomato salad

“Gazpacho” salad

The food was simple and delicious–exactly the kind of unfussiness we all desire on a hot, summer day. A trio of salads to start, and then the main event: Italian sausage, the juiciest roast pork (with vinegar and beer mustard for saucing), and crisp, golden-skinned chicken. To finish, plush apricots and cantaloupe, chocolate macaroons, homemade chocolate chip and butterscotch chip cookies.

tender, juicy roast pork with bits of crisp skin

precious chocolate-dipped macaroons (gluten-free!) and sweet, local apricots

chocolate chip and butterscotch cookies, two types of cantaloupe

our books!

There were various stands set up at the event, including local wine vendors and a man who made ice-cream out of skyr, an Icelandic yogurt. It was a most pleasant picnic.

signing books after our panel discussion

After lunch, we made our way to the main stage. Chris moderated a discussion about food blogging, writing, and its various challenges. We spoke about new-to-us ingredients, things we like to eat, and our daily-to-day lives. (How funny it was to realize that all three of us met our husbands through blogging!)

a sweet photo my husband took

key lime, raspberry, and vanilla ice-cream made by a local

It was such a honor to sit up there with two female writers I’ve admired for so long.

(And of course, we ended the day with ice-cream.)

Thank-you, Monica, Chris, Cynthia, and Peter for your incredible hospitality.

Donna offers up the third tray of foie gras and apricot jam crostini

Back when Marjorie restaurant was housed in an eclectic blue-walled space in Belltown, my then-boyfriend (now husband) and I would drop in on late evenings to share a plate of the best roast chicken in the city, a plate of Max’s cheesy noodles, and a cocktail. The Belltown crowd was young and loud, and fed off the restaurant’s energy. When the old Marjorie closed, we were there to celebrate its legacy until the last of the liquor was drained from the bottles, and every bar surface had been sufficiently danced upon.

prosciutto, boquerones, plantain chips, and champagne grapes

That was a year and a half ago. In the past 18 months, we’ve ran into the owner, Donna, moonlighting at other restaurants around town. She was biding her time, looking for the perfect spot to re-open. That came just over two months ago, when the new Marjorie threw open its doors in a quieter, more residential area of Capitol Hill.

I was glad to see the walls still painted their signature shade of blue.

duck and pork pate

The new Marjorie has grown up and left its rowdier Belltown sister in its wake. The food is infinitely more sophisticated, with cleaner, brighter flavors. (Rumor has it Donna’s current staff was largely culled from Harvest Vine, and one can definitely see influences in the style of cooking at the new Marjorie.)

mussels with pea purée

It is difficult to pick a favorite dish of the night, but my husband and I agreed the blue snapper spoons and the foie gras with apricot jam crostini were definite highlights. We also adored the cuttlefish dish, and the grilled head-on shrimp. Misses included the grass fed beef skewers (some salt would’ve improved them immensely), and the softened bits of toffee on the bread pudding. Still, all in all, a wonderful meal with free-flowing champagne and new friends. I can’t think of a better way to spend five hours on a Sunday night. I am already plotting my next meal there.

salad with pickled ginger, green beans, and walnuts

blue snapper spoons

cuttlefish with potatoes, pesto, and tomatoes

duck breast

grilled head-on prawns

grilled skewers of grass fed beef

toffee bread pudding

chocolate and peanut mousse

I know I’m among the large number of Marjorie fans who eagerly awaited its opening. It’s evident that Donna took her time to get everything in place before she felt ready to re-open, and that care is something you’ll notice as soon as you step through the door. Ben will offer you a cocktail, and you’ll sip it at a table by the blue wall. The new Marjorie is different, but it still feels like home.

I hope the new kitchen crew brings back Matt Fortner’s legendary roast chicken, and Max’s noodles. But if they don’t, well…the foie gras crostini is not a bad substitute at all.

Lavender Anise-Hyssop Olive Oil Cake

A few days ago, my friend Lara gifted me with a bouquet of herbs and edible flowers from her garden. I decided to use some of them in a cake for a friend who does not eat wheat or dairy, and came up with this lavender anise-hyssop olive oil cake.

