He's here. He's queer. He's used to it.

Sneak Peek at The Original (Wow!) and RuPaul Drag Race Tele-Faves Are Heading to PDX (Yowza!)

FINE DINER: Diner + Restaurant= Wow. That's pretty much my take on the soon-to-be open Dinerant, The Original. Although it's still a couple of weeks from opening its doors to the public, I had a chance to do a walk-thru of the brand new gem in the Sage Hospitality crown. You know Sage. These are the same folks who just opened the modern steakhouse, Urban Farmer, and perhaps the most buzzed-about (and busy) sky-high Pan-Asian restaurant in town: Departure. The genius with the golden touch, Peter Karpinski, and his crew of original thinkers, are about to unleash on the city Sage's vision of a "modern diner." And I have to tell, it's really cool. The first floor, with its brown booths and sleek urban lines looks like a set from AMC-TV's "Mad Men." You have expect suited-business men sitting there mulling over stock prices as they slurp their coffee. Famed gardener Geoff Beasley was in the space during my visit working on a very unusual artificial garden that will "live" under the stairway that leads to the incomparable second floor. Upstairs The Original is a bit more clubby with its hanging 70's-era fireplace and groovy wool wallpaper (wait until you see where they put the DJ booth!) And as for the food? It has to be on the quirkiest menus ever concocted in the state of Oregon—or any place else for that matter and it will be really interesting to see if they can pull it off because it not only has diner faves like meatloaf and chicken pot pie but it will feature a "flight of hot dogs" (you heard it right), beer can chicken (that's where the stuff a Pabst up the poulet's you-know-what), mac-n-cheese (made with lobster), poached eggs and poutine, frled bologna sandwich and something they call the Voodoo Doughnut Burger (which I can't wait to try). The menu is not final, but that's the plan for now. And now if I only can talk them into being open 24 hours, it will be just like the old days at the much-missed Quality Pie. Except with better food. And prettier people. And..oh I can't wait!
Here are a couple of photos I clicked of the second floor during my tour:

MAY THE FIERCE BE WITH YOU: Okay, I would have told us this earlier but I was sworn to secrecy. But now that someone has started blabbing it on the blogs I can tell you that yes, it does look the winner of Logo TV's "RuPaul's Drag Race," Bebe Zahara Benet (she's in the big pic above) will be making an appearance at the Portland version of the show. As will Ongina. Yes, the two queens will be making our scene as fellow judges alongside Lisa Schroeder and moi. I know. I can't believe it either. Ongina will make an appearance at next week's show and Bebe is scheduled for the Pride Week finale on June 11th (the same night as my Big Gay Barfly Bus—that's going to be a busy night). As for tonight, it's going to be our fifth week/lap and, if you can fit it into your busy little schedules, you really should come by.

Tags: drink, film, food, gay, oregon, portland, wine

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Comment by Caryn on May 11, 2009 at 7:23pm: Heh, heh... he said "flight of hot dogs."

Comment by Funny Bone on May 8, 2009 at 4:53pm: Byron,
I got a message from Ongina he's very excited to come to Portland!!
We will see you next Thursday!