Sabine sent me a link earlier in the week about Morgan Brownlow, former chef of Clarklewis (during its 2005 Oregonian pick as Restaurant of the Year), had returned to Portland and just opened a café in Northeast serving breakfast and lunch.
401 Signage
Following the trend of naming restaurants based on their street address, 401 sits in the triangle between East Burnside and East Glisan. The space is small and while some may describe it as a music or jewelry box, but I prefer amuse bouche. Two counters (one facing the inside of the restaurant, the other facing the window) and four booths make seating parties over four very challenging. As they have just opened, the front of house staff is still trying to get a rhythm. When asking how long the wait, don’t be surprised to hear, “I don’t know, maybe 30 minutes?” In fact, if you want the best chance at getting seated quickly, stick to parties of two. (This morning, the wait for a party of two was 25 minutes.) Fortunately there is a good sized space to wait inside (out of reach from the rain) and a cart for coffee (regular only) is set up.
The décor is very Rebuilding Center. Mismatched tiles surround a glass fireplace and different sized cabinets have a puzzle-like fit along the back wall. Walls are papered with old newspapers from the 1960s with headlines about John Kennedy’s assassination, astronauts being shot into space, local picks for the Rose Court, and movie times for Jack Lemmon’s Under the Yum-yum Tree. Even during the wait, there was plenty to read and Mister and I pointed out interesting articles and advertisements.
We were seated at the counter facing the street. A bicycle locked to a signpost declared “Support Your Local Farmer” and a strange mural across the street looked like an artist’s interpretation of pigeon dinosaurs invading the Willamette Valley.
We ordered quickly: Zeppole to start, French Toast with Sausage (on the menu), Hen’s Liver with sautéed onions and bacon (a special), two glasses of orange juice, and a coffee.
The Zeppole, Italian bite-sized donut holes, were warm, doughey and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They were okay, but they did not extinguish the flame I carry in memory of the cake-like donut holes with Seville orange marmalade from defunct Gotham Tavern circa 2005.
Although we ordered first by about three to five minutes, the couple next to us was served first. I looked longingly at their polenta and eggs and asparagus over toast. When our meal arrived, approximately 40 minutes after arriving, my stomach was growling and we quickly tucked in.
Mister’s French Toast was made from French baguette: tasty, light and sweet. As we enter maple syrup tapping season, the price of syrup has gone up 30% and 70% over the last two years with some US-based products topping $100 a gallon putting it in the same class as luxury foodstuffs. I understand why some restaurants are charging for it, but I still dislike the practice and it will cost you $2.00 at 401. I’ve been known to bring my own home-made jam with me to breakfast, and I wonder if we will start seeing customers BYOS in the future.
The sausage was very spicy with a southwest-style flavor. Mister asked our server about the house spicing, and she replied that it changes, depending on what inspires the chef when he is making it.
My dish was mirrored my expectations precisely. On a thin slice of crispy toast, fat hen’s livers were layered atop sautéed onions and crowned with bacon. Liver, whether calf, chicken, or goose, splits diners into two groups: lovers and haters. I’m in the lover’s column and the livers were plentiful and well-prepared. The onions were translucent, as opposed to caramelized, and the bacon provided a taste combination which harkened back to my childhood.
Our server, who reminded me of Sex in the City’s Charlotte with her dark brown locks and sweet disposition, did a great job of keeping coffee and water refilled. She was very solicitous of our needs; a difficult trick as the location of the counter does not make it easy for servers to watch or serve.
I would recommend 401 for parties of two, and would suggest going on a weekday as the weekend crowds will increase the waiting time, especially in light of the positive press they are receiving.
Menu
Zeppole and Coffee
French Toast and House Sausage
Hen’s Liver with bacon and sautéed onions on toast
401
401 NE 28th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
503 . 935 . 5221
(no website)
March 28, 2009
1 x Zeppole $ 2.50
1 x Hen’s Liver on Toast $ 8.00
1 x French Toast $ 7.00
1 x Sausage $ 2.50
1 x Maple Syrup $ 2.00
2 x Orange Juice
1 x Coffee
Total $26.75
And….the bizarre pigeon mural:
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