I’ve been baking up a few more gluten-free goodies in recent weeks, and I think I have the formula down. My husband, who is not terribly fond of gluten-free baked goods (or lavender, for that matter), inhaled these little cakes, and proclaimed their soft texture pretty darn perfect.

the secret ingredient? ice wine.

With the gluten-free flour problem solved, the issue of making a cake non-dairy seemed a little more pressing. In the past, I’ve used soy milk with a little bit of vinegar to produce a non-dairy “buttermilk” in recipes for friends allergic to dairy, but I confess I find the taste of soy milk (however subtle) in baked goods a little off-putting. My initial thought this morning was to simply use water, but then I spied an unopened bottle of ice wine on the kitchen counter. Could ice wine work?

An hour later, I knew: The soft, honeyed taste of the ice wine complimented the more assertive, fruity taste of olive oil in this cake beautifully. The lavender and anise hyssop buds kept the cake light and spring-like–perfect for the incredible spell of sunshine we’ve been getting in Seattle.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Lavender Anise-Hyssop Olive Oil Cake

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup potato flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 cup olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 tbsp fresh or dried lavender buds

1/2 tbsp fresh anise hyssop buds

5 large eggs

1 cup ice wine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand-mixer, combine the sugar, olive oil, lavender buds, and anise hyssop buds. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until combined. Add the eggs one by one, beating just until incorporated before adding the next. When all the eggs are incorporated, continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture increases in volume slightly.

Add the ice wine to the mixture, and the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated, and there are no white streaks in the batter. (Batter will be looser than that of a traditional cake make with all-purpose flour, and you don’t have to worry about over-mixing, since there is no gluten in the recipe to develop.)

Spoon the batter into the loaf pan until the mixture reaches almost to the top of the loaf pan. (I fill it about 7/8ths full.) If you have any leftover batter, spoon it into a muffin or other individual cake pan to bake.

Bake the loaf cake for approximately 65-70 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. (My little cakes pictured above were done in only 16-18 minutes.)

welcome to Whidbey Island

This past weekend, my husband and I had the good fortune to join our friends’ at their parents’ house on Whidbey Island. Each morning, we had fruit and coffee outside by the water, and then took out the boats to set the crab traps. By mid-afternoon, we’d take our haul–30 in all–back to the house, and prepare a feast.

Teddy and John’s house, right by the water

imagine having a beach as a part of your backyard!

After brunch at a local diner, we’d settle in with magazines, Manhattans, and while away the sunny afternoon. I took a large bucket down to the beach and harvested pounds of mussels one afternoon, and then we enjoyed them for dinner along with the crab. All in all, utter relaxation.

Teddy’s crab salad with homemade cocktail sauce

Aaron’s dilled crab salad with celery and red onion

mussels I harvested off the beach, steamed in a light curry broth

panko-crusted crab cakes

Santa Maria BBQ ribs (there’s tri-tip underneath that pile of meat, too!)

butter and herb roasted heirloom carrots

steamed crabs in Old Bay seasoning

The cooking often started quite late into the evening, after we cleaned the crabs, steamed them, and picked the meat for crab salads and crab cakes. Nothing we cooked that weekend was particularly fussy or complicated, but it was all tasty, clean, and fresh. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

angel food cake, local strawberries with whipped cream

S’more fixin’s for the campfire

A weekend getaway wouldn’t be complete with s’mores. We did these with a thick smear of peanut butter for a bit of extra decadance.

Thanks so much to Teddy, John, Charlotte and Aaron for a memorable weekend.

darling little beets at the Bayview Farmer’s Market

This past weekend, my husband and I had the good fortune to join our friends Aaron and Charlotte on Whidbey Island. Charlotte’s parents, John and Teddy, own a remarkable beachfront property and were kind enough to open up their home to us for a relaxing three-day adventure. Each morning, after fruit and coffee by the water, we took the boat out to catch crabs. I harvested mussels off the beach. In the afternoon, we drank some good wine, and cooked up a big feast for dinner. Evenings were spent outside, counting the stars by the campfire. We made sticky peanut butter S’mores. Photos of all that to come.

lush apricots for sale

But one morning, after breakfasting at a local diner, we stopped by the Bayview Farmer’s market for fruit, vegetables, some meat (in the form of Santa Maria BBQ) and a cake to round out our evening meal. The Bayview Farmer’s Market has live music, and there were couples dancing on the gravel by the main stage. The atmosphere was relaxed–people stopped to examine the produce, shuffled past with smiles and: “Please, excuse me…”, dog owners stopped to pet other dogs.

