Life at Estes lately. It’s been a bit hectic - we run a small crew and every day we have to hustle. I work service as well as production and delivery for pasta and sauce, so Sunday is my only day away from the restaurant. Don’t get me wrong - I get 3 nights at home with my family. The thing is - I love it. I love being on the line and cooking this food. It’s an honor to represent the food inspired by my family. Telling the story of my family through our food as well as doing something I love is pretty freakin awesome. Can’t wait to cook for you all again next week.
This collab was a long time in the making, and I’m so glad we finally made it happen. I love being able to bring two completely different cuisines together and realizing that maybe they aren’t so different after all. This was so much fun, we laughed all night, the vibes were A+, I got absolutely weeded and survived. The spirit of community is alive and well. Big thanks to the @sunricepdx team for pulling up so we could do this! @tjcooksinthe503 you have some serious talent, my friend @__eaves for the music, @janiep00 @ken.trvn for being it all home. We def need to run this one back, so stay tuned! #communitynotcompetition
Scenes from things around Estes lately … the beauty of @sideyardfarmpdx and the oasis Stacey has created there - we’re lucky we get to use her beautiful veggies. The courtyard is beautiful this time of year, trying to take a moment to enjoy the summer vibes before fall hits. Thank you all for your continued support - come eat your feelings!
Working this hard is different when it’s your own brand and business, and you have people who rely on you for their jobs, and you have a partner at home who supports your absolute leap of faith in such uncertain times. Here’s to cooking for you all, creating a community space that’s safe for all, and honoring my Italian family. Vi amo tutti!
For me, this dish is a memory. It has history with me - maybe more than most (except the cacio e pepe - but that’s another story). My grandparents moved to the Oregon coast when I was young, so my sister and I spent our summers here with them. In the mornings, we would head into their garden with them to pick tomatoes for sauce, veggies for salad and, one particular summer - a bumper crop of corn. The tomatoes were roasted in the oven with garlic, oregano and olive oil, skins peeled off and the tomatoes crushed into sauce. Add butter, basil and sautéed corn, and you have the sauce she used for ricotta ravioli. This dish only makes an appearance once a year, as canned tomatoes don’t do the sauce the justice it deserves. As much as this is a story of my Grandmother, it is also a story of my connection with Stacey at @sideyardfarmpdx and the bounty of amazing vegetables she grows on a 1 acre urban farm. You can’t make great sauce without great tomatoes! Looking forward to seeing you all soon! A mangia! Eat Your Feelings! Ciao, Patrick
Last week was amazing, and we’re looking forward to this week! Go get your sauces at @zupansmarkets before they’re gone because we’re taking a lil break til September/October. You can still get Pork Sugo, Mafaldine and Shells at @wellspentmarket, as well as pesto at @bella_italian_bakery. Go show them some love! Can’t wait to cook for you, see you starting Wednesday!
This week at Estes! Building up your business again has been a humbling and challenging experience. I love what I do - cooking for people is something that is absolutely in my bones. I am very grateful for your support! #eatyourfeelings #pastaforever #italianamerican #italianfood #pdxeats
My Nonno with my Mom when he was home on leave from the Army before he would head to Europe in WWII. He taught me about our Italian family, our long history, and his love of pasta. He taught me that the simplest pastas were the best, and that’s why we have Cacio e Pepe (lots of black pepper, just like he liked it) on the menu and it will never leave. I think I didn’t just grow up eating pasta, but living it. PDinners were always about coming together, enjoying the food and the company of each other. The world could wait outside while we took the time to eat together. My Mom also adopted this philosophy, and now it’s my turn to do the same at Estes. All are welcome, come in for a bowl of pasta, leave the world outside for a bit, and let us take care of you. Grazie Mille for all your support from our beginnings to finding us and supporting us in our residency.
Herb Ricotta Gnocchi, Summer Squash, Snap Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Pesto Crema. The story of me and these ricotta gnocchi goes back to my days at Paley’s Place, where my mentor @vit0bike taught me how to make them. The preparation is simple, yet can be a bit tricky and requires some patience in getting it just right. Vitaly, Ben Bettinger and myself appeared on Iron Chef America - Battle Radish, where I made a dish with these gnocchi, dungeness crab and glazed radishes. We won, and these little gnocchi have held a special place with me ever since. I have made my own version of these - with crab, basil crema and smoke trout roe, and now a vegetarian version. Every time I make them, it is to honor Vitaly and my 10 yrs at Paley’s Place. While the story of Estes begins with the traditions of my Italian family, it’s also very much about where I’ve been as a cook, and honoring those traditions as well. See you soon! Eat Your Feelings! Ciao, Patrick
Ciao Regazzi! We have had a lot of new followers lately, so I thought it appropriate to introduce myself and a quick history of Estes. I’m Patrick, Chef and co-owner of Estes. Named for the Italian side of my family - and my Mom’s maiden name - Estes began in Feb of 2019 as a pop up at Dame Restaurant. We would go on to operate under the Dame branding and I placed the Estes branding on hold - at the time it was just easier for optics. For almost 6 yrs we cooked our Italian American food there, our Cacio e Pepe became one of our best loved dishes, and eventually, like all good things, our time came to an end. I was eager to begin cooking under my family name again! In January of 2025, we signed a year long lease and Estes began its new life when we moved into the Broder Nord space on Mississippi. New residency, same food, same standards, same ideals - just a new home for us. The new space gives us the flexibility and room to produce the sauces and pastas you can find at @bella_italian_bakery @wellspentmarket and a line of 4 sauces at @zupansmarkets Your support means the world to us, and thank you for following along! Come eat your feelings and let us take care of you!
Life around Estes lately. The Side Yard Farm, sauce production, life on the hot line.
Shoutout to whoever it was that came in for dinner and ordered two lasagnas to-go for the next day. SALUTE 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻 🇮🇹 That being said, I always make a bit extra vodka sauce and pomodoro if you want to buy from us directly. DM for orders and we’ll make it happen!