“Dressed to the nines” – is a riff on an old English idiom, which means “to perfection” or “to the highest degree.” Basically, putting on your best duds in order to impress. When one visits the Departure Restaurant in the “Nines” Hotel in downtown Portland, one might consider “dressing to the nines” – not to… Continue reading Portland, OR – Departure Restaurant and Lounge
Category: Hot off the Grill
Featured Stories of the Week
(Movie) The Adventures of Tin Tin
I don’t usually review movies on this site, unless it’s just a clever disguise for yakking about some grub I grabbed at a theater. But I am inspired to write about “The Adventures of Tin Tin.” From the people (Belgians) who brought us Smurfs, sprouts, fancy chocolate, waffles,pretty good beer, and French fries, the Tin… Continue reading (Movie) The Adventures of Tin Tin
US Chain – Claim Jumper
Founded in 1977 in California, Claim Jumper has grown to 37 locations, mostly in the Western US. With a decor resembling a rustic hunting lodge, and a menu that offers virtually “something for everyone”, the chain maintains its popularity because of quality food, large portions, and friendly, prompt service. The seating capacity at the outlet… Continue reading US Chain – Claim Jumper
Portland, OR – Dockside Saloon & Restaurant
Tucked away in one of the industrial sections of Portland, directly underneath where the 405 crosses the river, the Dockside serves the working stiffs that ply their trade in the various businesses in the port. Open from 5AM – 8PM M-F, and with earlier closing times on the weekend, the Dockside features a lengthy breakfast… Continue reading Portland, OR – Dockside Saloon & Restaurant
Portland, OR – Tubby’s Deli
Had a quick bite to eat here while meeting a friend from out of town who was doing some biz in this neighborhood. I’m pretty leery of places in Portland that have the word “Deli” in their name; here it can often mean “lottery games and hot dogs,” but such was not the case today.… Continue reading Portland, OR – Tubby’s Deli
Nationwide – Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake
Back in the day, before there were national chains that offered TNB, there was a local one in my home town. It was next door to a place that sold soda by the case, in a myriad of flavors, with their own label on it. I don’t remember the names of either place. Every week,… Continue reading Nationwide – Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake
Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 4, Hoffy Bacon
Cracked open a one pound package of Hoffy Premium Bacon for breakfast this morning; like most people these days, Mrs. BDB and I are bacon crazy, and we’re constantly on the look out for bacon that suits our palate. Hoffy gets about 18 slices to the pound, thicker than some, thinner than others. We liked… Continue reading Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 4, Hoffy Bacon
Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 3 – Bacon Dogs
Once upon a time, in the not too distance past, someone, somewhere, decided the city of Los Angeles needed to give its blessing to “an official hot dog for L.A.” Time passed, the public was lobbied, people voted, and the powers that be proclaimed “the official hot dog of Los Angeles is a bacon-wrapped hot… Continue reading Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 3 – Bacon Dogs
Regional Brands – Hoffy, Part 2 – Hollywood Original Dogs
This week we begin a spotlight series on regional brands. Hoffy is a brand name known to Los Angelenos for over 75 years. Chances are, if you’ve eaten a natural casing hot dog at a restaurant in L.A., it came from Hoffy. The world-famous Pink’s uses a specially formulated dog from Hoffy, for example, and… Continue reading Regional Brands – Hoffy, Part 2 – Hollywood Original Dogs
Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 1
The Hoffman Brothers Packing Company was founded in Southern California in the 1930s by three siblings and thrived for decades. Hoffman produced sausages and other processed meats from their factory in Vernon, CA, and were well-regarded suppliers to grocers and restaurants around SoCal. By the late 1970s, the industry had changed significantly, and larger concerns were dominating… Continue reading Regional Brands, Hoffy, Part 1