Santa Maria BBQ

Though we’d eaten just moments before, my husband and I were drawn to the stand selling Santa Maria BBQ. Some quick research led to links that explained this style of BBQ originated from central California. Oftentimes, people think of the signature well-seasoned piece of tri-tip smoked over red oak wood. It’s usually sliced thin, piled on a roll, and served with beans and sometimes salsa. We purchased some ribs and some tri-tip, and pulled pieces of meat from the steaming paper sack, enjoying a bite as we walked around the market.

an assortment of big, homey bar cookies

hand-knit tea cozies for sale

bouquets of rainbow chard

Bayview is a crafts and food market, similar to the Ballard Farmer’s market we have here in Seattle. Stands filled with fruit pies and tarts stood alongside stands that offered all-natural hand soaps and lotions, tea cozies, and candles. Teddy purchased some colorful gift cards hand drawn and printed up by a 10 year old local boy.

pluots (cross between plums and apricots) from Tiny’s Organic

pies

a sweet pair dancing to the live music

To go with the baskets of local strawberries we purchased, we bought an angel food cake so we could have it with cream after dinner. Photos of that to come, tomorrow.

our happy puppy Kimchee

Though I now live in Seattle with my husband Henry, we take off for trips across the border fairly often to visit my family. There, we mostly indulge in Chinese food since that’s the thing I miss most about my hometown. A few weeks ago, I decided to surprise my husband with a day in Vancouver—a “Henry Day”, I called it—filled with activities and restaurants that I chose with his preferences in mind.

classic Chinese breakfast: Chinese donut in sesame pastry (sao bing you tiao)

Those who have The Newlywed Kitchen will know the story of how I met my husband back on an internet food discussion forum back in 2006. A mutual interest in seeking out good food was the “glue” that brought us together; four years of laughing in the kitchen is what keeps us together still. Planning “Henry Day” in Vancouver took a bit of (enjoyable) research. I wanted him to know, at any given moment, that I had chosen a particular spot with him in mind.

Henry’s egg and green onion sesame pastry

With breakfast finished, we headed to Granville Island Public Market, an indoor shopping destination similar to Seattle’s iconic Pike Place market. Granville Island is where Henry and I spent one of our first dates, picnicking right by the wharf with a selection of cured meats, pates, and prosciutto from Oyama Sausage Co. I wanted to recreate that memory.

an ill-composed, hastily taken snapshot of our spread from Oyama

So despite our full bellies, I purchased a few items at Oyama: some salumi (wild boar, house saucisson sec, and truffle flavor), duck prosciutto, and a truffled foie gras pate. We grabbed a baguette, and found a sunny spot by the water.

(We snapped these photos of Granville Island Public Market, too.)

rambutans

jam tarts

more tarts!

the view

After walking along False Creek, I took Henry to another spot he’d been dying to try: Go Fish. This popular fish n chips “shack” by the water serves only wild fish. It opened a few years ago by famed restauranteur Gordon Martin (Bin 941, Bin 942), and continues to be a hot spot with locals and tourists alike. After waiting in line for a good 25 minutes, it was another 25 minutes before we got our order: one piece cod, one piece salmon. I don’t normally enjoy fried salmon, but this piece of fish was still moist. (We both preferred the cod, though!) I’ve never been a fan of the pale, starchy fries at Go Fish, but we were too full to finish them anyway.

the hungry crowd at Go Fish about 3pm

our basket of fried goodness

By late afternoon, we dropped off Kimchee at my parents’ house. She’d had a big and exciting day, and needed a puppy-nap. (We needed a short nap too, to digest!) In the evening, we headed to The Keefer Bar, a new Chinese apothecary-themed cocktail lounge in Vancouver’s Chinatown. I got the Vieux Carre (Whiskey, Brandy, Italian vermouth, Benedictine, bitters), and H got a gin-based cocktail whose name I’ve forgotten.

the scene

the Chinese apothecary-themed menu

Vieux Carre cocktail

takoyaki from the night market for the road!

