Portland’s Pine State Biscuits Gain National Following with North Carolina Cooking
By Deston Nokes
Clearly, the diet would have to wait.
Looking up at the chalkboard menu, my eyes scrolled down a list of preparations I had nearly-forgotten … the type my grandmother would make using an iron skillet in a kitchen singing along with the sizzle of frying chicken and the smell of rich gravy.
Pine State Biscuits, located in Portland, Ore., serves the kind of food where you toss away whatever calorie-cutting promises you made to yourself. Take The Reggie: A sandwich made with a breast of fried chicken, cheddar cheese and strips of bacon, sandwiched between a full-fat butter and cream biscuit, all smothered in sausage gravy.
Another trip, I nudged the caloric thermometer down a tad with The Regina: An over easy egg placed on collard greens, sandwiched between a biscuit, and splashed with Texas Pete Hot Sauce. I soothed its spicy zip with some homemade sweet tea. A side order of fried green tomatoes dipped in locally sourced corn grits with buttermilk ranch, is an absolute must.
“Our whole concept was to bring the true rendition of North Carolina breakfast biscuits to the Northwest,” said co-owner Kevin Atchley. “It’s the kind of food we miss almost as much as family.”
Three North Carolina natives, Atchley (from Raleigh) Brian Snyder (from Albemarl) and Walt Alexander (from Greensboro) launched the eatery. Before the restaurant opened a year and a half ago, Pine Street Biscuits had been a fixture at the Portland Farmer’s Market for three seasons, so it had a following the day it opened.
The daily line outside the door attests to Pine State’s popularity, and the quick service and tasty food makes up for the wait. Late last spring, Pine State Biscuits caught the attention of the Food Network, which stopped in and taped a segment for its nationally televised program.
“After it aired, we received calls from people wanting directions from the airport,” Atchley said. “This included flight attendants coming by on a layover to pick up food for the entire crew. Also, many out-of-state vacationers tell us that they chart their route based on a stop at our restaurant.”
The home-cooked quality keeps the crowds coming – even if the restaurant only has four tables. It has a smattering of chairs and a request for diners to bus their own tables. “The city only allows us 15 seats, because it’s based on our square footage,” he explained. “But there’s a pretty park down the road, and a few tables out front. In the mornings, the tavern next door lets our customers use its outside picnic benches.”
What about vegetarians? Atchley said that if asked, they prepare collard greens without a ham hock. “Our hash browns, covered in cheese and mushrooms, are suitable for vegetarians, and we can cover biscuits in our mushroom gravy instead of sausage gravy.”
For those who didn’t get quite enough, there’s a special chocolate candy bar, the Raleigh Bar, made especially for the restaurant, which tastes like a pecan Snickers bar.
Naturally, it comes in a bacon-infused version too.
For more information:
www.pinestatebiscuits.com
Deston can be reached at: Deston@globalfoodie.com.
