Zero Proof Cocktails at Suckerpunch

Have you visited Portland’s first zero proof (no alcohol) cocktail bar Suckerpunch? Whether you are recovering, have those you care about who are, are mocktail curious, or choose for whatever reason to abstain from alcohol, this pop-up space offers the chic vibes of cocktail culture and care and craft of mixology and innovative drinks without the effects of booze.
Zero proof cocktails at Suckerpunch, a speakeasy with nonalcoholic beverages. Image courtesy of Frances Dyer Public Relations, photo by Carly Diaz
Image above courtesy of Frances Dyer Public Relations, photo by Carly Diaz

A visit to Suckerpunch requires a prepaid reservation and nets you a flight of three complex creative content cocktails that will change based on seasonal inspiration, and bar snacks. This visit is from their first month open in February, but a patio is in the works for outdoor space in the spring.

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Flying Fish Science Pub

I had hoped, like probably most of the world, that we’d finally be on the other end of COVID-19 by now. Instead, the caution continues, and the feeling of interrupted lives. Because of the high transmission rate of Omicron I’ve found myself mostly focused on takeout and delivery and staying home, with limited dining out. The first exception I’ve made in 2022 though was for the inaugural Flying Fish Science Pub. They hope to hold more events like Flying Fish Science Pub and I wanted to share what the experience is like. Welcome to my recap of Flying Fish presents Science Pub 1.0, a seafood market and restaurant collaboration with Chef Andre Uribe and Chef Patrick Marg of Sustainable Meals Oregon and guest speaker PSU biology professor, deep sea marine biologist and director of CLEE (Center for Life in Extreme Environments) Dr. Annie Lindgren.
Flying Fish Company market and restaurant with tented outdoor space located at 3004 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR, USA

I’ve been a fan of Flying Fish Company since I first met the idea of the company in 2019 and first tried their smoked salmon and a family recipe smoked salmon dip at events like Cowabunga and Nicky USA’s Wild About Game. What impressed me then and what still impresses me now is the passion for talking about where the seafood comes from in terms of the specific seafood type (salmon, albacore, oyster, etc), the environment it was harvested from, the affection and simple care in bringing out the flavors that are naturally there when you have this kind of high quality product. I miss the oyster bar and seafood market at Providore Fine Foods (mainly it’s more convenient location to me), which they closed when they opened their independent brick and mortar market and restaurant at their current location in early 2020, just as the pandemic began to be realized here. Thankfully, their ability to offer groceries and the outdoor dining space they have has helped them survive so far.
Flying Fish Company market and restaurant with tented outdoor space located at 3004 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR, USA

Hands down Flying Fish is the best place in Portland to get seafood if you don’t fish for it yourself or have a line to a fisherman. They publish their “Fresh List” daily like an old fashioned shop that has a board but modern because you can find it on the web. You’ll find fresh fish and shellfish of course, and smoked fish, but also the best pantry of tinned seafood and some meat options if you want to put together surf and turf. They have a menu of prepared food to dine outdoors or enjoy as takeout that includes some pretty amazing small plates and fish and chips. They even have an event list that includes different kind of field trips such as fishing or oysters. When I heard they were offering a dinner event called Flying Fish Science Pub that includes nourishing four course meal and nourishing conversation about sustainable eating, and it included a female marine biologist professor oh yeah, I was all in.

I want to note this was Science Pub 1.0 so it was the first attempt at this type of event, so they may make changes to future events so your experience may not exactly be like mine. But here is what my experience was like.

Flying Fish Science Pub takes place on a Tuesday, when the restaurant is closed normally, which means only the attendees of this private event of 20 some people is who you will be sharing the space with. The event is held outdoors, but it is in a covered tent with plenty of heaters, so you don’t need to worry about the weather or being cold (in fact it was so warm I ended up having to remove my coat!).
Flying Fish Company market and restaurant with tented outdoor space located at 3004 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR, USA Flying Fish presents Science Pub, a market and restaurant with tented outdoor space collaboration with Chef Andre and Chef Patrick of Sustainable Meals Oregon and guest speaker PSU biology professor, deep sea marine biologist and director of CLEE (Center for Life in Extreme Environments) Dr. Annie Lindgren

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Portland Dining Month 2020 at Headwaters

As I covered in my previous post, March is a time when 140+ restaurants offer three course meals for $33 all month long. I shared my top picks in my last post, and today’s post is the first of my dinners: I kicked off Portland Dining Month 2020 at Headwaters.
Portland Dining Month 2020 at Headwaters menu, 3 courses for $33 all month long, with an optional $17 to get a pairing for all 3 courses of local Oregon wines

Besides the $33 for 3 courses, they also offered another huge value: local Oregon wine pairings for all three courses for $17 more. Here’s a look at the Portland Dining Month menu at Headwaters for 2020.

