"Objectivist" is how people who think that they are smarter than they actually are describe themselves. Ayn Rand was a smart person who greatly overestimated her own intelligence. Her fiction is asinine. Tunuki is fucking delicious.

Yeah, this woman is ridiculous, but the food is good. You spelled it wrong, "Tanuki."

I really want to try this place! Don't even get me started on Ayn Rand though. So I won't think about while enjoying what sounds like a great restaurant

Honestly, I can think of people who deserve my dining dollar more. I'd like to know this kind of stuff about every business I patronize.

C.O.

I LIKE YOUR STYLE , YOU WILL DO WELL HERE AT BLOGTOWN! GRAHAM'S COMMENT IS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT IS UNPLEASANT TO HAVE A CRAZY WOMAN SPOUTING OFF BATSHIT/TERRIBLY FLAWED PHILOSOPHY AND PRAISE FOR AWFUL FICTION WHEN ALL YOU ORDERED WAS FOOD.

"Me", ok, I was going to stay out of this but at some point having factually misleading and/or inaccurate things in print get a little unnerving.

Of course you are right to care about the business practices of the places you spend your money at- I do the same.

But has it occurred to you that not everything posted on the internet is true?
1) I am no one's "disciple"
2) I have admiration for Rand as a pioneer in human rights at a time when her positions were very unpopular- for instance as far back as the 50's she was on record as being against any form of racial discrimination, she was for equal rights for gays, she was for womens rights to contraception and abortion, she was anti death penalty, anti-war,pro-immigration and more. She wasn't right about everything, but who is? I have an admiration for anyone who had the courage to speak up for these issues at that time.
3) I am NOT and never have been a supporter of Ron Paul.
4)I am not a Libertarian
5) Minimum wage at my establishment is $12 an hour because I believe all my employees deserve a living wage
6) I believe in giving generously and often of my time and resources to charity because it is the right thing to do.
7) Graham doesn't know what he's talking about as far as what goes on at Tanuki because he was permanently banned from my bar back over three years ago. I have never had a "ranting fit" about politics in my dining room.

So "Me", perhaps you won't come to Tanuki because of what you've read here, that can be your choice. I'm sure my politics are different than yours, and probably lean more conservative too. But then the world wouldn't be very interesting if everyone thought and believed exactly alike.

If what I've written makes sense to you though and you do choose to give us a try I hope you'll say hi and maybe we can have a drink together.

Cheers,
Tanuki

Thanks Tony, no hard feelings about that. I know you meant well and meant for that to be humorous. My point by point statement is not intended to insult or discredit you.

People take things very seriously and read into things what they wish, hence my clarifying.

Again, thanks for your kind words about my place, I'm so glad you've been enjoying it. next time you come in introduce yourself. We'll have a whicky and a giggle together about all this.

Cheers,
Nuki

that was supposed to be "whisky" but I promise if I get my hands on any "whicky" you can have that as well :)

Awww....Ayn Rand was for women's rights and anti-death penalty and whatnot. That's cute...

And Hitler was a vegetarian and liked art. Are you a big fan of him as well?


That's nice that you champion Rand's cute little views that really don't matter. Her actual legacy is an evil one, a "you're on your own and too bad if you suffer and die" ideology embraced by moronic right-wingers that have never matured past the "it's all about me" stage. A horrid woman.

Good to remember too that for all Ayn Rand's anti-government, anti-help-for-anybody's ideas, at the end of her life she was broken, sick, friendless, and destitute, and had to have a nurse apply to get government aid in her husband's name (which was available thanks to liberals) because she was too cowardly and ashamed to apply for it herself.

The legacy of Ayn Rand is a dark and evil one, and people who ascribe to it are unpleasant, rotten people.

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

Pretty much says it all.

Well, I've missed all the fun on this thread. Tony, I think you made a grave editorial error discussing anything other than the food, service, and ambience at Tanuki. I have never seen any other restaurant review in any publication use politics, religion, or any other personal belief system as the lead. Nice that you realize your error and owned up to it.

I will echo what others have said here. I have eaten at Tanuki and kibitzed with Janis almost since they first opened for business, and never once have we discussed issues other than food and booz-u in the bar. I estimate I have tried over 200 plates of food at Tanuki and it is consistently some of the most unique and delicious food available in Portland.

I am always amused by the lack of tolerance displayed by those who claim to believe in tolerance the most. Don't want to patronize a business for any reason whatsoever? That's your right. Personally trashing an individual for the books she reads? Makes you look ridiculous and small minded. Hysterical screeds against an author and anyone who reads those books? You are not far removed from institutions that would proscribe books, or radicals who would have them burned. Shame on you, hypocrites.

