214 replies to this topic

[emilia419]

Tasty & Sons from the O
Full text below.

Forgive me if this has already been posted. I have not been this excited about a new place in quite some time! The O really needs to update the file pic of Chef.


Toro Bravo's star chef launching new restaurant concept in January
By Special to The Oregonian
November 18, 2009, 12:52PM

John Gorham, The Oregonian's "Rising Star" chef in 2008
Toro Bravo star chef, John Gorham, plans to open Tasty & Sons, a brunch-only restaurant in mid-January, The Oregonian has learned. The undisclosed location will be near Toro Bravo, his acclaimed Spanish-Northwest storefront at 120 N.E. Russell St.

Tasty & Sons will be open daily and draw on influences from Gorham's varied food experiences: from growing up in the deep south to his days cooking brunch at Portland's celebrated Simpatica Dining Hall to a recent eye-popping meal devoured at Boulettes Larder in San Francisco to his current creations at Toro Bravo.

Expect fresh, seasonal and unconventional offerings such as breakfast ramen, patatas bravas (Spanish potatoes in spicy tomato sauce) and bacon-wrapped dates with maple syrup, all served family-style. Prices will be in the $7-$12 range for a meal-sized dish, with smaller plates offered as well.

Gorham will serve as executive chef, but will turn over day-to-day responsibilities to another chef who has yet to be named. Gorham says he has no plans to leave his current kitchen stove-side post at Toro Bravo.

– Michael C. Zusman

[ExtraMSG]

The undisclosed location will be near Toro Bravo

I had heard, but not confirmed, that it was going to be under the Wonder Ballroom.

[Amanda]

"The O really needs to update the file pic of Chef."

No lie about that. No more the soft, cuddly teddy bear look for John Gorham. He's way fit and lean! That's probably on old photo from when he was still at Simpatica.

Best regards,

Amanda

[nervousxtian]

Yes, really.. the old John Gorham looks like he ate the new John Gorham.

Side note: Anything John is gonna touch, I'm gonna try. Two cool announcements with this as Andy and Daniel's burger joint.

They should get permission to use his pic from Portland Monthly when they showed off his tattoo.

edit: this one: http://2.bp.blogspot...edChefs_001.jpg

[emilia419]

Has anyone noticed any progress on Tasty and Sons? I am so ready to go!

[ExtraMSG]

I believe it's going to open any day now.

[ExtraMSG]

Split off the tattoo discussion here:

http://www.portlandf...w...c=10311&hl=

[truth]

I believe it's going to open any day now.

Open yet? I'm hungry.

[Cat Lancaster]

I believe it's going to open any day now.

Open yet? I'm hungry.

I'd like to know the same thing... I tried to google them the other night to see if I could find out, but alas I wasn't able to find an answer. I don't go out as much anymore, but as soon as Tasty & Sons opens, I'm hoping to give them a try.

Cat

[ExtraMSG]

According to Gorham's facebook page, they're just starting the buildout. I thought they just got their liquor license and had been planning on opening at the beginning of February. At least, I assume that's Tasty & Sons he's referring to.

[ExtraMSG]

Here's your answer:

http://www.portlandf...nutshell-space/

Back in November, John Gorham, owner of the extremely popular (and readers favorite) Toro Bravo, was poised to open a breakfast place called Tasty & Sons in the Wonder Ballroom restaurant space. At the last minute, plans changed. Instead, the new restaurant will go into the Nutshell/Anju space on N. Williams.

According to John, “We are going for a quick build-out and hope to be open in a month. We are going to do brunch 7 days a week, and after the dust settles we are going to open in the evenings with a burger focused menu.”

Foster Burger in reverse, perhaps?

[Joisey]

That's cool, there is a real dearth of burger places in town.

[ExtraMSG]

So, apparently Food Dude jumped the gun here. In trying to confirm, it seems that things are not so settled as FD has tried to make them sound.

[ExtraMSG]

That's cool, there is a real dearth of burger places in town.

Really? I think there's a glut.

Every bar/midscale restaurant has a burger and there are a ton of good ones. It's hard to throw a rock in this town without hitting a restaurant with a burger. Even places that have no reason to have a burger -- Toro Bravo, Le Pigeon, Clyde Common, Gruner, Biwa, etc -- have burgers -- and damn tasty ones. And there are a ton of lower end burgers with places like Burgerville, Mike's, or even diners like Genie's or places like Stanich's. Five Guys is allegedly going to be opening a bunch more locations. Every pub has a burger. We have burgers from carts. Portland diners' burger cravings may have no limits, but another burger place seems like the last thing Portland NEEDS. A good seafood restaurant perhaps (that could become popular based on its burger, while selling almost no orders of fish).

[Joisey]

That's cool, there is a real dearth of burger places in town.

Really? I think there's a glut.

Every bar/midscale restaurant has a burger and there are a ton of good ones. It's hard to throw a rock in this town without hitting a restaurant with a burger. Even places that have no reason to have a burger -- Toro Bravo, Le Pigeon, Clyde Common, Gruner, Biwa, etc -- have burgers -- and damn tasty ones. And there are a ton of lower end burgers with places like Burgerville, Mike's, or even diners like Genie's or places like Stanich's. Five Guys is allegedly going to be opening a bunch more locations. Every pub has a burger. We have burgers from carts. Portland diners' burger cravings may have no limits, but another burger place seems like the last thing Portland NEEDS. A good seafood restaurant perhaps (that could become popular based on its burger, while selling almost no orders of fish).

You'd probably be annoyed if I told you I was being sarcastic, huh?

[ExtraMSG]

I considered the possibility. How's about giving a brother a smilie next time. ;-) I should have known better than to think a cook would be excited about a burger joint.

[Twohearted]

Portland desperately needs an excellent seafood restaurant. The field is wide open, but there's no comers. Then again, a seafood restaurant is probably more of a risk than a burger place in this economy.

[Amanda]

Good burgers are easy to get in this city, so I am not the one to go running out and try when something new of this genre opens up. Even with fabulous chefs like Andy, Dan, and John at the helm I've got my burger radar in other places where I can get what I want solidly, no risk, to my liking, and at a price I can count on.

I like it when these fellows use their skills on what they do best - interesting cuisine. Why waste their talent on trying to elevate the hamburger? Portland has a ton of low brow and gourmet burgers in full range of good and bad. I got Joisey's jist immediately. Hamburger and sandwich spots are becoming nearly as common as coffee shops. You don't have to walk far at all to stumble on one. Mere blocks away for all.

All that said, I might give Tasty & Sons a shot for brunch when it comes on-line. Doubtful that a burger will be on my list of things to do there, though.

Best regards,

Amanda

[Joisey]

I considered the possibility. How's about giving a brother a smilie next time. ;-) I should have known better than to think a cook would be excited about a burger joint.

Actually, when I open my own place I'm going to debut my Sous Vide Cooked Plancha Seared Grass Fed Kobe Burger with Organic Ketchup Foam and Pickle "air". Happy Hour only, of course.

[abefroman]

I considered the possibility. How's about giving a brother a smilie next time. ;-) I should have known better than to think a cook would be excited about a burger joint.

Actually, when I open my own place I'm going to debut my Sous Vide Cooked Plancha Seared Grass Fed Kobe Burger with Organic Ketchup Foam and Pickle "air". Happy Hour only, of course.

you forgot to work in some liquid nitrogen some where