EAT: Champagne Poetry Is an Ode to Dessert

FOOD & DRINK Editor: Andi Prewitt Contact: aprewitt@wweek.com

Top 5 Buzz List

WHERE TO DRINK THIS WEEK.

1. NORTH 45

517 NW 21st Ave., 503-248-6317, north45pub.com. 4 pm-midnight Monday-Thursday, 2 pm-1 am Friday, noon-1 am Saturday, 2 pm-midnight Sunday. You never know exactly what you’ll fi nd on North 45’s rear patio, but it’s the promise of a rollicking scene tucked out of street view that keeps people waiting for a seat. But like a mullet, the party in the back is balanced by a measure of refi nement. The drink list circumnavigates the globe, from renowned Belgian Trappist beers to a booklet of spirits that’s almost two dozen pages long.

2. MIGRATION BREWING AT WASHINGTON SQUARE

9585 SW Washington Square Road, migrationbrewing.com. Noon-8 pm Monday-Saturday, 11 am-7 pm Sunday. Migration is making it cool to be a mall rat again. The 12-year-old company just opened a beer garden inside Washington Square with four taps as well as multiple packaged options, including cider and wine. The bar is surrounded by food court staples, which means you fi nally have the opportunity to pair a Migration classic like Straight Outta Portland IPA with a plate of piping hot orange chicken from the nearby Panda Express.

3. THE KNOCK BACK

2315 NE Alberta St., theknockback. com. 4-midnight Monday-Thursday, 4 pm-2 am Friday, noon-2 am Saturday, noon-midnight Sunday. Over the past two years, we’ve seen plenty of bars close, along with a slew of brave newcomers entering the market. But rarer is the resuscitation of any pandemic casualties. Now, the Knock Back, which shuttered in 2020 after an unsuccessful GoFundMe campaign, has returned to its original location with a new drink menu. Perhaps the best part, though, is the fact that it has also revived food cart boom standout Grilled Cheese Grill under its roof.

4. PACIFIC STANDARD

100 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 971-346-2992, kexhotels.com/eat-drink/ pacifi cstandard. 3 pm-midnight daily. At Pacifi c Standard, the new bar by bartender Je rey Morgenthaler and longtime colleague Benjamin “Banjo” Amberg anchoring the Kex hotel, you won’t fi nd any of the drinks the two men became known for at their former posts, Clyde Common and Pépé le Moko. But there are nods to those past hits in the all-new cocktail menu, like the summery rosé Negroni, the zesty All-Day Bloody Mary, and the Palm Desert Date Shake that’s decadent but not too boozy.

5. BUOY BEER POP-UP

1152 Marine Drive, Astoria, 503-2986833, buoybeer.com. Noon-8 pm daily. Show Buoy Beer some much-needed love by heading out to Astoria for pints at its new pop-up. By now, you’ve seen the devastating images of the brewery’s primary location above the Columbia, partially crumpled like a tin can. There’s no word on when the pub, which collapsed in mid-June, might reopen, but fortunately the brand was welcomed by the new Astoria Food Hub, where you can now get Buoy on tap along with classic seafood.

TASTE THE RAINBOW: Champagne Poetry’s collection of macarons is impressive: There are at least 16 fl avors—just get them as fresh as possible.

Cakewalk

Champagne Poetry is the pastel-hued dessert shop of your Instagram dreams.

