House of Sour

Greetings Cheap Date Portlanders. Recently Lesley and I tried a new place (to us) that we'd been eyeing for sometime now, The Cascade Brewing Barrel House on SE Belmont (not to be confused with Cascade Lakes Brewing in central OR, I was at first). This industrial nouveau pub features a wide variety of Belgian and German style sour beers in addition to some conventional NW ales and tasty bar food. A sour beer you may be familiar with is a Belgian lambic. The tart flavor is achieved by using different kinds of yeast from normal ale and often includes the addition of fruit juice and additional aging.

To start off we decided to conduct our own sample tasting of several beers. The restaurant doesn't provide a board of tasters like many Portland breweries, but this way you get to choose which beers to try and how many or how few. The beers we tried are...

Cascade Kriek Ale - notes of cherry, nuts and chocolate.
Spring Gose - a German pilsner brewed with lemon peel, salt and lavender.
Razberry Wheat -  pink wheat beer with the tartness and aroma of fresh raspberries.
Karma - a good, hoppy northwest IPA.

(see picture below for Lesley's and my rankings of each beer. Neither of us cared much for the Razberry, but the other three were all enjoyable.)

For eats, they have a nice selection of sandwiches which come with a variety of sides. Lesley chose the BLT with black bean and corn salad. I ordered the "Cuban" which comes with ham, pulled pork and gruyere cheese, panini grilled.  My side was German potato salad, which if you've never tried, is worth a try. Instead of the classic American picnic potato salad which is ruled by mayonnaise, this one is heavy on vinegar and onion...how fitting for the House of Sour. Oh, and it's served warm which helps to bring out the flavors.

I washed it all down with a glass of Vlad the Imperial Aler, a 10.3% tripel-style blond ale which is aged in a bourbon barrel...yum!

If you are a beer connoisseur or just like to try something new, we'd both highly recommend checking out The Cascade Brewing Barrel House on SE 10th & Belmont.

Cheers!

-Evan

A Baker's Dozen

Two hearts.  Two Tarts.  Cheesy, I know... but if you know what's good for you and your love, it's a little Two Tarts goodness.  Loved Two Tarts at the Portland Farmers' Market at PSU, love them even more now that they have a cute little storefront off of NW 23rd!!  The cookies are decadent - think French macaroons that rival Ladurée and Pierre Hermé in Paris.  If you've ever gawked and then gorged on Parisian macaroons, you know what I'm talkin' about.  Our other favorite is the Lil' Mama, which is Two Tarts' reincarnation of the Oreo... it's much more delish...it almost feels wrong to mention them both in the same sentence.  Evan secretly wishes they made a Big Mama ;)  A hidden gem is the fleur-de-sel chocolate chip - the perfect combo of sweet and savory and it melts in your mouth.  We bought a baker's dozen...one of each they had in the store that day... the cookie coma prevents me from remembering all of the delicacies we tried, but below is a list of a few faves.  I could go on and on... but Two Tarts' website and BLOG describe their treats oh so perfectly, I'll let you explore it yourself.  And the gals that founded the tart empire are quite impressive.  As are the friendly and helpful staff!  Visit their quaint shop on NW 23rd and Kearney...and save room for the hot chocolate!

*cocoa nib star*

*lil' mama*

*cappuccino cream*

*macaroon*

*shortbread*

*lemon thumbprint*

*fleur-de-sel chocolate chip*

*lemon bar*

*marionberry linzer*

*hazelnut baci*

*peanut butter cream*

- Lesley

Double Decker Cheesy Goodness

Yay!  It's our inaugural food cart post!  We love us some food carts!  I have visited The Grilled Cheese Grill many o'times on NE Alberta.  It is there that you order your sandwich from an airstream trailer, then hop in a school bus to chow down.  The original bench seats are arranged as booths, complete with tables covered in school pictures.  It brings back memories.  Especially when trying to open the pinch-style bus windows... ah, middle school awkward embarrassment just comes rushing back.  You can also find decks of Trivial Pursuit lying around, you know, to make things a little more interesting.  And the GCG is open late... rumor has it there are some rockin' dance parties on the bus after hours.  Imagine my surprise when I check to see if they're open on Sundays and discover there is a new location in SE that features... drum roll, please... a double decker bus.  London style.  Pure genius. 

