BAR PILOT

First Impression: High Dive

Location, location, location

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 27, 2012 at 12:00PM 4 Comments

What: The High Dive

Where: 1406 SE 12th Ave. 503-384-2285

Why: It’s a 12-table rustic-modern hole in the wall with lots of knotty pine, located just north of Cartopia, the bustling food cart pod at SE 12th and Hawthorne. Co-owner and bartender Bob Jones is an affable fellow who pours a stiff (and affordable) drink. “We just a wanted a neighborhood bar to drink in,” he says, and that’s certainly the case here. The High Dive had a “friends and family” opening on New Year’s Eve, and since that time, Jones has developed a symbiotic relationship with the food carts next door, encouraging patrons to visit Cartopia, buy something, and then eat it at The High Dive, accompanied by one of his four tap beers (currently Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, Ninkasi IPA, Burnside Brewing’s Oatmeal Pale, and PBR) or a $5 glass of Jameson’s Whiskey.

Crowds are sporadic for the time being, but once the warm weather returns, and the outdoor seating is set up, late-night Cartopia revelers will finally have a place to clink their glasses. Jones’s short-term plans include getting a specialty cocktails menu and a TV up for Blazers games. As for me, I look forward to slipping next door for a fennel sausage pie from Pyro Pizza or an order of poutine from Potato Champion, and taking it back to the friendly confines of the High Dive for another glass of Jameson’s.

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Tags: Southeast Portland, Food Carts, New Bar, High Dive

First Impression: Sasquatch Brewing Company

A new home for brews, bites, and babies

Posted by: Sarah Moore on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:00PM 3 Comments

If your weird uncle polished up his floors to a high sheen, bought a bumload of brewing equipment and a whole bunch of classy wooden furniture, and started cranking out gourmet popcorn and toothsome cheese platters, his place would probably look a lot like Sasquatch Brewing Company, a spanking new gastro-pub located out on Capitol Highway. Sporting Southwestern wall hangings, a mounted buck head and a variety of eclectic art—not to mention the requisite ginormous beer-selection-bedecked chalkboard—the place maintains a fun garage-sale charm with none of the spiderwebs. It’s family-friendly vibe, far from detracting, adds to the allure of this refurbished Portland rambler.

Prospective visitors should be advised that, while cozy and cheerful, the bar area has limited seating. Groups should plan to gather around tables, and while doing so, enjoy some of the wonderful food on offer, such as beet fritters with chevre, or buttermilk fried chicken. During happy hour, peckish patrons can munch on excellent fries or house-made herbed popcorn for $2, warm olives or a honeyed pretzel for $3, and the house burger for $6. With its comfy chairs, broad rain-spattered windows, evening candles, and able serving crew, Sasquatch is as good a place to duck in and grab some chow as it is to stay and chill for an hour, two, three…up to you, really.

Live music is in the works and on February 21, giant ape enthusiasts can come meet notables from Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot and learn more about the pub’s elusive namesake. In the meantime you can partake of a wide selection of worthy craft beers (e.g., Oakshire’s Overcast Espresso Stout or the venerable Fred Ale from Hair of the Dog) while anticipating the arrival of Sasquatch’s own house beers; among those planned are a few IPAs, a brown ale, red ale, and a light session ale, all made with Northwest ingredients.

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Tags: New Beer, New Bar, Sasquatch Brewing Company

Ale Al Fresco

Shacktoberfest at D-48 Bistro

Posted by: John Chandler on Sep 12, 2011 at 10:00AM 12 Comments

It was a most opportune evening to discover D-48 Bistro (48th & SE Division). Saturday night was fairly stultifying, with the temperature only grudgingly inching back down from its angry mid-90s apex of the afternoon. The prospect of sitting outside, sipping an icy cold pint of Burnside Oatmeal Pale Ale ($3, cheap!) whilst watching moths bounce off a naked bulb proved to be a biological imperative. Fortunately, drinking buddy Lucy was keen to try this place that she’d spied from the nearby Landmark Tavern.

D-48 Bistro is part of a food cart village that looks like it’s putting down some roots. In the casual courtyard setting, overheated patrons lollygagged at tables, the nearby gurgle of a fountain providing a cooling accompaniment. The rambling structure, comprised of a small bar, a covered sitting room with a couch and flat screen TV, and a charmingly slapdash back patio with ping-pong and pool table, sits betwixt 7 Hills Turkish cuisine and LeRoy’s Barbecue carts. The menu is basic burgers and pressed sandwiches (all $5-6) with three rotating taps ($3) and tall boys of Rolling Rock ($2). That’s it.

