Dave Knows Portland

Archives for May 2010

May 29-31: 2010 Multnomah County Fair

by Leave a Comment

Multnomah County Fair 2010The 2010 Multnomah County Fair takes place this weekend, May 29th through 31st, at Oaks Park, noon until 7pm each day.

Seems like it might work against them to hold it the same weekend the Rose Festival Waterfront Village kicks off, but frankly, the County Fair looks like it might be more fun. For one thing entry is free all days. And the Waterfront Village may have thrill rides like at Oaks Park, but it doesn’t have Looping Thunder! The fair also features an exotic animal exhibit, chainsaw wood carvers, pony rides, Nigel the Camel, beef and chicken cook offs, a petting zoo, a rabbit show, Guitar Hero and talent competitions, and a robotics team. Oh, and did I mention the X-tream Air Dogs Northwest Challenge?

The NW Challenge draws 5 western states of competitors from professionals to first timers and this year we will invite all levels of competitors including first timers to the dock jumping 4 city tour.

Not only will you see some of the best pro dogs in the world jump monster air, but local dogs with no experience can also jump in one of our 4 divisions. Who knows, you and your dog may be the next TV Super Star!

This year the Multnomah County Fair celebrates 104 years, and is brought to you by Friends of Multnomah County Fair.

Grasshoppers at Mee Sen Thai Eatery

by 7 Comments

grasshoppersMee Sen Thai Eatery (3924 N Mississippi) features traditional Thai noodle soups, in addition to a number of Thai restaurant staples. They also have a full bar with interesting house drinks like the Tamarind Whiskey Sour and Tom Yum Cocktail. At Happy Hour, impressively, they give you discounts on beer and wine, regular menu small bowls, specialty cocktails, and a special menu.

And on that special Happy Hour menu (pdf), one item is particularly interesting:

HH10. TAK KA TAN TOD
Fried grasshoppers $5

I was dining with Heather the first time the grasshoppers were brought to my attention, but she inexplicably demonstrated not merely disinterest, but actual repulsion at the suggestion we should put in an order. Alas, the kitchen reported they had run out.

Yesterday, however, found Heather safely ensconced in Beaverton (shopping for a bridesmaid dress) for a few hours after work, so I met Jake and Laurie at Mee Sen for happy hour.

We ordered the grasshoppers.

I was surprised at their appearance when they arrived at the table (sorry – no photo! I only had my iPhone, and it takes crappy photos in low light Update: added photo below 07/15/2010!). I expected something cricket sized, and coated in batter or breading. But these were grasshoppers. Big ones, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. With legs and everything. They had a slight reddish tinge to them.

Grasshoppers

I tried a few.

They have a faint saltiness, but really there is not much flavor. A slathering of the red pepper sauce from the condiments dishes on the table improved them. I am not one to eat sunflower seeds in the shells or shrimps with the heads – and that’s sort of what the grasshoppers reminded me of – the legs and carapace were crunchy and clearly un-digestible. But the abdomen was less crunchy, and had a bit of meat to it. I can see how these have come to be recognized as food around the world. I may well order these again sometime (when Heather is not present). They go down easy with a cold bottle of Singha.

Belmont Station and Saraveza get some New York Times Love

by Leave a Comment

Two of my favorite beer spots in Portland, Belmont Station (4500 SE Stark) and Saraveza (1004 N Killingsworth) get prominent mentions (along with Eugene’s Bier Stein, and City Beer Store and Beer Revolution in the Bay Area) in a New York Times travel article about beer “tasting bars”.

Belmont Station:

The cultivation of gourmands is a common goal for the outfits, which put a premium on education. Belmont Station . . . stocks more than 1,200 different beers alongside a 26-seat taproom, offers one or two free tastings a week. “Over the course of the year you can taste well better than 500 bottled beers,” said Carl Singmaster, the owner.

Saraveza:

Food and beer pairings play a central role at the brick-walled Saraveza . . . The kitchen turns out housemade sausages and a different special pasty, a savory pastry similar to a calzone, every few days. To accentuate the mildly spicy curried lamb and cauliflower creation on a recent menu, Sarah Pederson, the owner, recommended a lightly hopped pale ale from Amnesia Brewing in Portland. Then she said other pairings were possible: “It depends how you’re trying to drink and how you’re trying to eat.”

Read the rest: Tastings With Craft Beers

June 5: Help Create Portland Timbers History

by Leave a Comment

TimbersPortland Timbers fan and photographer Steven Lenhart, in conjunction with Michael Orr and Matthew Speakman, is creating a visual history of the Portland Timbers.

And they would like your help.

Do you have a box in your garage that has newspaper clippings dating back to the 1975 season?
A game program from that 1989 season?
A ticket stub or knock-off kit from the modern era?

We are looking for anything you may have that tells the story of the Portland Timbers.

They invite you to bring your Timbers ephemera to Studio 20 on Saturday, June 5th from 3pm to 7pm, where they will catalog and photograph everything for the project and for future reference.

Visit the SCUSA thread You Are Timbers History for contact information and directions.

May 26: The Find, Claiming Nelscott Reef

by 2 Comments

“The Find: Claiming Nelscott Reef” trailer from erich lyttle on Vimeo.

Nelscott Reef, near Lincoln City, is home to the annual Nelscott Reef Tow In Classic surfing competition. The Classic is Oregon’s only professional big wave surfing contest, and draws competitors from around the world.

Tonight, Wednesday, May 26th 2010, a film about the competition, The Find, Claiming Nelscott Reef will be screening at The Bagdad (3702 SE Hawthorne)

A new surf break is discovered in the Pacific Northwest and turns out to be one of the 5 largest ridable waves in the world. The dilemma for the surfer that found this wave is whether to keep it secret or tell the world. He decided to tell the world by holding a world class professional big wave contest. He opened Pandora’s box by doing so, and created a lot of anger with the local surfers. The Find, Claiming Nelscott Reef, is a documentary about the first 4 years of the Nelscott Reef contest, the controversies over the decision to have the event, and the localism that it created to protect this surf break.

The screening includes a Q and A with Carlos Burle, Big Wave World Tour champion. Doors open at 6pm, film starts at 7pm, and the Q and A will follow. Tickets are $7 and can be bought online or at the door.