Feast Portland’s fifth anniversary blowout has come and gone, and the eating team here at the Mercury is slowly returning from the blur of bites and oodles of wine and spirits we consumed over the course of four days.
This year Feast was aging, with a few events—Sandwich Invitational, we’re looking at you—feeling a like they’re losing their spark. But there’s still plenty of magic left in the city’s biggest weekend of eating—Smoked, despite the rain, was a barbecue wonder.
Feast dining duo, Merc contributor Jackie Varriano and Mercury wine writer MJ Skegg, hopped on Gchat yesterday and logged a few of their major post-feast impressions. Enjoy! –ANDREA DAMEWOOD
Jackie Varriano: What was your first post-Feast meal?
MJ Skegg: Excluding breakfast, a salad. And man, did I need something fresh and simple. What about you?
Jackie: Honestly? Stolen charcuterie from Brunch Village on the train ride home.
And then I ordered dumplings for dinner. Apparently I’m a glutton for punishment.
MJ: Damn girl, you’re hardcore
Jackie: It’s terrible. It’s almost as if I don’t want Feast to end—which is weird, because I really felt like this year was so hit or miss. Maybe I’m just holding on for more hits. Numerous people have asked me what my favorite thing was, and I’ve had an incredibly hard time telling them. I just can’t pinpoint one thing. You?
MJ: Lunch at SuperBite, but that was a special wine media thing so I don’t want to go on about that. I thought Night Market was better this year.
Jackie: Agreed on SuperBite!! But also agreed on Night Market. I was really grateful for the Latin-inspired freshening of the event (Editor note: The format switched from Asian to Latin this year.) Now if we can just get a different spin on the Sandwich Invitational for next year, that would be amazing.
MJ: I did think Sandwich was better before—more inventive. I have been thinking about Ryan Fox’s Filet-o-Fish, though. It was like legit McDonald’s. Maybe sandwich needs a reinvention?
Jackie: Yes! I wonder if it got a little overshadowed because it was a bit gimmicky (which I actually really liked about it). Plus, it was nice to have a fish something in such a heavy meat event. Lastly, I’ll take tiny soft bun over crappy white toast any day. Still, my dream for sandwich is to push the envelope further—like Bollywood Theater’s pakora bread. I will say I liked the new venue. (Editor: Moved from Director’s Park downtown to the Rose Quarter commons)
MJ: No line at the toilets. Always good.
Jackie: Indoor toilets! Double good. Ok—I also really want to know your thoughts on Smoked. As you know, I basically chowed down on seven things before running to a special Elder Hall dinner, so I don’t really feel like I got a good idea for how that event fared, rain and all.
MJ: There was some good stuff. Nong’s, Gregory Gourdet, the Coquine cookie (which was their regular cookie, but who cares). I had to give up when the lines got long. I admire the people in line for Gourdet’s offering—looked like a 15-20 minute wait.
Jackie: Holy shit I forgot about that Coquine cookie!! I would drive to PDX just for that cookie. Smoked was my favorite event last year and from what I gathered in my brief appearance there, it seemed to be of the same caliber—meaning chefs having fun and really bringing inventive, great dishes with minimal kitsch
MJ: Yeah, and it’s great to see it all cooking. I came back smelling of camp fire
Also there was a lot of good wine around, especially at Smoked and the Grand Tasting. Oregon wines had a good selection (O’Brien, Leah Jorgensen) and the likes of Domaine Drouhin were there for the first time.
Jackie: I also forgot to tell you how much I enjoyed that daiquiri Drink Tank panel— I feel like those panels are like hidden gems that not enough people take advantage of. The wine selection at Smoked definitely looked like a step up in comparison to some of the stuff poured at the Grand Bounty tasting. Not to discount anything as just “stuff,” and I know how hard it is to commit to pouring for two full days, but I would love to see some smaller producers at the Grand Bounty, if at all possible.
MJ: That’s always cool. There were a few small wineries that I hadn’t heard of.
Jackie: Which pretty much leads us to Sunday and Brunch Village. Another even I ran around like a mad woman, stuffing things in my face before the lines got too crazy. You didn’t go, but I’ll tell you that there were some pretty good highlights: Fat Rice, Squirl, Toro Bravo, Trove… and then of course endless champagne doesn’t hurt.
MJ: Like I said, you’re hardcore!
Jackie: Ha! Even with all that I sometimes feel like there’s this simultaneous Feast happening that I’m completely unaware of. All the specialty dinners, Fun Size events, super-secret after parties. It’s exhausting.
MJ: Er, yeah. Very. And I think I took it easy this year.
Jackie: What would be your wish list for Feast 2017?
MJ: We tend to take it for granted but the events are always well-organized, and it is a great way to get up close to chefs and try their food. I would like to see some innovation for next year.
Jackie: True, we totally get to experience Feast in this magical little media bubble. Even with that though, I feel like I never see “the wizard,” and it’s still pretty magical most of the time to see how it all comes together. And agreed on the innovation. I’d also love to see more Seattle representation (of course) and more hot chefs I’ve never heard of from around the country. I might be wrong in this, but I feel like five years ago Portland was really at the beginning of its food identity. Now, it feels fairly established (even though it’s growing) and although Feast started as such a celebration of PNW food, I think now is the time to celebrate food trends across the country. Either that, or we get a Feast Reno, or a Feast Sacramento, or a Feast Wherever.
MJ: Agreed. And why not even look abroad? Love to see a sushi master or some hot chef from Europe or South America. And maybe time to put the events in the mixer to see what comes out.
