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Animating Life, the Laika Exhibit at Portland Art Museum

December 26, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I’ve seen all the Laika movies – first Coraline, then ParaNorman, Boxtrolls, and finally the most recent (and my favorite), Kubo and the Two Strings. If you haven’t heard of Laika, they are a Portland stop-motion animation movie studio. Think of them like our local Pixar, bringing storytelling to the screen that appeals to adults and children. Recently the Portland Art Museum opened a special Laika exhibit Animating Life that showcases some of the behind the scenes of how Laika created those movies, and it’s worth a visit. The exhibit runs until May 20.
At the Laika exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, this display shows how Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches). At the Laika exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, this display shows how Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches).
Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches). I am not to scale with the characters. 
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Barlow Artisanal Bar

September 16, 2014 by 5 Comments

There is another Barlow in town, not to be confused with Barlow Tavern. This is Barlow Artisanal Bar, located at 737 SW Salmon St.right next to the very stylish and already loved by me Picnic House that I have written about several times before.

The exterior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The exterior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The exterior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The exterior of Barlow Artisanal Bar

I have been peeking at the space under construction for months. I was drawn especially in when the beautiful chandelier in the back got installed over the larger group table.

The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar

With 5 taps and a dozen exquisite options on their cocktail menu, this classy bar is a welcome addition to this area. In walking distance are several hotels and museums such as the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Museum. And Barlow is just blocks from the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to kick off or wrap up a sophisticated date night.

The stunning lights of Barlow Artisanal Bar

Once you have stepped inside, you feel like you’ve stepped into a glamorous art deco bar. There is a long L shaped bar in the front, then small cocktail tables to lounge and drink as you are heading towards the back.

The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar

After walking past the stunning lit Barlow sign across from their other stairway, the back wall of an alluring flapper girl welcomes you. The back opens up slightly for a few small tables including a larger group table. Restrooms are separated off by the hanging silver beaded curtains.

The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar

I stopped by “accidentally” when they were still doing their soft opening where it was bustling during their early happy hour 3-6pm. They also have a late happy hour 10pm-close. On later visits on a few other weekday evenings after happy hour, it had noticeably mellowed out. This yielded that some of these photos that look like it was almost empty, but let me assure you I was not the only one there each visit.

 The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar The interior of Barlow Artisanal Bar

As if this all wasn’t already so cool enough, when they need a chilled martini glass, it is very dramatic with dry ice.

The oh so casual cooling of your martini glass with dry ice bar the bartenders of Barlow Artisanal Bar The oh so casual cooling of your martini glass with dry ice bar the bartenders of Barlow Artisanal Bar The oh so casual cooling of your martini glass with dry ice bar the bartenders of Barlow Artisanal Bar

Some cocktails of Barlow Artisanal Bar

  • Clover Club with gin, lemon, creme yvette, maraschino luxardo, raspberry simple, egg white
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail of the Clover Club with gin, lemon, creme yvette, maraschino luxardo, raspberry simple, egg white Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail of the Clover Club with gin, lemon, creme yvette, maraschino luxardo, raspberry simple, egg white
  • The Knickerbocker with 8 year rum, 10 k rum, orange liqueur, lemon, raspberry pineapple simple, demerara simple, and all served over shaved ice with a silver straw to give it a tiki twist. I found the ice in mine to be really too large where I was trying to punch through the ice to get to my drink, but it was probably a one off mistake.
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Knickerbocker with 8 year rum, 10 k rum, orange liqueur, lemon, raspberry pineapple simple, demerara simple, and all served over shaved ice Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Knickerbocker with 8 year rum, 10 k rum, orange liqueur, lemon, raspberry pineapple simple, demerara simple, and all served over shaved ice Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Knickerbocker with 8 year rum, 10 k rum, orange liqueur, lemon, raspberry pineapple simple, demerara simple, and all served over shaved ice
  • Rattlesnake with rittenhouse rye, lemon, egg white, gomme syrup, fernet braca, and ginger liqueur. My favorite of the two egg white drinks.
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Rattlesnake with rittenhouse rye, lemon, egg white, gomme syrup, fernet braca, and ginger liqueur Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Rattlesnake with rittenhouse rye, lemon, egg white, gomme syrup, fernet braca, and ginger liqueur
  • Blood and Beach Sand cocktail with scotch whisky, cherry heering, sweet vermouth, and pineapple
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Blood and Beach Sand with scotch whisky, cherry heering, sweet vermouth, and pineapple Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Blood and Beach Sand with scotch whisky, cherry heering, sweet vermouth, and pineapple
  • Cocktail of the Sidecar Au Poire with brandy, lemon, pear liqueur. This was one of my personal favorites.
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Sidecar Au Poire with brandy, lemon, pear liqueur Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Sidecar Au Poire with brandy, lemon, pear liqueur Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, the Sidecar Au Poire with brandy, lemon, pear liqueur
  • I also loved their cocktail Derby with bonded bourbon, lime, orange liquor, sweet vermouth, and cardamom. They use a special round ice for this drink. Usually there is a sprinkle of cardamom on top but they were out during my visit.
    Barlow Artisonal Bar cocktail Derby with bonded bourbon, lime, organge liquor, sweet vermouth, and cardamom Barlow Artisonal Bar cocktail Derby with bonded bourbon, lime, organge liquor, sweet vermouth, and cardamom Barlow Artisonal Bar uses this special round ice cube for their cocktail Derby with bonded bourbon, lime, orange liquor, sweet vermouth, and cardamom
  • An Open Drink the bartender made for me and the reason you should try to sit at the bar if you can
    An Open Drink the bartender made for me at Barlow Artisanal Bar An Open Drink the bartender made for me at Barlow Artisanal Bar
  • Pours of beer
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, beer Barlow Artisanal Bar Cocktail, beer
  • From the dessert menu, finish with something sweet such as the MonMarte Float with root beer, absinthe, and creme anglaise or the Jamaican Coffee with dark rum, coffee liqueor, sherry, demerara simple, and cream
    MonMarte Float with root beer, absinthe, and creme anglaise Jamaican Coffee with dark rum, coffee liqueor, sherry, demerara simple, and cream

