Oregon is home to a lot of restaurants, bars, wineries, and breweries, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Portlanders just aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's many food luminaries to share their under-the-radar recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
Image of Edelweiss Sausage & Deli courtesy sandoaday via blogspot
A native of Normandy, France, Philippe Boulot, culinary director of the Heathman Restaurant & Bar and executive chef of the Multnomah Athletic Club, was lured west in '94 by the idea of working with farmers, foragers, fishermen and winemakers. And chefs. Lots of chefs. A few of the "star" chefs that have worked with Boulot include Eric Bechard, chef/owner of Thistle; Daniel Mondok, chef at Genoa; and Matt Lightner, executive chef at Atera in New York. But where does this award-winning French chef go when he wants to get down with his gourmand self? A German deli known for charcuterie, of course. Here's Boulot's amusing and slightly unassuming spot to get his sausage and (gulp) head cheese fix.
Edelweiss Sausage & Delicatessen has been a favorite place of mine for 17 years. It is classic and cool. Their sausage is some of the best in town, and they have a great selection! They were doing charcuterie before anybody was doing it in Portland. They also make head cheese. To order from the meat and cheese case, you grab a number. If you want a sandwich you order at the other counter for take out or to eat inside. There are a few small tables. The daily special is the best price, I like to get it with a glass of riesling. There is also a hearty lunch special. Great sandwiches! They have a very good selection of German beers. They also offer a few wines by the glass. For casual entertaining at our house, I pick up their charcuterie and fantastic sauerkraut to make a choucroute garnie.
· Edelweiss Sausage & Delicatessen [Official Site]
· All Previous Dining Confidentials [Eater PDX]
