Thursday, September 22, 2011

It's Greek To Me.

Kate and Spence are visiting Portland.  On the first night in town, Kate, a long-time city dweller, was content on staying in the downtown hotel while Spence, a dyed-in-the-wool country boy, likes to get out and gawk at the architecture, city art, funny looking people and regular hub-bub. But, as the night drew on, Spence was getting hungry.  All through that part of downtown Portland, there just seemed to be all manner of chain fast food stores like Subway, Carl's Jr and the like.  So, he keeps hiking and hiking until he gets into a neighborhood that doesn't appear to be like the others.  There is an espresso shop, a local pizza by the slice place and a grocery store.  Spence notices transients outside of the grocery store and decides to not venture further.  Then, just beyond the transients, he notices a group of young Middle Eastern men gathered at outside tables not speaking English.  As  he craned his neck around, he noticed a sign saying "sandwiches".  That tempted his palette much better than pizza or grocery store food.  Taking a closer look, it was a Mediterranean cafe with  gyros and felafel's.  Stepping inside, there wasn't a sole in the joint.  Quickly, a young Turkish or Lebanese or Jordanian man followed him into the cafe.  There were laminated menus lying around with pretty typical Mediterranean fare.  So, Spence ordered up a lamb Gyro, a traditional salad and a soft drink.  Grabbing the Willamette Weekly, he plopped himself down and read the paper while devouring the gyro.  It wasn't the best gyro he had ever eaten, but at the moment, it was perfect.  It was a real Portland neighborhood with real people in it.   He's just curious if they could make a gyro out of buck meat. Probably, so.

Spence:   That was a long walk for a hunk of lamb.  Can't wait for Fortuna 4-H Lamb Barbecue next month.
Kate: Oh how I love spreading out all of my things in a hotel room, getting the pillows just right, flipping through channels, and checking required reading on my lap top. AHHHHH.....

7 comments:

Eel River Ernie said...

There is a really great German restaurant on the east side called the Rhinelander. There is also a "To Die For" rib place near downtown called the Russell Street Bar B Que at 325 NE Russell. It has all of the local flavor that you describe.

samoasoftball said...

The Greek Cusina downtown was my favorite when I worked up there, but alas, I heard they closed. The http://www.ringsidesteakhouse.com/ is one of the best places I have ever been to for prime rib!

Kristabel said...

Did you make it to Voodoo Doughnut? Kate...I think the lemon chiffon crueller has your name all over it and Spence seems like a Memphis Mafia kind of guy.

Anonymous said...

Ilove Voodoo Doughnut!!! I thought we were going to read that Spence got sicker than a dog and was chased through town from the men sitting around the table speaking another language!

Anonymous said...

Once when flying over Portland in my ol' P-38, the gyro in my navigation system went tits up.

Those fellers at the cafe you mentioned were able to fix me up with a new one, good as new.

Been working fine ever since.

The Editors said...

Dear Anonymous, please use a non-de plume each time you post here so we can differentiate you from all of the other anonymouses. If you want to use SMD, I don't think that one is taken. And please refrain from using such naughty vernacular slang terms for aviation malfunctions. I prefer the term "gazoombas up" if you must.

~Spence

Ernie Branscomb said...

I really don't get it... how could anybody be offended by airplane tits? We live in a strange world.