BY ANDREA DAMEWOOD PHOTOS BY JORDAN HUNDELT

Walking into Champagne Poetry Pâtisserie is guaranteed to draw a smile out of even the most stubborn curmudgeon: The new bakery on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard is a pink wonderland of fl uffy cakes, airbrushed tarts and airy souffl é pancakes. Named after the fi rst track on Drake’s 2021 album Certifi ed Lover Boy, there’s a defi nite feeling of trendiness infused into the bakery’s bright purple ube buns and lavender rose swirl macarons, meant to be photographed in front of an entire wall fi lled with pastel roses and a pair of neon angel wings. But as Drake samples the 1965 Beatles song “Michelle” heavily in “Champagne Poetry,” chef-owner Dan Bian also draws on classic infl uences for her confections. That is to say, everything about Champagne Poetry is actually dead serious, dedicated to infusing those French staples with everything from yuzu to guava to ube. Bian, who founded La Rose Pâtisserie in Beaverton, studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, training with renowned pastry chefs Cedric Grolet and Johan Martin. La Rose is no longer under Bian’s ownership, and she has turned her focus to opening this foot traffi c-heavy spot on Hawthorne this spring. Weekends already boast a solid line of people out the door, often sets of femme friends who stand back for a while, unable to decide which treat from the technicolor array they’ll order. To save yourself some time, start with the souffl é pancakes ($18), an eggy, aerated Japanese twist on the breakfast staple that requires its own special machines to make. They’ll take at least 20 minutes to arrive, so grab some sustenance to tide you over. There’s a whole mess of rosé to choose from, including several sparkling options, as well as espresso, boba tea, and one of the most balanced Italian raspberry cream sodas I’ve had in years— the drinkable cloud has an ideal ratio of treacly syrup, rich cream and fi zzy soda. Champagne Poetry’s baked goods skew heavily sweet, but there are a few savory options, including a spinach feta croissant ($4.99), with a creamy fi lling inside a crispy and appropriately crumbly buttery dough. Mochi cookies ($4.99), both in standard chocolate chip and matcha with white chocolate, wrap cookie dough around soft, chewy mochi—a textural delight for anyone who prefers their cookies on the gooey side. The macaron ($3-$3.50) selection is truly impressive, with options from classic vanilla and pistachio to lychee and yuzu, but the results vary depending primarily on how freshly they’ve been baked. The real stars, however, are the cakes. My favorite is the Mango Tango ($8.99), Bian’s tribute to Grolet, who is famous for his hyperrealistic bakes. Airbrushed to look like the real tropical fruit, your fork shatters the illusion, revealing a super-silky mango mousse with a layer of passion fruit and banana purée that provides a burst of tartness. Similarly, a dark chocolate mousse cake ($7.99) arrives looking to all the world like the perfect Homer Simpson doughnut: shiny, bright pink and topped with sprinkles. Cheesecakes ($6.99) are given a slight brûlée effect, and Champagne Poetry’s version is less dense and less sugary than a traditional New York-style slice. The matcha version provides a touch of bitterness for even more balance. The Cloud 9 buns ($3.99-$4.50) may seem fl amboyant, standing 6 inches high with layers of cream cheese frosting and a dusting of milk powder. However, there is restraint in the saltysweet fl avor and bready texture, which makes for a good morning bun that won’t send you into hyperglycemic shock. Particularly with the forthcoming loss of Pix Pâtisserie, Champagne Poetry launched at just the right time, fi lling what would’ve been a void: a pleasant place to have a drink and something divine to snack on before wandering on to continued adventures. I only wish it were open late every day, at least during the summer; I’d be in post-dinner at least once a week.

EAT: Champagne Poetry Pâtisserie, 3343 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-265-8834, champagnepoetry.biz. 9:30 am-7 pm Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 9:30 am-9 pm Friday-Saturday.

Top 5 Hot Plates

WHERE TO EAT THIS WEEK.

1. RUKDIEW CAFE

2534 SE Belmont St., 503-841-6123, rukdiew. com. 11:30 am-3 pm and 4:30–9 pm Monday-Thursday, 11:30 am-3 pm and 4:30-9:30 pm Friday, noon-9:30 pm Saturday, noon-9 pm Sunday. The most sought-after Thai appetizer in Portland these days might just be chicken wings, since the fall of Pok Pok has many hoping to discover an adequate replacement. Look no further: RukDiew’s hot wings are not only heavenly, the dish is secretly two great snacks in one. Flats and drums are tossed in a light chile-garlic sauce and served on a bed of fried basil leaves and egg noodles.

2. BEIRUT BITES

318 SE Grand Ave., 503-500-5885, beirutbitespdx.com. 11 am-8 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-9 pm Friday-Saturday. In 2021, Nicholas—one of Portland’s oldest Lebanese-Mediterranean restaurants—moved from its flagship location on Southeast Grand Avenue to a new, roomier building. Now the original space has been rebranded by second-generation owner Hilda Dibe as Beirut Bites, a fast-casual concept that uses family recipes to encourage newbies and longtime Nicholas fans to engage with casual dishes rarely seen in Portland, the specialty being five varieties of street pizzas.

3. CHENNAI MASALA

2088 NE Stucki Ave., Hillsboro, 503-531-9500, chennaimasala.net. 11:30 am-2 pm and 5:309:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday. Chennai Masala has been a South Indian standard for more than a decade. After the dining room was remodeled, it gained the feel of a midscale restaurant, shedding the cafeterialike vibe. South Indian food leans heavily vegetarian, so order accordingly. We suggest one of the dosas, a scrolled crispy crepe made with fermented lentil and rice flours. Good plain with just a side of aromatic sambar or filled with potatoes, chutney, egg, cheese, meat and more.

