Bernards Farms, Oregon

I have to admit to my own preconceptions and prejudices. I tend to think people who live in rural places, especially rural Oregon, will be more conservative in their politics and values. This was what I assumed about the people who run Bernards Farms, a farm and produce stand (in a barn) about 5 miles outside of McMinnville, Oregon, which is about 45 minutes southwest of Portland. Having been a Portlander for about 5 years now, I enjoy the extremely progressive atmosphere that infuses this town. Whenever we go outside its environs, to partake of the many scenic wonders nearby: the coast, Mt. Hood, etc., I always feel a bit wary that I might come across people much less liberal than I'm used to. Not that that makes them bad, but I am comfortable in my little bubble. 

Whenever we drive to the beach town of Lincoln City, we stop at Bernards Farms. They grow hazelnuts there, and sell them for less than you can buy them in the Portland stores, plus the fact that they're fresh and delicious. We use them to make hazelnut milk as they are much more sustainable than almonds. Did you know that? They require much less water (almonds need a ton!), don't need pesticides and besides, they're a local crop. Bernards Farms also sells produce in season, walnuts, honey etc. 

We were passing by last March, basically the day the Coronavirus lockdown was put into place in Oregon (we were not yet aware it had happened), on our way to the beach, and stopped at Bernards Farm as usual. The produce stand was open, but there was no-one there. A sign asked that you leave cash or a check in a box, and take what you want. Wow. That struck me as pretty darn sincere - and trusting - as there was probably thousands of dollars of nuts and produce. The problem was, I had neither cash nor a check. So I took two pounds of hazelnuts, and left a note that I would call them and give them my credit card over the phone or send a check. The lady who answered the phone said to just send a check and I did. That right there gets them a pretty high sincerity rating, plus the fact that their hazelnuts are amazing. 

Then the Black Lives Matters protests started after the killing of George Floyd and we didn't get back down to the beach for a while. The next time we did though, in late July, we of course stopped by Bernards Farms. Everything was as nice as usual, the employees back at their jobs, wearing masks, and being safe - and over the register two huge signs: One said Black Lives Matter, the other was this one: 

 

I was impressed. My favorite farm stand also stood proud in support of their values - those that I believe to will move our country closer to "justice for all." 

Thank you, Bernards Farms. Your evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! 

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Conin Mexican Cuisine

This article was intended to be run in the December issue of the SW Connection. Through a series of rather bizarre lapses in communication, it was not included. Beyond that, our relationship with the paper has now been severed. We wish the Southwest Connection and it's new Editor, Mr. Bill Gallagher the very best in the new year. Mr. Gallagher, by the way, is starting a "Letters to the Editor" column. If you wish to contact him: bgallagher@pamplinmedia.com

Okay then... In mid-September I received a tip from a reader, Katie Songer, about a place here in Southwest Portland that was simply not on my radar in any way. One of the reasons for that, I suppose, is that it’s a little bit difficult to find, even when you know the address on Barbur Blvd. Honestly, I looked, and looked and even drove right past it several times without seeing it. Part of that had to do with the direction I was traveling in. I was heading South on Barbur, knowing that it had to be on the West side of the street to my right, however the place is most cleverly tucked away in a small cluster of shops. To see it when heading South, is very much like merging onto the Ross Island Bridge off of Natio. You have to know how situate your car perpendicularly to do it, right? In the case of finding Conin Mexican Cuisine for the first time, head North, notice that the UPS store is on your right, and look to the left. There it is! Ta-da!

Let it be known, Conin Mexican Cuisine is a destination I’m only reluctantly sharing with you. The reason I hesitate is that, once known, it’s going to be much harder to get in. Fortunately, they offer reservations.

Georgina and I decided to have dinner early on Saturday night. The wind was blowing, and, because I’d just had the car washed, a light rain was beginning to fall. It was already dark in anticipation of the time-shift taking us back an hour. Not having been to Conin before, we could only hope that our intrepid, five-minute journey into the desperate wilds of Southwest Portland would be rewarded with something more than just okay.

