Kotori: Gabe Rosen's Un-Restaurant

What's the bare minimum you can have and still call it a restaurant?

That's the question that tickled Gabe Rosen and Kina Voelz, owners of two of Portland's best Japanese restaurants, Biwa and Noraneko Ramen. Food carts were, well, so been-there, done-that, and didn't have the extreme minimalism that the couple had in mind. So they patterned their newest venture, Kotori, which means "little chicken" in Japanese, after the ubiquitous sidewalk eateries they'd seen while traveling in Japan.

Simplicity itself.

Sporting little more than a yakitori grill, a prep table and a few coolers, the open air restaurant has no walls—even food carts sport those—and a tachinomi, or stand-up bar, that Kina and friends fashioned from two metal U-beams left from a business sign on the property. A few sticks of bamboo form a see-through "roof" from which a few solar-powered paper lanterns hang, with a couple of four-by-six beams making the counter, and that's it.

Poof! Instant restaurant. Of course, it doesn't end there.

Chef Carl Kraus working the grill.

Rosen, being the purist he is, doesn't just use Kingsford briquets to keep the flames fanned on the yakitori grill. Be prepared to be impressed by the authentic binchotan, white oak charcoal sticks that burn incredibly hot for a prolonged period, giving the little skewers of meat and vegetables cooked over it a light, smoky sear. And any fanning that's needed comes from a gen-u-ine Japanese fan fluttered by the chef himself.

Rosen's sourcing his meat and produce from sustainable producers like Rainshadow Organics, Tails and Trotters and BN Ranch, Bill Niman's model ranch that is setting a new standard in multi-species, grass-fed meat production. It's a way of trying out new suppliers on a relatively small scale, relationships that could blossom into larger commitments.

Tsukune, ground chicken skewer.

The two-person operation (minimalist, remember?) is headed up by Chef Carl Kraus—he's the guy expertly turning those skewers on the grill—and a server, who circulates around the tiny graveled spot taking orders and delivering the goods. Hours are minimal, as well, just open Thursday through Sunday from 4 pm until sunset.

Shisito peppers, shiitake mushrooms.

I sampled a selection of grilled meats and vegetables, from the tsukune, ground chicken seasoned and pressed around a skewer, to the pork belly (bara) and thin-sliced Korean short ribs, plus the shisito peppers, shiitake mushrooms and garlic cloves roasted over the grill in their papery covers, all incredibly reasonably priced and eminently worth ordering.

Meeting up for a cold Asahi and a few skewers with a friend? That's a stop well worth making.

Details: Kotori, under the trees at SE 9th and Pine. 503-239-8830.

An Oasis in Milwaukie

If a food desert is defined as any area in the industrialized world where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain, it would make sense that a restaurant desert would be a place where there aren't many good places to find a meal.

The delicious blackboard. (Can I say that?)

In the past, the town of Milwaukie on Portland's southeastern edge would have qualified, in my book, as just such a place. As far as I could discern, the opportunities for dining were very few, and the drive from our restaurant-heavy Northeast neighborhood seemed not worth the time or cost of gas. But now that Pascal Sauton, chef and former owner of the trés Français Carafe Bistro in Portland, has opened Milwaukie Kitchen, I may have to rethink my desert map.

Needing a place to go for lunch with friends who live in the Sellwood area, we agreed to meet there and check out the scene. We walked into a bright and welcoming space, the day's offerings posted on a floor-to-ceiling chalkboard. The opposite wall was populated with a broad selection of wines from trés cher to not so, with other shelves lined with specialty grocery selections, mostly French and Italian with a nice representation from local producers, as well.

To-die-for duck fat roasted potatoes.

Sauton, no fool he, has tailored his menu to fit both duck fat roasted potato-fancying foodies and those looking for a good, simple deli sandwich, with the devilishly clever ploy of offering breakfast items all day, always a good call. There are plenty of tables scattered across the floor for sit-down dining, but this place caters to the take-out crowd, too. As a matter of fact, dinner is pretty much strictly take-out, since the place closes at 7 pm. The dinner menu has some amazing sounding, and reasonably priced, dishes that had me considering putting together an easy evening meal for my family.

Roasted lamb and pipérade sandwich.

As for our order, my roasted lamb sandwich was comprised of a sturdy ciabatta roll that soaked up the juices from the meat and the roasted peppers with harissa mayo tucked inside. My companions chose to go with breakfast items, the first an egg pipérade, roasted peppers beneath baked eggs swaddled with two generous slices of serrano ham (top photo), something that has brunch written all over it.

The warm croissant breakfast sandwich made from a Ken's Artisan Bakery croissant, white cheddar, Tails & Trotters smoked ham and a sunny side up egg is what other breakfast sandwiches, if they're very well-behaved, will get to be in heaven. The egg is cooked just enough so it spills out over the pastry, making it fork-rather-than-finger food. But it's so good, who cares?

With a place like this, and the wonderful Milwaukie Farmers' Market cranking up on Sundays, you can bet Milwaukie will be looking more like a food oasis than a parched desert.

Details: Milwaukie Kitchen and Wine, 10610 SE Main St., Milwaukie. 503-653-3228.

Livin' in the Blurbs: Bites, Birds and Bikes

If free Northwest hazelnut-finished prosciutto sounds appealing, there are several tastings in Portland this month that have your name on them. Aaron Silverman and Morgan Brownlow of Tails & Trotters want to get their product in your mouth so you'll get excited about their sustainably raised and Food Alliance certified pigs. They'll also no doubt mention a project to open a retail store with donations from fans of their product that's being funded through Kickstarter, a micro-financing platform that allows people to pledge any amount of money to help fund a project. Check them out:

• Fri., Sept 10, 6-9 pm. Cook's Pots & Tabletops, 2807 Oak St., Eugene.
• Wed., Sept. 15, 5-7 pm. Papa Haydn, 5829 SE Milwaukie Ave.
• Wed., Sept. 22, 5-7 pm. Park Kitchen, 422 SW 8th Ave.

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There's no time like Indian summer in the Northwest. Warm days, cool nights and changing colors make it the perfect time to get outdoors, and the Backyard Bird Shop has a series of expert-guided bird walks around the metro area coming up that look fantastic. Free to anyone who calls to reserve a spot, they're great for families and individuals who want to know more about birds, habitat, bird calls and migratory habits. Offered pretty much weekly through mid-December, the next few are:

• Sept. 25: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
• Oct. 2: Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge
• Oct. 10: Jackson Bottom State Park
• Nov. 6: Vancouver Lake

Details: Free Guided Bird Walks. 8-11 am; free with reservation. Check the website for details and more trips, or browse the GoodStuffNW calendar on the left for dates and locations.

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You can celebrate the harvest and our community in classic county fair style at an Urban Farming Expo & Bicycle Rodeo sponsored by Grand Central Bakery. Coming on Sept. 18, it will have activities for the whole family including baking and preserving contests, a judging of urban grown produce, a bicycle rodeo and a wide array of baking, cooking and urban farming seminars and demos. Novella Carpenter (left), urban farming expert and author of "Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer," will share her experiences with starting an urban farm at 11 am, with a Q&A to follow. Best of all, the modest entry fee will benefit Zenger Farm and the Community Cycling Center.

Details: Grand Central Bakery's Urban Farming Expo & Bicycle Rodeo. Sat., Sept. 18, 10 am-4 pm. Admission $5 adult; $3 child; $10 family. Grand Central Bakery, 714 N Fremont St. Phone 503-546-5311.