The back patio is spacious and resembles a reasonably well-kept SoCal junkyard, with plenty of long tables, a couple of conversation circles surrounding fire pits, and some random statuary placed at strategic points. During my visit, a flock of older folks in the covered portion of the patio hovered around a grey-haired gent playing oldies like “Autumn Leaves” and “As Time Goes By” on an electric piano, occasionally singing along. Aside from the statues, a Goodwill sofa, several strings of Christmas lights and an Elvis poster represent the extent of the decorating efforts. And I dug it. Sitting under the anomalous Yuletide glow with a cold beer, listening to gentle music, it seemed as if I could be in Spain, Mexico, or at least a friendly flea market at a nameless Southwestern cantina.

The owner (Larry? Gary? Jerry? Harry? Terry?) told me he plans to stay open year-round. I found it difficult to picture this same sultry scene during a furious episode of February wind and rain, but I’m willing to suspend my disbelief. I don’t want to be a fair-weather friend.

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Tags: New Bar, D-48 Bistro, Outdoor beer drinking, Pool and ping-pong

New Bars in Town

Whether it’s umbrella drinks or an underground vibe you’ll find a stool.

Posted by: Max Gelber on Jul 26, 2011 at 11:00AM 6 Comments

So many new bars, so little time. In order to properly guide you to your next watering hole we sent out the “street team” (i.e., intern Max Gelber) to gather some intelligence on a quintet of new Portland joints. And that was the last we saw of him. Seriously, if anyone knows of Max’s whereabouts, please clean him up and stuff him in a cab. Sigh. Good help is so hard to find.

The minds behind Dig A Pony (736 SE Grand Ave.) are trying their best to make a name for themselves by sticking with classic themes, and a “classy but not classist” motto. Taking over the space that formerly housed Niki’s Diner on the corner of SE Grand and Morrison, the dingy old carpets were soon jettisoned and the hardwood floor was restored to its original glory. The food will focus on classic American comfort stylings with a regional bent and will shift seasonally, due to the owners heavy focus on sourcing their food locally as much as possible. Prices will range between $5-$10. The local sourcing mind set is also present in the beverages, with local beers on taps rotating both seasonally and with the changing preferences of the customers. House-infused liquors will be a big focus, with the possibilities of extras like house-made bitters to come. Drinks will float under the $8 price tag, with drafts at about $4.

Nestled in the quiet Sellwood ’hood is the newly opened Portland U-Brew (6237 SE Milwaukie Ave). One part home brew store, one part watering hole, and one part training ground for beginning brewers, P.U.B is the brainchild of Jason Webb, who got his start at the now-defunct Saxer Brewing as a brewer and cellar man, and amateur home brewer Aaron Gillham. Housed in a two-story building, the second floor contains a fully fortified beer and wine supply store and a NW/British influenced bar with eight rotating beers on tap and a wide bottle selection of beers and ciders. The first floor houses a brewing area with six 20 gallon kettles that P.U.B will use to brew their own specialties, as well as renting out to locals to come in and use for their own concoctions. Webb and Gillham also will host beginner brewing classes every Saturday ($35, 10 percent off for couples), teaching everything about the science of beer to the brewing process itself. And after a 2 to 3 week fermentation process, students will be able to keg or bottle their new frothy inventions on site.

Once the home for one of Portland’s rare off-track-betting establishments, the Rialto Poolroom transformed its basement space into the Jack London Bar (529 SW 4th Ave). Out with the old betting parlor, in with a dimly lit space that gives off the vibe of a subterranean Portland dive (except much cleaner and with functional toilets). If you’re itching to find a new place to dust off your dancing shoes, the space includes a healthy amount of open hardwood space just screaming to be danced all over, paired with at long list of dance nights and revolving DJs (including DJ Gregarious on Fridays) with an emphasis on vintage vinyl. If that’s not your bag, the bar has some comfy looking couches and lounge chairs generously sprinkled around the space. Comedy showcases every first Thursday are also on the docket. Tuesdays will feature presentations by historian Doug Kenck-Crispin, the man behind the website Kick-Ass Oregon History (orhistory.com). And mustachioed man-about-town Sean McDonald (a.k.a., Seantos) will be in the house on last Thursday for Seantos Showdown, which he describes as “a little bit variety, a little bit talk, and a whole lot of awesome.”