Because of our early timing, we were the first people in the place, and, frankly, entering an empty restaurant can have something of a chilling effect, if you know what I mean? Gah, perhaps it was empty for a reason! How wrong that possibility turned out to be. To be clear, stepping in out of the weather we found ourselves in the cozy, quite beautiful interior: traditional Mexican music played gently in the background. In one corner over the full bar, two flat screens silently displayed soccer and football. By way of the time of the year, there was a lovely Ofrenda (Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead - offering table) set up against one wall, honoring those who are no longer with us. In this simple welcoming environment, we felt immediately at home and were greeted most warmly. What a great intimate place this would be for a party!

I started with a stellar Margarita served in a Mason jar with a handle. Georgina had a Pacifico from the tap. To keep us happily occupied while we made our decisions, fresh corn chips were placed on the table along with an excellent salsa, which thankfully contained only a hint of cilantro (allergic, you see). I ordered Tacos de Pescado: three slightly crispy shells generously filled with fish and the house’s special toppings, sprinkled with cotija cheese. Georgina had the carne asada version. Each of these dishes, and I cannot stress this enough, were O.M.G. extraordinary and delicious. Oh, and did I mention the churros made-to-order in-house? I should have!  

Katie, closed her letter to me with this, “…since we love it so much, we selfishly want it to thrive so it'll stay in business and we can keep eating there for many years.” Well I couldn’t agree more, however, Katie I would suggest this is something of a double-edged sword. An hour or so later when Georgina and I were leaving, the dining room was very nearly packed, and other rain-drenched cars were eager to contest the spot we were making available in the small parking area. People who know about Conin – know about Conin.

Rating: Extraordinarily Sincere

For reservations call: 971-808-5627

eMail: conin@coninpdx.com 

9111 SW Barbur Blvd, Portland, OR 97219

Site: http://www.coninpdx.com  

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If you know of a business or person anywhere on the planet you think might meet our criteria please send their information to me jon@searching4sincerity.com. I can’t promise to write about them though, as that in itself would be, well, you know… insincere.

La Moule: Mussels and Oh, So Much More!

I was looking for a great place to take Jon for his birthday. We'd been to a few fancy-schmancy places around Portland, and, while suitably impressed, felt like something a bit more casual for this occasion. I searched around, rather at the last minute, for a place that we'd like and that had a table available with just two days notice. After exploring options for Steakhouses, Italian, and more, I came across La Moule in SE Portland. They had a yummy sounding Steak Frites on the menu, which I knew Jon would like, and I'm a sucker for really good mussels. With a name that literally means, "the mussel," we decided this place might fit the bill. Oh my gosh, did it. On a Friday night in early November it was hopping, but our table was ready though we got there a bit early. While not exactly intimate, La Moule's two candlelit dining rooms have an air of romance about them. There are booths for three or more diners and round cafe tables for two.

Since the prices were quite reasonable, we decided to splurge. Jon ordered a crab salad as an appetizer and I ordered the steak tartare, (which I'd never had but always fantasized about). Though it took that first course a little longer than ideal to arrive, we sipped our wonderful Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and engaged in the entertaining conversation we always enjoy, even though we've been married nigh on 30 years. Finally, the appetizers arrived and they were beyond what we'd expected. Jon's Dungeness crab was served in a delicious, garlicky-type mayo on a bed of fresh, snappy green beans. It was heaven. My steak tartare was served with a quail egg cracked in the middle, on top of a hot beef bone with marrow. One had only to scrape out the marrow and mix it and the egg into the steak, then enjoy the horse-radishy deliciousness of this ultra fresh, raw beef, that came with slices of french baguette. Wow.

Our main courses arrived more promptly than the appetizers, in perfect time, in fact, and again, we were bowled over. His steak frites was a juicy square of - I'm not sure what particular cut - but was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth just like the herb butter that was drizzled on top. The frites (french fries, in case you didn't know) were slim and crispy, served with a garlic mayo. Jon gave me plenty of bites and we agreed it was a plate of pure heaven. I had the Moule Marniere, which is basically a huge bowl of mussels served in a broth of white wine, olive oil (I think), butter (I think) and garlic (yes, everything here is drenched in garlic). The mussels were huge, tender, fresh morsels, that, like, like the steak, melted in your mouth. I later asked the incredibly fun, nice, and efficient waitress where they were from and she said they come from just up north in Washington, delivered every day.