The 3 courses are set – no options from the PDM menu, but your dining companions may also choose to order a la carte from the regular menu if they wish. The first course was Shrimp-stuffed piquillo peppers with goat cheese, mint, almonds and frisée salad in a sweet onion sous vide sauce. I found this a well balanced dish and I was wiping my finger on the bowl to get the last of the sauce. This is paired with a bright 2018 Cremant de Portland brut urbanique by Division Wine Making Company.
Portland Dining Month 2020 at Headwaters menu, 3 courses for $33 all month long, with an optional $17 to get a pairing for all 3 courses of local Oregon wines. Portland Dining Month at Headwaters for 2020 first course of Shrimp-stuffed piquillo peppers with goat cheese, mint, almonds and frisée salad in a sweet onion sous vide sauce

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Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX

One of the biggest bargains in fine dining with can be found at Roe Portland. Two dining experiences are available, and I have tried both. In the spring (unfortunately the day just after I cracked my camera phone lens) I enjoyed the Tasting Menu. For this menu, it is prix fixe but you have a certain list of dishes to choose between for your four courses for the huge value price of $68 per person – you can easily run that up per person for four courses any restaurant, but you get the extra experience of the fine dining service at Roe. Recently, I went back and tried the Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX for the price of $138, and you get seven courses plus some surprises. Here’s look at what the experience was like for me in the first of October 2019.

Finding the restaurant is a bit of an adventure to start with. Located in downtown Portland, only a few blocks away from Pioneer Square, you have to enter a building called Morgan’s Alley- there isn’t even a sign for Roe visible. Look for the Oregon Wines on Broadway and go through the doors just to the left of this wine bar and bottle shop. Keep pressing through the hallways to the back until you see stairs, and follow those up to a very subtle restaurant entrance.
Roe Portland, located in Morgan's Alley in the back - finding the restaurant so I can enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX Roe Portland, located in Morgan's Alley in the back - finding the restaurant so I can enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX

When you enter, you are transported away from the busyness of Portland and your day into the dimly lit entrance foyer of Roe PDX. There is a card with your last name waiting for you, and once the host returns to the cart, he or she will take your coats, pour you a libation to greet you. In my visits to Roe, this has varied from some hot dashi in the winter to sparkling to in this visit, a chamomile tea infused vermouth aperitif.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, initial entrance foyer Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, initial entrance foyer

Shortly after, you will be led to your seats at your table or the chef’s counter (which has it’s own reservations). There are no walk-ins at Roe – but it’s easy to make reservations online and check the available times lots on Tock. Most seats have a view of the open kitchen, and I appreciate that the tables are spaced well enough that you can enjoy private conversation – this is not a noisy restaurant so you can really enjoy the food and drink and your dining companions.
interior of restaurant as I prepare to enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX interior of restaurant as I prepare to enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX

You can select to purchase beverages by the glass, or bottle, or have a pairing. We opted for the beverage pairing. The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course. If you have any food allergies or such, they do check with you by sending you a message the day before your reservation, and they check one more time in person here. You also have an option of caviar add on if you so choose. Ok, we’re ready, game on – and we so choose to enjoy some caviar service please.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu

Amuse Bouches and (optional) Caviar

Before the dinner courses, we are treated to some complimentary snacks, or amuse bouches. The first set of amuse bouches included Housemade dashi, Hamachi crudo with walnut pecan and concord grape, and Albacore tartare in buckwheat crepe with wasabi. These amuse bouches and the caviar were paired with one of my favorite pairings of the evening, a Quince fruit wine from Art + Science.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science

Then, the next amuse bouches arrived almost at the same time as the caviar. I was fine with the pan fried salt cod with caviar but honestly the excitement of the caviar made me forget to note what was exactly the second snack here besides that it was in a roasted peanut topping.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science

The caviar service ranges from some individual caviar selections from the low end of $45 up to a trio of caviar for $175. The caviar is served with warm potato blini, whipped creme fraiche, and sieved egg. It’s simple and perfect – I would always get this add on from now on if I visit Roe.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu

How about we finally get down to seeing the courses of the dinner for the Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX now? We haven’t even started on the first listing yet!

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Line and Lure and Live Music

When people think of casinos, they think of usually the lights and sounds of the slot machines, the padded green tables and sound of shuffling cards or the roulette wheel. Me, I think of the food. It’s true in Vegas, one of the premier destinations in the US for eating I think – and it’s true at the nearby to Portland Ilani Resort and Casino. Don’t let the Ridgefield Washington location put you off – it’s 30 minutes or less drive from Portland. I want to go there to eat. In particular, I’m a fan of Line and Lure Seafood Restaurant.

Line and Lure may be most known by those in the know with their brunch buffet, available on weekends. It’s where I’d take my parents or other relatives if they were in town. But there’s more reason to come- for instance come enjoy the calmer vibe at happy hour or at dinner. You can enjoy Line and Lure and Live Music every Friday & Saturday from 6-10 PM: see the schedule here. The musicians are local, and in a good sign, it also helps bring in some local regulars along with the casino members. And now that better weather season is here dine out on their patio with firepit to start out a casino date night.

They have multiple lovely libations, but my favorite is both a drink and a snack: their Admiral Bloody Mary in concocted with their housemade bloody mary mix and Tito’s vodka, crab leg, prawn, bacon, pepperoncini, olive, onion, spicy pickled bean, fresh lime 
Line and Lure and Live Music Line and Lure and Live Music

Start with a seafood forward appetizer like Dungeness Crab Claws served your choice of either chilled on ice or steamed. Basic preparation but the best ingredients show off the fresh tastiness of the crab.
Line and Lure appetizers of DUNGENESS CRAB CLAWS with your choice: Chilled on ice or steamed

But, don’t afraid to go with a lot of prepared flavors – like the complex layered starter of the BBQ Shimp and Griddled Corn Cakes with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce.
Line and Lure starter of BBQ SHRIMP & GRIDDLED CORN CAKES, with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce Line and Lure starter of BBQ SHRIMP & GRIDDLED CORN CAKES, with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce

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