Michael M

Two owrds for you, Taylor.
Godwin's Law.
You lose.

When will the Merc finally limit its comments section to registered users? Somebody trolled the shit out of you jokers, and I doubt that the person knows anything about this restaurant or the chef.

Anonymous commenting is a terrible idea, be more responsible and only publish comments from registered users.

Being anonymous was part of my point. I just think that they intentionally invite trolls to stir up long threads, and that in this case, it led to a local business owner being disparaged in their online publication. Tony certainly invited it with the moronic opening, but the Mercury should consider closing the comments to anonymous commenters so that anyone who chooses to post libel might be held accoutnable if necessary.

Just one invisible man's opinion. You can go back to reading about bikes and Ron Paul now.

"I am always amused by the lack of tolerance displayed by those who claim to believe in tolerance the most."

Sorry, but expressing a negative opinion is not a lack of tolerance....funny how you whiners always cry 'intolerance' whenever you get criticized. Grow up....insisting that all opinions be positive would be intolerance in this case.



"Hysterical screeds against an author and anyone who reads those books? You are not far removed from institutions that would proscribe books, or radicals who would have them burned. Shame on you, hypocrites. "

Uh...right....because criticism is 'not far removed' from banning or burning books. You aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer, I take it.

Criticism is not akin to banning or burning books, moron.

Emotional spewage is not criticism.
Personal attacks and name calling are not debate.

Calling people rotten and unpleasant due to their personal belief system is indeed intolerant.

Let alone the Hitler/Nazi inference, which is almost always interpreted as open minded, yes?

All of the above are signs that you are uncomfortable supporting your not too well thought out opinions, so you need to lash out to make your point, without even realizing the very act undermines whatever position it is you are trying to promote.

Your dark ages grasp of these issues, and puerile verbal skills, lead me to believe that you could not begin to grasp the higher planes and multi dimensions of my intelligence. You are throwing rocks at a mountain.

Michael M

@Everybody- This thread is a prime example of the circle jerks that happen on the internet. @Tony- thanks for clarifying what you did there, I wondered at your intentions when I dove into the article. The bottom line is, Janis makes some of the best food in town. Never once have I gotten into a conversation with her about politics or anything other than food that I didn't start. What she posts on facebook and twitter is her business. The idea of her coming out of the kitchen and spouting off some manifesto is laughable at best. Go eat the food, drink the drink, and then act like you care about anything else, I dare you. - Jeff mccarthy

"Let alone the Hitler/Nazi inference, which is almost always interpreted as open minded, yes?" ----
Sorry the use of the 'H' name distracted you from the obvious larger point....whatever minor good qualities Ayn Rand may or may not have possessed have long been forgotten by pretty much everybody but the owner of this restaurant, while her dark legacy and her nasty, unpleasant 'philosophy' are what she is known and remembered for today. Well, that and her juvenile fiction. Sorry if that sailed over your head.



"Your dark ages grasp of these issues, and puerile verbal skills, lead me to believe that you could not begin to grasp the higher planes and multi dimensions of my intelligence. You are throwing rocks at a mountain."

Ha ha ha....whatever you say, dude! ;)

Funny, when I saw T. Perez was reviewing Tanuki, I thought "is he going to mention Objectivism?" because that's the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Tanuki. No shit. I tried to go a few weeks ago and despite the hours on their website being real flexible sounding, with no way to contact them to confirm that they would be open, they wouldn't serve me food at like 10:10. I was real hungry and I walked away ranting "goddamn objectivists can't get their hours together. What a bunch of bullshit.... blah blah blah." I dont' really know if the woman's an Objectivist, she is a good cook though.

Hi Mike,

Are you sure it was 10:10? I ask only because while our full dinner menu generally ends at 10pm we do continue serving food until later. The only time we've turned away people at 10pm (with the exception of an electrical outage that caused us to close early one night) is when we've had a wait list going and couldn't accomodate more people. In an instance such as that you may see open seats, but that would be because the people they are being held for haven't arrived yet.

I'd really enjoy the chance to understand exactly what happened so if there was a miscommunication somewhere between my staff and myself or between my staff and you I can correct it. I am very sorry you left unhappy.

And you are correct, if I am an objectivist I am a piss-poor example of one :)

Again, sorry & cheers,
Tanuki

All you whiny bitches on here shall be bitch slapped by the mighty pimp hand of Tanuki and mouth raped by delicious. Long Live Janis Martin