A Portlander brings his eats back east

Modern chefs are a lot like punk musicians -- they both love tattoos, they both party until 5a, and neither are particularly good at playing an instrument. Now you can nab eats from a punk rocker who saw the bridge and walked right over it, at East End Kitchen.

Planting itself on the Upper Eastiest of sides, this American bistro's rustically elegant digs are heavily wooded and decorated with antique mirrors and schoolhouse lights, all the concept of a husband-and-wife team who've also brought on board a top-notch Portland chef who's done time both at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and with the hardcore band The Scabs, so...expect it to be a popular underground pick? Gross. With cute names like "Pork 'n' Peaches" and "Porgy in a Bag", Euro-fluenced American plates also include Swiss chard tortellini w/ clothbound cheddar and chervil, duck breast sweetened by cherries & chocolate, and ratatouille- & couscous-aided summer flounder, because nothing's more delicious than the succulent meat of an intern. Helping the wheels stay greased is a predominantly Franco-Spanish wine list, brews from Full Sail and Victory poured as 20oz imperial pints, and a cocktail program that muddles its mojitos with dill and cukes instead if mint, and includes a vodka/muddled watermelon/jalapeno syrup joint called the Bread and Jam, also what the cool kids call it when they decide to pay instead of Dine and Ditch.

And to cap off the evening, there's a purple plum custard with almond brittle, homemade saffron ice cream served with olive oil cookies, and a timely summer berry crumble, which Chuck would never do, cause he can totally cook on the guitar.