The past few weeks I've had the good fortune to have been able to enjoy three meals with out of town visitors. One meal, at Horsebrass Pub, was the Plougman's Platter covered in the drinking and eating post, because that particular friend got to enjoy some eating, more drinking, and then intoxicated Fred Meyer shopping, unsafe driving with too much in a car, and carrying a super heavy furniture box up the stairs to the house in the dark. Yay. Thanks Jim!
Fortunately, the other two visitors got a much more normal visit. One was a brunch at Mother's Bistro, where the brunch, as I have always found it, feels trendy and elegant and homey at the same time, thanks to waiting for a table outside (inevitably there is a wait for brunch at popular Mother's- which isn't too big a burden if you are chatting away so that the time flies quickly. Hi Rav!), the sparkly chandeliers reflecting sunshine as you sit on booths that have pillows like you were in a window seat nook, and mugs that remind us to call our mother as we eat food apparently some mothers make. It's not an Asian breakfast so it's nothing my mom will make, and what moms cook with this much butter? The food here is so rich! Must be a southern mama…
My staples here are to get the special smoothie of the day and french press coffee, and then the benedict here which is only available on weekends. This dish is so rich, it would be better halved so two can enjoy their creamy version of Hollandaise sauce, which is the standout of this dish and you hope to smear the sauce and egg yolk from the poached egg onto the just-ok roasted potatoes.
Mother's Bistro Tofu Scramble with onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms & potatoes is a somewhat healthy veg option.
A lunch meeting with another old friend brought me to Mingo West for its convenience to Hillsboro and Beaverton, our work locations. Lunch included pasta that was fresh and risotto that wasn't anything to write about. I thought we had great desserts at least in this otherwise unremarkable to me suburban dining outpost of a supposedly well loved Mingo in Northwest Portland. The chocolate ganache was huge and rich, and the ricotta cake offered a fresh light take on the usual heavy cheesecake. And, at least we got to enjoy almost al fresco dining- we sat by where they had opened up the doors to look outside at Round Fountain Plaza while staying out of the sun the actual outside diners had to contend with. I'll try to find something more interesting next time Heather.
Who wants to visit next?
