Vitaly Paley’s Highly Anticipated New Restaurants Will Open Soon
Late Summer 2012 in Downtown
In late summer of 2012, renowned Chef Vitaly Paley will open two new restaurants in Portland, Oregon that exemplify this philosophy – Imperial and Portland Penny Diner in Downtown Portland. Here, Chef Paley will rediscover Pacific Northwest culinary pathways and follow the footst 2000 eps of Oregon’s own James Beard.
Since Paley’s Place opened in 1995 redefining the Portland culinary landscape, Chef Paley has mastered classic Pacific Northwest cuisine with his perfectly executed, elegant and soulful fare. Now, he will apply these skills, creativity and experience to two unique concepts. “I’ve been wanting to open new restaurants in Portland for awhile now, but the concepts and locations had to be right. When I found the space in the historic Hotel Lucia, I knew that it was the right time for me to make the leap and I am so excited to share the food and just the overall experience Imperial and Portland Penny Diner will offer the region,” said Chef Paley.
At Imperial, opening first, Chef Paley will explore menu ideas that have historic significance and use cooking methods and ingredients from our diverse bounty. The most prominent feature of Imperial’s kitchen will be its impressive wood fire grill and rotisserie that will incorporate the use of native hard and fruitwoods. Inspired by warm and primitive burning campfire, and big open spaces of the Pacific Northwest, Imperial will concentrate on healthy and uncomplicated preparations, serve the community by remembering its past and provide a warm, welcoming and generous place to eat. Here, Chef Paley also enlists Chef Benjamin Bettinger as his executive chef, bringing back the partnership that formed when Chef Bettinger worked at Paley’s Place, and two parts of the trio (with Paley’s Place Chef de Cuisine, Patrick McKee) that won “battle radish” on Iron Chef America in 2011. Bettinger most recently was Executive Chef of Beaker & Flask (Willamette Week’s Restaurant of the Year 2009) for three years, after a prosperous tenure at Paley’s Place, and has also cooked alongside friend Chef Jason Barwikowski at Clyde Common.
The a la carte dinner menu at Imperial is seasonal and changes based on what is coming through the front door of the restaurant. A diverse array of appetizers might include Dungeness Crab, Bacon and Cheese Scramble with Local Greens, Fancy Oyster Pan Roast with Sea Urchin Butter,and Oregon Bay Shrimp and Dungeness Crab Imperial with Garlic Toasts. Creative main courses include Fish and Taters with Imperial Tartar Sauce and Fried Rabbit, Kohlrabi Kraut Pancakes, Rabbit Kidney and Mushroom Gravy. Dishes from Imperial’s wood-fired grill, rotisserie and plancha include Local Quail with Oyster Stuffing and Charred Tomato Bread Sauce, Patty Melt with Smothered Walla Walla Sweet Onions, Bacon, Pickles on Rye Brioche, and Whole Trout with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette.
Named after the coin that Frances Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy used to decide Portland’s name in 1845, Portland Penny Diner, opening more toward early fall, investigate the collision of Pacific Northwest immigrant food cultures and the Native American’s pure approach to food. The “diner” concept was the original food cart of the late 1800’s, dubbed “the lunch wagon.” Portland Penny Diner will become the rightful child of that bygone era, wed with Portland’s free spirit, and bring people in out of the rain.
The menu at Portland Penny Diner is seasonal and all sandwiches are served on Fry and other housemade breads. A diverse array ofsandwiches include Wagyu Pastrami, Braised Red Cabbage with Russian Dressing, Elk Hotdog with Huckleberry Mustard, Bulgogi Sloppy Joe, Cucumber Kimchi and Spicy Scallions, and Fresh Crushed Fava Beans, Feta, Charred Peppers and Herb Vinaigrette. Entrees, dubbed “Penny Pinchers” will include Cod Cakes, Bacon and Chow Chow and Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut Stew.Lured to Portland from New York in 1995 by the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, James Beard award winner, recent winner on Food Network’s popular series Iron Chef America over Jose Garces in Battle Radish, and cookbook author Vitaly Paley is one of the region’s leading chefs.
As chef and co-owner of Paley’s Place, his cooking is based on simple preparations of local, sustainably grown ingredients. Recipient of the 2005 James Beard award for Best Chef Pacific Northwest, Chef Paley prides himself as one of the leaders of the movement to define regional Northwest cuisine. The restaurant—and Paley’s inspired cuisine—has garnered praise in local and national publications such as Oprah, The New York Times and Food & Wine, and has been featured on the Martha Stewart Show, the Food Network and PBS’s Chefs A Field. In 2008, Chef Paley and his wife Kimberly published “The Paley’s Place Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Pacific Northwest” from Ten Speed Press, which was chosen as the “Best Regional Cookbook” by Epicurious.com. Chef Paley shares his passion for Oregon’s stellar ingredients by participating in special events around the country, including the James Beard Foundation’s Cookin’ in the Bluegrass Celebrity Chef Dinner Series where he was a guest chef in October 2010.
Comments
Wow Ame thats impresive. Love you. .
Hello, Vitaly! I personally would love to see your new place. I have been at PAZZO for 14 years. Your new place smells amazing...however, suddenly OUR place smells like yours all the time. We smell like smokey wood all the time. Can we fix this?