Original Greasy Spoon Fare at The Original Dinerant

This past Friday evening, Dan and I headed Downtown for a movie and dinner plan with new friends, Laura and Gianni.  I find it interesting that whereas a Downtown locale in NYC would produce tons of dinner possibilities, the pickins in Downtown Portland are a lot slimmer than say in our neighborhood or in the South East.  After some research, I found a casual greasy spoon joint called The Original Dinerant, which is where we ended up.

Atmosphere:
Drawn in by their all-day breakfast menu, I thought The Original would prove to be a fun, casual option for those of us who appreciate good brunch and a solid burger menu.

Walking into a semi occupied restaurant, we found the vibe to be modern and friendly, and a little step up from your traditional neighborhood diner.  I like that some familiar diner aspects were preserved such as leather booth seating, some neon light action and a rotating display of pies right as you walk in.  Their bar is extensive and welcoming with cushy leather stools, and Dan and I sat there casually for a few minutes enjoying a drink.

In terms of clientele, I found it to be a mix of tourists and locals like us and for the most part people who had a specific reason to be Downtown.  All in all, it looked promising but didn't seem that it would blow us away.

Food:
As I hinted above, we all found familiar diner-esque foods on the menu and some were also stepped up with sophistication.  We each chose something different yet quintessential of diner fare and shared a little starter as well.

Smoked Buffalo Wings - I love a good wing and these were the perfect meaty treats to get us started.  There was a lot of meat on the bones, which was nice and the outside skin was a little crisped, providing nice crunch.  While the wings had a distinct kick and flavor, they weren't overpowering or hard to eat.  Also coming with a side of their house-made blue cheese dressing, it was pleasant but almost not even necessary.

Chicken Pot Pie - Seeing this item on the menu made my giddy and excited, especially since I haven't had a pot pie in a long time.  Happy to see a beautifully browned pastry crust on an absolutely huge pie, I was eager to break into it and noticed it was accompanied by a spoon.  This really was the perfect way to dig in, as its contents were a bit stewy, packed with shredded white chicken meat.  The filling was no doubt indulgent and rich, mixed with cream, however it didn't feel heavy and I must admit that I almost finished it whole.

Banh Mi Burger - Dan ordered this dish and chose a gluten free bun, which actually resulted in something that looked like a sandwich. Packed with braised beef, bacon and a medley of pickled vegetables, Dan thought it was OK but nothing to write home about. I agree, as I tried a little bit of the meat and it didn't impress me much.  The poutine was good, but veered on the side of salty.

Other Dishes - Laura and Gianni got the hamburger with mushrooms and the Lava Lake French dip, respectively.  The burger was pretty good, Laura said but was unwieldy and hard to eat.  The fries looked good but I'd recommend a different presentation, as to not make them look oily.

Service and Cost:
While the food wasn't anything remarkable, we enjoyed good, attentive service.  Our waitress was always there when we needed her but we didn't feel stifled by her presence.  All in all, we experienced friendly and accommodating service.

Costs are high for a diner experience, but moderate for The Original's Downtown location.  We paid about $30/person including tax and tip.

2 Mmmms

The Original Dinerant - 300 SW 6th Avenue, Portland OR 97204
503.546.2666
originaldinerant.com

Delightful Pancake Brunch at Sanfords

It's literally been years since I've visited Sanfords, and not because I didn't want to, but because it's always so hard to get in.  Well luckily, my friend Jennifer and I seized the opportunity at the right moment, as we went in on a Saturday after 2 p.m. when the brunch crowds were dying down.  We had a hankering for pancakes and made out quite well.

Atmosphere:
Even though I've been here before, Sanfords has gone through a major transformation, so it's worth describing the atmosphere a bit.  While the actual size of the space hasn't changed, the layout has become a lot more modern and open with contemporary furnishings such as leather booths, oversized lamps with muted lighting and a sleek bar.

