Guess What We Had For Lunch...
#11
  Re: (...)
Jean, Roy and I had lunch at Vestas in Vancouver, Wa today. It was marvelous, but I know Jean wants to tell you about it, so I'll just wait until tomorrow to put my two cents in. I just wanted to get you primed I had a green salad with a Roasted Bell Pepper dressing. I'll let Jean describe it since I probably couldn't do it justice.
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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#12
  Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by bjcotton (Jean, Roy and I had ...)
Jean and Roy were going to leave Portland this morning, so she probably won't post until later today....Jean dear, hurry up
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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#13
  Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by bjcotton (Jean, Roy and I had ...)
I'm waiting - impatiently! Obviously you resisted their attempts to kidnap you and bring you down to play at our house! Darn! LOL
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#14
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by Harborwitch (I'm waiting - impati...)
I'm waiting impatiently too Sharon. Coming down to your house with them was enticing, but such is life.
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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#15
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by bjcotton (I'm waiting impatien...)
Well hopefully as soon as Fredia is running marathons you'll be able to come on down! Oh, shoot Sweetie, bring her with you!
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#16
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by Harborwitch (Well hopefully as so...)
sorry Billy, that it took so long for me to get here, but I could not get on the internet at all in Portland - well, one time for about one minute, then no go!!

It was a great lunch, wasn't it? Morris reported that the restaurant is doing really well! Patronage continues to rise and a couple more wonderful reviews from local (and one from N.Y.) writers! Also, the Natiional Culinary Review, the ACF (American Culinary Federation) magazine is featuring his restaurant in the next couple of months!

We started off the lunch with Morris getting us all caught up on the hilarious episodes he's experienced since opening Vestas - he is guite a story teller. We did manage to finally get a bottle of wine from Nathan, our server (who is also the Cheese guru for the restaurant and what a knowledgeable cheese-man he is)a split of Storybook Mountain Vineyard's Zinfandel, which I liked from the get go, but Billy and Roy weren't too crazy about until it had breathed a little. We drank that split while Morris entertained us with his outrageous stories.

He (Morris) then had Nathan make up a cheese plate for us and send out a bottle of Dominio IV '03 Columbia Valley (WA) Syrah - that was so smooth and delicious. And great withthe cheeses.

Zamarono (sp? ) - sheep's milk, nutty - Nathan compared it to Manchego, which most are not happy with after trying the Zamarono - very good

an Uplands cheese, that I regret I didn't get all the info on - but another wonderful flavor.

Best by far for all of us was the Aged Gouda from Holland. This was 4 years old (6 years old is even better - didn't get a chance to try it, tho)The caramel and nutty flavor had us fighting for the crumbs also. Per Nathan, this cheese is available at Whole Foods. This will be a mission for us to find it. Wonderful!

We all ordered from the "cup and a half and a side" portion of the menu - half a sandwich (which turned out to be a whole, but with smaller bread), cup of soup and a salad.

Billy's - BBQ Pulled Pork, 8-hr. cooked pork shoulder, spicy apply chutney, coleslaw on a kaiser roll; green salad with Roasted Bell Pepper dressing; and a cup of Shrimp & Corn Chowder.

Roy's - Steak and Cheese, thin sliced tenderloin, Isle of Mull Cheddar, roasted Anaheim peppers on sourdough; green salad with Cinnamon Orange Balsamic dressing; Cream of Cremini Mushroom Soup.

Mine - Warm shaved Lamb, minted olive pine nut tapennade, Pomegranate Aioli on rosemary potato bread; Wheat Berry Seaweed Salad; shrimp & corn chowder.

Way too much food, but plenty for all of us to share - the sandwiches were wonderful - I'm torn between mine and Billy's for favorite - but what Morris and Gwen do with the 'condiments' of each sandwich is what makes themm so memorable.

While all the sides were great, the dressing of Billy's salad was tops I think for all of us and Morris was so generous in sending us the recipe the next a.m. - recipe below.

I think the only disappointment was dessert. His pastry chef has moved on and they are relying on commercial products, which does not make him happy and kind of puts a kabosh on the experiencing of Morris' and Gwen's other offerings!

We had a chocolate tart topped with a oven-roasted apricots. The tart, commercial, was so-so, but the house done apricots had great flavor. One of my childhood favorite desserts was/is apricot pie with chocolate ice cream, so you can see why I jumped at this choice....

Anyway, the food is still the same caliber as our first visit, desserts aside, and Morris is still the same wonderful host he always is. I'm so glad Billy could get away to go with us - I think he enjoyed himself as much as we did~

P.S. I'll post the dressing recipe separately so we all don't lose it!!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#17
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by cjs (sorry Billy, that it...)
See, I told you Jean would do a better job that I could. It was a truly wonderful time. Sitting with Jean and Roy talking about this and that, old friends, lost friends, new friends, was all very relaxing and enjoyable. Then we were off to Vestas for lunch. That was a little more tense since Morrise tends to talk very low so you pretty much had to strain to hear him, but listening to Jean and him talk about cooking, friends, different chefs, foods, wines, etc., was great. Our lunch lasted about 2 1/2 hours altogether. Great time and the young server and cheese guru would get excited describing the cheese, especially the aged gouda, and wave his hands, talk really fast, and have very descriptive terms associated with the cheeses. I was so engrossed in the aged gouda I didn't really appreciate the other two. If you get a chance, try that gouda.
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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#18
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by bjcotton (See, I told you Jean...)
Oh my, that just sounds like the most wonderful lunch! Glad you all had such a good time.

Maryann
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#19
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by cjs (sorry Billy, that it...)
It really does sound fantastic! For just a soup, salad and sandwich it sounds like it was Four Star all the way. So gourmet and delicious! I wish I had a trip to Portland planed that I could stop by for lunch...Oh well, maybe one day.
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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#20
  Re: Re: Guess What We Had For Lunch... by esgunn (It really does sound...)
The fine company made it even more enjoyable. I so enjoy being with Jean and Roy, you couldn't ask for better people.
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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