The Impatient Chef Can't Sit Still

Volume 1: Introduction and Sushi

     The Impatient Chef will be embarking on a new effort to track all of the places he eats as part of a new series called The Impatient Chef Can't Sit Still.  As readers know, The Impatient Chef not only speaks about himself in the third person, he is also very impatient.  This leads to an industrial strength case of wanderlust that knows few bounds, other than trips that test his patience behind the steering wheel.  He has been known to get wanterlust while wandering.  The wonder of it all.  So, ADHD is the tall ship, and restaurants are the star to sail her by.  

     The Impatient Chef is a fan of not cooking at home, except for when he is cooking at home.  While out on photography trips, when visiting relatives, or just running errands, local restaurants are perfect places to explore what any given location has to offer.  When going to any new town, city, berg, hamlet, hole in the ground, or unincorporated wilderness, The Impatient Chef always inquires of the locals where are the best places to eat.  The target is normal people food.  If it is plated with tweasers, or comes with a 2" plate worth of food arranged on a 12" plate, forget it.  This method has served well, and while there have been a few duds over the years, they have been few and far in between.  

     These will not be full restaurant reviews.  They will be snapshots of a place and its food as experienced on one visit.  

     The first installment is Sushi Hada at 3808 N Williams Ave in Portland, Oregon. The Impatient Chef was heading home after visiting Blue Moon Camera in Portland's St Johns neighborhood for his other alter ego: Gary Quay Photography.

The Soy Must Flow

     Nestled in a row of shops and restaurants that include Thai BBQ, a southern cuisine oyster bar, and a middle eastern place, Sushi Hada is one of those wonderful converyer belt sushi joints. You eat while the plates breeze past. No rush. No pressure. Anything you don't like is your fault.  

     You can even order off of the menu if inspired to do so.  

Breezin' Past

     Sushi Hada serves the usual sushi rolls, nigiri, and seaweed salad that any self-respecting sushi joint has. The prices are not too high, and the flavor is above average.  It was not knock-your-socks-off delicious, but it was satisfying.  

 

     The Impatient Chef is fully partial to Nigiri, specifically with shrimp, salmon, or Tuna on it.  Throw on a small slice of pickled ginger, and a dab of wasabi, then dip briefly in the soy sauce, and enjoy.  

Salmon and White Tuna Nigiri

     Portland is still a great food town, even after all the upheaval of the past few years.  If you are in the area, stop in at a locally owned restaurant like Sushi Hada.  Forget the corporate holes with their reliance on an overabundance of salt, fat and sugar to trick you into thinking the food is good. Eat local wherever you go.  

Thanks for reading!

The Impatient Chef.