Restaurant Guide 2005

By MARK BAUMGARTEN

The past few years have introduced the era of the locally obsessed gourmand. At the farmers markets and even at the supermarkets, Oregonians are buying with regional pride to support the local economy and save the earth and other stuff like that. The Farm Cafe is the embodiment of this idea, using ingredients from Oregonian farmers whenever possible to create a menu that acts locally but thinks globally. Or at least attempts to. There is edamame here and a fresh hummus plate for appetizers, and highlight dishes like the panko-crusted halibut (served with a gland-draining chipotle aioli) and the wild-mushroom ravioli (with candy-like dried tomatoes) make the menu a little more interesting, but most of the fare is down-home and hearty. So the Farm is a little bit country, which is refreshing, considering the restaurant is housed in a homey building surrounded by the asphalt fields of East Burnside. (MB)

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