another trip to the belmont food pod - 44th and belmont

hanging with a friend and it was explained to me that the food pod  was something that hadn't been experienced so we head to one i am most familiar with - belmont foodpod

First stop creme de la creme . my friend informed me this place has been on food network so i said why not ?

So we decided here we were craving soup and the choices were spot on . a delectible french onion soup and my choice that really fed the need , soup of the day - lobster bisque and yes it did desrve the honor of being on food network .

Next stop is a personal favotire of mine - LARDO

this is a place where fat is understood and is made into savory goodness from heaven

These are trims of porkschetta - a little pork belly and a trim of pork fat

makes me smile and dance just thinking about it

this is organic pork finish fed with hazelnuts - yes you can taste the difference

and in the hands of this chef amazing porky goodness

Now if that isn't good enough

slap that on a cheeseburger with special house sauce

that was a crazy good burger

so now you are wondering

what are the having for dessert

that's right folks creme brulee

oh yeah

four bucks gets you a mini crock freshly torched

sooooooo good .

so i am sure you are ready for the dirty pic

my centerfold of food porn for this episode

but sorry guys

we ate them so quick i forgot the pic

Got lost in the heat of the moment

but i promise we will revisit this tasty treat

Eastwind Drive In - cascade locks , oregon

As many Oregonians I have made many trips to Multnomah Falls . After gazing at it's majesty i have to decide - what next ? For me i usually head 13 miles east to the town of Cascade Locks . Sitting on the left of the main drag is my destination - Eastwind Drive Inn . On a hot day there is no better place to grab some soft serve or a variety of treats . They also have a full menu of drive in fair that includes breakfast . So next time you are heading east from Portland consider this dining destination as part of your afternoon .

this is a medium half chocolate half vanilla

a small blue goo cone

butterfinger flurry

bambuza - had to go back with another friend

Got a call from a friend

after yesterday's post we had to go

we got the salad rolls

honey glazed pork bahn mi

friend got a sample last night and had to have one

still lovin it :)  

lean steak pho

pork shrimp won ton soup

pretty good and pho like

sweet with caramelized onion on top

Thank you Buddy for another great dinner shared with  friend

You are a rockstar :)

Next time will have to try the lobster tail won tons

i always forget

what to cook ?

today it with raining pretty good - no bbq for you :(
have to cook indoor without fire :( :(
feeling tired and uninspired
Fridge has no leftovers , no ingredients

i could sit with cookbooks
Watch some food network on Netflix
hit facebook and ask everyone what they are eating today
could just say screw it and make waffles and eggs

Got to go the grocery store anyway so in the isles I shall wonder
but will being lost help ?
For me I need just one ingredient
one thing to spark of an idea , one spark to start a fire .
one item that turns into a meal or a few that creates itself in my head

Hoping going to my source of food will solve this eternal delemia today .
Most day shopping with a plan makes it easy to get through the week
but when I fall short or wake up picky and grumpy and nothing sounds good
this is the problem .:(
What to cook , what to cook ?

brisket with buddy

decide it was time to learn to cook brisket from a buddy .

wipe it off . cover in olive oil and seasoning

set up your smoke

make fire

fully smoked

now ready to finish cooking . beautifully smoked

wish you had smell-o-vision

voodoo in eugene ?

so............ it's 10:30 pm in Eugene , dog tired and long drive ahead i got the munchies . My travel buddy goes , " So .....how does Voodoo Donuts sound ? " I say, " Great but it's 2 hours to Portland  and i don't want to wait that long . " My buddy informs me there is a Voodoo in Eugene literally blocks away from the Hilton I was dealing cards at . This was the bliss I was looking for . Donuts made me a happy boy for the trip home . Thank you travel buddy  ! You to can get VD in Eugene at 20 East Broadway @ Willamette Avenue

HEART SHAPED FOR VDAY @ VD

heart shaped chocolate covered cream filled topped with candied walnuts 

THE GAY BAR

cream filled bar vinalla covered and topped with a rainbow of fruit loops

Bigfoot bread and the Caufield House

So today is my buddy Perry's birthday and he wanted to run down to the Oregon City Farmer's market and hang out and i am all over that so we go . He introduces me to his favorite bread guy 

BIGFOOT BREAD .

Fresh homemade pita , focassia , and other fine breads 

I got to say beautiful hand made bread . 

Bigfoot's oregano parmesan focassia

Bigfoot's fresh pita bread

Hummus from The Hummus stop

Olympic Provisions' Saucisson D 'Arles Salami  

So he's cravin a cup of Joe so we go across the street to The Caufield House  

start to look around

laugh at the sign for bloody mary's - all the rage with thte breakfast crowd

I start to notice this ain't just a coffee joint .

Hungry I indulge my craving for grilled cheese

ask about the soup of the day

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Now i'm thinking Harry's Soup but don'y see signage but content with that thought

So looks ordinary enough so I dig in .

What is this ? A real piece of crab claw ( don't worry these are the remains after i ate the meat )

This is home made with gnocchi and everything

WOW !

In a day and age where most places take the short cut ,

Real amazing seafood chowder , unheard of !

Get looking aroung and realize there is a bar and a wine bar here too .

So a few great things found in one day with a  friend :)

Lardo and Lucile's Balls- belmont foodpod 43rd and Belmont

Ok........had to return to the pod for more today .

If you were wondering where their stuff comes from ....

Interesting note - the pork from Tails and Trotters is finished on Oregon hazelnuts

This is a the pork for the Porchetta . Tasty stuff :)

Porchetta

This is the Lardo Porchetta sandwich . The roll was great , greens savory ,

and full of porky goodness ( moist and full of flavor )

and there was a generous trim of delicatable pork fat ( nature's butter )

This is a winner in my book :)

Yes this is the place I got pie holes yesterday :)

Such a beautiful dessert

Pecan pie on Roids because of brown butter . 

Could eat these all the time :)

Found these guys on facebook link

Red velvet balls was the hook to get me to check them out

RED VELVET BALLS

Red velvet balls topped with white chocolate

Super moist , very cakey

disappear in a minute mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

buttermilk corn biscuits with parmesan , mozzerella , and chives

This was the base for our dish .

Very moist and found out it took a lot of work to get them to keep shape .

buttermilk corn balls , topped with beef pork meatballs ,

covered with Puttanesque Sauce ( tomato based sauce )

and dressed with greens - great flavor combination

obligitory extreme closeup

in case you were wondering it isn't on the menu in this for but ask and she can hook you up

All in all another good lunch trip to the Belmont foodpod . Another happy stomach day :)