Picks for Portland Dining Month 2020

February 24, 2020 by 2 Comments

March is almost here, which also marks the start of Portland Dining Month 2020. With this post I’m sharing with you my personal picks for Portland Dining Month 2020 based on what I think are the best offerings in terms of $ value and food on the menu being offered by the restaurant. I’ve covered Portland Dining Month/PDM for multiple years, and as before, I have done the homework of reviewing the fantastic list of 130+ restaurants in the Portland area and the dining month menus they will be offering from March 1-31 2020 that count for three courses for $33.
Picks for Portland Dining Month 2020, 140 restaurants in Portland offering three courses for $33 from March 1-31 2020

You can pick your dinner destination just based on wanting to visit that particular restaurant on the list of course. This 3 course dinner deal is a great rationalization to go and finally cross a restaurant you’ve wanted to check out off your dining wishlist. Keep in mind that for further justification, you are supporting local businesses and employees, so it’s a win for everyone. And, you are helping people even more so if the restaurant takes online reservations via OpenTable. This is because Travel Portland donates money to the Oregon Food Bank for each reservation made through the OpenTable links from the Portland Dining Month website.

With 141 restaurant options, you also might want to use the Portland Dining Month 2020 website filters by neighborhood, type of cuisine, gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan options. My method is to read the menus to see what each restaurant is offering, and my criteria are that I look for an excellent savings from the restaurant’s regular prices, or they offer intriguing menu items that are special just for this month.

All of these options on my list are also all OpenTable partners, so make the reservation off the Portland Dining Month site to make sure the donation is given to Oregon Food Bank!

As an additional bonus this year, on March 5th & 6th, Seattle-based artist @Dozfy will be making a surprise appearance at an east-side and west-side restaurant where he will give away art he creates on the menus of each. If you haven’t seen his art before, here’s an example:

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Miracle Pop up in Portland at Bacchus Bar

December 21, 2019 by Leave a Comment

You can enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit at the Miracle, a Christmas cocktail pop up bar. This international pop up has landed in Portland inside the Bacchus Bar in the lobby of the Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland downtown this year. Here’s a look as we head into the final stretch to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day!
Miracle Pop up in Portland at Bacchus Bar Miracle Pop up in Portland at Bacchus Bar Miracle Pop up in Portland at Bacchus Bar Miracle Pop up in Portland at Bacchus Bar

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Farm to Table Dining with Field and Vine Dinners

August 20, 2019 by Leave a Comment

One of the happiest discoveries I made when I first moved here to Portland is how accessible it is to not only enjoy farm to table dinners in Portland with many restaurants, but it is also very easy to enjoy and support local producers by dining at the farms and vineyards, right at the source. This is not just a summer activity either. For instance, Field and Vine Dinners are scheduled from spring through the end of the year.
Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner

With over 30 of their Dinners in the Field events scheduled a year, Field and Vine farm to table dinners probably have one that fits your calendar. As of this post there are still 14 more dinners available. They are also pretty affordable – a great majority of the dinners are priced at about $100, and that includes all of the food, drinks, and gratuity.
Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner

I really applaud Field and Vine events for the variety of locations for their dinner series. You will find dinners set out in the field for dining al fresco of course, but also in barns, barrel rooms, and even at a classic horse show, an alpaca ranch (upcoming on September 21 2019) or elk farm (upcoming October 12 2019). If you are reading this past 2019 – not to worry, they re-visit many of these locations every year.
Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner

You will find family-style 6-7 course dinners paired with wine from local vineyards, but Field and Vine also partners with beverage partners too like Westward Whiskey, Portland Cider Co., Trail Distilling, and Coin Toss Brewing – and there are still tickets to dinners with these libation friends still on the calendar coming up this year. Some of the dinners may be in collaboration with other local makers like farmers, chocolatiers, and cheesemakers.
Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner Dining in the vineyards with Field and Vine Dinners: Elk Cove and TMK Creamery Dinner

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Farmhouse Kitchen Thai for Portland Dining Month

March 21, 2019 by 1 Comment

Another week in March, another Portland Dining Month stop for the amazing deal of $33 netting me 3 courses – and sometimes more! For instance, at Farmhouse Kitchen Thai for Portland Dining Month, you get a free starter soup, and the starter gives you a taste of 2 different starters available on their regular menu. Here’s a closer look.

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First, I would highly recommend you make a reservation. It is definitely not a secret that the Portland Dining Month offering from Farmhouse Kitchen Thai offers a lot of variety with its 6 entrees to choose from. It is also a shrewd dollar value since those entrees are usually in the mid $20 range. So expect a packed house during peak times – if you try to walk in, you may have to wait an hour or so.

Second, you should expect that the service is going to be very functional, and forgive them for that. They are trying to serve everyone they can who comes to their door, which necessitates a lot of turnover at the tables. Sitting at a table towards the back of the house is a lot more calm then the boisterous tables at the front.

If you want to avoid the crowds, consider coming at slightly off times. I came at 8:15 pm and was never rushed out – in fact we got so caught up in conversation we were literally the last to leave the now closed restaurant as they prepared for staff meal. I saw another guest smartly order the Portland Dining Month menu but also order additional dishes to take home – I wish I had done that, even though all my meals for the next 2 days are already accounted for…

Ok, let’s get down to business. Although for the first course the official Portland Dining Month Travel Portland site lists that there are 5 options for the starter, when you get to the restaurant you actually have the choice of 3 combos. Each combo gives you tastes of TWO starters available on the menu. Each is plated individually and then put on a tray to make that duo for you, so I wonder if they would customize the duo for you on request. The default duos they offer are

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Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX

March 14, 2019 by Leave a Comment

For my next Portland Dining Month 2019 recap after my visit to Kachinka, this time I am sharing the goodness of my visit for Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX. Tapalaya is one of my top picks among all the restaurants offering dining deals during this month of March with its unique viewpoint of Cajun Creole Vietnamese food that she grew up with in New Orleans. For my other Portland Dining Month picks see my full list here.

Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX for March 2019 Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX for March 2019

For those of you who prefer the savory over the sweet, you are in luck- the 3 courses for $33 at Tapalaya are all savory, with 2 options for each course.

My first recommendation is to please make a reservation via OpenTable at the Portland Dining Month Travel Portland website. That is because by doing so, OpenTable will support the Oregon Food Bank. That means you will be doing good just by making a reservation!

Another recommendation is if you can, come on Tuesday like I did to enjoy the live music they offer. However, they background music they play even on the other days is lively and classic New Orleans, so understandable if you need to come on what works with your schedule. The Reggie Houston Trio that has been playing on Tuesdays for years will take you back to NOLA even if you have never been!
Live Music at Tapalaya PDX on Tuesday: Reggie Houston Trio

Just FYI, they have live music on Tuesday evenings even if it is not Portland Dining Month. You can also find live music during their brunch service on the weekends.

Not onto the Portland Dining Month menu at Tapalaya. For starters, you have the choice of Creole Caesar with radicchio, parmesan, crispy cornbread crumbs, Caesar dressing or the Crawfish Etouffee Nachos with cheddar, cotija, green onions, cilantro, Anh Luu’s 5-spice wonton chips
Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX, course 1 of Creole Caesar with Radicchio, parmesan, crispy cornbread crumbs, fried capers, Caesar dressing Portland Dining Month at Tapalaya PDX, course 1 of Crawfish Etouffee Nachos with cheddar, cotija, green onions, cilantro, Anh Luu's 5-spice wonton chips

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