Wish You Were Here

Today is Monday.

The cafe is now open every Monday.

Capisce?

LRBC Little Known Fact #437

Though he still utilizes visible Scotch® tape techniques, Evan is a master gift wrapper who specializes in seamless corners and occasional wrap art.

And we thought it couldn't get any better...

Guess what folks? That same amazing staff we were gushing over a few days back has volunteered to serve you lovely folks on Christmas and New Years. Yep, that's right. The cafe will be open Christmas Day from 8am-2pm serving coffee, tea, and limited food service. We will be open New Years Day from 10am-2pm, serving coffee, tea, and our regular menu.

How's that for holiday spirit?

Manic Mondays

the steady hands of Ray Penrod

To better serve you, the cafe will now be open Monday, from 8am until 2pm serving coffee and tea, beginning this Monday, December 21st (HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kyle "Hustle" Simmons, AKA Baby Bear).

Enjoy.

Snapshot:

Evan in total bliss, just moments before a large seagull shat on his hand

Crab-chowder (in season) in a sourdough bread-bowl, on Fisherman's Wharf. Sometimes tourist activities taste so good.

Farm:Table

This past Monday, during our last few hours in San Francisco, Ali and I had the great pleasure of visiting Farm:Table. Located just a few blocks from Union Square, at 754 Post Street, the tiny cafe is home to some damn tasty coffee, and inspired eats.


Similar to the recently blogged about Abraco in NYC, Farm:Table pairs their well crafted brew with a small, but thoughtful selection of morning and afternoon eats that feature fresh, locally sourced ingredients.


The colorful interior boasts limited seating, but manages to pack a great deal into a minute space. How many places do you know of where one can stop in for a great coffee, and leave with an array of delectable items such as meatloaf sandwiches, creamy herbed potato soup, or a mixed green salad with watermelon radish, rainbow carrots, and sesame dressing? Not full yet? How about a slice of chocolate cake?


These are the kinds of coffee shops I never even knew existed, and I now find myself day dreaming about being able to revisit sometime in the future.


I was so taken with this place during our visit that I allowed myself to go way beyond my usual caffeine intake in effort to taste a lovely Brazilian coffee which they were featuring on the Eva Solo (well, to be perfectly honest I did it in part for Joel, who loves Brazilian coffees). Like everything else we tried, the coffee was fabulous.


So if you find yourself in SF, and in need of a quick jolt or some tasty grub, go visit the folks at Farm:Table. If we had some sort of "stamp of approval," it would get a double stamp. No doubt.

Catch-Up

Apologies folks. We skipped town for a few days and didn't even have the common courtesy to let you know in advance. How lucky we were to be able to escape to San Francisco in order to celebrate Mark's (aka the "Computer God") 60th birthday, and to spend time with family, many of whom we haven't seen in nearly a decade, not to mention some whom we had never met! A truly wonderful experience. Oh, and the food and drink in SF ain't too shabby either.

Monday night we arrived back home in Portland. Every time we have the opportunity to get away, I am reminded just how amazing things are here in our hometown. We are so lucky to have so many talented people who sacrifice everything for the common good, not to mention our own crew. Oh, our staff...we are truly grateful for all that they do. They hold down the fort (LRBC) while we are away, and never cease to amaze us in the many ways they surpass our expectations when they take matters into their own hands (i.e. the Pineapple Pico de Gallo for this past weekend's Huevos Rancheros, not to mention a Turkey, Blue Cheese, and Radicchio Melt that gained so much popularity, we had to hold it around for an encore performance this week). So here's to the crew, and all their hard work...

...their beautiful art which always inspires...

...all the amazing coffee, delivered to us by bike...

...stealth documentation of our ever expanding customer base...

...shredding cheese, an endless endeavor in this house...

...keeping said coffee "dialed in"...

...and working to ensure we are always fully stocked in order to serve you lovely folks...

...thanks LRBC Crew, we are so lucky to have you in our lives! XO

In Case You Missed It

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting debuted this past weekend at our booth at the New Deal Distillery. Based on their popularity this past Saturday, I'd say its a safe bet you'll be seeing these lovelies again soon in a pastry display near you.