We had no room for dessert, but were so impressed overall, we vowed to come back. This place really had it all: hip factor, great food, great atmosphere (though a tad loud, just so you know), and great service. It was a departure from our usual dining out spots, and an experience we were so glad we got to have. Jon declared it the perfect birthday dinner!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

2500 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR 97202
Lamoulepdx.com
Reservations through OpenTable.com
(971) 339-2822


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Hillsdale Library - Revisiting Their Sincerity

I think it could be argued that the Multnomah County Library system is one of the most progressive and inclusive in the country. About a year ago,  I wrote a piece for the Sincerity column that I do for the SW Community Connection paper in Portland about how very sincere the Hillsdale Library, part of the county system, is, mentioning that they have a good Spanish language section. http://portlandtribune.com/scc/125-opinion/308713-184235-hillsdale-library-a-people-friendly-place-
Well, I'm feeling like I need to rethink that evaluation. They have removed the Spanish language section for adults, and replaced it entirely with Russian. As a matter of fact, it looked to me like that was the only other language for adult readers that the library now features besides English. Though I know there's a large Russian population in Portland, I also know that the Spanish speaking population is growing. For the library to replace all Spanish language books for adults with Russian, in this Trump-era, Russian loving, Mexican-hating atmosphere we live in, it just seems like an iffy choice. They probably won't see this post, and that's okay, just want to get it off my chest. I let them know in person that I wasn't happy with their choice. I have nothing against Russian immigrants living in my vicinity, nothing at all. I welcome them like I welcome all newcomers to the U.S. But let's not send the wrong message by excluding Spanish speakers either.

Evaluation: Kind of sincere


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Casa Vaca

All you have to do is scroll down this blog a couple of posts to see how passionate I am about what constitutes a good taqueria. As a matter of fact, you'd better not use that sacred word, "taqueria" to describe your taco joint unless you're going to present me with an authentic, delicious, Mexico City style street taco that whisks me back to the Distrito Federal at the first bite. Sadly, so, so very sadly, the tacos at Casa Vaca do not. I'm particularly sad about this because Casa Vaca is in Multonmah Village, Portland, a ten minute walk from my house. Imagine our glee when Jon and I thought we could buzz up to the Village and grab a delicious and authentic taco anytime we wanted. Such is not the case.

It was actually my brother and I, a D.F. taco expert in his own right, who checked this place out about a week after it recently opened. We were impressed with the lovely and rustic interior (suspiciously lovely and rustic, my brother observed, for what usually constitutes a taqueria), happy to see the local beers and other local items they feature, but were terribly disappointed when we were served two plates of tacos: one of Carne Asada and the other Al Pastor (good barometers for taco-sampling) upon the appropriately small, soft, corn tortillas. Once we had a bite of each, we agreed that the tortillas were good and fresh, but both fillings were bland and very far from the authentic flavor we expected. As a matter of fact, they weren't even close. The same lack of flavor applied to the rice and the beans served on the plate, though the kale salad was okay. Wait a minute: KALE SALAD? Served with tacos? Oh, come on, this may be Portland, but that's carrying things way too far.

No, no. The tacos at Casa Vaca will not do, and I have no desire to try anything else they serve, which, is mostly burritos and some appetizers, as I recall - my mind is too muddy from grief over the lackluster tacos to really remember, and I can't find the menu on line. Owners of Casa Vaca, if you happen to read this and want to know what I think a real taco should taste like, go here: La Fuente, Tigard, I mean, actually go there and eat a taco. Or go to the taco truck outside of Village Merchants on Division Street, called Lindo Michoacan. Both those places serve Michoacan style tacos which have thicker, bigger tortillas, but are nevertheless fantastic, or check out Porque No on Hawthorne, whose tacos are a little fancy for me but have exquisite flavor. I'm afraid you could use a little schooling in the art of the taco.

Evaluation: Not sincere at all
(clarification: I'm not saying there are not some sincere aspects to the place, but no place with such disappointing food can rate any higher than this on the sincerity scale.)


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Taqueria La Fuente, Tigard Oregon

The word "taqueria" always stops me in my tracks. There's something so authentic sounding about it. When we recently moved to Portland, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to find good, authentic Mexico City style tacos - you know, the ones made from fresh, soft corn tortillas with grilled and other sorts of meats inside. I wasn't so worried about Mexican food in general, since I'm pretty skilled at making it, but I can't make street tacos taste like they do in Mexico City.