The Grilled Cheese Grill is definitely upper class when it comes to grilled cheese social rank.  Their sandwiches range from "The Preschooler," the basic with crusts cut off, to "The Liam" - Secret Aardvark Black Bean Garlic Marinated Tofu, Provolone, Artichoke Hearts, and Fresh Red Onion on Sourdough.  And let's not forget THE CHEESUS, a 1/3 lb. burger hugged closely by two grilled cheese sandwiches.  And toppings!  These folks know grilled cheese and then some.

- Lesley

Oh l'amour...

I would have to name Pix Patisserie as one of the most perfect first date spots in Portland.  Even for a cheap date.  Evan and I stopped in after a romantic dinner at *splurge alurt* Fenouil in the Pearl.  Yes, even cheap dates need a fancy night out once in awhile  :)  We love the Pix shop on N. Williams Ave - it's funky, eclectic, sexy and romantic.  Not only are the desserts gorgeous and tasty, I am enamored with their names - who wouldn't want to order a Shazam! or Big Cheryl's "Ghetto" Cake?  The Shazam! has an impressive presentation and deliciousness to boot.  By the way, if you're ever going to a dinner party and dessert is your task at hand, bring an assortment of Pix delicacies.  you'll be idolized. 

I hesitate to admit this...but it must be disclosed.  I am not a chocolate lover.  (Gasp!)  So I can't speak to the intricate flavorings of the Amelie (below).  However, Pix does have one of the best Tarte au Citron I have ever tasted.  They also boast an impressive assortment of post-dinner drinks.  I sipped on a Kir Royale, which became one of my faves after a long visit in France.  The perfect end to a perfect evening.  Thanks, Pix!

- Lesley

The Swedish Chefs

Evan first took me to Broder several  months ago and I immediately fell in love.  The kind of love where you want to drop everything and buy first class tickets to Sweden for you and your sweetie so you can eat Broder-style 24/7.  This Swedish gem has been around for four years or so, and its mix of contemporary flare and European kitschy charm are really endearing.  And it's in an adorable neighborhood in SE.  And the food is amazing.  During our first visit, I indulged in the trio of open faced sandwiches, which included bay shrimp, egg salad and pickled beets with chevre.  I believe Evan had Aebleskiver (Danish pancake)...but I may be wrong, which is a bit disturbing, since my memory basically runs off of what, where and when I eat!  Round two, this past week, included Evan's take at the trio of sandwiches - pickled herring, egg salad and pickled beets.  We both loved the hearty bean soup and I added the butter lettuce salad, which was succulent. Oh, and the COFFEE.  Perhaps it's the real cream, which is served warm, in the cutest little bottle, but the Broder coffee is to die for.  And on a busy weekend morning, you can sip on it in their waiting area next door until a table opens up.  And the best for last - they serve breakfast all day.  Love.

- Lesley

What The Phở?

