Pine State Biscuits: My Kind of Breakfast [Portland]

Pine State Biscuits was highly recommended by a friend's coworker, so I was curious to see this small Southern restaurant that specializes in its namesake item.  During a recent visit to Portland I stopped in for a late Sunday breakfast.  There was a line out the door of easy going hungry folks who all had their eyes on the plates coming out of the open kitchen.  The shop was opened by Brian Snyder, Walt Alexander and Kevin Atchley, who all met at North Carolina State University where they went to school together in the late 1990s.  The restaurant began as a stand at the weekly PSU Farmers Market on Saturdays in 2006 and in early 2008 they made the transition to a 7 day a week bricks and mortar location.

Pine Street Biscuits now has 2 locations plus still has a presence at the Farmers' Market.  I checked out their original biscuit shop, on Belmont.  They are open from 7 am - 2 pm, so its a breakfast, lunch or brunch kind of spot with the menu squarely focused on biscuits and biscuit sandwiches.  Their most famous creation, the Reggie, is fried chicken, bacon, gravy and cheese on a biscuit.  The deluxe version adds a fried egg.  Pine State Biscuits is a small shop, but it is not exactly under the radar.  The Reggie Deluxe was named one of the best sandwiches in America by Esquire in 2008, and Pine State Biscuits was subsequently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2009.

I couldn't resist the Fried Chicken Biscuit Sandwich. ($4)  The biscuit had a great light texture and the chicken was juicy with a crispy skin.  The sandwich is a lot of food, even though it isn't large.  I added a little butter to the biscuit and that made it even better, with the saltiness of the sandwich melding with the sweet butter.

It didn't seem right to not sample a side dish so we opted for the Hash Browns ($3).  The hash browns were nicely crisped on top (without being burnt) and the bounty was literally overflowing the large plate.  One order is enough for several people to share.

Biscuits and gravy ($5) is available with either sausage gravy or shitake mushroom gravy as this is Portland.  Biscuits are $1.50 each a la carte.  The prices are very reasonable and well worth it.  The dining area is tiny so most customers get their biscuits to go or else have to wait.  The vibe is casual and cozy and it has a very genuine feel to it.

Pine Street Biscuits is a recommended stop on any Portland itinerary.  Just plan on coming early or waiting in line.  Coffee drinkers will be happy to know that they serve hometown favorite Stumptown Coffee.

Pine Street Biscuits: 3640 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR.  Phone: (503) 236-3346 Website: http://pinestatebiscuits.com/

Also at 2204 NE Alberta, Portland, OR. Phone: (503) 477-6605 This location is also open Friday & Saturday nights from 6 pm - 1 am, in addition to the standard 7 am - 2 pm hours.

Simplethings is satisfying

Simplethings sandwich and pie shop opened up Thanksgiving week in a spot on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood.  The menu lives up to the name of the restaurant with sandwiches, pot pies, salads, soups and sweet pies dominating the menu.

I had seen favorable reports from Zach of MidtownLunchLA and Esther of E*Star LA  and over the holidays decided to check it out for lunch to see for myself.  My dining companion and I split a bowl of roasted tomato soup, the thanksgiving sandwich and the steak and lager pot pie.

The roasted tomato soup ($3.50 for a cup, $5.50 for a bowl) was generously portioned, piping hot and delicious.  This was the perfect thing to warm up on a cold day.  The crouton in the soup was also nice and crunchy and then got wonderfully soggy.  The soup was not overly rich or creamy, rather simply tasting of roasted tomatoes.

The Thanksgiving sandiwch (roast turkey, cranberry chutney, jalapeño cornbread
stuffing, sage gravy, michetti roll) brought back the holiday meal to my plate all in one sandwich.  Hearty and flavorful.  The cornbread stuffing had some heft and the jalepano gave it an extra boost plus the roll was not overwhelming (a pet peeve is when the bread completely dominates a sandwich).  I will be back for the half sandwich and soup deal (only $10) and as much as I want to explore the menu further I suspect I will stick with the tomato soup and the thanksgiving sandwich, as they were such winners.

The steak and lager pot pie ($10) was good but not as strong as the other dishes.  As my dining companion put it, the flavors were great and spot on, but the consistency was less appealing.  I enjoyed it more than she did but still felt the Thanksgiving sandwich won the savory derby at simplethings.

I have not yet tried the pies, which come in three sizes: cutie pie (a bite), simple pie (a large slice) or big pie (full size) and each day a rotating selection of six of the fourteen varieties are on offer (see website for the pie schedule).

Simplethings: 8310 W 3rd Street, West Hollywood. Phone: (323) 592-3390.  Website: simplethingsrestaurant.com

Attari Part II: The Secret of Ab-Goosht

On my previous visit to Attari Sandwich Shop, I noticed an item on the menu, Ab-Goosht, that was only available on Fridays. I was intrigued by this mysterious lamb dish so went back last Friday for a late lunch to sample it for myself. (Photo above)

When I arrived past 3 pm for a late lunch, I was surprised to find the courtyard packed and most of the inside tables occupied. I dutifully ordered the Ab-Goosht and then waited for the mystery to reveal itself.