So one day, as Jon and I were tooling around in Tigard, we saw the sign for Taqueria La Fuente and were intrigued. Upon their window, another sign stated that they make their tortillas fresh, so in we went for a bite of lunch. We had a couple of tacos each and were completely blown away. There's a lady in the kitchen within view, making the fresh tortillas to order, and though they're a little thicker and larger than the Mexico City style, they were fantastic, as was the grilled steak that went inside. As it turns out, the state of Michoacán, Mexico has its own reputation for great street tacos. If you didn't know, Michoacân is in central Mexico, west of Mexico City and borders the coast. I may have driven through it, but am quite certain I never had a taco there. Fortunately, I now have La Fuente to provide them for me.

Tacos Mexicanos with rice and beans

However, tacos isn't all that La Fuente does right. They make a mean chile relleno, excellent enchiladas, fine tortas, and tamales to die for. As a matter of fact, at Christmas time, we were looking for a source of Christmas tamales because (for anyone who wasn't raised in a Mexican-influenced town, like I was, such as Tucson, Arizona) tamales are a tradition on Christmas Eve in Mexico and parts of the American Southwest. I have carried that tradition with me to the east coast and back, but, again, was worried I wouldn't find them in Portland. Well, not only are good tamales not hard to find here, but lots of places do them up for Christmas, and you can order them for about $20 a dozen. We had gone into La Fuente to eat a few weeks before Christmas, asked about them, and the server gave us one to sample. Oh, yeah. We ordered a dozen of the beef tamales and they won the seal of approval from my family.

The staff at La Fuente are personable and sweet, even on Cinco de Mayo when the plethora of gringos lining up at the door didn't disrupt their easy, friendly flow. They make decent margaritas, have a good selection of Mexican beers and sodas, and, though the place is far from fancy, it's clean, comfortable, and the prices can't be beat.

I have lots of other Mexican joints to try in the Portland area, but for now, I'm all about La Fuente.

Evaluation: Very sincere

Taqueria La Fuente
12198 SW Main St, Tigard, OR 97223
Phone:(503) 639-3653




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Medley Tea House Cafe

As promised, I'm back to feature another one of the treasures to be found in Multnomah Village, SW Portland. Every time my husband and I make the 10 minute walk from our house to the Village we're charmed at how bustling and lively it is, and have come to truly rely on many of the businesses there several times in a week. Our bank (local to the Pacific NW) is there, as is our doctor's office, as well as the holistic pet food store where we buy kitty food, the card shop which is often helpful for special occasions, a great little book store, a fantastic toy store for our nephew and niece, and, of course, the many really excellent restaurants that we've come to love.

Today's post focuses on Medley Tea House Cafe - so much more than just tea! The first time we stopped in there for brunch was because Fat City Cafe (see previous post) was too busy and we didn't want to wait for a table. This cozy, low-ceilinged restaurant would be right at home in a rural English village - and not in a cloying way at all. Decorated with all kinds of teapots, it's sunny, each table is different, and you can choose just the one that suits you. You can relax there with a cup of tea or coffee, or you can order food from their tantalizing and varied menu.

I love their Fediezeldicker Breakfast Plate with genuinely silken scrambled eggs...I wish I knew how they got them like that! Served with bacon, rosemary home fries and toast, it's the perfect breakfast. Julio's Breakfast Bowl is also delicious, with garlic and onion infused rosemary potatoes, chunks of bacon, spinach and sun dried tomatoes, topped with two fried eggs. There are also health smoothies on the menu, crepes, a breakfast sandwich, bagels and more. And since I'm usually traveling in the company of gluten-free diners, Medley is perfect because they have a truly delectable selection of gluten-free scones, both savory and sweet, as well as other pastries and desserts, both vegan and otherwise. Lunch, served from 11:00 every weekday, features soups, salads and sandwiches, and brunch from 9-2:00 on weekends offers a variety of Eggs Benedict dishes, Chocolate French Toast and other delights. Some day, I'm determined to stop in for afternoon tea between 2 and 5 when they offer, besides their other yummy scones and pastries, finger sandwiches, crepes, and afternoon tea platters with an assortment of the above. I'm sure that no matter how proper I might feel partaking, the experience will still have that wonderful, relaxed Portland vibe about it which Medley seems to accomplish so perfectly.

