Portland Elites Got Frenched at Yelp’s French Connection @ St. Jack!

 It may not be springtime in Paris, and it’s definitely not even close to the warm season in Portland, but that didn’t stop Portland’s Elite squad from warming it up on a stormy Sunday afternoon at P-town’s newest, and hottest, French Bistro, St. Jack!

On February 27, 2011, an intimate crowd of 60 came out in the wind and rain to experience an evening of pure decadent pleasures, all while decked out in their Francophile gear. Aaron Barnett’s crack culinary team served up a fantastic spread from house-made charcuterie to fresh-baked madeleins for this fabulous affair. The chef’s counter was stoked with pates, terrines and mousses all complimented by house-pickled veggies, bread and mustard. With salads and pommes frites on the side, it wasn’t long before plates full of pates were passing their way around the room. 

With food in full swing, the folks behind one of Portland’s best new bars got to shaking up cocktails made with local House Spirits Aviation Gin and Aquavit. Maestros Kyle Webster and Tommy Klus shook up a mess of Stuyvesants and Aquavit Gimlets for the thirsty crowd. Marcus Goodfellow (and quite the good fellow he is!) sampled three fantastic wines from Matello – the pinot noir, the Alsatian dry white, and a top-notch rosé – as well as a pinot from Twelve wines, all of which thoroughly impressed the crowd. And for beer-lovers in the house, Bridgeport’s Kingpin Double-Red and Hop Czar Imperial IPS kept the bubbles flowing. There was nary a dry glass in the house.

With the rain pouring outside and the temperatures dropping, the vibe inside cozy St. Jack was nearing epic proportions. Elbows to elbows, the Elite crowd got wined and dined while meeting and greeting their fellow Yelpers. And when the clock struck 6pm, it was only too soon… There's no doubt that many of these folks made a lasting connection with St. Jack. 

A huge thanks goes out for this bar-raising event to Kurt, Aaron Barnett, Anson, Kyle Webster, Tommy Klus and the whole crew from St. Jack; Matt and Christian from House Spirits; Marcus Goodfellow from Matello Wines (as well as the folks from Twelve Wines); Janessa from Bridgeport; Joshua C for the luminescent photos; Matt D fro the help; and of course the Portland Yelp Elite Squad, without whom none of this would be possible.

Don’t believe me? Check the photos and 5-star reviews!

Until the next event in early April, SYOY!

Don “Monsieur” B.