OCTOBER 2009 ARCHIVES
This week's email
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by
October already! Sheesh! Man, I can't believe I only have 3 weeks left to completely blow off my Halloween costume until the last second! I need to be sure to not think about that one until it's too late. Thankfully I still have my go-to stilts in my closet collecting dust from last Halloween's frantic last minute scramble. Throw a cowboy hat into the mix and you are ready to... take the kids trick or treating, I suppose.
Anyway, I have good news and I have bad news. I'll do the bad news first - there is no dinner in the Dining Hall this Saturday. I know, I'm sorry. However, how 'bout I make it up to you by making Friday extra special? How about a guest chef, one of your favorites? Besides working for us at Laurelhurst Market, and working for a long time with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, did you know he was also the personal chef for Joe Montana, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever? I know, right, how cool is that? The man I must be talking about is the one, the only, the inimitable, Troy MacLarty! But don't come just for Troy's dashing good looks and razor sharp wit, his food is damn good too. Here's the menu - read it, learn it, live it.
Friday, October 9th
Guest Chef Troy MacLarty
Beet, Citrus and Fennel Salad
Baby Octopus with Fingerling Potatoes, Green Olives and Romesco
Braised Chicken Leg and Chorizo Stew withViridian Farms Peppers and Pimenton
Almond-Cornmeal Cake with Red Wine Poached Pears
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.Saturday, October 10th
Sold Out
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's all, folks. Talk to you next week.
This week's email
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by Ben
Hey there! First, some housekeeping business. I am having an issue with my exclusion list, so if you have previously requested to not receive these emails but suddenly started receiving them again as of today, please drop me a note and I'll be sure to re-remove you (
remove@simpaticacatering.com). And for the rest of you - don't get any ideas! What would life be like without my little emails every week, besides devoid of delicious menus andmy witty repartee?
If you're having a hard time answering that last question, I'm about to bring it with two reasons to stay on the email list - Friday's menu and Saturday's menu. Both dinners this week are doozies, I'm getting all excited just reading them myself. Seriously, the two of them are very different from each other, but with the cold wind that's been a'blowin' and the rain that's a'fallin', these menus are speaking to me. Hopefully they do the same for you...
I'm going to leave it at that. Enjoy the menus, we'll see you this weekend. I've gotta go wash this eau de fried chicken parfum from my hair - while the Tuesday Fried Chicken at the Laurelhurst Market butcher shop is delicious, it doesn't come without a price...
Friday, October 16th
Tuscan Kale and Cannelini Bean Soup with Fennel and Parmesan Reggiano
Baby Romaine Salad with Shaved Parma Prosciutto, House Pickled Gypsy Peppers and Toasted Garlic Croutons
Baked Lasagna with Italian Sausage, Roasted Peppers, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella
Tiramisu
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
Saturday, October 17th
Wood-Smoked Quail with Quince, Apple and Chestnut Stuffing over Frisee
Warm Sunchoke Salad Tossed with Cress, Cracked Green Olive, Calabrian Chile and Parsley
Braised Pork Shoulder with Six-Hour Creamy Polenta, Young Carrots and Gremolata
Rustic Bartlett Pear Tart with Mascarpone Gelato
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.
Thanks everyone - enjoy your week. I know, it's supposed to rain and be cold, but honestly, isn't it time? Take care.
This week's email
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by Ben
Howdy folks! I've got a lot of things to talk about this week (again), and not a whole lot of time to talk about them - 'Blazers season opening night tonight (go Blazers!), and I've gotta hurry down to the game.
So here we go. First off, some Laurelhurst Market business... thank you to all of the media organizations who decided to get all of our media exposure out of the way during the same week; I'm referring to the Willamette Week (Restaurant Of The Year runner-up and Top Sandwiches in the City), the Oregonian (review) and Portland Monthly Magazine (Best New Restaurant). Very kind of you all, thank you. Also, (this is important so I'm going to put it all in caps) BEGINNING NEXT WEEK TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, LAURELHURST MARKETWILL BE OPEN FOR DINNERSEVEN DAYS A WEEK. Cool, huh? It's time. Thisbeing open on Tuesdays, of course, does not apply to the Double Mountain Brewery dinner on Tuesday, November 17th - the restaurant will be closed that day.