To me, one of the funnest things about Medley is that, if you order tea from their vast tea menu, you get to choose your own pot and cup! This may sound a little girly, but even my rock-musician son was excited about it.

The service is friendly and attentive and the prices just right. We now make Medley a destination, rather than an over-flow spot. If you're looking for both charm and flavor, this is the place!

Evaluation: 
Very sincere

7881 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219
medleytea.com

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Fat City Cafe

Well folks, Jon and I have made quite the shift in lifestyle. We up and moved out of NYC, all the way across the country to Portland, OR! This is a spectacular place to live, we're finding, and so full of sincere establishments we've been too overwhelmed to single a particular one out for this blog. However, since we've been here now a couple of months, it's time to start sharing with you the many amazing businesses in this beautiful, Pacific NW town. Jon did a post yesterday, which you'll see below, and here's my first of what I'm sure will be many:

The morning after we arrived at our new home in Portland, we headed out to breakfast at Fat City Cafe, in the adorable Multnomah (pronounced: mult-NOH-mah) Village, which is a pleasant 15 minute walk from our house. Multnomah Village (MV) resides in the southwest area of Portland, the outer-lying environs of which are perhaps not highest on the Portland hipness scale, yet MV, along with the nearby community of Hillsdale, are actually kind of magnets for the hip set, not only because they're just so darn quaint (which hipsters ironically rather like) but because of the exceptional restaurants and pubs that abound.

When checking out the area during our house search a couple of months before, Fat City Cafe had called to us among those many eateries, so we had been looking forward to trying it. It's a cozy spot, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch only, with maybe ten or so tables, and seats at the counter. The walls are covered with license plates from around the country as well as other photos and bric-a-brac, but it manages to not be annoyingly kitchy. The servers are super friendly and made us feel warm and welcome right away. The day of our first visit, we both ordered a basic breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast (gluten free for Jon), and were delighted by how delicious it all was. The prices are amazing too, especially because Jon, being an oldster, had the same bacon and eggs under the heading of "Geezer Grub," so it was cheaper still.

We've eaten there a handful of times since and have loved everything we've tried, though we haven't done lunch yet, only breakfast. As a matter of fact, lunch gets pretty crowded there, as does brunch on the weekends so we mainly just go during the week so as to not have to wait. On that first day we went, we noticed that by 11:30 the place was already filling up with bearded, man-bunned types and their goth girlfriends. If the crowd prevents you from getting a table, however, don't hesitate to try one of the other great brunch spots in the village, none of which have disappointed yet. I'll get to those eventually, but for now, there's no doubt that I rate Fat City Cafe: Extraordinarily sincere!

FatCityCafe.Org
7820 SW Capital Hwy, Multnomah Village
SouthWest Portland, OR
503-245-5457

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Buying a Range in Portland Oregon

The rare and elusive slide-in range. 

The concept seemed so simple. The slide-in range in our new home was on its last legs so we decided to buy a new one. Coincidentally we received a 20% "welcome to the neighborhood" discount  from Loews. We went in, chose the stove, paid for it, and were given a delivery date 7 to 10 business days in the future. Ten business days went by and, nothing. I had to call them to find out that the 7 to 10 had turned into another 7 to 10. So yeah, we agreed, stuff happens. Ten more business days dragged by and, again nothing! I called and was told that they weren't sure when the order would be filled. Got my money back, and after a bitter tweet directed at them, they grudgingly provided a $100 store credit. Better than nothing, right? At least they tried. Next, I found the same range on Amazon (to be fulfilled by The Home Care Company) with a delivery date 7 days in the future, a good week before Thanksgiving. We took the bait and all over again went through the same idiocy we'd gone through with Loews. Several days after Thanksgiving I severed that "deal," with nothing from that company but, gosh sorry since you don't like the deal you can cancel it. Suck it Home Care Company! Amazon, are you listening?