Nosh

The food at Barlow are just small plates meant to accompany your cocktail as a snack – don’t expect to eat a full meal here.

  • Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread
    Barlow Artisanal Bar Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread Barlow Artisanal Bar Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread Barlow Artisanal Bar Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread Barlow Artisanal Bar Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread Barlow Artisanal Bar Cheese and Charcuterie selection of the chef from a happy hour, $8, included 2 cheeses, a pate, and warm pretzel bread
  • Also from Happy Hour, the Caramelized Onion Dip is $6 and comes with potato chips and crudite
    From Barlow Artisanal Bar's Happy Hour menu, the Caramelized Onion Dip is $6 and comes with potato chips and crudite From Barlow Artisanal Bar's Happy Hour menu, the Caramelized Onion Dip is $6 and comes with potato chips and crudite From Barlow Artisanal Bar's Happy Hour menu, the Caramelized Onion Dip is $6 and comes with potato chips and crudite
  • Lobster Roll with roasted lobster, celery tarragon, chives, aioli, and lemon served on a primo roll with chips. During one of my more recent visits this was off the menu already, so maybe it was just a brief seasonal item. It was probably the most substantial dish there.
    Food at the Barlow Artisanal Bar for noshing, such as the Lobster Roll with roasted lobster, celery tarragon, dchives, aioli, and lemon served on a primo roll with chips Food at the Barlow Artisanal Bar for noshing, such as the Lobster Roll with roasted lobster, celery tarragon, dchives, aioli, and lemon served on a primo roll with chips Food at the Barlow Artisanal Bar for noshing, such as the Lobster Roll with roasted lobster, celery tarragon, dchives, aioli, and lemon served on a primo roll with chips
  • Leave off the carbs and go directly to meat with these Lamb Lollipops that are seared and served with housemade mint jelly
    Barlow Artisanal Bar's Lamb Lollipops that are seared and served with housemade mint jelly Barlow Artisanal Bar's Lamb Lollipops that are seared and served with housemade mint jelly
  • My favorite of what I tasted was Barlow Artisanal Bar’s take on a classic Russian dish, a Vegetable and Lardon Terrine with potatoes, beets, carrots, egg, lardons, chives, aioli vinaigrette. As delicious as it looks.
    My favorite of what I tasted was Barlow Artisanal Bar's take on a classic Russian dish, a Vegetable and Lardon Terrine with potatoes, beets, carrots, egg, lardons, chives, aioli vinaigrette. As delicious as it looks. My favorite of what I tasted was Barlow Artisanal Bar's take on a classic Russian dish, a Vegetable and Lardon Terrine with potatoes, beets, carrots, egg, lardons, chives, aioli vinaigrette. As delicious as it looks. My favorite of what I tasted was Barlow Artisanal Bar's take on a classic Russian dish, a Vegetable and Lardon Terrine with potatoes, beets, carrots, egg, lardons, chives, aioli vinaigrette. As delicious as it looks. My favorite of what I tasted was Barlow Artisanal Bar's take on a classic Russian dish, a Vegetable and Lardon Terrine with potatoes, beets, carrots, egg, lardons, chives, aioli vinaigrette. As delicious as it looks.

