8* thtiACKAMAsprint____ Aprii20, Arts ¿f^Entertainmen
Mac grill offers low-priced eat
town Portland has much more to
offer than a bowl of Kraft Easy-
Mac™, and might even be one
of the finest Italian restaurants
in Oregon.
Upon entering “The Grill,”
I was greeted with soft, earth-
toned paint, a ceiling-mounted
sound system offering some light
background music, and a nice,
warm fire. There is a wall of col
ored glass behind the bar to the
right, a ceiling-high wine rack
in the back of the main dining
room, and everything is lit softly
by strings of outdoor-style patio
lights hanging in rows across the
ceiling, giving the entire place a
feeling of romanticism and com
fort.
As if that wasn’t enough,
the whole experience was
topped off by an
exposed kitchen
in the back
o f
the restaurant where the cooking
and waiting staff could be heard
shouting food orders back and
The Clackamas Print
forth in light-hearted Italian, giv
ing it an authentic Roman feel.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill on
The waiter, Greg, was imme
SW 3rd and Yamhill in down-
diately attentive and began by
pouring olive oil and some fresh
ground pepper into a small saucer
for the bread, which he happened
to be already holding.
There
were several appetizers, making
the choice a bit difficult, but I
settled on the mozzarella alia
marinara followed by a deli
cious Caesar salad topped with
parmesan cheese grated from a
block right at the table.
The entrée menu offered
a large variety of Italian and
Italian-inspired food. Baked
chicken, fire-baked pizza, and
many combinations of pasta
and sauce were just waiting
to be complimented by
any number of sausages
or meats of my choos
ing. It may have been
a bit stereotypi
cal, but I couldn’t
resist the meatbail
lasagna.
Beyond the
size of the
Karlin Johnson Clackamas Print
portions and
the impressive
Romano’s Macaroni Grill is locate on SW 3rd and Yamhill and offers delicious low-priced Italian food.
Jeff Sorensen
presentation, the taste is,
“The Grill” should really;
pride in. The lasagna was
ily the most memorable din
I’ve ever paid for on sheer t
alone. The meatballs were sn
enough to be cooked between
six layers of pasta and chee
and all of it was topped in a
tomato-meat sauce that wa
refreshing relief from the ta
and often-misused marinara.
So what does this an«
experience cost? Roughly 201
cent less than the popular 0
Garden (before the tip) ... a
that Grill Manager John Hasl
is actually quite proud of.
“There’s something
everybody here,” said Hash
“Children are welcome ... sen
are welcome. [It’s] a downto
restaurant experience without
price.”
Romano’s is a restaurant 6
chise that plans to build
more in Tualatin and Clackan
While they do reserve a g
portion of the restaurant
walk-in business, they takei
ervations as well, and Hasl
recommends getting your i
ervations early on Friday
Saturday nights, even though
says getting reservations it
impossible.
Documentary tackles evil genius in ‘Abel raises Caini
before being uncovered as a com
plete fabrication.
It continues by humorously
The Clackamas Print
showing his later work, which
includes a mockumentary called
What would you think of a “Is There Sex After Death?”—a
campaign called “Society for Campaign to ban breast feeding—
Indecency to Naked Aiumals” claiming that women receive erot
with the intent to force all people ic experiences from breast feeding
to clothe their naked animals? their children and his most famous
How about the first International hoax, the aforementioned SINA.
Sex Bowl?
Not just focusing on his acts,
These topics (among others) it goes in depth to the reason
and the evil genius who brings behind his jokery—to show the
them up are tackled in the doc utter absurdity of the system by
umentary “Abel Raises Caine.” mocking it, without it even real
The evil genius spoken of is no izing. He is quoted in the film
other than Alan Abel, professional that SINA and the campaign to
hoaxer on a mission from God: to ban breast feeding was actually
keep the media honest by lying a mockery of the religious right
to them.
movement which was waging war
Directed by Alan Abel’s for any and every cause for a little
daughter, Jenny Abel, the film is publicity.
anything but the expected sappy
His whipping boy of choice
love-letter to daddy. On the con was the media, who would line up
trary, it is a laugh-out-loud funny and take the bait hook, line and
yet deep exposé on the antics of sinker, especially if they thought
a man who has never held a 9-to- they would be witnessing the first
5 job, and thrives off of humor, annual International Sex Bowl,
and who has duped papers even complete with announcer and ref
outside of America (the U.K.’s eree, or a tell-all confession of an
respected Daily Mirror was one of Iranian man involved in the Iran-
his targets).
Contra scandal, and is now trying
The doc uses recent footage to return several billion dollars to
of his daily life as well as clips the United States.
from the past talk shows and newsH
Detailed in the film is his
reports which were products of his career in politics, especially when
handy work.
he acted as campaign manager for
The film begins with his first Yetta Bronstein, a Jewish house
large-scale hoax, Omar’s School wife from <the Bronx who ran
for Beggars, a fake institute which twice for president—losing both
gained nationwide recognition times by a landslide, although she
. Bon Maras
11
received a handwritten note from
President Richard Nixon. Pretty
good for someone who didn’t
even exist.
The high point in the film is
when Abel, is approached by a
Hollywood company for the rights
to make a movie about his fife. On
his way to negotiations he heard
some businessmen involved in the
negation, unaware who was in the
elevator with them, saying that
they should wait until Abel died
so that they could buy his estate
for “next to peanuts.”
Sadly, just weeks later Alan
Abel’s obituary ran in all of the
nation’s large newspapers, reading
that he had suffered a heart attack
while skiing. The Abel estate’s
phone was ringing off the hook
from the company wanting to
close negotiations. Unfortunately
for them, this was the first time
that the papers would have to
retract an obituary—Abel had
duped them again. All negotia
tions were off. Apparently famous
film companies can’t take a joke.
So what did this journalist
think about Abel’s using die media
as his personal tool for his own
exploits, at the expense of seri
ous news? It’s a good thing he’s
alive—the so-called fourth bn
of the government (the me
needs someone to keep then
check, and his abuse is a welc
addition to keep reporters ho
and on their toes.
Abel Raises Caine is ea
one of the best documentaries
would ever see, and deserve
‘A’ for intimate directing witl
seeming amateur and never d
ging despite the almost two-l
runtime..
Of course I could be lyinj
could be terrible. So go rei
when it comes out on DVD
few months and see for yours
Creative Arts
at Western Oregon University.
Transform yourself through
art, dance, music and theatre.
www.wou.edu/las/creativearts
creativearts@wou.edu
503-838-8340 art • 503-838-8275 music
503-838-8462 theatre/dance
WESTERN OREGON
UNIVERSÏTŸ
ABEL
Photo courtoty of alanabel.com