Sunday Brunch 12/6

Honey Yogurt Bowl—7.00

Nancy’s Honey Yogurt with house granola, fresh fruit, cinnamon and honey

Buttermilk Biscuits and Rosemary Mushroom Gravy—8.00

half portion…5.00

add 2 eggs…2.50

Sonny’s Special: full order, side of bacon, and large Orange Juice…13.00

Lox, Sweet Potatoes, and Eggs—12.00

wild Alaskan lox stacked on top sweet potato gratin with 2 sunny-side eggs, hubbard squash, goat cheese and thyme, served with toast and house jam

Butternut Squash, Bacon & Cheddar Omelet—14.00

3 egg open-faced omelet topped with aged white cheddar, spinach, bacon, roasted butternut squash and basil, served with sweet-potato gratin and buttermilk biscuit with jam

sub veggie bacon… no charge

Late Fall [Fried] Egg Sandwich—9.50

fried egg, house turkey-sage sausage patties, cheddar, heirloom Oregon apple, and roasted red onion mayo on ciabatta, served with arugula salad

make it a “Club” (add bacon)…1.50

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup—9.50

aged white cheddar grilled on Italian como bread, served with a bowl of our creamy tomato soup, and a side of greens

Huevos Rancheros—9.50

2 sunny side eggs with black beans, salsa picante, avocado, roasted jalapeno mousse, tomato ranchero sauce, and queso fresco on two corn tortillas, served with lime and mango chili slices

add house-made chorizo…2.00

Gingerbread French Toast—10.00

served with cranberry mascarpone, whipped butter and real maple syrup

Croque Bloke—9.50

grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda and cheddar, with homemade bbq sauce and a sunny-side up egg, served with Oregon hazelnut-arugula salad

sub veggie bacon… no charge

VLT—8.00

smoked tempeh strips, arugula, tomato, vegan dill aioli, and avocado on toasted ciabatta, served with arugula salad

Oregon Tuna Melt—9.50

wild Oregon albacore tuna, lemon-herb mayo, cheddar, green onions, and farmhouse relish on Italian como bread, served with arugula salad

surf ‘n turf’ (add bacon)…1.50

Seasons Eatings

What you see above is just a sneak peek at what's been going on in the kitchen lately.

Pictured:
peanut butter cookie batter,
peanut butter chips,
and bacon.
You do the math.

Not pictured:
several batches of freshly sealed jars-of-jam, sweet n' sour spiced pecans, a brand spanking new ice cream batter, sheets of specialty chocolates, and more...

We have been cooking up a storm for the last 24 hours in preparation for this very special announcement: We are pleased to invite you to join us at this Saturday's Seasons Eatings, an event that will benefit the Oregon Food Bank.

"Seasons Eatings is a spirited holiday event celebrating the areas finest chocolate, cheese, baked goods, produce, wine and spirits. Sample, sip and meet the artisans behind the culinary treasures and find something wonderful for every foodie on your list!"

This local artisans market will take place this Saturday, December 5th at New Deal Distillery and Tasting Room from 12pm-5pm. We will be kicking off the holiday season alongside some of the city's yummiest purveyors like New Deal Distillery, Cafe Velo, Random Order Bakery, Xocolatl de David, Black Sheep Bakery, Patton Valley Vineyards, Tails and Trotters, Pacific Pie Company, Monteillet Fromagerie and more!

Please look for our table and come say hello! We'd love to give you a taste of what we've doing on our side of town. We'll be the one's stuffing our faces with scores from other market vendors. Should be a great time with damn fine food and drink, and all for a good cause. What's not to celebrate?

What: Artisanal Food Party/Holiday Market
Where: New Deal Distillery and Tasting Room
1311 SE 9th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
When: Saturday December 5th, 12pm-5pm
Admission: Please bring one non-perishable food item or cash donation to the Oregon Food Bank

Belly

This afternoon we set a pork belly that will dry cure for three days, at which point it will be braised in chicken stock for 7-8 hours, at 200F. For the dry rub we followed a Dan Barber recipe that had a really aromatic cure mix. We're excited...