Here’s a look at their menus: Cocktail Menu, Happy Hour Menu, Food Menu, Dessert Menu.
Menu of the cocktails at Barlow Artisanal Bar Menu of the Food at the Barlow Artisanal Bar for noshing

 

They plan to change up their food and cocktails seasonally, so I’m expecting that there may be an update soon from what I’ve shared. They have only been open a month and still under everyone’s radar so I wanted to share this discovery with you!

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Avocado Pesto and more Avocado Awesomeness

June 30, 2014 by 5 Comments

Today is June 30, which marks the last day of June and therefore the last day of California Avocado Month. Of course, just because it’s the end of the celebratory month doesn’t mean you can’t keep using and enjoying avocados, particularly since California avocado season runs approximately from the middle of April through the middle of September. So you have plenty of time STILL ahead to enjoy the awesomeness of avocados.

As part of the celebration of California Avocado Month, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) worked with 15 chefs across the country to help inspire more ways to incorporate avocados in your meals. In Portland, the chef on this list is owner and chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother’s Bistro.
The World's Most Popular Avocado is a California Native, banner courtesy of California Avocado Commission (CAC) California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with a demo of cutting avocados and making the Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month

I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner where Chef Lisa was creating a dinner menu with every food item featuring avocados in some way. More on that in just a little bit. I need to share how much I adore avocados.

I’m a big fan of avocados – I’ve shared recipes on this blog before for various versions of guacamole (the “gateway” to avocados and great for those who are just being introduced to avocados), as well as an avocado mac and cheese that included other green things like lime and jalapeno and green onions and cilantro matched up against Beecher’s Cheddar.

Guacamole from Food Network chefs: The Rick Bayless Recipe- Sundried Tomato Guacamole Guacamole from Food Network chefs: The Bobby Flay Recipe- a spicy guacamole and in the back The Alton Brown Recipe- a tomato guacamole Recipe of Green Mac and Cheese for St Patricks: Avocado Mac and Cheese, using cheddar and many green things like avocado, green jalapeno, lime, green onion, cilantro

Yet another recipe you might consider for this summer is Elote Pasta Salad that upgrades pasta salad with roasted corn, cotija and avocado. Or try Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Tomato and Greens Sandwich and/or a Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Salad with Avocado and Greens Sandwich, both which I packed for a picnic!

Elote Pasta Salad recipe, vegetarian, summer recipe, easy recipe, pasta salad, picnic recipe Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich

And of course, I’ve enjoyed avocados made by others in many wonderful ways, varying from sushi, slicing them and including them in a wrap (even a DIY Vietnamese summer roll) or at breakfasts via the traditional way as part of Eggs Benedict or with a Mexican breakfast dish that could be a breakfast burrito or in this case, Migas (a flour tortilla stuffed with 3 chipotle-cumin scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, Tillamook cheddar, fresh basil, homemade salsa and sour cream and then served with fresh avocado salsa). Yum right??
From Bamboo Sushi's House Signature Roll section: Green Machine Roll (vegetarian) of tempura fried asparagus and green onions topped with avocado and cilantro sweet chili aioli. Amazing. Do It Yourself Vietnamese rolls Portage Bay Cafe, Migas, a flour tortilla stuffed with 3 chipotle-cumin scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, Tillamook cheddar, fresh basil, homemade salsa and sour cream and then served with fresh avocado salsa, breakfast, Seattle

And avocados are always welcome in a large variety of sandwiches or salads… Possibilities are endless.
Steamboat Rock BLT- Thick sliced apple wood-smoke​d bacon layered with vine ripened tomatoes, mixed garden greens and basil aioli served on whole grain toast, Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona, Arizona salad, arugula, roasted corn, spring onion and roasted tomatoes with avocado in a grilled lemon dressing, Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

And then, of course, there was this incredible Avocados Dinner by Chef Lisa Schroder to promote California Avocados that I attended. The menu included

  • Lucy Brennan’s Avocado Daiquiri
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri
  • Hors D’Oeuvres of Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail and also Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes!
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes
    For the recipe for the Pink Grapefruit Avocado Crab cocktail, check Je Mange Le Ville’s avocado post from this event. Also for tips on using avocados check out the blog of Urban Bliss Life for her avocado dinner coverage which includes a video of Lisa demonstrating how to cut avocados!
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with a demo of cutting avocados and making the Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail
  • Butter Lettuce, Avocado and Green Onion Salad with lemon vinaigrette
  • Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Butter Lettuce, Avocado and Green Onion Salad with lemon vinaigrette California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with an Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with an Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions
  • Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream

Clearly I have been enjoying avocados for a while, though I don’t think it was until I went to college that I first tried them. I remember when I first moved out on my own after college, I even bought a special avocado slicer (though that has since been lost among many moves. My relationship with avocado has prospered without it.)