4. EB & BEAN

1425 NE Broadway, 503-281-6081; 3040 SE Division St., 971-242-8753; 645 NW 21st Ave., 503-889-0197; ebandbean.com. Noon-10 pm Sunday-Thursday, noon-11 pm Friday-Saturday. This summer, Portland has watched from afar while much of the nation has baked in punishing temperatures. Now that we’re baking, it’s time to start finding ways to stay cool. Fortunately, Eb & Bean just launched four new nondairy froyo flavors that should act as a temporary respite from the sweltering conditions: amarena cherry lemon, garden mint, vanilla co ee, and hibiscus mango.

5. DESI BITES

16165 SW Regatta Lane, #300, Beaverton, 971-371-2176, desibitespdx.com. 11 am-2:30 pm and 4-9 pm Tuesday-Sunday. Desi Bites is one of the Beaverton’s newest South Asian markets with a full restaurant. Beware, however, the dining area is tiny (while the store is huge) and it fills up quickly. Plan for takeout, at least as a contingency. Don’t be afraid to try the fiery tomato- and coconut-based Telangana curry, a specialty of Hyderabad. For a more mainstream repast, try the kati rolls or kebabs wrapped in paratha bread, which are messy but delicious.

Garden Party

Growing your own cannabis can be rewarding and fun. Here are six easy-to-cultivate strains to get you started.

BY BRIANNA WHEELER

As much as you may love a fruitful dispensary visit, few flowers can compare to the ones cultivated in your own kitchen, balcony or backyard.

Not only does a small home grow help you refine your palate, the process can elevate your appreciation for well-cared-for cannabis. In Oregon, any household can cultivate up to four plants. That’s four opportunities to find your green thumb, dial in your plant daddy vibes, and become the growmaster of your stoner fantasies.

Whether you start your grow with a clone or seeds, we’ve provided you with a list of easy beginner strains that will thrive both indoors and out. And when capitalism finally meets its grisly end, at least you can keep your stash jars full thanks to your newly discovered farming skills.

INDOOR STRAINS

Blue Dream

This balanced hybrid is a cross of Blueberry and Haze, and the resulting cultivar delivers a euphoric, mildly energizing high. Therapeutic users appreciate this strain’s ability to treat neuropathy, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stress. THC levels top out in the upper 20s, but many cultivars sit somewhere between 17% and 23%, depending on where you source your seeds or clone. Expect dense, bright-green nugs with an earthy, vanilla perfume and sweet, herbal exhale. Flowering time: 75 days from germination Average yield: 20 ounces

Dutch Treat

Popular Amsterdam cultivar Dutch Treat is a indica-leaning hybrid that typically delivers a giggly, perky head high and a super-soothing body buzz. First-time growers will appreciate how low maintenance this plant tends to be. Expect a sweet, piney nose and traces of blueberry in the exhale. The flowers tend to be bright green with a fine dusting of crystals. Flowering time: 56 to 63 days Average yield: 12 ounces

Blue Cheese

This cross of Blueberry and Cheese is known for its creative, crystalline head high. The aroma is, as one can imagine based on the name, hella pungent, which you’ll need to take under consideration when deciding where to place this plant—particularly if you live in an apartment or condo. Expect a creamy, skunky exhale and light green buds laced with bright orange threads. Flowering time: 49 to 56 days Average yield: 18 ounces

OUTDOOR STRAINS

Northern Lights

Northern Lights is one of the most popular and wellknown strains that’s thought to be native to the mountains of Afghanistan. While it is pure indica, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will put you to sleep. In fact, most users describe a nuanced high that’s buzzy in the head and velvety smooth in the body. Growers appreciate the plant’s hardiness and strong yields. Expect a woody, piney aroma and a slightly spicy exhale. Flowering time: 45 to 50 days Average yield: 18 ounces

Durban Poison

Durban Poison is a pure sativa descendant of an African landrace strain brought overseas in the ’70s, and has become one of the more popular functional daytime varieties. Therapeutic users celebrate its ability to treat depression, chronic pain and bipolar disorder, but in large doses, Durban Poison has been known to produce anxiety in less-experienced users. Durban Poison should, theoretically, thrive outdoors, but be sure to give it some extra attention in the form of pruning, fertilizing and sweet talking. Expect a light piney nose, a pungent exhale, and dense buds covered in trichomes. Flowering time: 56 to 63 days Average yield: 13 ounces

Cinex

This balanced hybrid of Cinderella 99 and Vortex is a popular strain with first-time home growers, since it has a short flowering period and high yields. The cultivar is also easy to care for. Cinex’s tight, minty-green buds are dusted with crystallike trichomes and amber filaments. Expect a bright, citrusy aroma and a powerfully skunky exhale. Flowering time: 50 to 60 days Average yield: 19 ounces

LAURA HADDEN SHOWS WEEK

WHAT TO SEE AND WHAT TO HEAR

BY DANIEL BROMFIELD @bromf3

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10:

SHINE A LIGHT: Emilie Landmann, Laura Christina Dunn and Corinne Gaucher.

