The 100 Best Restaurants in Portland Feeding Frenzy Restaurant of the Year: Oba Waiter of the Year Mondo Carne Way Beyond Bagels Greengrocer to the Nation Bank on It -Warehouse of Earthly Delights Late-Night Grazing Wine's Incredible Journey Restaurant of the Region Nature's Bounty Hunters Two Great Tastes... School's In--Eat Up! Everyone's a Critic

Everyone's a Critic A closer look at two of the nominees for this year's James Beard Foundation Awards BY JEAN WENZEL In the professional food world, nothing gets people as excited as the James Beard Foundation Awards do. They're the biggest whoop-de-do of all, the culinary Academy Awards, Emmys and Miss America pageant all wrapped up in one dazzling gala weekend in New York. In 1998 three Portlanders were finalists: Wildwood's Cory Schreiber, the Heathman's Philippe Boulot and Willamette Week's Roger J. Porter. Chefs Schreiber and Boulot tangled for the "American Express Best Chef: Pacific Northwest" award--in a field that essentially comprises Seattle and Portland. Schreiber tied with Thierry Rautureau of Rover's in Seattle. Porter was up for an award in the newspaper restaurant review category; his competition included critics from across the country, including the influential mega-markets of Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Other finalists were The New York Times' Ruth Reichl, New Times Los Angeles' Meredith Brody and Los Angeles Times' S. Irene Virbila. Competitors blacked out their bylines and sent their prose to a panel of food writers and newspaper editors, and Ruth Reichl won. You may not have read Reichl, but if you're reading this, you're probably familiar with Porter. So how do they compare?     RUTH ROGER TRAINING Culinary School of Hard Knocks with an extra helping of kitchen kismet. Wound up at The New York Times after 10 years as food editor and restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times. Amateur chef, international traveler and worker. Did a year-long stint as food critic for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Wrote reviews for Oregon magazine before becoming contributing writer to WW. DAY JOB Restaurant critic and food columnist for The New York Times. Professor of English at Reed College. REVIEWING BUDGET Around $100,000 for dining out last year. Not $100,000. Not even close. EATS OUT? Six days a week, usually for work. Three to four times a week, whether reviewing or not. BUT CAN THEY COOK? Indeed. Always ended up being the cook, at college, on a commune, wherever. Loves to cook. Devised award-winning Gorgeous Ginger Mussels recipe. AUTHORSHIP Tender at the Bone, breezy 1998 memoir of the herb-strewn culinary path that led her to The New York Times. The Food Lover's Companion to Portland, 1996 cross-indexed gourmet guide to Portland, with co-author Lisa Shara Hall. BROUHAHAS? Raised a ruckus when, new to the Times, she yanked venerable Le Cirque down to three stars. Nasty phone calls from restaurant owners; one threatened to knock his head off, and another was convinced that Roger was out to close his place down. INCOGNITO Credit cards under eight names, eleven wigs. She sent her husband to collect her James Beard Foundation Award. Reservations under false names. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published October 14, 1998