Speaking of the Double Mountain Brewery dinner, I've got a menu for you all to check out and information on making reservations.Beer pairings will be included, and the bar will be open as well - feel free to go nuts. Here's the menu and reservation information:
Tuesday,November 17th
Double Mountain Brewers Dinner
at Laurelhurst Market
Passed Appetizers
Salt Cod Fritters with Aioli
Beef Tartare on Grilled Bread with Farm Egg Yolk
A Special Beer Cocktail presented by Evan ZimmermanusingDevil's Kriek and Bourbon
Belgian Style Mussels Frites with Cippolini Onions
Dapper Dan Mild Brown Ale
Arugula and Sorrel Salad with Fennel, Apples, Fresh Porcini Mushrooms andQuince Vinaigrette
'Killer Green' Fresh Hop IPA
Choucroute Garni - Roasted pork belly, Duck Confit and Boudin Blanc with Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes, Sauteed Chard with Orange and Roasted Bosc Pear
India Red Ale
Terrible Two Ice Cream Float
(Bourbon Barrel Aged Brown Ale with Double Vanilla Ice Cream)
Cheese Course with Cheeses Selected by Steve's Cheese
FaLaLaLaLa Winter AlePrice is $65 perperson plus gratuity, beer flight included. Dinner begins at 6:30pm at Laurelhurst Market. PleaseRSVPor call (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
I wanted to mention those Thanksgiving Turkeys again that I was talking about last week. They're figuratively flying out the door, so if you might want one, definitely give me a call over at the Laurelhurst Market butcher shop. Also, feel free to call me about anything else special you might need for the holiday, like our special housemade hams and such.
While I have your attention, I would like to send a huge shout out and congratulations to our bar manager Evan Zimmerman for taking first place in the Great American Distillers Festival 2009 Mixology Contest. He won the contest with a White Dog Dolly O'Dare. Sounds delicious...
There's a special little event next week at Simpatica Dining Hall I wanted to pass on real quickly. My very dear old friend Erik Raschke (we were college roommates) has just had his first book published, titled The Book of Samuel, and his publishers are flying him over from Amsterdam to do a book tour. On Tuesday, November 3rd, Erik will be doing a reading and book signing over at the Barnes and Noble at the Clackamas Town Center Mall at 7pm. After the reading, we'll be heading over to Simpatica to do a little meet and greet with Erik, and I'll be providing some snacks to keep us fortified. So come to the reading, buy a book, get it signed, then join us, it should be a good time - Erik is hilarious. Maybe we'll
see you there.
Also, I just wanted to mention that we have opened the dining room at Laurelhurst Market during the day for lunch. We now have hot soup, hot coffee, a hot sandwich daily, and usually some sweet treats on hand. Everything is still to go out of the butcher shop, but you're welcome to stay and enjoy it (if that makes any sense whatsoever).
OKAY, ENOUGH ALREADY. Let's get to the menus! We've got two fantastic winter menus lined up for you - I think you'll like what you see...
Friday, October30th
Oxtail-Stuffed Viridian Farms Piquillo Peppers with Toasted Farro
Leek, Potato and Winter Squash Soup with Olive Oil
Spanish-Style Cassoulet with Lamb Shoulder, Chorizo, Cured Pork Belly, Saffron andWhite Beans
Gateau Basque
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations. Saturday, October 31st
Crispy Fried Razor Clams with Roasted Cauliflower, Venus Grapes and Capers
Your Kitchen Garden Mizuna with Grapefruit Hearts and Roasted Beets
Braised Piedmontese Beef Shortribs with Creamed Horseradish, Spaetzle, Young Parsnips and Carrots
Warm Beignets with Apple Confit and Caramel Sauce
Price is $35 perperson 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'm FINALLY done, and just in the knick of time! Gotta run down the game... Have a great Halloween - be safe. Until next week...
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