3 Doors Down Cafe -- taking a break from basketball

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After I spent my gift certificate and some cash at Murder by the Book on SE Hawthorne, a great little store succumbing to the downturned economy, I rode the 14 bus five blocks east, got off at SE 37th and walked north half a block to my favorite Portland restaurant, 3 Doors Down Cafe. My older son Lamont used to be sous chef there, my younger son Leland used to be a line and prep cook there. Since our first visit to Portland in the summer of 2004, Mama and I loved to go eat there every chance we got; I've lost count of how many friends we've taken there for dinner. 

Lucky me, Lamont and Leland gave me a gift certificate for Christmas! I felt so good sitting at the bar, saying hello to everyone, taking photos of my food, and enjoying every morsel!
 

Grilled Bruschetta with an Italian Chopped Salad of salami, provolone, capers, peppers and olives--sent out to me from the sous chef Zack. Thanks! The salad, filled with flavor and texture. Always, always I'm amazed by the crunch perfection that is bruschetta at 3DD. Notice the buttery bubbles on the piece to the right, in between the grill marks.  I am particularly pleased with the fact that they showed their shiny little shapes in the photo.
 

Pugliese and white bean spread--once you've had a bite, you've found yourself a favorite.

Here's the recipe, found on 3 Doors Down's Web site: Classic White Bean Spread

What you'll need:

• 2 cups cannellini beans 
• 1 medium onion, finely diced 
• 4 tbl butter 
• 1 tbl fresh rosemary, finely chopped 
• 2 tbl fresh garlic, finely chopped 
• 2 pinches red chili flake 
• 2 tbl parsley, finely chopped 
• 2 tbl extra virgin olive oil 
• Italian bread with a nice, crunchy crust 

Instructions: Cover beans with water by two inches. Soak for 4 hours. Drain beans. Put beans into saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook beans until tender. Drain. In separate saucepan melt butter and add all remaining ingredients. Cook until onion is translucent. Add cooked beans. Mash. Add salt and pepper to taste. This can be reheated, just add a little more olive oil. Makes four cups.



Gnocchi, roasted hedgehog mushrooms, chevre cheese--I choose an appetizer to finish my meal. A divine appetizer. Let me list the reasons for that adjective. 

• The gnocchi--smooth and dense, perfect-to-the-tooth--the most comfortable little pillows of food known to me. 
• The roasted hedgehog mushrooms provided a touch of earthiness. 
• The perfect finish--the chevre. Salty and sitting lightly on the gnocchi. By the time I had eaten a bite or two, the chevre began to melt a bit, enhancing its texture in relation to the gnocchi themselves. 

I don't know the ingredients of the sauce, but suffice it to say that I cleaned up the entire plate with the last of the Pugliese.