Dishin' It

[February 21st, 2007] If yuppie haven Henry's Tavern isn't your type of watering hole, the Pearl is about to debut another bar named after the once famous Blitz Weinhard Brewery. Blitz Bar , at 110 NW 10th Ave., will open in mid-March and feature "games" (but, as our phone calls have not been answered, we're unsure what is meant by this). Speaking of breweries, the Laurelwood Public House isn't moving, but it is opening another location in the building that used to be Sylvia's Dinner Theater , just east of its Hollywood brewery/pub at Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 51st Avenue. According to employees, Laurelwood will begin to brew beer in the new space by the end of February and will open a new pub/restaurant in a couple of months.

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^DISH EVENTS

Secrets of French Pâtisserie

Having a great bakery in your neighborhood can be more expensive than a meth addiction, so learning to bake your own (pastries, that is) might make financial sense. So now that you've decided to learn to bake, you'll want to learn from one of the best. Dominique Geulin, the brains and brawn behind Saint Honoré Boulangerie, will share some of his pastry-making secrets at a class this Thursday. The class is free, but there's one catch—it will be taught in French. MIKE THELIN. First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park Ave. 690-0541. Noon Thursday, Feb. 22.

White Bird Cooks with Choreographers at Silk

White Bird's "Cooking with Choreographers" is an educational cooking series that pairs renowned choreographers from all over the globe with top Portland chefs—in order to create a culinary experience indicative of the respective choreographer's background and perspective. In this event, Portland Chef Lam Van of Pho Van and Silk teams with Le Vu Long from Hanoi and Portland-based Minh Tran to prepare a six-course meal inspired by Vietnamese street food. Each course will be paired with wines from Oregon's Elk Cove, and patrons can take home the recipes. The cost is $125 per person, and all proceeds go to White Bird. MIKE THELIN. Silk, 1012 NW Glisan St. For reservations, call White Bird at 246-1600, ext. 201. Whitebird.org. 6:30 pm Sunday, Feb. 25.

dish roundup: mexi madness

Aqui Mexican

This boisterously decorated dining room and (mini) bar somehow make room for Virgin Mary icons, a big TV screening Blazers games and speakers pumping Eminem. Maybe it's the cafe's strong, puckery margaritas that make it all work together. Eat for days off massive portions of refined Mexican standards, from earthy enchiladas and plates of piquant fish tacos to a sharable carne asada salad as big as a child's head, bursting with radishes and perfectly grilled steak. And make room for beer—battered jalapeños stuffed with lava—hot, creamy goat cheese and spicy bits of chorizo. KELLY CLARKE. 1408 SE 12th Ave., 230—9212. Lunch and dinner Monday—Friday, dinner Saturday (lunch Saturday in summer). $

Auténtica

Auténtica doesn't have burritos. No chips and salsa, nor shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes and refried beans. What you will find are piquant sauces; rich, flavorful meat that falls off the bone; and homemade tortillas. The decor is classy and subdued with an open kitchen you barely notice, knowledgeable servers who don't seem like they're only waiting for their next smoke break, and framed historical photos on the walls. The queso Oaxaca con chorizo is worthy of an Octavio Paz poem. Auténtica offers four types of seafood cocktails, cactus and cojito cheese salad, and a wealth of appetizers, but it's the reasonably priced, filling—and—then—some platos fuertes (large plates) that are worth the trip. The pork tenderloin melts in your mouth, the deep pumpkin—seed rumble of the green mole sauce sublimated by the sharp notes of fresh cilantro and raw onion. The cocido de res—slow—cooked beef short ribs with tomatoes, chipotle peppers, plantains and carrots—is complex in a way that Americanized Mexican food just isn't. And the mango sorbet is to die for. IVY MANNING. 5507 NE 30th Ave., 287—7555. Lunch Tuesday—Friday, brunch Saturday—Sunday, dinner Sunday—Tuesday. $$

La Bonita

This Mexican gem on gentrifying Northeast Alberta Street offers a scene that's muy auténtico and a menu that's plenty barato for the money—conscious. For breakfast, the huevos con chorizo are a satisfying, meaty start to the day. And for lunch, get an extra fork so your favorite gringa can help dig into the wonderfully oversized bean—and—cheese burrito special with a green—chile sauce that packs a punch. Looking to venture into gluttony? Order a side of chips and salsa or quesadillas (to make sure you're in full waddle when you say, "Adios, amigos." HANK STERN. 2839 NE Alberta St., 281—3662. Lunch and dinner daily. $

El Grillo

Boobs? Burritos? El Grillo, my friends, is heaven, a mashup of two distinct yet strangely compatible art forms separated only by the swinging door between the restaurant and the strippers at Mary's Club. You can appreciate the fresh corn tortilla tacos, but for true food porn, go for the Burrito El Grillo, a delicious, packed burrito lavished in housemade enchilada sauce and melted jack and cheddar cheeses. MARK BAUMGARTEN. 703 SW Ankeny St., 241—0462. 10 am—11 pm Monday—Thursday, 10 am—midnight Friday—Saturday, 10 am—10 pm Sunday. $

Taqueria Nueve

For five years now, Taqueria Nueve has had the distinct pleasure of offering Portlanders a sophisticated opportunity: reimagining Mexican cuisine that is at once innovative and authentic in its range of palate thrills. Under the watchful eye of chef Billy Schumaker—who has a stellar free—range, organic sensibility—this often crowded neighborhood establishment is consistently on the mark. You'll experience vivid flavors in everything from the enchilada (the usual gravy boat of sauce is replaced with green tomatillo, cilantro, queso fresco or a spicy tomato—and—chile sauce) to the more exotic fare, like wild—boar tacos, the coctel de pulpo (octopus, a house specialty) and tortitas de yuca (cassava root fritters with crème fraîche—a Mexican hush puppy of sorts). Looking for something a little more meaty? The bistec del nueve (grilled hanger steak over a Oaxacan pasilla chile sauce) or the mole poblano con pollito is a must (if it's on the menu), as are the desserts, especially the coconut ice cream. TIM DUROCHE. 28 NE 28th Ave., 236—6195. Dinner nightly. $$