The Tasting Panel magazine

september 2009 / the tasting panel / 95 september 2009 / the tasting panel / 95 I f Branch speaks to the spirit of James Joyce, Bar Avignon evokes A Year in Provence. Husband and wife owners Randy Goodman and Nancy Hunt ride bikes to their neighborhood bar/bras- serie almost daily. They then walk three blocks up to the local bakery, carrying back wicker baskets brim- ming with rustic loaves of bread. "It does feel like we are living that romantic notion of a modern-day shop- keeper," says Goodman. Menu items are sourced from the local farmers' mar- kets that they both visit two to three times a week. "We spend at least an hour a day foraging for products that aren't beverage," says Goodman. "It's defi nitely Euro- pean-inspired in terms of the food, feel and aesthetic, but very West Coast product–driven." Goodman ran the wine program at the esteemed Wildwood Restaurant for more than a decade and is known across town for his keen palate. "I'm kind of a sherry geek," he says; "we have about ten different sherries by the glass." The 25 by-the-glass pours are value-driven wines from Spain, Portugal and France. And of course a few Oregon Pinots. Goodman's wife Nancy crafts the seasonal cocktail menu, focusing on classics with European fl air. "Take the lemon drop," says Hunt, "we have the basic in- gredients, then muddle mint and make an infusion of honey with lavender to give it a French twist." The décor marries Portland philosophy with Euro- pean elegance. The bar anchoring the space is made from salvaged Oregon black walnut, and a rustic railroad tie from the Gold Rush serves as a shelf for bottles of wine. Two riddling racks made of old-growth French oak from Épernay grace from the main wall, twinkling with tealights where bottles of sparkling wine used to tilt. Francophiles and Portlanders will feel right at home. Bar Avignon's Nancy Hunt and Randy Goodman bring the romance of Provence to Portland. A nother neighborhood wine and cocktail lounge, alu, recently reopened in Northeast Portland. The wine list spotlights "green" wines—all organic, biodynamic and sustainable producers. The cocktails are classic sips imbued with fresh and local ingredients. "I wanted to make this fi rst version of the cocktail menu approachable and fun, whimsical and fl irtatious," says Lee Watson, head bartender. The Constante is a Mojito with Appleton white rum, lime juice and palm sugar. A touch of whimsy: The cus- tomers choose their own mint. "I'll put three different plants on the bar every night," explains Watson. Patrons are encouraged to touch and smell the mint, and then Watson can pluck their selection straight from the plant. Choices range from a lavender mint to Blue Balsam, and Corsican to French peppermint. He cur- rently grows eight different varieties of mint in the side garden out back, all sourced from Blue Heron Herbary on Sauvie Island. Watson conspires with local "selmelier" Mark Bit- terman, the city's salt guru, on the Salacious Martini, "basically a Dirty Martini," says Watson, roused with artisan salts. He hand-pits two Castelvetrano olives, then slices them into four halves, face up. "I sprinkle each one with a different salt," explains Watson. "You can actually see the textures and the different colors in the salts." The fi rst is a Maboroshi Plum; "it's pink and very soft and silky," says Watson. The Pangasinan Star fl eur de sel follows, then the Halen Mon Gold smoked salt. The last olive half is sprinkled with Turkish Black Pyramid salt." Whether it be wine, whiskey or whimsy, the city of Portland celebrates joie de vivre by the glass. It might come with a side of sass, a smattering of salts, but it will always be fresh, that's just the Portland style. Head bartender Lee Watson with alu owner Susan Killoran. (left) Cocktails at alu are roused with artisan salts.

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