And just as summer has finally chosen to grace our city with its presence, two bars (one newly inspired, the other an old friend returning home) are keeping the rum flowing with tiki-inspired concoctions. The folks in charge of Beaker & Flask recently soft-opened their new sister bar Rum Club (720 SE Sandy; rumclubpdx.com) to the public, while the Tiki behemoth Trader Vics (1203 NW Glisan; tradervicspdx.com) will reopen to the Portland faithful August 1 with an overflowing menu of over 80 tiki drinks. Even if we only have a few months to drink cocktails with tiny umbrellas without feeling too ridiculous, we’ll take it.

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Tags: Beer, Rum, Trader Vic's, New Bar

London Calling

It’s a new bar in an old space

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 17, 2011 at 02:00PM 2 Comments

In a few hours (Hurry up, Mr. Clock!) I’ll be rambling over to the opening party for the new Jack London Bar, located in the basement of the Rialto Pool Hall, formerly an adjunct of the bar’s Off Track Betting parlor. From 5-8 today Jen Lane of BarFly magazine fame will be hosting her weekly “pop-up” happy hour, T.G.I. BarFly at the JLB, which will include succulent samples from the Jack London menu, a “meat cake” from culinary sorceress Kristina Von Kroug’s Meat á la Mode enterprise, drink specials, raffles, and the lush audio stylings of record-spinner extraordinaire DJ Drew Groove.

As for the near future, the basement bar with the literary handle will be hosting the delightful DJ Meow (aka Ms. Lane) on Sunday, ShanRock Trivia on Monday, a PDX History night with Portland State professor Carl Abbott on Tuesday, and jazz singer Lily Wilde every other Wednesday. Oh yes, and non-dbag dancing is very much a part of the plan, as Bar Pilot drinking buddy DJ Gregarious will share his eclectic tastes in tunes every Friday night. Live comedy will also be part of the weekly culture mix.

For recent arrivals, the bar is named after the Jack London Hotel, a previous identity of the upstairs Hotel Alder, a low-income housing residence run by Central City Concern. Stay tuned and I’ll have a more detailed report next week after I get smashed and make a complete jackass out of myself (or as I call it, “the christening”) this evening.

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Tags: Happy Hour, New Bar

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 9 Comments

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

Crystal Gazing

McMenamins opens the doors to the Crystal Hotel

Posted by: John Chandler on Apr 27, 2011 at 02:00PM 4 Comments

Photo: John Chandler

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler
View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The Junior Parker room dedicated to the song “Mystery Train.”

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The Wilson Pickett room dedicated to the song “In the Midnight Hour.”

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

Flatbread pizzetta with prosciutto and clams. This appetizer was quickly scarfed.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

The bustling Zeus Cafe named after former shady nightclub owner Nate Zusman, who used to run The Desert Room in this location.

View Slideshow » Photo: John Chandler

Everybody into the pool!

Mr. and Mrs. Portland—it’s a McMenamins!

Press folks and prominent rubberneckers got to kick the tires at the new Crystal Hotel on Tuesday, wandering hither and yon through one of Mike and Brian McMenamin’s most ambitious projects to date. The refurbishing of the former gambling den, psychedelic rendezvous, and gay bathhouse at SW 12th and Burnside is nearly complete, with artistic nods to the building’s checkered past festooning every square inch of real estate. It’s a bit overwhelming, but the unifying aesthetic throughout is thoroughly McMenamin: the whimsical, impressionistic paintings, calligraphied song lyrics, and rock posters are the decorative elements in what otherwise resembles a very dark-hued youth hostel. The 51 rooms are hippie spartan, with no TVs and mostly no loos (though guests are welcome to slap their iPods on the clock radios next to the beds). There are 17 rooms on each floor along with 4 communal baths, so between answering the call of nature and the narrowness of the hallways, guests will have plenty of opportunity to rub elbows and get to know each other a little better. “It’s a rock and roll hotel,” announced one of the helpful tour guides. Indeed.

Speaking of which, each room has an artfully rendered song theme by an artist that’s played at the Crystal Ballroom at some point in time, all the way back from Little Richard to the Decemberists. I got a chance to check out the calligraphy and painted headboards in rooms dedicated to Junior Parker, Allen Ginsberg (he was here in 1967—I did not know that), Wilson Pickett, Built to Spill, Black Keys, Avett Brothers, and more, and I have to say that the overall effect is pretty damn charming—like spending the weekend with your rambling hippie uncle who used to be a roadie for Quicksilver Messenger Service. He tells the same stories over and over but at least he’s got good weed.