Some people say that it is a texture thing with the avocados, which is why they don’t like them… but maybe I partially don’t believe that this can’t be conquered. I have rallied to have people try tofu or blue cheese before in recipes successfully, and I think I can do the same with avocados.

One clever way might be this Avocado Pesto recipe I threw together with one of the avocados generously gifted to me by the California Avocado Commission. One of the bunch of avocados was already ripe, and this is a 1 avocado recipe so you don’t have to shell out a lot to try this out. And, it whips up together in minutes with a food processor making the sauce so that by the time the pasta is cooked, you are ready to eat!

In this pesto pasta recipe, the avocado feels creamy, almost like a light alfredo sauce or cheese sauce, but MUCH MUCH HEALTHIER. After all, an avocado contributes nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients while being sodium and cholesterol free and a source of the good, monounsaturated fat that helps lower your LDL cholesterol levels.

Avocado Pesto Recipe

Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier! Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of pasta (about 14 ounces). I picked vegetable macaroni pasta here, but you can use spaghetti or any kind you’d like
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 small garlic cloves
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon, about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup of freshly cut basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated, plus optionally more for serving
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 pinch – 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • A few pinches of cheddar cheese for topping/serving (optional)

Directions:

  1. Boil water and cook your pasta until al dente as you normally would. This usually means for me boiling a pot of water with a pinch of salt, and then once it is boiling I add the pasta and a quick drizzle of olive oil. This cools the water and I wait for it to come to boiling again and once it does so, after a few minutes I check to see whether it is al dente.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil/the pasta is cooking, in a food processor mix in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic. Process these together first until the garlic is basically chopped.
  3. Now, add in the lemon juice, spoon in the avocado (leaving out the skin and pit), the 2 tablespoons of basil, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Process everything until smooth.
  4. Finally, add the milk and process again until fully mixed. Depending on the size of your avocado or your taste, you may want to adjust the salt or pepper or Parmesan until the flavor is to your liking. I know my avocado was large, and I added more Parmesan.
  5. When the pasta is ready, drain the water from the pasta and then mix in this avocado pesto sauce and optionally the red pepper flakes until everything is well combined. Top optionally with cheese of your choice and enjoy!

I added 1 teaspoon of red pepper to my pasta so I could enjoy a little heat, but you can feel free to add just a pinch instead, or ignore all together. Optionally, you can also top with freshly ground pepper and a few pinches of cheddar to reinforce the “cheesiness” of this creamy pasta dish/trick someone into eating avocado. You can also get inspired like the Mac and Cheese of the Avocado Dinner and add textural and flavorful fun with bacon!
Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier!

When you go out to purchase Avocados, look for the sticker and that the word “California” is on the label that proves the avocado is from California rather than from overseas. A few interesting facts:

  • Did you know that California produces approximately 90% of the nation’s avocado crop?
  • California avocados are hand-grown on approximately 5000 small family farms throughout central and southern California
  • There are 7 varieties of avocados in California, with Hass accounting for 95%: the rest of the avocado varieties are named Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano.
  • The Hass tree was actually patented (the first patent on a tree) but the patent had run out by the time Hass avocados started to become popular.
  • All the Haas avocados are descended from one original Hass Mother Tree from the 1920s. Check here for the story of the Hass Mother Tree!

California Avocado Commission and the sticker for California Avocados California Avocado Commission and their website with recipes, californiavocados.com

For more on avocados, check out the California Avocado social media channels on Facebook California Avocados, Pinterest CA_Avocados Boards that are chock full of recipes, Instagram @CA_Avocados, Twitter handle @CA_Avocados, or the Youtube channel California Avocados.

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary dinner and demonstration promoting California Avocados by the California Avocado Commission and Mother’s Bistro. They did not require I write this post and I have been loving avocados way before this dinner. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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March Portland Dining Month: 3 Courses for $29 + Dinner for 2 Giveaway!

