Simply a matter of time
Monday, April 21st, 2008 | Food
It makes me sad to think that the downturn in the economic health of our country/ state has negatively impacted the places we have so loved.
I usually stay pretty up-to-date on the restaurant noise that is Portland, and I attribute that solely to reading “An Exploration of Food Drink” blog.
The latest is that Pix on Hawthorn has closed. The Brazen Bean on 21st and Glisan is now finding a new home. It once flung savory and sweet cocktails to it’s swanky patrons while providing a safe haven for cigar puffers on their quaint porch. The short of it, rent is too spendy and they are moving. Items are being moved to storage until they find new diggs and then will continue the cocktail conjuring. It’s really quite sad though.
Virginia Cafe has moved and while it still may stil have the name “Virginia Cafe” it still will never be the same.
They are gutting the building that the Brasserie Montmarte once thrived.
I honestly don’t know the details on why Brasserie closed. I think it might have been a project that was moved into too quickly and the funds to support the project ran out faster than beer at our house which is FAST.
It’s really a shame, I loved the Brasserie, we went there for R’s and I’s second or third anniversary. This was when Ryan asked what I wanted to do for our anniversary and I said I wanted to experience Paris, so R took me there, and it was a delightful time. Let me clarify that the anniversary was in dating, not married. I have fond memories of Brasserie and I have fond memories with friends there, so it really is a shame, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.
The restaurant business has to be one of the riskiest, especially now-a-days. Already Lagniappe on Alberta has closed, and has been branded a new name with a new menu, the Alberta Oyster Bar is under new ownership and well I guess that is all I know about right now. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that our thriving indie artists scene or block remains flourishing throughout the financial constraints of our community.
With the global climate change I know our local farmers will be hurting for decent crops this year, but I’m going to try to continue to buy as local as possible. I want to keep our community going and growing, even throughout the weather hardships.
Happy eating.
2 Comments to Simply a matter of time
I am bummed about the loss of the Virginia Cafe. Every time we’d go, I always liked it. Its dark, dank, dingy ‘thing’. I remember having some pretty delicious ‘greasy spoon’-style burgers there, and they had Guinness on tap. Always a plus in my book. I will also miss Brasserie Montmarte, even though we didn’t go there often. I guess both of those places were those kind of ‘comforting’ spots you knew existed, and helped make Portland feel more “Portland-y”. I feel the same way about the long gone Big Bang, and Crocodile Records, and the old Fox Theater.
JasonMay 2, 2008
Wow, our beloved Virginia Cafe will be missed, it was a great place to load up before a show at the Schnitz, now what am i gonna do?!
Crocodile Records! i completely forgot about that place!
Downtown near the square has changed so much, its just not the same…too sterile for me.
-jas
April 26, 2008