THE COMMERCE INN

 I waited longer than I wanted before visiting The Commerce Inn, much as it was prioritized on my go-to-list.  But there's something about the precious Commerce Street address, sort of cozy secret little nook of a place.... a little hard to find, a little off-the-beaten-path, and one of my favorite streets in New York during the autumn season. 

 Also, I imagined that the powerhouse team of Rita Sodi and Jody Williams would have an ace hand to deal with fall ingredients at a rustic, farm-to-table eatery such as it is.  So as soon as brussels sprouts popped up on the menu, I was there.

And then, tragically, they were the worst thing we ordered.  Well, if you like unadorned, raw brussels sprouts, well, here's your dish.  To be fair, they were paired up with thinly sliced apples and walnuts, and a pretty little salad, but nothing on the menu indicated that they would be raw, and quite surely, they were listed just beneath a cauliflower options that was roasted into complete and divine submission, salty and soft with the crispiness of breadcrumbs to counter the pillowy pulp into which the crucifer had been reduced to.  Or uplifted to, in actuality.  And that is how forgettable the disappointment of the brussels sprouts were, whisked away by our charming waiter, after explaining how they were not at all what we expected.  That cauliflower was brought in its stead, and a wonderful substitute it was. 

Nutty and plush, bedecked with toasty breadcrumbs anointed with olive oil  and anchovies that only deepened the savoriness of the dish.  

This is what one should expect from the food at The Commerce Inn, hearty and savory and utterly delectable, but refined and nuanced in the fashion that these two ladies are well known for.  Not dissimilar from Major Food Group, Ms Sodi and Ms Williams have what amounts to a Midas Touch, and especially with the fickle nature of  the New York dining scene, have proven their prowess time and time again.  The Commerce Inn is no exception, and perhaps in my opinion, my favorite of their mini-empire.

The room is barn-like and spacious, although a lot of table are packed into the room, so noise levels can escalate and there is a definite feeling of conviviality and ease.  The menu on the website is much more succinct than the actual offerings, with almost as many specials listed daily as were listed on the menu provided, in its funky Amish script  and elemental descriptions.  We order quite a bit of food for just two people, but there were so many things left on that menu I still wanted to try: the green beans with bacon, Shaker beans, either of the two fishes (a porgy or a whole seabass), all of which looked sensational. 

But that cauliflower was equally as good, and if I had to only recommend one dish as a must-have from the experience, it would definitely be the cod cakes.   They were sublime, meaty with tons of fresh, flaky white fish and tender nubs of potato, nicely salted and crisp of crust.  Had the brussels sprouts only have enjoyed the same treatment.......

From then on we trended on the meaty side of things, the best of which was a pot roast-like mince served over thick slices of toasted sourdough- sort of like an open-faced pot-roast sammy.  Or not "pretty much"; that's what it was.  And a sensational rendition of it.  I was less thrilled with the Flinstones-esque beef rib, a special of the night. Although visually impressive in its heft alone, served on the bone (or at least for as long as the tender meat would cling to it).  Too fatty for my tastes, but the parsnips alongside soaked up a lot of the jus poured over top tableside, and my tablemate and I were a bit Jack Sprat about the whole affair, so it ended well.

  

We were unfortunately a bit topped out after all that, but those desserts... from an apple cobbler (that I still would made room for had my tablemate cooperated), homemade pudding or a sticky date cake, all would warrant a repeat visit.  And in a completely out-of-character move, I will go back and order those cod cakes again, which is frankly unprecedented, and hopefully clarifies exactly just how awesome they were, and this whole place is.

50 Commerce Street

www.thecommerceinn.com

DIVERSION PDX: CAN FONT

 We never did quite determine the exact translation of Can Font, but all estimations esems to imply hospitality and bounty, both of which were certainly extant.  The place is just recalibrating its footing, and no need to reiterate, these days, it is rocky terrain.  Pandemic regulations and all the implications just keep throwing curves.  So while we were (thankfully) able to eat inside in a dining room which was relatively full, I still felt nervous that a place like this could survive. But it felt good to be out (and in) in downtown Portland.

The dining room is elemental: sparse without feeling desolate.  It would seem to benefit from a fuller house, for a bit more festivity.  A lovely chandelier of bulbous globes loomed above, and the bustle of the open kitchen helped.  Large murals of what appeared to be scenes of Catalan Spain... (perhaps Barcelona?) flank the bar and far wall (in which I recognize Gaudi-esque undulations), in subdued greys and black, cushioned banquettes of gorgeous teal velvet add a pop of color.

We started off with pan tomate, its rich salinity balancing surprisingly fresh and sweet tomato concasse for December... or even for July.  Four fat squares of pillowy bread, sharp with garlic, cushioned the mash, so there was plenty to share.  Which was good, given the garlic... at least we were all going to stink together.  

There was a nice kick of garlic in the Verduras Temporales as well, although they could've used both a little more time on the flame and a lot more romesco: instead they came across slightly dietetic, although far be it from me to really whole-heartedly complain about a platter of vegetables.  I wish they would've been more enticing, though, as pretty as they were to behold.  

My dining opportunities for this holiday trip to
Portland were too limited to get very ambitious in ordering: I ordered pretty conservatively, fearing to end up with something I didn't want.  Thus, two of us order the same entree, but it was so good there were no regrets.  The Zarzuela came as a hodgepodge of fresh seafood in a lusciously savory sauce, redolent with garlic, tomatoes and peppers, and maybe a touch of saffron in a rustic clay bowl, tinged with olive oil.  For diversity's sake, I wish I would've tried the salmon with lentils, but I couldn't have been happier with the fish stew itself.  

One tablemate was less enthused about by her polenta cake.  It wanted the sauciness of the zarzuela, but instead it had just a skimpy pool of red pepper coulis and not quite enough mushrooms to whet its whistle.  Makes me think the kitchen is a less enthusiastic about produce than protein, if our menu choices were any indication.

All that time spent NOT dining out had been filled baking at home, so we had tons of Christmas cookies on deck back at the homestead, making dessert at Can Font less appealing, but too their sweet offerings of a flourless chocolate cake and a dense cheesecake seemed a little heavy.   I wouldn't  doubt their deliciousness, however, as our dinner at Can Font had a pretty can-do aplomb.  

1015 NORTHWEST NORTHRUP STREET

tel.5032243911