As luck would have it, Keefer Bar was located directly next to the Chinatown night market. We watched the lion dancers and got an order of takoyaki for the road.

By 9:30pm, we were seated at Kingyo, aguably the best izakaya in Vancouver. H’s love for Japanese bar food is well-known, so this downtown spot was a natural choice.

the fresh sheet

rounds of cocktails

Kingyo’s “Undefeatable” Japanese-style dan dan noodles

scallop carpaccio with radishes, sprouts, and mayo

raw sliced beef tongue (and hot stone for you to cook your meat)

seared beef tongue

the freshest chopped raw mackerel with shiso, kaiware radish, ginger and onion (and the fried fish skeleton, too)

sashimi

gingered grilled pork cheeks and onions

Kingyo exceeded H’s already-lofty expectations: it’s an understatement when we say we liked our meal. Every dish was spot-on: the fish was supremely fresh, and the balance of flavors was interesting and refreshing to our palates–even after a day of heavy eating.

By 11pm-ish, we stumbled out of Kingyo, and were driving around the Kits area when we discovered two-month old Kits Daily, a restaurant run by one of my favorite Vancouver chefs, Brian Fowke (formerly of Rare and Monbella). Service had ended for the evening, and Brian was enjoying some wine with his FOH. The garage door was lifted to let in some breeze on the warm night, and the table was set up right by the sidewalk. H and I meant only to say hi, and to promise to come in soon, but soon the wine and cocktails started flowing, and a discussion of the Seattle and Vancouver food scenes began.

We haven’t eaten at Kits Daily yet, but here’s a look at their chalkboard menu which changes every day. If Brian’s standards and skills are as sharp as they were three years ago, when H and I were regular Rare customers (and they no doubt are), I’m quite certain you’d be guaranteed one of the best dinners to be had in Vancouver here.

So there you have it–a full day in Vancouver, carefully-researched according to my husband’s preferences. I’m sure you’d enjoy any of these spots, too!

Chef John Gorham’s newest endeavor: Tasty n Sons

Back in early 2008, when I first was writing a Portland restaurant piece for Seattle Magazine, I visited Toro Bravo during my six-restaurants-in-two-days schedule. Here’s a snippet of the what I wrote about chef John Gorham’s food:

“…We anticipated a wait, so arrived at 4:50 p.m. on a Tuesday—only to be greeted by a line of eager eaters ahead of us. When we finally made it in, we sidled up to the bar  and ordered a subtly spicy Casa-Rita cocktail with Guajillo chili-infused tequila, orange liqueur and fresh citrus juice ($8). A dish of salty chickpeas hot from the fryer appeared as we perused the menu—an ever-changing list tapas inspired by Gorham’s recent 10-day whirlwind eating tour in Spain. The boar rillettes ($5), arriving warm and slightly crisped from the oven, and pillowy sweet butternut squash dumplings with a hearty lamb stew ($9) and braised lamb done in a sweet fig sauce with chewy griddled couscous ($12) followed. Our second round of orders included the “drunken pork” and beans (pork served medium-rare and absolutely juicy) ($7) and the venison terrine with pistachios and cherries ($7). Our favorite dish of the night, the oxtail croquettes ($14), burst forth with a melty, creamy interior flecked with braised oxtail, and each of these lovely fried parcels were sauced with more braised meat and topped with spicy mayonnaise. Gorham doesn’t claim to serve authentic Spanish tapas, but every dish I had that night sang of his love and dedication to executing solid, flavorful food. Toro Bravo is what I hope Belltown’s new Txori will someday become—a great tapas joint serving creative, delicious food in a buzzing room that feels more intimate and welcoming, less hipper-than-thou…”

Since that meal in 2008, I’ve made it back to Toro Bravo on several occasions. While the oxtail croquettes never again reached that height of tasty-ness (more potato, lighter on the braised meat on subsequent visits), I’ve always left feeling very satisfied with my dinners there. When I read that chef Gorham had left Toro Bravo to open a new restaurant called “Tasty n Sons”, I put it on my list for our most recent trip.

cheesesteak and fries

meat porn!

