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Best of the Year

2011 in Review

In which we praise recent developments.

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 04, 2012 at 11:00AM Speech Bubble8 Comments

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A beautiful sight: A quintet of quality tacos from Robo Taco.

It’s as inevitable as the dust that gathers around the new treadmill gifted to you by your significant other. You didn’t honestly think that you’d escape early January without one of those pesky year-end lists from Team Bar Pilot, did you? Well, perish the thought, because we’re about to sashay down memory lane with some of the drinks, eats, trends, and bars that, in my opinion, did things right in 2011.

Best Happy Hour: Gold Dust Meridian. For those of us concerned with making the best use of our time while assigned to duty on this here planet, Gold Dust Meridian’s extremely generous happy hour (from 2-8 daily) is reason for a ticker-tape tango. You certainly owe it to yourself to unwind with a smoky Meridian Manhattan (Rittenhouse Rye, Peychauds bitters, brandied cherries, $8) and the Trio, a crusty grilled-cheese sandwich, tomato soup, and salad for a measly six bucks.

Best Cheap Eats: Robo Taco. I never, ever thought I would get carnitas (braised pork) tacos that were superior to those provided by taco wagon Lindo Michoacan at SE Division and 33rd. Robo Taco, a recently opened taqueria on SE Morrison, has accomplished this feat. With their diabolically deceptive heat, crispy finish, and depth of spice, these $2 tacos are best ordered by the dozen. The posole, a rich pork and hominy soup, is like the Mexican version of pho, a hearty bowl of steaming comfort that blossoms in flavor with the addition of house hot sauces. Bonus! It’s open till 3:30 in the morning on weekends! I envy anyone who’s yet to explore the Robo Taco menu.

Most Welcome New Cocktail Bar: Rum Club. The seriously high level of skill and craft present in top-notch tropical refreshers like the Serpent & the Rainbow (Bacardi 8 &
Flor de Caña Rum, pineapple syrup, apricot, and lime) and the downright delightful Ti’ Punch (J.M. Blanc Rhum, turbinado sugar, and lime) makes this cozy little joint a required stop, one that’s a bit more accessible than the thatch-heavy Disneyland that is Trader Vic’s.

Most Welcome New Beer Bar: Bazi Bierbrasserie. Sorry, I’m showing some favoritism for my ’hood on this one. Co-owners Eric Bottero and Hilda Stevens have not only been knocking it out of the park with genuine hospitality, hustle, and some 17 taps dedicated to Belgian-style beers, but their innovative beer cocktails like the Hepburn (Stoli Vanilla, Grand Marnier, Delirium Nocturnum, orange bitters, and a splash of champagne, served up) are not to be missed. And the French fries are rapturously crunchy twigs of salty joy.

Best cocktail: The barrel-aged Negroni at Clyde Common. Ordinarily, a Negroni is just a shade too bitter for my tastes, but aging the ingredients (gin, Cinzano sweet vermouth, Campari, orange peel) in Tuthilltown whiskey barrels for a couple of months works wonders, sculpting the sharp edges of the Campari into something altogether more expansive and glorious. I had several intriguing mixed drinks this year, but I returned to this one on several occasions, and I’m glad that I did.

In conclusion, it does my heart good to see a spirit of fearless exploration so present and pervasive in Portland—whether it’s beer cocktails, the aging spirits, or those stunningly sour beers, our preponderance of good press is proof that tastemakers throughout the nation look to us for inspiration. Your turn, drinking buddies: Let me know if you experienced any breakthrough moments with drinks, food, happy hours, service, atmosphere during the previous 12 months. I need to know these things!

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Tags: Happy Hour, Belgian Beer, Bazi Bierbrasserie, Robo Taco, Rum Club, Gold Dust Meridian, Clyde Common, Best of 2011

Happy Hour

Bazi is Boss!

Come for the beer—stay for all the rest

Posted by: John Chandler on Aug 18, 2011 at 01:00PM Speech Bubble2 Comments

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The Bosteels Quak, served in its own signature glass.

The value of a reliable neighborhood drinking establishment cannot be overstated. With Belgian beer bar Bazi Bierbrasserie (1522 SE 32nd Ave) only a couple blocks from my house, my outlook on life has improved tremendously. Perhaps it’s the Cheers factor: a cozy watering hole staffed by amiable folks. When I’m sitting at a sidewalk table casually sipping a malty, nourishing Delerium Tremens Ale, the weather always seems ideal, with just a suggestion of a breeze tousling my locks.

Could be it’s the head-spinning selection of Belgian beers —of the 17 rotating taps available, roughly 15 are dedicated to wild yeasty, complex ales brewed in Old World fashion. Most are imports (Duchesse de Bourgogne, Bosteels, Sint Canarus, to name a few), but a handful of regional breweries like Upright, Oakshire, and Double Mountain routinely appear. And if for some strange reason Belgians aren’t your cup of tea, the helpful servers are knowledgeable enough to guide you to something in your comfort zone.