Finally, I searched the exact model of range I wanted within my zip code and discovered an outfit called Hutchins TV and Appliance, about 25 minutes from my home. I called and verified that they had the range, and then drove out and made the purchase. That was a Friday. Jimmy was the very laid back and knowledgeable salesman. We arranged for delivery on Tuesday. With Jimmy's help I understood the space that accepted our old range was more than 2 inches too small and that gave me Monday to fix it. I did that. The friendly delivery/installer, Trenton, arrived exactly on time, went about his business and provided clear instructions. An excellent experience all around!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

Hutchins TV and Appliance

• 512 Southeast Baseline Street
  Hillsboro, OR 97123
  (503) 648-2813
• Store Hours
• Monday - Saturday: 9am to 6pm
  And by Appointment Closed Sundays

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Portland, Oregon

As seen on the TV series: Portlandia

I am falling in love with Portland. When visiting family there recently, I was so intrigued by the place, I felt wildly compelled to rate the entire city as "sincere," but then asked myself, is that possible? Well, let's examine the evidence. First of all, it's beautiful: Mt. Hood shines down upon the city from the East, pine forests abound, and lush, green streets wind along the hillsides. Second, a very vibrant scene dominates its downtown districts. From what I understand, and a very limited understanding it is, Portland is divided into four sections, SW, SE, NW and NE, with the Willamette River dividing it by East and West. The portions of the city I visited, the very hip downtown on the SW side of the river, with great little restaurants and vintage shops surrounded by neighborhoods of cozy, old houses, particularly in the Hawthorne District, made me just want to pack up and move there. (The financial center is comprised of high-rises and quite notable architecture but perhaps a somewhat colder street life.)

Mt. Hood over Portland

One day during our visit, we spent several hours downtown at the Saturday Market, and what a scene that was! I mean, the rows and rows of local vendors and their crafts was all very nice, but it was the peripheral hangers-on that really gave it character. Hippies, young and old, swarmed the area, strumming guitars, crazily gyrating to real or imagined music, urging petitions to legalize pot, and, at times, overwhelming the delicious smells of the food vendors with their obvious aversion to deodorant. Could I live with all that crunchiness? Suffice it to say there are a lot of very "natural" people in Portland; it is, after all, environmentally the greenest city in the U.S. Which brings me to my third point: Portlanders are friendly - almost to a fault.

SE Portland's Saturday Market: the largest continually operating
outdoor arts and crafts market in the U.S.

Finally, Portland is the land of my grandparents, aunt, uncle, brother's family, and many cousins. It's a land of roses, lilacs, cedar, myrtlewood and rain. Certainly no city of its size can be considered entirely sincere, but I cannot help but deem my new love:
Pretty (darn) sincere


(If any Portlanders are reading this, and would like to add to or correct any of my information, please comment!)

Burgerville, Portland Oregon

Though we tend to reject chain stores and restaurants as inherently insincere, we were introduced to one that breaks the mold when we visited my family in Portland, Oregon two summers ago. It's called Burgerville and it can be found throughout Oregon and Southen Washington. Doing some research on the web, I found some recent lousy reviews, but I assume the quality changes from location to location. What stands out about Burgerville is that they use mostly local ingredients and are conscientious, as far as I could tell, about how these local sources grow their food and seem to generally strive towards sustainability in their business practices.

On our visit there I had the Wild Smoked Salmon and Hazelnut Salad, featuring those locally grown and caught items as well as local Tillamook Cheese amongst lots of fresh greens. It was reasonably priced and very yummy. I did not indulge in things like the Pepper Bacon Cheeseburger which features, like all their burgers, locally raised, antibiotic and hormone-free beef nor the Oregon marionberry or blackberry shake, in- season berry lemonade or Walla Walla Onion Rings, but I was assured all were spectacular. The atmosphere was cute and old fashioned, the staff - well - I don't remember, but certainly not surly, and I remember wishing that more places like it existed.

When I think of our visit there, more than anything, it makes me think fondly of Portland in general - one of the most sincere cities I know. I believe it is officially the "greenest" city in the U.S. Even the airport is a delight. I'm sure there are tons of good and sincere restaurants in Portland, but until we can return for more investigation, Burgerville will have to do for now. Big shout out to Portland! We love you!

Evaluation: Kind of sincere



www.Burgerville.com