What’s unusual about Tasty n Sons is that it’s billed as a “brunch” restaurant–open everyday from 9am til 3pm. A glance at the menu sees most dishes a step beyond the typical pancakes and frittatas offerings, with items like their Burmese pork stew and Shakshuka rounding up numerous acclaims on Portland food boards and publications.

probably the most written-about dish here: the Shakshuka

As much as I wanted to try both the Burmese pork stew and the Shakshuka, my husband opted for the cheesesteak sandwich. Given the amount of food we’d consumed the evening before at Pok Pok (and Whiskey Soda Lounge), I didn’t quite have the stomach space to consume two mains on my own. While my husband’s cheesesteak was fine, the sweet/tangy/deeply roasted vegetable flavor from the Shakshuka was a revelation. (You can also add on chunks of merguez–of course, that’s what I opted to do!)

A friend was kind enough to send along chef Gorham’s recipe for Shakshuka. (As good as the recipe looks, I am quite sure the restaurant uses more olive oil than 1 tbsp per serving, so I will be adjusting according at home.)

Tasty n Sons is located at 3808 N. Williams in Portland, OR; 503.621.1400

a quiet lunch at Portland’s newest temple of pork

various lunch items displayed in sushi-type cases

table for one, please?

When my husband and I went down to Portland for his birthday a few months ago, one of the restaurants on our list was Olympic Provisions. Unfortunately, due to over-zealous planning (and limited stomach space), the restaurant got dropped off. A few weeks later, I mentioned it to a friend who was going down, and he and his partner checked it out. They loved their meal, and brought back some incredible charcuterie for us. Olympic Provisions makes a slightly fresher (i.e. less dried-out) style of charcuterie that has an addictive, slightly musky flavor. At the Portland Farmer’s market, we sampled every salume they made, and bought one of each.

flaky pork-filled hand pies

My husband returned to Seattle a day before I did, because he had to get back to work. On this last trip, I made it to Olympic Provisions on my own, after taping a morning spot for The Newlywed Kitchen on KATU. (Clip at the end of this post.)

grilled spring onions with romesco sauce

I didn’t feel as out of place as a solo diner at Olympic Provisions as I did the evening before at Gruner, though I suspect that’s because I sat at the bar at OP. I struck up a conversation with the cook who was preparing my spring onions with romesco sauce, and he sent over a plate of the sweetest, freshest peas at the end of my meal.

the beef tongue Reuben

Olympic Provisions is, of course, known for their charcuterie plate. Since I already had six sticks of salumi squirreled away in my luggage, I opted instead for a sandwich. On the menu, the beef tongue Reuben jumped out at me: I love tongue, I love Reubens, so what could be better than to have both? The sandwich was hearty and satisfying. The vegetable dishes were even better.

bonus plate of Hood River peas with ricotta, walnuts, radishes, and mint

It’s always been a dark and slightly shameful secret that I generally prefer frozen peas to the freshly-shelled variety. Freezing peas–as I learned once on Iron Chef–stops the sugar from converting to starch, resulting in sweeter, more tender peas. Most of the fresh peas I’ve purchased in recent years from local farmers have been tough and starchy, and I’ve been puzzled by the many local foodies who purchase the same fresh peas, and wax poetic over them. (Perhaps I’m cynical, but I wonder if it’s because they feel they “should” like them, being fresh and local?) The Hood River peas served at Olympic Provisions were an entirely different experience altogether: They had the sweetness and tenderness of frozen peas, yet the bright “green” flavor of the fresh variety. Carefully mixed with a bit of ricotta, mint, radishes, and mint, this was one of those dishes I knew I’d remember for a long time.

