On the road again: Portland, day 2

From the early wake-up call to the early evening, the day was simple: work. I spent a fair amount of time catching up with some clients who are also friends, so that part of the work was fun.

Dinner was a treat: Le Pigeon. Its chef, Gabriel Rucker, is a nominee for a James Beard award for Rising Star Chef, and he well deserves it. I had the Duck Neck, egg salad, and tomato vinaigrette starter. It proved to be a lovely coupling of disparate tastes and textures, with the fried necks and egg salad contrasting wonderfully. From the reaction of the two guys to my right, however, I perhaps should have ordered the Lamb Belly; too many good choices. My entree was the Skate, pork belly, potatoes, and fennel; wow, was it yummy. We split a cheese plate, which featured, as always, three selections from a local shop, Steve's Cheese. My dessert was the Chocolate Cake from Satan with port cherry ice cream, which was a wonderful blend of chocolate and cherry, hot on the bottom and ice cream on the top.

We were able to sit at the bar, so our dinner was even better for getting to watch Rucker and his two fellow chefs prepare it. The best seat in the house is always, in my opinion, in the kitchen.

Lest Fred chide me for spending too much time eating great meals and not writing, rest assured that I am marching ahead with Overthrowing Heaven. As I shall resume doing now.