February 28, 2014 by 29 Comments

Disclosure: I am not being compensated for this post, and the Gift Certificate was won by me from a Rafflecopter via Portland Bloggers/Watershed Communications, and I am passing it on to you. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

I’m so excited! This is my first giveaway on the blog! I’ll be giving away via Rafflecopter to a random entrant a gift certificate for two to have a Portland Dining Month dinner! Giveaway has ended

Portland Dining Month is back, moved up from what has been previously been the month of June to now be in the month of March! During this month, almost 100 restaurants in Portland will be offering a special menu of 3 courses for the low price of $29. In most cases, this prix fixed menu may have multiple options for the three courses.

Portland Dining Month 2014 is in March- 3 Courses for $29

I’ve been participating in Portland Dining Month as a diner for several years. Last year, in 2013 I visited and recapped as example Portland Dining month experiences dinners at Firehouse Restaurant, Quartet, Accanto, Urban Fondue, Fratelli (since closed but still a great example of what a great way to discover and make yourself visit restaurants Portland Dining Month is), and H50 out of my initial 2013 Restaurant Highlight list.

Images from Prix Fixe dining at Firehouse, Urban Fondue in 2013

Meanwhile, in 2012 Portland Dining Month experiences include the posts I did at Oven and Shaker, and Clyde Common. Except for Fratelli, H50, and Clyde Common, all those restaurants I named are back in the 2014 Portland Dining month list.

Images from Oven and Shaker in 2012

As I do every year, I like to share a few of my personal highlights of restaurants/prix fixed offerings in March that catch my eye. I usually will pick restaurants based on food options in their 3 courses that sound good, as in some cases the restaurant will offer dishes are special for Dining Month, or you are getting a tremendous value on the price of normally dining there. Of course remember that the menus are subject to change by the restaurant at any time.

There are many excellent choices- about 100 in fact- of restaurants participating in Portland Dining Month. I just couldn’t highlight them all!

