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CUSTOM
COOKING
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L unch - D inner
C ater
ing - LARGE PATIO
W eekend B runch
by J enny
C ontemporary A merigan C uisine
N guyen
H omemade soups
S pecialty sandwiches
C lassic salads
S easonal menus
B eer & WINE
F abulous brunch
F riendly service
F resh S eafood
Going tapas
apas, meaning “to top,” were originated in
Spain, where a small plate was placed on
top of a drink to keep hugs out. It wasn’t
until later that nibbles started to show up
on the makeshift lids. Now the word “tapas”
has been trender-bendered into any small-plate
food item, Spanish or not. Weary of the tired
term? Here are three places that will have you
singing a word in Spanish:
T
Fernando's Hideaway •
824 S.W. First Ave.
all candy cane arches mimic mosques of
Cordoba. Tile mosaics and flamenco posters
dress the walls. Our gentle host guides us
through a dimly lit cavern of tall wooden
fxxiths; the romance of Fernando’s was working
its magic. The magic ends there. Unable to
maintain a monstrous tapas menu of more than
45 items, half our fixxl came out tasting a little
off. On the other hand, the paella bites were
excellent, the calamares fritas (fried squid) was
tender and crispy although heaped onto a large
plate, and the tortilla de espinaca was perfectly
cooked. Fernando’s is ambitious in its grandeur,
but the fcxxl takes some flak for it.
T
Bar Pastiche •
3731 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.
he owners of Pix and Navarre have con
summated a perfect marriage with this tiny
delicatessen neighboring Pastaworks. Using
top-quality imports and fresh local ingredients,
it’s an authentic tapas doppelganger. The
Flag—a toasted baguette slice topped with
Cabrales (Spanish blue cheese), a Ixxzarone
(white anchovy) and red and yellow roasted
bell pepper slivers—is simply divine. Rum-
soaked dates wrapped in thick caramelized
bacon are sinfully delicious. Tender chili oil-
marinated shrimp comes in its own steeping
shot glass. Dice-sized manchego, topped with
quince preserves, melts into a salty-sweet com
bination well worth fiddy cent. With nothing
more than $3 (!) and a beautifully orchestrated
wine list, Pastiche offers the best bargain for
your fistful of dollars.
Cobras & Matadors •
232 N.W. 12th Ave.
ormerly 750mL, this tapas joint joins the
flock of fancy feast Pearl eats. Dim, bur
gundy, mirror-filled walls-and simplified
menus make C & M feel like a million other
places you’ve been to, but the déjà vu ends
there. The fcxxl is stellar-swanky in rich sauces
with over-the-top aromas that are priced to
match. Roasted beet salad ($8) is a sweet and
tangy palate cleanser. Roast game hen is steep
($12) but delicately seasoned and prepared
with apples and guava; this small plate is huge
on flavor. The classic truffle-scented fries and
tortilla española are here, too, but don’t pass up
the sautéed mussels with spicy chorizo or the
chickpea salad. Definitely an American hybrid,
this place is unlike true Spanish tapas in every
way, but damn if the food ain’t g<xxl. JH
Do you have a restaurant you want reviewed! I’ll
be gentle, sentimental.... Write to JENNY NGUYEN
at jenny0080@hocnwiil.com.
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407 NW 17 th @ F landers
503.916.1676
WWW.EPICURECU5TOMCOOKING.COM
WEDDINGS
PICNICS
Porky’s Pub
QOTT.
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HOMEMADE MEXICAN FOOD
£
CHILE VERDE, TAMALES, DESSERTS AND MUCH MORE
DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS ■ HAPPY HOUR DAILY 4:30 - 6:30
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TAie
COCKTAIL PARTIES
tfull King JVW
(503) 274-4096
1900MW 27th off Vaughn
www.buliringnw.com
BOXED LUNCHES
BUFFETS
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Home of,
Cheap Eats under
Vegan Friendly
c-
Drink Specials
855 K. Lombard
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www. p o rky spub.com
Open, Accepting Environment for All
Outdoor patio Now Open'
Off Street Parking
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OPEN TUE-FRI 11AM * SAT & SUN 4PM * CLOSED MONDAY