Walk With the Prophets

The Broken Planetarium revisits the myth of Cassandra in its original musical Live! Prophets! Live!

BY SARA GIZA

If you’re wondering what the Broken Planetarium’s original musical Live! Profi ts! Live! has to offer, you might want to ask a more accurate question: What doesn’t it have to offer? Together, playwright-actor-composer Laura Christina Dunn and her fellow cast members prove there’s no need for a fancy theater, extravagant props, or designer costumes. When you possess their sheer talent and passion, any production can be a masterpiece. Based on the myth of the ancient Greek prophet Cassandra, Live! Profi ts! Live! uses COVID-19 to spark an overdue conversation about climate change and domestic violence. The play invites us to consider at least one upside to the pandemic (that it drew collective attention to the impact humans have on their environment), while also acknowledging that the oft-used phrase “safer at home” was not a reality for those locked in quarantine with their abusers.

Live! Prophets! Live! (directed by Corinne Gaucher) stars Hannah Edelson as a modern Cassandra who awakens to fi nd herself in an underworld of sorts, referred to as End of the Roadhouse. She has been studying the mass disappearance of tree frogs in Florida, but drowned while collecting data on sinking land. Cassandra fi nds herself in the company of real-life icons like Joan of Arc (Leina Naversen), Octavia Butler (Natasha Kotey) and Li Qingzhao (Emma Chang)—all women who were disbelieved, dismissed and punished for battling the status quo. There is also the narrator of the play, Hildegard von Bingen (Mikki Jordan), who wears the clothes of a nun, but transcends the established defi nitions of words like “wholesome,” “holy” and “pure.” Throughout Live! Prophets! Live!, Cassandra contemplates whether she should depart End of the Roadhouse or remain, a decision that isn’t made until each character shares her own story through song. Their experiences raise grave questions—how do we heal the planet? How do we heal ourselves?—but the play is consistently fun and engaging.

Live! Prophets! Live! tackles the tough with acting, singing, comedy, choreographed group dances and live musical instruments—including guitar, keyboard and banjo (the music is by Dunn, Trinh Youngman, Natasha Kotey, Red Yarn, Emilie Landmann, Ali Ippolito, Kristin Gordon George, Julia Babcock, Monica Metzler and Leina Naversen). As a result, watching the performance feels akin to attending an intimate cabaret. Its campiness is a joy to behold, but there’s a point to the juxtaposition of playful delivery and weighty themes: to remind us that we can care for our planet and its people while still enjoying our lives (Cassandra points out that “if we can shatter the world, just think of how we can shape it”). As Cassandra struggles to decide whether to return, she recalls a time when her mother “stopped trying for life to get better.” Perhaps that’s why Live! Prophets! Live! suggests that saving the world might require us to master and temper ourselves—just as Dunn (who is the Broken Planetarium’s artistic director) uses wit and music to temper the looming threats of abuse and an environmental apocalypse.

Live! Prophets! Live! ultimately asks us to recognize that people will always need each other—and that everything is connected in some way. We’re asked to “look at the shadows we pretend not to see,” while staying both strong and tender, an invitation for further thought amid wondrous entertainment.

SEE IT: Live! Prophets! Live! plays at Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St., 971-808-3331, brokenplanetarium.org. 2 pm Thursday and Sunday, 7 pm Friday-Saturday, through Aug. 14. Tickets $15-$25 sliding scale, Arts for All accepted at the door. Has anyone done more for reggaetòn’s global reach than Daddy Yankee? The Caribbean sound is the source of much of the most progressive and forward-thinking pop right now, and there’s a good chance many Americans heard the genre for the fi rst time through Yankee’s “Gasolina.” The Puerto Rican singer-rapper claims to be retiring after this tour, and though musicians say that kind of thing all the time, it’d be a shame to miss a star of this stature before he leaves the stage for good. Moda Center, 1 N Center Court St. 8 pm. $81 and up. All ages.

