It was the first day of fall, and Broth Bar was hopping.
Yes, Portland has a restaurant that sells just broth.
Not just any broth, but nourishing, restorative, protein-rich broth thats been cooked for three days at low temperature to retain the nutrients and minerals from the bones of locally sourced animals pasture-raised and grass-finished without hormones or antibiotics.
The essence of Portlandia, Broth Bar, 115 N.E. Sixth Ave., has been getting tons of buzz since opening in Northeast Portland just over a year ago.
Its attracted a loyal following among athletes and health-conscious foodies in particular, for its promised Harry Potter-like healing powers.
Besides the broth itself each quart of which contains about two pounds of bones the menu offers custom add-on items like medicinal mushroom powder, chicken heart confit, kelp noodles and ghee and cocoa butter bombs.
My friends and I neck deep in school year stress and getting over head colds came to check it out for ourselves, now that raincoat and fleece weather is once again upon us.
We left satisfied, but wishing we had known more about the experience so that we could temper our expectations and not expect a hearty lunch.
Here are tips on visiting Broth Bar the next time youre craving some warm liquid comfort:
Know that broth is not stock and not soup in texture nor flavor. Broth has nothing in it besides, well, broth. There are no bits of meat, no seasoning, no hints of vegetables because its purely from beef or chicken bones, or whatever you choose from the specials that day.
Seasoning is all up to you, which can result in something delicious or disastrous. Go lightly at the condiment bar to start, then add more (which is difficult if you take and go). Choose from Portland-made Hot Mama hot sauces, sea salt, tamari and house-made gomaishio (a seaweed-sesame seed condiment like furikake).
Seating in the bright, airy, tiny space is limited to a handful of stools at the window or outdoor seating. So dont expect to stay and linger in comfort. Many customers take their broth to go, as a substitute for coffee or tea or a smoothie.
The cost can add up, so watch your add-ons or you could easily be paying $15 for your broth. The regular 8-ounce serving, $5, is just naked broth beef, chicken or whatever you choose from the daily selection. (The 16-ounce serving is $10.)
If you want some texture, you can add a stir-in such as hearty brown rice miso or juiced ginger for $1.50. To make it a meal youll definitely want to add a protein.
The kimchi pickled egg, $2.50, was rich and heavenly, but the braised beef tongue and chicken hearts, each $3.50, were bland and seemed quite alien in the broth, unlike a soup, in which each ingredient would complement each other.
There are still more add-ons, each $3 or you can just choose from the six recommended combinations Broth Bar posts for first-timers.
My favorite was the one with kelp noodles slippery and satisfying pairing in pho-like fashion with fish sauce, tamari, ginger and scallions for crunch, yet still requiring seasoning on your own.
We also enjoyed the strange and mystical combination of black cumin seed oil, turmeric, ghee and coconut butter bomb and black garlic salt, with extra gelatin that produced the rich mouth feel of a hearty ramen.
Firm believers in chicken soup for the soul, we also went for the chicken broth with rosemary salt, juiced ginger and scallions which was simple yet just what the doctor ordered for a mind-numbing head cold.
Bottom line: Less is more here, and treat your broth as a mid-day pick-me-up, not a meal.
For those who need a stronger kick, Broth Bar does not serve alcohol but does serve shots of brine, coffee and hot tea and is conveniently two doors down from Wild Roots vodka tasting room, which opens at noon.
Come for the broth, stay for the experience.
Broth Bar
Where: 115 N.E. Sixth Ave.
When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Online: www.brothbarsft.com
@jenmomanderson