We’re getting the promised snow. Winter-Arctic-Blasta-Pooloza! We ventured out to the closest fancy store (Zupans beat New Seasons by about 5 blocks each way) to get Pork Tenderloin and Brussels sprouts for dinner…

I think this is SE 32nd Ave a couple of blocks from our house

Snow blowing off a roof by SE Belmont

More snow

Me, snow, colorful, Belmont-y house

Off of SE Hawthorne

jwa walking…in snow

More snow, another house

Country Cat Dinnerhouse
7937 SE Stark
Portland, OR 97215

Finally, jwa and I made it to the Country Cat on Sunday night. I know it’s been open for quite a while, but this is actually ahead of schedule for us. Typically, we seem to not get to a new place until it has been open for a year or two. (Okay, no one burst my bubble and tell me CC has been open for like the past three years..)

Going in, I kind of knew I would be having the skillet fried chicken. Specifically, the Cast Iron Skillet Fried Chicken, with a sweet cream biscuit & bacon braised collard greens. jwa went back and forth and finally decided on the Heritage Burger on a French onion bun with cheddar cheese, garlic mayonnaise & onion rings.

Mmmm! Okay, but I’m getting ahead of myself. We got there right around 5:15 and got a nice big booth by the open kitchen. jwa saw the pretzels and mustard written by the bar and ordered that first thing while we were still looking at the menu — he has a fondness for soft pretzels and mustard. I thought they were very good, even though I gave jwa about half of my pretzel. Even then, I knew I was saving myself for the chicken.

We each got salads (huge!) and then settled in for the entrees — the chicken and jwa’s burger. We traded bites and enjoyed our meal quite a bit. We will definitely be back. The chicken was boneless and crispy and completely non-greasy. The greens had a smokey and sweet taste to them and I fell in love with my biscuit.

Next, I want to try the Grilled Leg of Lamb on scalloped potatoes with parmesan bread crumbs. Or maybe the Red Wine Braised Strawberry Mountain Beef on sour cream mashed potatoes with chanterelles, & chestnuts. Huh, the Cornmeal Fried Dover Sole on a chopped vegetable salad with a chunky olive & caper sauce sounds good too. This may be difficult.

Oh, and I love the t-shirts. I want one. We ended the meal with some chocolate and coconut sorbet. I ate the macaroon while jwa was away from the table washing his hands. Too bad for him. Ma ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Afterwards, we went to Home Depot and bought lightbulbs and cleaning supplies. It was a good night.

***

Battle of the Toppers

We have two wedding cake toppers and I can’t decide which couple I like better. I think we will use them both at the wedding — one set as toppers and the other as something else you might need a small bride and groom for. Sure, I know we could do flowers on top of the cake but I want to do the little bride and groom cake toppers. I don’t know why — I just like them. Maybe it’s because everyone does flowers on their cakes now, maybe it’s because I just want little plastic people standing on our cake.

The first set is a bit big and they sit on the edge of a tier on the cake. They are a bit awkward and dorky looking. Perfect for us! You’ll notice that I have also outfitted the groom with some big glasses for that touch of realism. My only concern here is that they might be a bit big for our size cake and they might fall off and plop onto the floor and end up covered in frosting and floor fuzz. Certainly not the end of the world but something to think about.

Set number two is smaller and stands on the top of the cake. They are a bit more sophisticated in appearance. They are designed after a retro set and produced by Martha Stewart but they are new and made of resin (instead of actually vintage and made of lead paint and asbestos). The glasses look a little big here but I think that makes it just the right amount of awesome. Currently, both sets are on our fireplace mantle looking spiffy and prepared to duke it out. We’ll see which couple reigns supreme…

Kinda lazy tonight. Will just post pictures of today’s walk around Mt. Tabor.

Okay.

Colorful foliage!

Park bench, trees, and me!

Reservoir and downtown in the background

jwa walking…

Upper reservoir and Fallness

Nice!

Leaves and sky. Duh

Goodnight.

::snore::

Libby from the local nonprofit Growing Gardens emailed me today about an event at Sub Rosa next Wednesday, June 13th. The restaurant will be donating 50%(!) of all profits that evening to Growing Gardens. I’ve posted the press release in its entirety below.

So, if you’re hungry next week and in the mood to do some good, you know where to go for dinner. You get a tasty meal, Growing Gardens get some money to continue their mission and Portland families in need get vegetable gardens and the training to keep their gardens thriving — everybody wins!

SubRosa will donate 50 percent of profits to Growing Gardens - June 13th, 2007
PORTLAND, OR – June 6, 2007– Spend an “evening with an old friend who knows you better than anybody else” (Portland Mercury), and half the proceeds will benefit Growing Gardens. “I think it’s a shame that eating nutritiously is so expensive in our community,” says SubRosa’s owner, MaryAnn Archambalt.

“That’s why I’m dedicating this night to Growing Gardens. I believe deeply in its mission to teach low-income families and folks how to grow their own healthy food. Everyone deserves to eat well.”

About SubRosa
SubRosa specializes in thin-crust, hand-tossed pizza, pasta and seasonal salads in an airy corner dining room at 2601 SE Clinton St. Fans rave about the attentive staff, community feeling and generous, flavorful dinners and desserts. Hours are 5 to 9pm weekdays.

About Growing Gardens
We plant seeds for good food and healthy people by making sure low-income people have the knowledge and resources they need to grow organic vegetables at home, improving nutrition, creating food security and deepening self-reliance. We organize hundreds of volunteers to build organic, raised bed vegetable gardens in backyards, front yards, side yards and even on balconies. We support low income households for three years with seeds, plants, classes, and mentors. Our Youth Grow after school garden clubs grow the next generation of veggie eaters and growers! Through Learn & Grow workshops and work parties, we teach gardeners all about growing, preparing and preserving healthful food while respecting the health of the environment. Through this work, community members meet over the backyard garden, through volunteering, by attending classes, and through sharing extra produce.

For more information, visit Growing Gardens.

Like last night, I chose to watch 30 Rock (Liz Lemon!*) instead of doing a Super Foods Friday post. So, instead of that, enjoy some pictures I took at Whiskey Soda Lounge a month or so ago and never got around to posting about.

Grilled prawns — they were HUGE! The whiskey and soy marinated ribs are in the background, waiting to be devoured.

jwa’s Bloody Mary

My drink — the vodka plum collins.

Tom Saep Neua — Hot and sour Isaan style Cascade Natural beef soup (with a little coconut rice in it) it was really, really good.

Pok Pok Affogato — Condensed milk ice cream with Vietnamese coffee and a Chinese fried donut. Enough said.

* I find jwa’s TV-crush on Liz Lemon very comforting — 1. she’s fictional, 2. she’s at least 35, 3. she wears glasses and 4. she’s funny. Hooray!