The Best Things We Ate and Drank at Feast 2016

SinceFeast’sinception five years ago , it has grown into what is inarguably the fine nutrient and drink festival in Portland , if not the country . There is nothing quite like it : four days of indulging , from massive consequence like the Sandwich Invitational and Brunch Village , to intimate dinner and fun drink panels sweep across townspeople . This twelvemonth was bigger than ever with the addition of Fun - Size Events – average - sized gathering focusing on everything from cocktail to noodles .

With so many events and so many chef and winemakers and artisan and more featured at each , it would be unacceptable to get to everything . Even if we did ( ca n’t say we did n’t try ) , there ’d be no agency we could name everything that ’s simply only " really good " ; there ’s just so much adept material going on at Feast that it ’d be an eternal whorl fest . But here are just a few of the things we ’ll be woolgather about until next year . Remember : only 350 - unpaired days to recover .

The winning sandwiches at the Sandwich Invitational

Feast celebration kicked off Thursday nighttime with the Sandwich Invitational . It was the only effect with a contest aspect – lashings of chefs compete to claim the judge ’s choice and citizenry ’s choice for best sandwich . This year , like every year , was a hard one : the fish fish filet stylus sandwich fromNomadwas an upscale take on a immobile solid food classic ; the crispy pulled pork with smoked oyster mayo was as smashing as is expect from a blank space likeTrifecta Tavern ; andHouse Spiritsmade the safe ( and only ) BLT in cocktail form we ’ve ever had . But the two title-holder were deserve : the Mumbai Monte Cristo , a deliciously electrocute three-card monte cristo top with plum chutney fromBollywood Theaterwon People ’s selection for its sweet and mouth-watering calibre , and the Bulgogi Club Sandwich fromKim Jong Grillin’foodcart won the judges ’ prize with its spiciness and richness .

Russian tea service from Vitaly Paley

Vitaly Paley ofPaley ’s Place , Imperial , and Penny Diner is one of the most influential chefs in the Portland food scene . The annunciation that he would be taking over the Heathman ’s famed eatery syllabus with a new spot , Headwaters , was greet with considerable enthusiasm . What we did not expect was his complete service of the hotel ’s tea servicing ; some golden few make a preview of this at Feast , and we could n’t be more unrestrained . Gone is the English tea syllabus with its white kale cucumber sandwiches – it ’s been replaced by a full Russian teatime service : recall pickle , smoked , and kippered Pisces , khachapuri , Russian tea leaf cakes , and dark Russian teas sweetened with bracing , local fix .

Washington wines

Between tiffin , panels , and booths at the principal event , Washington wines could be found just about everywhere . Part of that is due to Feast ’s expanding upon to encompass a dandy orbit of the NW this year , and part of it is just the rise of Washington in the wine world in general . It was a great break from the ubiquity of Oregon Pinot , both noir and gris , and a great opportunity to try some of the first-class intersection coming from our northern neighbor .

The Sweet Harmony at Peace, Love and Cocktails

Our personal new pet playfulness clock time event is Peace , Love , and Cocktails , a celebration of some of Portland ’s best bartenders , visiting bartenders , and local still , all host at House Spirits . The event had , hand down , the good drinks of the intact festival , and of those , our favorite was the Sweet Harmony , create by Sean Hoard ofPortland ’s Commissaryand served by Daniel Shoemaker of the famedTeardrop Lounge . A premix of House Spirit ’s aquavit and vodka , pear shrub by the Commissary , orange succus , and Pyramid IPA , it was a delicious , tonic , and truly singular drinking .

Rene Ortiz’s marinated salmon & Jose Chesa’s duck cones at Night Market

Night Market is another extravaganza , and favorite are hard to pick . The popular particular at this year ’s Latin - theme Night Market was the marinated Salmon River with roe from Rene Ortiz ofLaunderettein Austin , TX . Spicy and briny with a vinegar lime sauce , but still racy with the salmon and the roe , it was the pick of the dark for many . We also adored Jose Chesa ’s ( AtaulaandChesa ) “ marrow conoid , ” another unconventional bag from the vivid chef , with duck’s egg escabeche , ancho chili pepper , avocado , and plantains all wrapped in a waffle cone .

Bonnie Morales’ pickled radishes &Bon Appétit’s roasted plums at the Grand Tasting

The Grand Tasting is a chance for chefs , artisans , and winemaker to showcase their product in the form of pocket-size bites . It can be a bit feverish , especially when it rain down like it did at Saturday ’s tasting this class . There were literally stacks of thing to stress . Our deary , though , was the exercise in simplicity that wasKachka’spolenta and pickled radish , topped with a crispy radish leaf – simple , salty , tasty , perfect . Another treat was found in theBon Appétittent : roasted plum atop ricotta and toasted : not too unfermented , rustic , and lovely .

Katy Millard’s Coquine Cookies at Smoked

Smoked is only in its second yr , but is arguably the good of the main case . This is where you ’ll find an copiousness of grilled meats , and there were legion standouts : Hugh Acheson of Five & Ten , Empire State South , and more in Atlanta , GA wow crowds with his dear Warren E. Burger . Nong perfected her already perfectkhao man gaiby grilling , rather than poaching , the crybaby . But if you asked , most mass would have declare their favourite was a cookie : Katy Millard ’s smoked almond salt caramel chocolate cooky fromCoquine . More than 1,700 were made , and they nearly totally disappeared , many of them into bag and pocketbook to be smuggled out for later .

Daiquiris at Day of the Daiquiri

Feast has always had great cocktails , but year five had the best of them all . Our favorite Drink Tank event had to be the Day of the Daiquiri . To be reasonable , we ’re always rooting for the rum cocktail , but this exciting panel , which included Mike Shea ofRum Club , among others , reminded us exactly why we hump them so much , and hopefully introduced more people to this increasingly popular drink . Not all daiquiris are glacial monstrosity !

Rosé Champagne & Chartreuse gin fizzes at Brunch Village

come together out the fete was Brunch Village , where you could wreak off your cumulative three - day holdover by work on your quaternary . There was plenty to drink , including the obligatory Bloody Marys and mimosas , but our favorite was a sparkling rosé , sans OJ.Gruetfrom New Mexico and the classicNicolas FeuillatteChampagne were both pure pairings with breakfast . Additionally , the delicious Ramos knock rummy fizz with Green Chartreuse fromAria Gin Distillerymade for another spot on breakfast potable – frothy , gently cherubic , and botanical . Let ’s trust you had a ride home on Sunday and not much else to do the rest of the day …

Congee, chicken sandwiches & deep fried Monte Cristos at Brunch Village

Of naturally , brunch is more than just drinks , and there was so much honorable food to help inebriate up last night ’s ( and that Clarence Day ’s ) potable . Fried wimp breakfast sandwiches fromToro Bravowere seize faster than they could be laid out on a table ; the deep fried Monte Cristo sausage wrap fromOlympia Provisionswas totally dissimilar than the bring home the bacon sandwich at the Sandwich Invitational , but no less delicious ; and our favourite was the congee with smuggled bean sausage from Joanna Ware ofSmallwares . It made us even sadder that her eatery close down the 24th of September .

Maya Lovelace’s fried chicken at Go Get You Some Picnic

Maya Lovelace runsMae PDX , a pop - up dinner series do some of the best Southern food in the state . She joined Feast this yr , bringing her fried chicken to the Go Get You Some Picnic Fun - Size outcome : lard electrocute wimp wing with sorghum butter and a country gammon biscuit , absolutely mate with a creamy “ after church ” broccoli salad .

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