THURSDAY, AUG. 11:

Oakland’s Slumberland Records has been a major player in jangly, retro-style indie pop for over three decades, but the past few years have seen some of its best output yet from bands like Papercuts, Umbrellas and The Red, Pinks, and Purples—all of which are performing on the Slumberland Records Tour, set to stop at the Doug Fir Lounge with an opening set by Portland’s Foamboy. Anyone who loves the sweet-sad sound of classic Smiths but feels icky about the guy singing on them will be right at home here. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St. 8 pm. $14. 21+.

SATURDAY, AUG. 13:

Between Bombino, Mdou Moctar, and Les Filles de Illighadad’s Fatou Seidi Ghali, it’s clear that the West African nation of Niger is the most reliable producer of great guitarists right now. After shuttling across Africa for much of his life to fl ee regional confl ict, Omara “Bombino” Moctar became a whispered-about guitar talent nearly as soon as he fi rst set foot in the United States. Learn why the likes of the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant and the Black Keys have sung his praises when he plays at the Star Theater. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave. 9 pm. $25. 21+.

Plastique Heart

How the record shop Musique Plastique is leading Lloyd Center’s renaissance.

BY ROBERT HAM miller.ham@gmail.com PHOTOS BY TIM SAPUTO

While Musique Plastique, the local record shop specializing in post-punk, electronic, and world music that has been in operation since 2015, was forced to close in the midst of the pandemic, owner Tony Remple survived the hit better than most by pivoting immediately to online sales. But even though he held on to a dedicated customer base through sites like Discogs, he was itching to get back into a physical location. “I did see other record shops announcing, ‘This isn’t what I signed up for. I’m sorry, but we’ll see you later,’ and moved on,” Remple says. “I had a hard time doing that, but I needed to be in a physical space. I needed that for my own motivation and engagement.” Once it became safe to do so, Remple began the hunt for a new storefront, always with a mind toward unusual spaces or venues where you might not expect to fi nd a record shop. He wound up fi nding a home that checked all the boxes in a surprising locale: Lloyd Center. Lured by very competitive rent and low overhead, Remple reopened Musique Plastique in a former Lids outlet near the shopping mall’s famed ice rink in June. And since then, the record shop has become a beacon, inspiring other businesses to follow his lead. Floating World Comics recently announced it would be moving from its Old Town location into the mall, and clothing designers Dreem Street will soon be sharing a space with art gallery Brackett Creek Exhibitions. “It’s really exciting to me to be part of this and share energy together,” Remple says, “and I think it’s going to continue to grow. I’m down for what Jason [Leivian, Floating World Comics’ owner] is deeming the Lloyd Center Arts District.” This injection of fresh life into Lloyd Center feels especially unusual considering how close it came to vanishing completely. With big anchor stores like Macy’s closing their doors over the past few years, the shopping mall’s owners, EB Arrow, were drowning in debt. It was expected that KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, the New York investment fi rm that loaned Lloyd Center $177 million in 2015 for renovations, would foreclose on the mall and redevelop the entire 1.2 million-square-foot space. Lloyd Center got an 11th-hour reprieve via new managers, Seattle’s Urban Renaissance Group, who last December stated they intended to make sure “it continues to be a community gathering place.” URG may have gotten its wish with the arrival of Musique Plastique. While much of Lloyd Center still feels like a lawless ghost town with kids on skateboards sailing past the many vacant storefronts, the record store has been buzzing with visitors and activity.

SPIN CITY: Musique Plastique.

Remple has partnered with Intro to Rhythm, an online radio station specializing in beat-heavy sounds that does regular live broadcasts out of Musique Plastique, and Dreem Street co-owner Eric Mast to hold informal parties at the shop. These hangs often spill out into the rest of the mall, with patrons taking advantage of the bank of massage chairs nearby or stopping by the retro arcade that sits two doors down. Outside of those bigger to-dos, Remple admits, Lloyd Center can still be very quiet. During my recent hourlong visit to Musique Plastique, the only visitors were a pair of teens that briefl y skimmed through the store’s small selection of CDs before hurrying off to Hot Topic. Those slow stretches don’t seem faze Remple. He expects business will pick up once Floating World Comics opens its doors, as there tends to be a good amount of crossover between the two businesses’ customer bases. And he’s well aware that record collectors on the hunt for a three-LP collection of music by Algerian raï singer Cheb Hasni (which he was happily spinning when I stopped by) will fi nd Musique Plastique no matter where it is. “How this is built is as a destination,” Remple says. “This is not the kind of mall record shop that would have been around in the ’80s or ’90s. It’s an alternate universe kind of situation, and that’s been fun.”