Certainly the excellence of Bazi’s happy hour, which stretches leisurely between 3 pm and 7 pm daily, plays a significant role in my adoration. The specials include a $5 cocktail, usually something potent and tropical, along the lines of a blood orange mojito, or pepper-infused marguerita. Speaking of which, it would be perfectly understandable at such a bastion of beer if the cocktails were merely phoned in, but that is definitely not the case here. Johnny the bartender is as consistent as sundown in his mixological prowess and the Schipperke—Cruzan rum, blood orange, fresh lemon juice, and splash of simple syrup, served up—has become my girlfriend’s go-to drink. (And she’s ultra-picky!) In an effort to bridge the beverage gap, Bazi also boasts a dynamite beer cocktail, the Jeanneke, a Belgian beer-infused elixir that combines a tripel style beer, Monopolowa vodka, Aperol and Demerara simple syrup. It’s a real corker, as the fruit notes from the ale blend seamlessly with the apricot liqueur, resulting in a very robust refresher. The majority of the cocktails fall into the $7-8 range.

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Stoemp of the day—pureed potatoes, green apples, bacon, and gruyere.

The happy hour menu has plenty of choice chow, such as the GAB burger ($6), an efficiently sized and thoroughly filling patty of beef from Highland Oaks Farm near Salem, topped with an egg. Normally, I don’t cotton to having yolk splashed all over my kisser, but here the egg works as a hearty binder for the juicy burger, and the flavors dance delightfully. There’s also a daily Stoemp special for $5, based on the traditional Belgian dish of pureed mash potatoes and an assortment of cheese and vegetables. On my last visit, the special featured potatoes, green apple slices, and gruyere. I should mention that paying the extra three $3 for bacon, ham, or sausage is money well spent. It’s an avalanche of tastes and textures that still manages to annihilate the pesky hunger pangs.

And then there are the frites (you know, French fries) which I count as being among the best in town. The Flemish frites ($2.50) are blanched and tossed with sea salt. They’re small and cooked to a severe crunch, but retain a delicate spudfulness (new word, write it down) especially when plopped into the silky house-made mayonnaise. (I prefer the invigorating curry variety.) The truffle frites are a little more expensive, but they’re earthier and more fragrant. Even the humble olive plate (marinated in garlic! Yum! $2) offers a superb alliance of flavors.

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Frites to die for.

Never fear drinking buddies, I will continue to fearlessly patronize bars, taverns, pubs, and dives from Alberta Street to Wanker’s Corner, but I’ll tell you this: I sleep better at night knowing that my frites and beer needs are so brilliantly met, and so close to home.

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Tags: Southeast Portland, Happy Hour, Cheap Eats, Belgian Beer, Bazi Bierbrasserie

New Bars

First Impressions: Bazi Bierbrasserie

It’s a full-on Belgian bistro just off Hawthorne

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 01, 2011 at 11:00AM Speech Bubble9 Comments

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Frites and a Belgian brew at Bazi Bierbrasserie.

Finally I have a “local” to call my own. A scant few blocks from my humble abode stands Bazi Bierbrasserie, a new Belgian-themed bar that resides in the former Magnolia Cafe locale. I’ve been twice in the last two days and I can reliably report the following:

• Happy Hour is generous indeed, stretching from 3-7 pm. The GAB burger at $6 is a HH bargain, made from Highland Oaks Farm beef and cooked to order—with an egg on top.

• There are 17 taps of Belgian-style brews including the seriously fabulous Duchess de Bourgogne and a scintillating berry-forward wit from Corvallis’s Flat Tail Brewing.

• The frites are delicate, delicious, and served with a curry mayonnaise that fires tiny needles of pleasure throughout the mouth.

• Head bartender Johnny, who used to mix at Nuestra Cocina, is a skilled artisan whose pepper-infused margaritas have won my girlfriend’s heart.

• The croque madame is an expansive pile of applewood smoked ham, gruyere, zesty dijon mustard, house-made mayonnaise, and grilled brioche, that will easily conquer most run-of-the-mill attacks of hunger.

• I will be back like the Terminator.

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Tags: Southeast Portland, Happy Hour, New Bar, Belgian Beer, Bazi Bierbrasserie

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In his twenty-plus years as a roving journalist and his forty-plus years as a native Oregonian, Portland Monthly web editor John Chandler has developed an appreciation for a properly stirred cocktail, all manner of beer, smoky single malt scotch, and the odd moment of clarity. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy,” is his pet quote, and he’ll break it out whether the occasion calls for it or not. Rock ‘n’ roll snob, film geek, and cultural kibitzer, Chandler can usually be found perched on a local bar stool muttering to himself about “the good old days” when he was always on the @#$%&!* guest list. Approach with caution.

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Bar Pilot navigates from dingy dive bars to ritzy schmooze-and-booze affairs to brain-melting rock shows, and points of interest in between. Chandler will do his utmost to jot down keen observations, hopefully inspire a few barroom arguments, and guide his readers through another night on the rocks.

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