New Caterer in Portland: Pan-Asian and NW Cuisine
Friday, February 6th, 2009Today, Justin Brown came by CubeSpace and cooked lunch for the staff in hopes that we’d spread the word, and he did a fantastic job. The food (more below) was spectacular, and his presentation was flawless– descriptive, his explanations of the dishes added to the meal without using a lot of the buzzwords (and en vogue ingredients) endemic to 2004-onwards cuisine.
He started the four-course, Thai-inspired meal with a ’sweet-cellar’ salad, using shredded roots (daikon and carrot) that sweeten in the winter, and impacted with papaya slivers, coconut puree flakes, and the lightest of dressings. Next was perfectly spicy sauteed chayote, mushrooms, and serrano peppers– the pleasure of a new ingredient multiplied by how well it fit in the dish he’d envisioned.
Since two of the five people sampling the lunch were vegetarians, Justin brought two bowls of curry, one of which highlighted braised short-rib beef. The base of the curry was provided by hand-mashed roasted red peppers and coconut milk, embedded into which were small, whole green Thai eggplants about the size of an egg each. This was served over glutinous black rice, ‘rustic style’ with the spices (lemongrass and star anise) left whole.
The dessert was a flavorful cardamom chocolate mousse; the spice kept me interested well past the point when most mousses become a little too much, especially after several courses. Justin can cater both plated meals and buffet-style, and seems to be very communicative in terms of negotiation and menu styles. You can email him for more info– and invite me! I sincerely hope I have a meal from Justin Brown again.