Bicycling Magazine has a nice little story about Higgins restaurant in their Cycling Nutrition section this month.
Here are a few excerpts:
“…Higgins, 50, is the owner and head chef of Higgins Restaurant and Bar, a Portland, Oregon, mainstay that’s home to bistro-style dishes that feature organic, sustainably grown, locally sourced food. And the restaurant sits square in the central downtown area–the most bike-centric part of the most bike-centric city in the United States–so it’s no surprise that Higgins is a cyclist.
“I’ve been into cycling for as long as I’ve been cooking,” Higgins says. “I commute by bike every day, a minimum of 12 miles, though I sometimes stretch it out if the weather’s good. We have bike storage in the wine and beer cellar. And we buy a group membership to Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and offer it to each of our 75 employees as a perk.” The restaurant even offers primes during the summer downtown criterium (the race course happens to pass right by the restaurant, offering diners a view of the high-speed action).
And here’s the featured “Postride Picnic” recipe:
Fresh Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Salad
3 Tbsp. garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 bunch fresh basil
6 vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin*
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin**
Mmmmm.
And I can vouch for Higgins. Someone took me to a lunch meeting there back in June and it was fabulous.