...you might just be asking yourself that same question - I was, but it was well worth it!  Phở (fəʊ) is a traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup and there are loads of these places in Portland.  I feel like the word Phở preceeding the name of the establishment is about as common as the "& lounge" following the name of a Chinese restaurant...but I digress.  Lesley has been encouraging me to try this wonderful food for a while now and the other night I finally came around.  We decided to patronize Phở Van on Hawthorne in SE Portland, mostly because it was close to my house and because Lesley had already been there before and considered it CDP worthy.  The meal started out with an order of shrimp and veggie salad rolls which had a nice peanut dipping sauce - so far so good.  I myself was famished after a full day of work so I decided to order the large bowl of Phở with the lean brisket.  There were about 10 different cuts of beef available on the menu, but this one sounded most appetizing to me.  And it should be noted, that  Lesley and I indepently ordered the same dish, which is par for the course.  When the food arrived I was thinking I should have ordered the small, but it was only a difference of $0.50 so W.T.P, right? This salty beef noodle soup hit the spot, especially when sufficiently doctored up.  Each bowl was served with a garnish plate consisting of sliced jalapeños, fresh basil leaves, bean sprouts and lime. As advised by Lesley I dumped the whole thing in but not before liberally adding house made chili sauce and Siracha.  The thins strips of brisket were delicious and lean as advertised, noodles tender and the broth a nice mix of beef flavor, saltniess and heat.  There was one problem though, my mouth wanted to finish the whole bowl of soup while my stomach was already bursting.  Could have possibly been attributed to a not so uncommon flavor enhancement additive, wink, wink.  Anyhow, a pleasant meal all around. I haven't tried any other Phở restaurants yet so I can't speak to whether this one was better or worse than average, but I can say that I did enjoy my first Phở experience and would go back again to Phở Van, especially for only $8.

-Evan

musical articulation + ice cream = staccato gelato

Thanks to Evan's sibling-better half, we stumbled upon Staccato Gelato after a departure from our well-intentioned southern dinner destination (we'll blog on that one later).  I've experienced Staccato Gelato at the Portland Farmers Market and was impressed, but last night was double trouble as there were donuts involved.  ;)  I know that alot of Portlanders feel that donuts don't do our gastronomic mecca justice, but as a Dunkin Donuts aficionado from a ripe young age, I have to disagree.

And with that...

Cameo appearance: Ashley Churchill, sister of Evan, freshly minted Portlandian... Portlandite... Portlander?

As a former gelateria employee, and therefore gelato fanatic slash snob, I was just jonesin’ for a coppa. We realized that we weren’t far from Staccato Gelato, so there we raced.

My gelato snobbery reared as I surveyed the case, immediately drawn to the overly-green pistachio [this most likely indicates the presence of added coloring, as pistachios are not, in fact, kiwi green in color]. Nevertheless, I had to try it, along with the Girl Scout Thin Mint (‘tis the season after all) and cinnamon (a standby). I went for the “Some”, their version of medium, allowing me to indulge in this flavor trifecta. As gelato servers well should, she piled my cup high with the creamy goodness, and topped it off with one of those delightfully small plastic spoons.

We sat at a corner table, surrounded by brightly colored polka dots and birds (see photo). Evan had gotten two of their donuts – chocolate with chocolate sprinkles, and powedered – Lesley got the grapefruit sorbet, my mom got her standby chocolate-coconut combo, and my dad, well, paid. Needless to say, the conversation waned as we were distracted by our sweet treats.

Although I was initially turned off by the bright green of the pistachio, the flavor saved the day. It was creamy and nutty, sweet but not overly so, and blended with the cinnamon especially well. I thoroughly enjoyed the Thin Mint, which helped to brighten up my palate even after the feast of garlic and curry.

The prices were right and the atmosphere – whimsical; gelato was good, and donuts - spot on (right Evan?). Staccato hasn’t been my absolute favorite spot in the past, but it definitely gained some points this time. Plus, I’m in love with their racecar “mascot” and am seriously going to need one of the t-shirts for my collection. Maybe next time I can convince some hapless fellow to take me there on a cheap date. Until then, family and friends is just fine with me :)

 - Lesley, Ashley and Evan

Green, Eggs and Ham

So, this morning I treated Evan to one of his favorite breakfast delights.  It consists of an egg, grape tomato, two fresh mozzarella balls, fresh pesto (hence, the green), salt and pepper all tucked away in a divine slice of black forest ham.  In a muffin tin.  It's easy to make and has a great presentation.  Of course, this little breakfast treat would be lonely without a croissant and a few slices of bacon.  We love bacon.  Especially the bacon house smoked by New Seasons Market!  Try this dish (see our recipes page) - make it for your friends.  Let us know what you think :)

