Right. Where to start. This week, the O reported that one of its own former freelancers, Nancy Rommelmann, teamed up with a Penthouse columnist to post a series of #MeNeither videos to YouTube in which they argue that #MeToo survivors need to get over it already. People are not happyâand theyâre making their displeasure known by taking it out on Ristretto Roasters, the local coffee chainlet owned by Rommelmannâs husband. And current and former employees arenât happy either. We break down why this all matters here.
Whatâs next. Oh, right. New School reported that the West Coast Grocery Co. brewery in Buckman has fired its head brewer after he sexually harassed a server, who unpacked a whole lotta things in an email exchange with the beer-centric website, including body image issues, body shaming issues, sexism, and externalized and internalized misogyny. The incident and how it was handled by management made her quit her job, but it appears that things may be on the mend now that the head brewer is gone.
Oh! The O also reported that the owners of Old Townâs Barrel Room is suing one of its bartenders for $115,000, after the OLCC caught him allegedly drinking on the job. The dollar amount is an estimate of what the business owners think theyâd lose during the OLCC-mandated three-week suspension when they canât sell any booze. Keep Portland Messy!
Now that all thatâs outta the way...
This week, the Mercury reported that Sellwood is getting a new bakery, Communion Bakehouse, on February 1 from an enterprising couple with some serious Bay Area kitchen street cred. We reported that the the couple behind the queer- and POC-focused vegan taqueria pop-up, Mis Tacones, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to give their tacos a permanent home. And we visited Normandie, the new French restaurant with a global flair and found that itâs basically firing on all cylinders, so you should go, too.
Returning to the O, we all learned that Holiday, the new health food restaurant from Duane Sorensen, will move into the soon-to-be-vacated Heart Coffee space next to Bistro Agnes, as the roaster itself plans to open in larger digs just down the same downtown street. And did you know that Reno, Nevada, has what its locals call âLittle Portland?â They do and you can read about it here.
Portland Monthly profiled Pastaworksâ Katie Eshleman, the Alphabet Districtâs âcheese consigliereâ whoâs as good with a turn-of-phrase as she is with a cheese knife. The glossy also previewed the new menu at the newly re-opened and reimagined Little Bird Bistro. Say hello to black-eyed peas-rabbit cassoulet. (And that double brie burger ainât going anywhere, BTW, so you can still have that.)
Willamette Week reported that the Lazurus-like Dubâsâthe barbecue and fried chicken experience from William âDubâ Travisâwill rise yet again when Travis takes on a chef-in-residency at the St. Johns tavern, Marieâs. The alt-weekly also reported that the certified-kosher brewery, Laikam, will get its first ever tap room up in Mt. Tabor. Finally, remember that guy who found himself locked in a Burger King restroom last month and how the fast food franchise offered him free meals for life? WWeek reported that corporate has reneged and now the guyâs suing them for just over $9,000âor what it would cost for a Whopper meal once a week for the next 22 years.
Last but not least, Eater had both good news and bad news this week. The good news is that Lucky Strike, the long-missed Sichuan restaurant that Portanders still pine for, is returningâagainâfor a pop-up in March. The bad news? Greshamâs Pollos a La Brasa El Inka, the areaâs go-to for Peruvian chicken, has closed its doors. Same for Perlot, the recently rebranded Beaumont-Wilshire restaurant starring Paleyâs Place alum, Patrick McKee.