Despite it being past prime brunch dining hours, the place was still full and buzzing, and we waited about 10 minutes to be seated.  The overall vibe felt very fast paced and almost clubby, as the dim lighting and candlelight gave off the perception that it was much later in the day.  In terms of the clientele, it was mostly a younger 20 and 30 something hip crowd of brunch lovers.

Food:
Jennifer and I were both pretty set on having pancakes and were delighted that we could choose between four different ones.

Pancakes - The minute I spotted peanut butter and banana pancakes on the menu, I couldn't look at anything else.  As you can see here, the portion was generous, but I told myself that I wouldn't totally pig out by eating the whole thing.  That wasn't an easy task, as the pancakes were soft and fluffy and glazed with a thin layer of peanut butter and a little bit of honey as well.  Nestled right into the pancake batter, the bananas were a fun little surprise you got with each bite, and they made the pancakes that much more moist.

I had a bite of Jennifer's Banana Chocolate Chip pancakes as well, and those too delivered.  The texture was as lovely as on my pancakes, and the flavor was more classic since they weren't embellished with anything on top.  I almost liked them better than mine, as they represented something very familiar and comforting.  While it was nice to pour a little maple syrup on top of them, you didn't even need it.

Bloody Mary - Now usually my go-to brunch cocktail, I was curious about how this one would stack up.  I'd say it was standard but nothing too exciting, as the tomato juice was pretty ordinary and the seasoning didn't have much kick.  I'd also recommend a bigger (and crunchier) piece of celery for the garnish.

Service and Cost:
Because they were quite busy, I think the service was just so so.  There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it, but it wasn't overly personal or impressive.  Let's just say that the service isn't what's making me want to come back here.

Costs are moderate but slightly on the higher side for brunch.  We paid about $20 each with tax and tip for pancakes and one drink.

3 Mmmms

Sanfords - 30-13 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106

718.932.9569

N/W Train to Broadway

www.sanfordsnyc.com

The Old Cup Diner is Bizaare

I've come to grips with the sad reality that the days of The Cup Diner are long gone. Its successor, Bizaare Avenue Cafe--a bizarre name indeed--caught my eye because they're featuring an interesting weekend brunch special:

It's a buffet extravaganza for $14 per person
11a.m. - 3:30p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays

The menu includes typical brunch dishes such as pancakes, breakfast toast, eggs and even entrees such as chicken marsala, pasta variations and any other special that the chef cooks up.

Soft drinks and coffee are included and they're unlimited. If you'd like to get a morning cocktail such as a mimosa or a bloody Mary, you'll have to add a couple of bucks.

I'd like to check it out soon and will let you know what I think.

Bizaare Avenue Cafe - 35-01 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.937.1234
N/W Train to 36th Avenue

Last Stop Cafe - 20% Off Pasta

Last Stop Cafe, which is just steps away from the last stop off the N and W train is offering a Wednesday pasta special - 20% off any pasta dish.

While their pasta selection is basic, it includes all the popular favorites such as:

Spaghetti, ziti, penne, linguine, rigatoni, seafood linguine, lasagna and more.

And what's even better is that the prices are low to start with, from $4.99 for a simple pasta with tomato sauce to the fancier $16.99 seafood linguine. Most pasta plates are in the $7-$9 range, making this a great economy special.

They also have other diner grub such as salads, heroes and their brick oven pizza is supposed to be out of this world.

Last Stop Cafe - 22-35 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105

718.932.9419

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.laststopcafe.com

Dorian Cafe - Superb Simple Food

Dorian Cafe - 10-01 50th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101

718.937.1120

7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave

Dorian Cafe is easy to find, as it's probably the first thing you'll see when stepping out of the 7 train at Vernon/Jackson. While it may seem like an uneventful diner, I've been told that it's anything but ordinary. My cousin Vicky raved about it on our way back from Blend and I thought that I'd mention it here. In her words "Dorian's may seem like a diner that's nothing fancy but the food is amazing. They turn every simple dish into something extraordinary."

She especially complimented their brunch and I've also heard great things about their salads, burgers and fries. I'm going to have to get myself over there pronto. I'll follow up with a menu and a review but in the meantime, I wanted to put this place on your radar.