  • With March also being the month of Mardi Gras, it only seems right to consider Acadia with its New Orleans/Creole food from Louisiana on your dining list and it’s generous 4 (four!) courses that include Louisiana BBQ Gulf shrimp, Crawfish tails, Louisiana caught sea bream, and Creole bread pudding. Just don’t go on March 4, which is when they have a special and separate Fat Tuesday celebration planned if you have your sights set on the Dining Month menu.
  • Accanto on Belmont was one of my favorite dining month experiences last year with its fresh pastas and very seasonal, unusual ingredients (they introduced me to Wrinkle Crinkle Crumple Cress). Their second course pasta course options of Cacio e pepe with Meyer lemon tagliatelle and Pecorino or Capellini with chili, garlic, anchovy and pea shoots sound amazing. I had the second dish last year, as you can see below. Also, next door you can check out Genoa instead if you want something a bit more upscale but still at the $29 for 3 courses price point, huge bargain here! Reservations available on OpenTable both for Accanto and for Genoa.
  • Aviary is a good value at this price with its sublime French and Asian influenced offerings on NE Alberta. This is a great chance to try out a previous Restaurant of the Year award winner and they offers pretty creative food. Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Everyone thinks of Besaws for brunch, but they use their own farm to also source the dishes on their dinner menu and are worth checking out – they have a special chicken roulade dish they don’t usually have for Portland Dining Month.
    Besaw's Portland, photo by Sunpech Photography Besaw's Portland, photo by Sunpech Photography
  • You get your choice of Heirloom beet salad with walnuts, grilled chicory and Hannah Bridge cheese  or Oregon black truffle salad with crispy pig’s ear, frisée and poached egg as firsts at Bent Brick, so I’m already sold. I also have to tell you they have incredible cocktails here. I would be disappointed in you if you visit here and don’t try at least one cocktail. Its sibling restaurant Park Kitchen in the North Park Blocks is also participating and whose 2nd course option of Milk braised pork with Your Kitchen Gardens leeks, curds and whey alone is $29 on their regular menu. Reservations for Park Kitchen available on OpenTable.
    the bent brick, neighborhood tavern, northwest portland On The Veranda Cocktail from the Bent Brick, Portland OR with mint, strawberry, simple syrup, rhubarb cordial, sage liquor, white verjus, and gin
  • You can get a pretty good deal at the sweet Cocotte Bistro, where the third course offering of Poulet En Cocotte with milk-fed half-bird, farro risotto, market produce, poached farm egg, jus is normally already $25 on the menu! You can add a wine flight for $12 or a dessert for just $5 more.  Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Shouldn’t be a surprise that Departure is a recommendation of the participating restaurants given the incredible flavor combinations and innovation that Chef  Gregory Gourdet offers on the pan-Asian menu. For their menu, they are offering choices for main course of Crispy rockfish with green papaya, roasted garlic and sweet chili glaze  or Grilled beef coulette with toasted broccoli, Korean chili and fermented black bean jus. One of the dessert options is a tasty sounding Pineapple icebox cake with banana ice cream, candied almond and spiced caramel. Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Higgins offers classic Northwest cuisine and is one of the founders of Northwest cuisine. If you haven’t been yet, you should go at least once to this Portland institution, especially since the dishes they are offering include an Alsatian country-style terrine of duck and pork with dries cherries and hazelnuts for their first course. All the dishes are part of Higgins’ 20th anniversary celebration menu comprised of dishes from it’s March 1994 opening.
  • For some traditional Japanese, check out Hokusei where you can be transported to another country for a dining spell. The second course of Nijimasu teriyaki: Oregon steelhead with rye bourbon teriyaki sounds very alluring, and their third course are five pieces of nigiri if you are not a big dessert fan and would just rather have more food!
  • Ever since revisiting Imperial during Feast, I’ve been back several times and have been pretty enamored of various specials they offer. They have a special entree for dining month of Braised lamb shoulder with cauliflower “cous cous,” olives, preserved lemon and curried cashew brittle. No matter what, get that Parker House roll. It is worth that extra $1. I also recommend the cocktail below, A Radish Walks Into A Bar that uses radish gastrique as a nod to Chef Paley’s win of Battle Radish on Iron Chef. Also participating is Paley’s Place, his more upscale restaurant. Reservations available on OpenTable both for Imperial and Paley’s Place.
    A Radish Walks into a Bar cocktail, ransom old tom gin, carpano antica vermouth, radish gastrique, lemon, and cracked peppercorns, Imperial PDX, Vitaly Paley
  • Little Bird recently revamped their menu to offer more of a French perspective than before, as I covered recently when I stopped by for their new burger. One of the offerings for their second course is the Chicken Fried Trout you see below with gribiche, herbs, radishes and pickled carrots that I wrote about before. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Little Bird Bistro's Chicken-Fried Trout, gribiche, fines herbes, radishes, pickled carrots
  • Ned Ludd is very Northwest and seasonal, and I love the beautiful atmosphere there. Pricewise, you are getting a bargain with 3 courses for $29 here since their entrees are typically in the $20 range already
  • Both the NW and SE locations of Olympic Provisions are participating, usually their entrees at dinner are already in the $20 range so you are getting some savings here with 3 courses. I would not be surprised if you walked out after dinner with a salami or two. For their third course, they are offering a Saucisson au chocolate, aka chocolate salami with French style dark chocolate ganache and warm baking spices, nuts, candied ginger, and red wine, which Portland Monthly previous highlighted the intensive recipe! Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Portland Farmers Market PSU Olympic Provisions
  • If you haven’t been to Oven & Shaker, check out all my previous reviews of their excellent seasonal pizzas
  • I’m a big fan of Picnic House, as you might have guessed from these previous raves I’ve written. I don’t know what they are offering for Dining Month, but whether it’s on their prix fixe menu or not, do not, do not miss getting dessert. That chocolate bundt cake is my favorite chocolate cake in Portland. Also, don’t you want a selfie with that monocled bear? Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate ganache Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant
  • Punch Box Social is stepping it up because besides 3 courses, their Portland Dining month dinner offers a cocktail- a choice of either Monk’s Vacation (Portland potato vodka, green chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup shaken and served chilled with a lime garnish) or Heart of the Union (Union gin, triple sec, beet syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters shaken and served over ice with a lemon wheel). Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • I have Ración at the top of my Portland Dining Month list- they have a 3rd course offering of Wagyu culotte steak with heirloom carrots, smoked apple cider, turnip and cocoa. Usually you have to have everyone at your table spend $50 for the chef’s tasting menu, and with Portland Dining Month you are getting 3 of the 5 courses for $29. Look for a recap in the next couple weeks! For a similar deal what is usually a spendy multiple course, check out Biwa who is offering their omakase (all chef’s choice, so be ready and open for anything) for $29 a person instead of the usual $40.
  • Serratto is on the list offering seasonal slow food that brings together local Northwest with France and Italy and the Mediterranean that results in something familiar and comforting but yet new (I visited and reviewed them here as part of a Bloggers Group). Given how much I loved the courses during that visit, I think their entree options of either Braised Carlton Farms beef cheek with porcini-potato gnocchi, smoked cipollini onions, braised leeks and carrots or the vegetarian Ravioli with forest mushroom, caramelized onion and goat cheese filling, grilled asparagus and preserved lemon cream sound incredible. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Serratto Bloggers Dinner, Ahi Tuna Tartare 'Nicoise' chopped egg, capers, olives, housemade potato chips, tarragon aioli
  • The excellent fare at Smallwares is also complimented by some great cocktails. They make sure that there is a vegetarian option for each of the courses of the prix fixe, so if you can’t enjoy the Braised pork shoulder with squash puree, roasted mushrooms, smoked honey and Chinese mustard, the vegetarian option of Spicy tofu noodles, Thai basil, pickled pineapple and salted black bean promises a lot of flavor without the meat. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Smallwares PDX, restaurant The Gin, with plymouth gin, mango, yogurt, rose water, cardamom, shaked and served on the rocks, Smallwares PDX
  • Tabla offers the best tarjarin in Portland and that is one of the five pastas they offer as a possible primi pasta course (after a choice of 6 possible starters and then third course featuring 4 entrée options). Next to the half order of tarjarin below you can see the starter from a previous visit of a gorgeous Fall Vegetable Salad. A good choice if there several of you and you want to enjoy Portland Dining Month prices but have a good choice of different things to eat still. Other participants of Portland Dining Month offering many options for the prix fixe include Firehouse Restaurant (which I recapped a visit here) and Gracie’s. Reservations for all three of these available on OpenTable.
    Tabla Bistro, Fall Vegetable Salad with turnip greens mousse, feta, market vegetables, mustard seeds  Tabla Bistro, Tajarin with truffle butter, parmigiano reggiano

