These don’t all qualify as trends, and they are not all Portland specific, but I need to get this off my chest.
Bacon for dessert
It’s just a bad, faddish idea. Soon it will go the way of 80s era yogurt and muffin shops and we’ll wonder what were they thinking?!
Overpriced fish and chips
Most places charge upwards of $13 for “fish” and chips the Gorton’s fisherman would be ashamed of. Kudos to Kells and Horse Brass for real fish and chips which they pegged at $9 for years, though they’ve both creeped up to around $10.
Bars with multiple taps dedicated to IPAs
I know I should count my blessings and appreciate the amazing selection of quality beers we have around here, but how about replacing one of the half dozen IPAs on tap with a porter, an amber, a farmhouse ale? There are lots of other beer styles to choose from!
Stumptown coffee
Sure they have excellent espresso; best Americanos in town. But their air-pot french press coffee sucks. In their defense the other day one of their employees was actually pleasant and friendly . . . I think. I can’t be certain because I couldn’t hear what she said over the absurdly loud disco music. [Ed: You kids get off my lawn!]. And don’t even get me started on the Clover-machine hissy fit.
Gourmet salt
Give me a break. Are wine, chocolate, coffee, and olive oils not enough for you to be snobby about?
you a lil cantankerous this morning? Walkin’ in the snow is much the pain?
I’m with you on the fish and chips, though I must say they’re overpriced and terrible in their home country as well–I stick to the falafel when I’m lost in the midlands. The fact that we have two, yes TWO restaurants dedicated to F&C that don’t do a decent job of it is laughable man. Ha HA!
French press coffee sucks after 15 minutes, regardless of who roasted the beans. A double americano is usually the same price.
no one should serve more than 2 IPAs after Halloween, like White after labor day.
I don’t get your hatred of bacon desserts. have you had the bacon apple pie?
http://zi.ma/cf24e
An embarrassment of riches, this is.
markovitch – yeah, I’m feeling a bit Cheney-ish this morning.
I’ve seen photos of the bacon apple pie. I just can’t bring myself to enjoy the whole bacon + sweets thing. Maybe it’s not a fad, but I hope so 😉
Love the kvetch. I’m pretty much tired of the whole bacon everything. It jumped the shark awhile ago yet people are still bacon this and bacon that. Move on.
Regarding IPA – I too am in your court. When you have locations like the Green Dragon with so many taps – having 5 IPA is a little overkill. According to the Beer Judging Certification Program (a class I am taking,) there are 28 defined styles of beer with multiple substyles in each category.
I’m just saying we all need to expand our palate.
dieselboi – Yeah, the IPA thing has bothered me for a while. It’s Portland’s Bud Light.
And the tater tots in this town are so damned available and delicious! I blame my high cholesterol on them! Damn you!
you could blame your high cholesterol on all the delicious bacon desserts, but you hang out with dave too much 😉
Heather, markovitch – I think both Heather and I have sworn off tots for a while after sharing totchos at Oaks Bottom Pub twice in less than a week!
A guy on tv said “all salt comes from the sea,” and why put a crunchy salt in soup?
i know what you mean… the Portland foodie scene becomes a caricature of itself after awhile… still, thank heavens there is such a thing as stumptown coffee and talented chocolatiers (have you tried the chocolate bacon truffles by Xococatl, sold at MeatCheeseBread? Of course he also makes caramels that feature sea salt, but I digress)…and if you are tired of the whole passe microbrew thing, keep in mind that portland boasts a number of fledgling craft distilleries…mmmm….spirits! now there’s something to stuff a truffle with…
Bob – Yeah, I can appreciate, say that kosher salt dissolves more easily than table salt, but is the flavor difference between salts really that significant? I suppose maybe it is to super tasters, but I, like most people, am just a regular taster.
culinarykitten – I do appreciate Stumptown’s coffee when I brew it myself. I suppose I should at least try one of these bacon chocolates before I bad mouth them, but I can’t imagine I’d want a second one. Ah, and you mention distilleries; that’s one the Portland trends that *does* make me happy!
I shouldn’t even admit this but, I don’t like IPAs at all. I’d rather a porter any day. The rest, doesn’t bother me. I’m a fan of bacon, F&C and fancy sea salt and Stumptown isn’t conveniently located for me.
Gourmet salt? I loves me some salt! Bring it on! I’d have a salt lick if my The Wifeâ„¢ would let me, but she comes from a family of overweening lo-sodium eaters, so you can imagine exactly how miserable I get.
Psst! Stumptown espresso sucks!
(This from a guy who drinks it straight.)
Their OG/FT French roast makes a decent shot, but the stuff they serve up when you order it in the cafe is horrid.
It’s probably fine in a latte, but that’s not saying much.
Native – I used to like IPAs. When they were novel. Now I like subtler beers.
Samuel John Klein – I dig salt too, just not at $8.50 for 1.2 oz!!?!?
Steve – I generally just drink strong, black coffee. In my experience Pete’s has the strongest, best tasting coffee, and they have good quality control too so you know it’s fresh.
I’m with you on the preponderance of IPAs. I’ve always disliked hoppy beers, so it’s kind of a weird situation to be in such a beer Mecca like Portland, only to be inundated with a style of beer that I dislike.
Bacon for dessert might be a fad in Portland, but we didn’t invent the idea of pork fat and chocolate:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3825221.stm