- Lesley

Pro Antipasto

Last Thursday evening we went to one of our favorite Orenco Station haunts, Renaissance Premium Wines. We had passed by the spot several times before and it always looked busy, a good sign. This is a quaint local wine bar that also has one heck of an anti pasto plate. It must be noted, that I consider myself somewhat of an anti pasto connoisseur. If I have the choice, it's my go-to for an appetizer or snack.  This place had it all, high quality olive oil, truffle salt, fresh baguette, an assortment of fine salamis and great olives. Oh, by the way, we also drank some wine too. I was in the mood for a crisp white wine that night, so we tried two nice Pinot Gris', one from the Willamette Valley and one from Western Washington. We'll definitely be back and they feature a themed tasting each Friday night. Check out these great photos Lesley snapped of Renaissance. 

-Evan

Staples...our Easy Button

Salad.  Stir-fry.  Swedish pancakes.  Don't let the ice cream throw you off guard...it's perfectly acceptable for breakfast.  Or dinner :)  These are three of our weeknight cook-at-home mainstays and all very thrifty.  I'll be the first to admit these dishes aren't overly adventuresome, but they're delish and doable after a long workday.  And they don't break the bank.  As you'll quickly learn from our cook-at-home posts, one of us enjoys cooking more than the other.  For now, that person will remain nameless!  Fortunately, the other is a fanatical sous chef and doesn't mind doing the dishes.  It works.  Spendidly.

- Lesley

"Good" Salad

Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry



Swedish Pancakes w/ Strawberry Compote & Vanilla Ice Cream (Family Recipe)

Introducing...

the namesake of this blog - the Cheap Date.  She's a beauty, no?  Evan and I had an impromptu happy hour date at Crush this afternoon (hence the not so great pics from my phone)...both of us wistfully hoping that the Cheap Date was the featured drink on the chalkboard so that we could make an official introduction on her special day.  Unfortunately, we were a day late.  However, out waiter kindly informed us that they just received a huge box of fresh ginger, so we're sure to pop in there and see her name on the board sometime soon.  Crush makes homemade ginger ale using the freshest of ginger, so this cheap date is something exquisite.  As an aside, note that we both ordered the same thing to eat.  This happens ALL the time and I love it.  For the sake of the rest of you, though, we'll try to spice it up a bit.  Aside from the drinks and tasty happy hour eats, Crush has some pretty amazing artwork at the moment - I'm talking zippers, gears, chains... just check it out.

- Lesley

Getting to Know Us

French Press.  It's how we do coffee.  And we even put a bird on it.  In all fairness, neither one of us has a sophisticated coffee palate... yet.  But we do love afternoon coffee.  Crazy work/play schedules and the blend of an early bird with a night owl require coffee to be an essential part of the cheap date diet.  Perhaps we will delve into the depths of the coffee empire that is Portland and share our findings. Or better yet, knock your socks off with a new coffee concoction you can't live without.  Stay tuned...

- Lesley

Origin of Cheap Date

Lesley and I decided to write this blog about our love of food, both in Portland restaurants and cooking at home. We met a little over six months ago at the Orenco Station Farmers Market. I was performing with my band and she was there shopping for fresh produce. Our eyes met and we've been happily eating our way across Portland ever since. 

So why cheap date? A few weeks ago we were having happy hour at one of our new hangouts, Crush on SE Morrison and the drink of the day was called the Cheap Date, bourbon and gingerale, which is my default cocktail order. I thought, finally I found a more elegant way to order this drink without having to say "Bourbon and Gingerale". Then the following week while at Rock Bottom Brewery I ordered a "cheap date" the waitress paused for second after I said it, but then nodded OK like she knew what I meant. When the order arrived at our table, I was given a small bottle of champagne and a flute. After I recoved from my fit of laughter, I called over the waitress. She in fact had no idea what kind of drink a cheap date is, just had mistaken what I said with the noise in the room. So one might think that this misfire would discourage me from trying to order it again...on the contrary, I decided that it would now become a mission, to try it at every place we dine/drink, as sort of a social experiment.

Stay tuned, for more posts about our adventures in restaurants, cooking and cheap dates!

- Evan