I mention Opentable reservations because if you make you reservation through OpenTable,  Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank as long as you use this link. I love OpenTable to see availability of restaurants at times I am interested in, to easily make reservations using online, and also collect points for dining certificates. A great majority- 68 last I looked- of the participating Portland Dining month restaurants accept reservations over OpenTable.  Last year, more than $1,800 was donated to the Oregon Food Bank to assist with their work of distributing emergency food to hungry families- we can do better this year!

Check out the Downtown Portland Portland Dining Month website for a map of where the various participating restaurants are located to be convenient for you, as well as menu listings. If you are interested specifically in which ones have vegetarian or gluten-free options, Portland Monthly has put together a list.

Let me help you enjoy Portland Dining Month by giving away one gift certificate for you a dinner for two! This gift certificate was something I won courtesy of Portland Bloggers and Watershed Communications and rather than using it myself, I am passing it on to you!

Giveaway has ended Use the Rafflecopter below to participate- this will run for 1 week, so a random winner will be chosen next Friday at 12:01 am! Come back to tweet about the giveaway in order to enter daily! Winner must respond within 24 hours and the gift certificate will be mailed. The gift certificate is good for two people to enjoy Portland Dining Month dinner at one of the participating restaurants.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am not being compensated for this post, and the Gift Certificate was won by me from a Rafflecopter via Portland Bloggers/Watershed Communications, and I am passing it on to you. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Portland Restaurant Review Index

A summary by type of eating establishment of my Portland Restaurant Reviews. These links go to my posts, and the posts should include pictures and a link to the restaurants/food carts. If I don’t have a review, I will link to the restaurant directly for you and the link is in italics. My most recent reviews of restaurants can be seen here in chronological order.

A summary/link of all the sections, divided into

Portland, Oregon


Top Recommendations for Portland

  • Food carts- try them! I have a whole section below. It’s part of Portland’s charm, our various cart pods. I love them, and my favorite card pods are the one at SW 12th and Alder for lunch, the Tidbit food cart for evening, Cartopia for late night, and all day (9 AM – 9 PM) would be Portland Mercado (I wrote a summary post on the carts of Portland Mercado here).
    Portland Mercado and the colorful 8 carts of the food cart pod, where each food cart specializes in different Latin cuisine

