Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

31 Dec 2019

Portland Provisions: Nordic delicacies, fish sauce wings, and more

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When work required travel to Portland, I tacked on a few extra days and brought The Astronomer and June along on my Pacific Northwest jaunt. With beautiful fall weather on our side, we enjoyed a wonderful stay that included a bit of everything that we love—urban cityscapes, tax-free gourmet dining, natural wonders, and hours spent reading at Powell’s Books. As far as family vacations go, this one ranks somewhere near the top along with Maui.

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Canard – Industrial District

As soon as we deplaned at PDX, The Astronomer, June, and I grabbed a Lyft and high-tailed it to Gabriel Rucker’s Canard for a late lunch. I dined at his finer restaurant Le Pigeon when I visited in 2013. The chiller vibe here made it the perfect spot to kick off our trip.

We feasted on oeufs en mayonnaise with trout roe and maple syrup ($8), a ham jam sandwich with goat cheese butter ($8), the greatest cinnamon toast ever ($4), some French toast with oranges and creme anglaise ($8), a magnificent steam burger ($6), and a “duck stack” ($16).

Though we were so very stuffed following the savories, we couldn’t leave without trying the apple pie Paris brest with salted caramel cream and gruyere streusel ($10). You’d be proud to know that we ate every last crumb of every single dish.

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Restaurant Review

30 Dec 2019

Shibumi – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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My dining companion and I weren’t quite sure what to expect as we sat down at Shibumi‘s 400-year old cypress counter. It was a Thursday evening and the crowds were slow to arrive. Eventually the 40-seat room filled up with folks who knew their way around the place, and Chef David Schlosser hit his groove, moving in and out of the kitchen to make sure that everyone was well taken care of.

After settling on the $95 omakase, we kicked back with an Old Fashioned each ($16) and awaited the parade of kappo-style dishes. The term kappo, which technically means “to cut and to cook,” also describes Shibumi’s style of cooking:

…a less formal cuisine that emphasizes the proximity between the diner and the chef who is cutting and cooking the food.

As we sipped our drinks, a few “rare tastes” (chinmi) in the form of house-made fermented seafood arrived.

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Restaurant Review

20 Dec 2019

Manuela – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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If I were the kind of monogamous diner that frequented the same restaurants time and again, I’d totally be a regular at Manuela. Located in the Hauser & Wirth complex in the Arts District, the restaurant has everything I want — thoughtful cooking that balances flavor and freshness, all served in an urban yet serene space.

I came in for lunch a few months back and was taken by Chef Kris Tominaga’s cooking, which draws inspiration from Southern ingredients and traditions, along with California’s produce and a distinct culinary point of view.

To start, a light and refreshing Gulf pink shrimp aguachile with avocado, radish, ginger, lime, and benne seeds ($18). The vegetable chips served on the side provided a fine vehicle.

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