August 4, 2004
5 ^ ÏJortlanb (Dhserner
This tempting side
dish, offered by
Weight Watchers, is
tasty and low calorie.
Coating potatoes in
Dijon mustard and a
small amount o f olive
oil helps make them
crispy on the outside
and tender on the
inside.
SYLVIA'S
CORNER
Healthy Spuds
Dijon-roasted new potatoes
Page AS
PHOTO BY
M ark
W
ashinion /
T he P ortland
O bserver
Ingredients
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•
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POINTS® value: 3
Servings: 4
P re p a ra tio n
Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of D ifficulty: Easy
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp paprika
1 1/2 pound potato(es), new, quartered
1 Tbsp peppercorn
Instructions
Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat oven to 425°F. Whisk together oil, mustard, paprika,
thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes and stir
until they are coated.
Transfer potatoes to the baking dish and roast 15 minutes.
Stir and roast another 15 minutes.
Advertise with diversity in
11,1
(¡Miscruer
Call 503-288-0033
or email: ads@portlandobserver.eom
e lassi fieds@port1andobserver.com
A Delight for southern palates
by
L onnie H erron
Seeing as my roots are from
Baton, Louisiana and Memphis,
Tennessee and being the owner or
chef of eight southern cuisine res­
taurants over the years, my expec­
tations of southern foods in Port­
land was not very high, to say the
least. I quickly set out to prove my
expectations wrong.
I found a newspaper and began
searching for restaurants that had
any remote possibilities of serving
any form of southern food. In line
with my expectations, 1 didn’t find
what I was looking for until I finally
stumbled across Sylvia’s Comer
in northeast Portland on 13th Av­
enue and Dekum.
I wanted a plate hot of southern
soul food in the worst way. Just
give me some ribs, collard greens,
potatoes salad and peach cobbler
and I’d be satisfied. I would have
cooked the meal myself, but I was
just too lazy.
When I stepped inside, the dark
ambiance left much to be desired,
but I was still determined to sit
down and order a meal. 1 waited to
be seated while looking at the
plates coming from the kitchen,
The food looked very good and
the greens were served in a sepa­
rate dish altogether, so I said to
m yself, “ U m m ...th is may be
alright.”
As I sat waiting to be served I
tried peeking in the service win­
dow, which was in plain sight of
seated the customers. The first thing
I noticed was how clean the kitchen
was; even the floor. I’ve worked
and been in many kitchens in my
time, but I can venture to say this
was one of the cleanest kitchens
that I’ve ever seen.
Next, I noticed the rather hefty
three hundred pound chef, who I
later came to know as Ray, a son of
Sylvia. Lewis, Sylvia’s other son,
served as a waiter.
Ray was frying chicken wings
and homemade French fries. I could
tell they were homemade because
Lewis was sitting at a sink with a 50-
pound bag of potatoes cutting each
one by hand.
I looked a little further and saw a
lady who I found out later was
Sylvia, making what appeared to be
peach cobbler. She looked up over
her glasses and saw me watching
her. I tried to pretend that 1 was lost
or looking for the restroom, but I
think she knew that I was really just
checking out the place.
I ordered ribs, greens, macaroni
and cheese and a piece of peach
cobbler for desert. I also decided to
take an order of catfish and home­
made French fries for a little mid­
night snack. When my food finally
arrived, the presentation was pleas­
ing and I could see steam still rising
off of my cornbread. My mac and
cheese and ribs were not swimming
i / went for the
ribs first. As I
picked up the
bone, the meat
almost fell off. |
in collard greens juice either (which
in some circles is known as pot
liquor.)
I went for the ribs first. As I
picked up the bone, the meat almost
fell off. The sauce was to die for. I
found out later that it was Sylvia’s
own homemade recipe for her bar­
becue sauce that makes my mouth
water just thinking about it. The
cornbread was excellent. The maca-
roni and cheese was made with real
cheese, not that cheese whiz crap.
And the greens were just like the
ones big mamma used to make back
at home when I was a boy.
When it came to the peach cob­
bler, 1 know the staff thought I was
crazy when 1 told them they were
hiding my mother in their kitchen.
Syl viareassured me that my mamma
wasn’t in the kitchen, but she in fact
made cobbler and everything else
that came out of her kitchen.
Since my first visit to Sylvia’s
I’ve become a big fan. Because I’m
such a loyal customer and a firm
believer that this is the restaurant
to visit for anybody who is hungry
for some real, down south, home
cooking, I want to let you in on a
little secret.
Sylvia has been hard at work
redesigning and beautifying her
restaurant. She is planning a
grand opening on Aug. 14 and I
personally want you to come in
and get a taste of what I ’ m talking
about. Prices are reasonable, the
food is incomparable and every­
thing that is served is homemade.
You can find Sylvia’s at 1301
N.E. Dekum or you can place an
orderby calling, 503-289-8195.