Here’s the clip of me on KATU that I filmed right before lunch at Olympic Provisions. (I made a joke during this segment that seems lost in context. The segment before mine was about how Portland men ranked #50 on a survey of “Manliest Men in America”. The male host was making cracks about how he learned of the news when he was putting on his eyeliner that morning. Hence my crack about my meat-grilling, meat-eating husband not being from Portland. )

I won’t be posting my photos from my dinner at Gruner, only because the lighting was dim and I don’t want to do the restaurant a disservice by posting less than appetizing photos of their food. I enjoyed my meal there. The calves liver with caramelized onions and apple/potato mash was particularly delicious.

strawberry basil macarons at the Portland Farmer’s Market

My husband and I love supporting farmers’ markets as much as we can. The produce, meats, and eggs are always so much fresher and tastier, and we feel good knowing that more of our money is going directly into the pockets of the hardworking men and women who take pride in their products. We were lucky enough to catch the Monday Market at Pioneer Courthouse Square on our last trip to Portland. It’s a relatively small farmers’ market, though the quality of the goods are exceptional.

Neopalitans from Two Tartes

gorgeous, plump and sweet Chelan cherries for $4/lb.

That morning, we sampled delicious Hood strawberries, sweet Chelan cherries, excellent Montreal-style wood-fired bagels, and purchased some wonderful charcuterie from Olympic Provisions. (I’ve been a fan of their meats ever since two dear friends brought us some last month, and made it to the restaurant for lunch–photos of that to come.)

Olympic Provisions brings the meat!

delicious array of cured meats from Olympic Provisions

Petunia’s beautiful gluten-free sweets

wood-fired bagels from Tastebuds

Tastebud’s porchetta, waiting to be sliced and put in a bagel

Though I didn’t have room to try one of Petunia’s gluten-free baked goods, it was nice to see such pretty sweets for those with celiac. And the porchetta at Tastebud’s, waiting to be sliced on put on one of their bagels, looked tantalizing. (We had plans for lunch, which is the only reason why we didn’t grab a porchetta sandwich!)

This Monday Market at Pioneer Courthouse Square was so much fun, and I really enjoyed photographing the offerings from different stands. Such a great little market–Portlanders, you are blessed!

Hood strawberries and pea sorbet

I do not know what to say except this: The desserts at Portland’s Fenouil are works of art, and the pastry chef, Kristen Murray, is a superstar. Seriously, these are not sweets you come across everyday.

cornmeal crepe with local ricotta, dehydrated and fresh Muscats, heather honey, bitter almond

strawberry and Meyer lemon tart with fromage blanc mousse and lemon balm anglaise

Our friends Jay and Akiko invited us to dessert after brunch at Simpatica, and we are so glad we took them up on the offer. Not every dessert was stellar, but the ones that were–namely, the petite scoops of Hood strawberry and pea sorbet, the cornmeal crepe stuffed with ricotta, the black pepper cheesecake, and the rhubarb parfait with pink peppercorn meringue–were some of the best I’ve tasted.

mango tarte tatin with duck fat puff pastry and salted caramel ice-cream

rhubarb vacherin with pink peppercorn meringue, almond bisquit, celery leaf sorbet

black pepper cheesecake with pickled celery, fennel, grapefruit sorbet, and tarragon frappé

Murray’s desserts were so texturally interesting, so ingredient-driven, and so unique (love her use of herbs, celery, and fennel in the cheesecake!) that even the people in our party who don’t normally care for sweets enjoyed themselves immensely. The favorite dessert of the table was the black pepper cheesecake. We all agreed that the rhubarb vacherin or the cornmeal crepe were contenders for second and third place favorites.

close-up of black pepper cheesecake

an alternate view

chocolate “bar” with caramel stick, local cherries, hop-infused macaron, nibs

chocolate soufflé with mint ice-cream

If chocolate is more your speed, I would recommend the chocolate “bar” with caramel stick over the slightly dry soufflé. Though the chocolate bar was rich and delicious, it didn’t blow us away like her sweet/savory fruit-and-vegetable desserts. Still, we gasped when it arrived at the table. It is clearly architecturally stunning.

I haven’t eaten lunch or dinner at Fenouil, but if you have room for dessert, I’d highly recommend stopping in for chef Kristen’s creations. Her desserts were one of the highlights of our Portland trip, and the black pepper cheesecake was one of the tastiest things I’ve eaten in recent memory.