The Ab-Goosht is $10.50 and is served with pita bread, torshi (pickles), onions and sabzi (leafy herb). Ab-Goosht is a Persian lamb stew made with chickpeas, onions, potatoes and spices. After cooking, the solid lamb and vegetables are strained from the broth and mashed up into a thick chunky puree, which was served alongside the broth, as well as the chunk of onion, pickles and greens/herbs.

I was not sure how to eat it in the traditional manner, so improvised. I placed some pickles, greens, mashed lamb puree, and onions into a pita and then drizzled some of the soup in to give it some juicy flavor. I then ate the pita sandwiches and the soup separately. Whether traditional or not, I enjoyed using the broth as both a soup and as a sauce for the sandwich.

The broth had a deep rich flavor, from all the lamb, onion, chickpeas etc that had been cooking in it, and so the soup was delicious. As much as I love lamb, I found the sandwich component only OK. Pureed, almost pate consistency is not my favorite way to consume lamb. I preferred the tongue sandwich from my prior visit.

Ab-Goosht appeared to be a clear draw for Attari as there were people waiting for tables when I was done with my meal, despite the late hour for lunch or early hour for dinner. Ab-Goosht is traditional Persian home cooking, which likely accounts for some of the draw. If you are a fan of pate sandwiches, then this is the lunch for you.



Photos: Lamb meat puree (above) and soup broth (below)

Attari Sandwich Shop: 1388 Westwood Blvd @ Wilkins, Westwood. Telephone: (310) 441-5488. No Website. Closed on Mondays.

Attari Part I: A sandwich shop even more powerful than the 2600

Attari Sandwich Shop is hidden away in a courtyard in a building on Westwood Blvd amidst the stretch of Persian businesses that line Westwood from Wilshire to La Grange. The unobtrusive location is no hindrance to business as the patio tables are crowded with fans hungry for their popular tongue sandwich, oliveh chicken sandwich and the ab-goosht soup (served only on Fridays).

Simon Majumdar of Los Dos Hermanos and I stopped by recently to try their well known tongue sandwich and some borani (a yogurt dip with spinach).

The tongue sandwich was served on a baguette and has some tart pickles, lettuce and tomato, along with the slices of tongue in a baguette. The portion is quite large. The pickles really assert themselves in this sandwich and the texture of the tongue was softer than I had expected.

The borani was refreshing and a nice light counterpoint to the sandwich. If we had been eating spicy food, it would have made a great antidote.

It is quite pleasant to sit in the courtyard at lunch and eat at a leisurely pace.

Note: the entrance to the restaurant/patio is on Wilkins.

Attari Sandwich Shop: 1388 Westwood Blvd @ Wilkins, Westwood. Telephone: (310) 441-5488. No Website. Closed on Mondays.

Classics: Philippe the Original

Philippe the Original has been in business since 1908, which would make it a landmark in any American city, but in Los Angeles, that makes it a living legend as ancient as the pyramids. Philippe is famous for its French Dipped sandwiches, which involve beef (or lamb, turkey, pork or ham) sandwich on a roll dipped in meat juices. Philippe and Cole's have both claimed to be the originator of the dish, a dispute which I do not claim to be able to settle.

I have been to its current location (since 1951 according to the Phillipe website) countless times. Following the Natural Wine Symposium I went for a late lunch and got the classic beef french dip, double dipped, as well as a pickle. The beef sandwich is $5.75 and the pickle is $1.05. The french dip sandwich was appropriately wet and the roll was nicely soggy. It was good but not as delicious as on my prior visits. It was just not as flavorful. Having been so many times previously I will judge this an anomaly until I obtain "further evidence" of a decline.

Even after 3 pm on a Sunday, the lines stretched long from each order taker (not cashier as they never touch the money) to the back wall. Some tourists at an adjacent table commented that they thought the sandwiches were small. Yes, half or more of the customers are likely to be tourists, but just because it is in every guidebook doesn't mean it isn't good. I agree that they are on the small side and recommend that two people share 3 sandwiches as I have found 1.5 sandwiches to be the ideal amount of food at Philippe. Personally I recommend 1 beef french dip each and to split a lamb (with or without blue cheese) but that is up to personal preference.


I also sampled the chicken tortilla soup, which confirmed my hypothesis that the best way to enjoy a meal at Philippe is to stick to the sandwiches, chips and beverages. The roast beef au jus is a signature dish of Los Angeles. In addition to their classic lemonade and iced tea, they have beer (including Fat Tire on draft) and a surprisingly large selection of wines by the glass.

Philippe is located adjacent to Chinatown and across Alameda from Union Station at 1001 N. Alameda @ Ord, in downtown. Phone: (213) 628-3781. Website: www.philippes.com