Master Kong’s Breakfast

Now that the weather is cooling off, just a friendly reminder that there is more to breakfast and brunch options then fried chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, and the like. There is also Asian breakfast! One hole in the wall spot which has already gotten much media love and foodie love last year (including WW’s newcomer of the year for 2018) is Master Kong’s. Have you been recently? Here’s a look at some of the items I recommend to warm you up at a Master Kong’s Breakfast.

The location of Master Kong’s is where most of the homey Chinese restaurants are now – SE 82nd, specifically at 8435 SE Division St, 9:30 AM – 9 PM Tuesday-Sunday. You’ll find parking along the streets. Keep your eyes out – the Mr. Kong in the sign name is not that big and there is more emphasis listing some of the food they offer instead on the signage.
Master Kong's Breakfast - Chinese breakfast in Portland

Nothing fancy looking inside in terms of decor, you may even find yourself at communal seatings. Because of the press despite the non-descript exterior Master Kong’s has a reputation so there may be small wait during peak hours. Service can sometimes be a bit languid and require you to flag someone down, but once you put your order in the food is appears quickly, steaming, fresh, comforting.
Master Kong's Breakfast - Chinese breakfast in Portland with steaming dumplings

I’m a fan of wonton noodle soup – it has the best of all worlds, soup, noodles, and dumplings right?
Master Kong's Breakfast - Chinese breakfast in Portland with wonton noodle soup

Don’t miss out on the sauces on the counter by the kitchen to add a few layers of flavors to the soups and dumplings, and especially the congee (like this salted rib congee). Congee is an Asian rice porridge which like oatmeal or grits, benefits from additions. I like additionally ordering the youtiao or fried dough bars to dip into the congee.
Master Kong's Breakfast - Chinese breakfast in Portland with salted rib congee

If you want to eat something with something other then a spoon, get the jianbing – generally like a stuffed crepe but crispier, and here filled generously almost like an Asian burrito.
Master Kong's Breakfast - Chinese breakfast in Portland with jianbing

Have you had Asian breakfast or brunch before?

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Farm to Table Dining with Field and Vine Dinners

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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Cute Desserts and Drinks at Soro Soro

Do you browse Instagram sometime and save a list of places to try based on photos you see? I do in multiple cities – including Portland of course. That’s how I found out about the cute desserts and drinks at Soro Soro Coffee and Dessert Cafe at 2250 E. Burnside St. This Korean dessert and coffee shop is small and simple but so precious. It is entirely easily instagrammable with its latte art and Asian bakery desserts with too cute faces that are sweet on appearance are not too sweet on flavor.
Cute desserts and drinks at Soro Soro in an irresistibly adorable cafe in Portland Cute desserts and drinks at Soro Soro in an irresistibly adorable cafe in Portland Cute desserts and drinks at Soro Soro in an irresistibly adorable cafe in Portland Cute desserts and drinks at Soro Soro in an irresistibly adorable cafe in Portland

The cuteness is too irresistible for anyone – whether it be a group of girl friends squeeing at the kitty cheesecake face and getting their selfie in, a couple on a coffee date as they share the giant 3 ice cream scoop towering cotton candy cloud of an affogato, a family with kids as they destroy a sweet potato cake with a bear face, or a man with a sweet tooth and a fanny pack unable to resist an earl grey cake with googly eyes.

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Vegan Dim Sum at Ichiza Kitchen

About two years ago Ichiza Kitchen opened in the Goose Hollow neighborhood, providing something completely unique – Buddhist monk cuisine. No alcohol is served, and everything is non-GMO and vegan – any “meat” listed is faux. The seating is small and feels like an intimate hole in the wall- only about 25 or so people, in four-tops, although there are some picnic benches outside as well. Dishes come all at once as per the name Ichiza, which means “one setting” , a reference to the zen principle of stopping to contemplate one’s path.
Ichiza Kitchen

The best plan of action is to order lots of small “dim sum” like bites and a couple larger dishes to share. For small snacks to combine, look for the Chili Oil Wontons (wontons filled with vegan ‘pork belly and beef’ in a mixture of house chili oil, garlic, sesame oil, and garnished with cilantro and chive), the Shumai (‘money bag’ dumplings filled with vegan ‘shrimp’ and ‘pork’, dressed with a ginger and green onion sauce), and the Ba Wan Buns. We tried the steamed and grilled turnip cakes with shiitake mushroom dipping sauce too which you can see with the chili oil wontons, but I would not order them a second time personally as I found them dry on my visit. I wish we had ordered the Cheong Fun rice noodles or Kimchee Gyoza instead.
Ichiza Kitchen Shumai ('money bag' dumplings filled with vegan 'shrimp' and 'pork', dressed with a ginger and green onion sauce) Ichiza Kitchen Chili Oil Wontons (wontons filled with vegan 'pork belly and beef' in a mixture of house chili oil, garlic, sesame oil, and garnished with cilantro and chive)

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Visiting Changi Airport

Earlier this year in April, a new building named Jewel Changi Airport opened that makes visiting Changi Airport intriguing even for non-travelers, not just those waiting for their flight. With all the things to do and things to eat and drink, the addition of this building continues to solidify Changi as the benchmark world’s best airport. Here are some of my pointers of all of what you might want to see when you are visiting Changi Airport based on my visit and researching June 2019.
Visiting Changi Airport in Singapore: the famous HSBC Rain Vortex and the surrounding Shiseido Forest Valley - four stories of greenery surrounding the world's tallest indoor waterfall Visiting Changi Airport in Singapore: the famous HSBC Rain Vortex and the surrounding Shiseido Forest Valley - four stories of greenery surrounding the world's tallest indoor waterfall

First, you should know that the Jewel building has walkways that connect it directly to Terminals 1, 2, and 3 – just look for signs showing you where to go. The only way to get between Jewel and Terminal 4 are shuttle buses between T4 and T2. Jewel is open 24 hours as a building, but not all attractions or restaurants may be open (most are open 10 AM – 10 PM).
Visiting Changi Airport in Singapore: Map showing how to get to Jewel from any of the terminals

If you have luggage, check in and get rid of your luggage first for ease of enjoying your time. If you just came out of a plane, baggage storage is available (and required for some of the attractions that don’t allow the bags) on level 1 of Jewel or any of the terminals. Note that if you are connecting that going out to Jewel does require going through immigration/out of the secure area.

You can get a glimpse of Jewel without exiting post-security by riding the Skytrain between Terminal 2 and 3 since it passes through Jewel. This may be important if you are on a layover and want to sign up for one of the free Singapore tours available, which you must sign up for without exiting security and which will take up your one exit/entrance from the airport to Singapore.
Visiting Changi Airport in Singapore: You can get a glimpse of Jewel without exiting post-security by riding the Skytrain between Terminal 2 and 3 since it passes through Jewel's center including a glimpse of the famous HSBC Rain Vortex and the surrounding Shiseido Forest Valley

Free Wi-fi, wheelchairs and strollers (with a refundable deposit), and even power banks (free for the first 12 hours) are also available.

FYI the list that follows are my highlights, for a full list of attractions for each terminal check out the Changi Airport website here. Note, I find the printed maps they have for each terminal pretty terrible because the maps are really small and they don’t have much description so really recommend instead to use online maps.

Things To Do that are Free

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