On the ground floor, the brand-new Zeus Cafe feels historic and homey, especially when the sun shines through the stained glass windows. It’s a welcome change from the polished sheet metal found in every other minimalist-industrial eatery in town. Again, it’s a very narrow walk through the room, so everyone should step lightly. Judging by the appetizers spread around the room, I can safely say the food is a several notches above standard McMenamins pub grub. The flatbread pizzetta with clams and prosciutto was a smoky-salty crowd pleaser and the crun-chewy flash-fried chips came with a trio of lively dipping sauces.

And now, on to the basement where you can find Al’s Den, a dusky grotto that’s like a subterranean speakeasy with a few tiki touches. Down the hall there’s a long serpentine soaking pool in a room lined with bamboo. If there is any justice in this world, guests should be able to drink from plastic cups while splashing about. Don’t quote me on that, though.

Final assessment: Hell yes, I’d stay here.

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Tags: McMenamins, New Bar

Pedaling Potables

When will we be seeing this around town?

Posted by: John Chandler on Apr 26, 2011 at 03:00PM 2 Comments

I heard there was one of these contraptions in Bend, and I was steamed that Portland was so behind the times. It appears that progress has caught up with us at last.

From the Facebook site.

The Portland Pedalounge is a 14 Human-Being-Pedal-Powered vehicle. It goes over here, and then down that way, and then stops for a little while, all at the whims of the driver and the human engine. It is a magnificent machine and provides extreme fun. You will be able to see it and book tours in May of this year. Get ready.

Drink beer and get a cardio workout? Let’s do it! At this point it looks as though Pedalounge will only ferry people to and from the pubs. We might have to wait a while before actual swilling and cycling takes place. More details as they materialize.

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Tags: New Bar, Beer Invention

Shenaut Will Shine at the Crystal

Mixologist David Shenaut joins the McMenamins empire

Posted by: John Chandler on Apr 18, 2011 at 04:25PM 2 Comments

It’s looking like the brothers McMenamin are upping their game on several fronts with the opening of the new Crystal Hotel and Ballroom. They’ve made a major move toward cocktail respectability with the hiring of Beaker and Flask bartender David Shenaut, who will be mixing drinks at the new Zeus Cafe in the downtown hotel. I chatted with Shenaut about his new position working with bar manager Mike Lorberbaum to bring real consistency to the making of classic cocktails like the mai tai, margarita, mint julep, negroni, and Ramos gin fizz (my go-to breakfast drink). “I can’t speak for the company,” he says, “but it seems to me from the people they’re bringing in that the level of cocktails, wine, and food will be several notches above what we’ve come to expect from the pubs.”

In particular, Shenaut is keen to work with the state-of-the-art Kold-Draft ice machine being installed at the Zeus Cafe. “All of the top bars in New York and San Francisco have Kold-Draft systems,” he explains. In the simplest of terms, Kold-Draft makes bigger, harder ice cubes that melt slowly which results in a crisp cocktail that doesn’t dilute as quickly. “Ice cubes are a very important cocktail ingredient,” Shenaut says, adding that only three Portland bars currently use Kold-Draft technology.

Shenaut believes that the addition of a true upscale venue to the McMenamins empire will be good for business across the board. “I think we’re going to get to a point where you can go into a McMenamins, ask for a negroni, and you’ll see the bartender go to the fridge for the vermouth,” he says. And that’s a good thing.

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Tags: McMenamins, New Bar, David Shenaut, Beaker & Flask

Countdown to Yolo

Pan-Asian lounge is coming

Posted by: John Chandler on Mar 25, 2011 at 01:00PM 8 Comments

On my way back to the office after another superb lunch at my favorite downtown eatery—that would be Hush Hush Cafe—I took a peek at the construction going on across the street at the former home of the Invasion Atomic Cafe. It’s going to be called Yolo Lounge; I pasted in this frothy description from the website:

YOLO Lounge will redefine upscale nightlife not just in Portland, but for the industry itself. Found at the epicenter of the City’s financial square, YOLO Lounge opens as a sophisticated destination spot. With a modern-inspired sub-rosa lounge executed by top local designers, guests will experience both “the scene and cuisine,” in a cutting edge environment that feels at once intimate and expansive. YOLO Lounge will offer a full menu of Pan-Asian fusion small plates paired with exquisite ambiance and exceptional service. Five thousand square feet encompasses a private VIP mezzanine, fully equipped event facility/venue and an impressive main lounge. A true lounge catering to professionals looking to relax in style.

According to the dramatic countdown clock on the homepage, it appears that Yolo will be open for business in 13 days, 10 hours, 33 minutes, and 45 seconds. I suggest we synchronize our watches at this point. Timing is everything.

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Tags: New Construction, Downtown Bars, New Bar