  • For classic Northwest cuisine, I point to Higgins Restaurant (April 2014) for their classic and dependable service and focus on Northwest cuisine and ingredients all the time
  • For unique Northwest ingredients combined with homemade pastas and the fact they purchase and age and use whole animals, I love recommending Renata (April 2016) especially dining al fresco on their patio.
    Isabelli Scarpinocc with porcini mushrooms and pine nuts at Renata
  • For something unique, I recommend Russian cuisine via Kachka (January 2016) and more detail on more of their menu here for a full Russian Dinner (June 2015).
    Kachka's tvorog vareniki, a dish of scallion and farmer’s cheese filled dumplings that are just melt in your mouth, and also on the happy hour menu! The famous Kachka PDX dish of the Herring Under a Fur Coat, a 7 layer dip but russian. and actually a salad, with herring, potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, mayo, eggs.
  • For ramen, Boke Bowl (March 2011) and their modernist viewpoint on ramen thrown together with NW food sensibilities like fried chicken and pulled pork and pork belly
    Boke Bowl ramen, Portland Oregon
  • Southern Brunch at Screen Door (March 2011). Yes the brunch line is crazy, but it will slip your mind when you start biting into that delicious food
  • Pine State Biscuit at the PSU Farmers Market on Saturday or any of their multiple locations around time. I’ve loved every biscuit sandwich I’ve had, including having it with pimento cheese or gravy (December 2009) and again with the Reggie sandwich (the sandwich to get!) (September 2011) This is one of my favorite PDX breakfast sandwiches in my breakfast series
    Pine State Biscuit at the Farmers Market, Reggie sandwich: Fried chicken, bacon & cheese topped with gravy between a buttermilk biscuit
  • My favorite of the Gorham restaurant empire in Portland is Tasty N Alder, which I provide highlights from a dinner (Feb 2013) as well as lunch (March 2013) and also my favorite picks from multiple visits (Feb 2015). There’s also Tasty N Sons, happy hour and dinner visits (July 2011), John Gorham mixes up flavors of the world for spicy, sweet, salty, savory. He also owns Toro Bravo. Both are known for waits. While waiting for Tasty N Sons I recommended drinks/snacks at Lincoln Restaurant (August 2016), I’m particularly am a fan of their happy hour. For Toro Bravo while you are waiting to be seated check out Secret Society for drinks.
    Tasty N Sons, happy hour, Griddled Bacon Wrapped Dates with maple syrup and almond 
  • Steaks at Urban Farmer (December 2011) in a hip instead of the usual dark wood atmosphere, located right across from Pioneer Square- they also have excellent desserts (May 2014).
  • For steaks, I also like Laurelhurst Market, like the delectable Brandt Ribeye Cold Smoked with the Laurelhurst Market cocktail of Smoke Signals (with Tennessee Whiskey, Sherry, Pecan, Lemon, and Smoked Ice) like I highlighted in this Bite and a Sip post (January 2016). I went to a Portland Dining Month dinner at Laurelhurst as well (March 2015) that gave me a chance to enjoy a few cocktails and 3 courses of deliciousness.
    Laurelhurst Market cocktail of Smoke Signals, with Tennessee Whiskey, Sherry, Pecan, Lemon, and Smoked Ice Laurelhurst Market delectable Brandt Ribeye Cold Smoked with Blue Cheese Butter and Fried Sweet Onion Rings Laurelhurst Market Portland Dining Month 2015 second course of Ten-hour braised beef shoulder with potato pancake, warm oyster mushroom salad and beef jus
  • For Thai, my current love is Paa Dee (June 2014) which tastes very authentic. I also like Pok Pok but Paa Dee is a little less written up so easy to get in without the rush with all the people who know Andy Ricker’s name. I also find it more vegetarian friendly.
    PaaDee Thai comfort food พาดี, Peek gai tod, fried wings glazed in Sriracha fish sauce. If you come here, you must get this, happy hour or not. PaaDee Thai comfort food พาดี, Kanom gui chai (3) ขนมกุ่ยช่าย -pan fried chinese chive cake, sour soy sauce
  • I admit I don’t have a blog post on it, but I always tell people to give Salt and Straw a try of their incredible ice cream. Don’t be intimidated by the line, it does move and at one point you will be offered various tastes of ice cream to try before you officially get to order!
  • For an alternate take on sophisticated ice cream, I am a huge fan of Fifty Licks, as I covered here (Nov 2013) and who offer sophisticated sorbet cocktails.
  • For a totally different dessert, how about churros at 180 (January 2016)
  • For charcuterie or cheese I’m a big fan of Chop and Olympia (formerly Olympic) Provisions and Cheese Bar. You can see hints of the meat fun from Olympia Provisions with the spread from Olympic Provisions at Bailey’s Taproom 5th anniversary(August 2012) and the spread at the Portland Beer And Cheese Festival 2014. At the Portland Farmer’s Market at PSU on Saturdays, you can sample both Olympia Provisions and Chop. You can see Chop participating at the Portland Beer and Cheese Fest as well  (June 2011 and June 2012 again providing meat accompaniments). As for cheese, visit Cheese Bar or alternative visit Chizu (March 2015).
    Portland Beer and Cheese Fest 2013: charcuterie provided by Chop Butchery Portland Beer and Cheese Fest 2013: charcuterie provided by Chop Butchery
  • I love the atmosphere of Picnic House, for which I wrote posts noting the great style and soups, salads, and chocolate cake (July 2012) and again for sandwiches and sides (July 2012), and again where I loved the cocktails and a dessert of Pavlova (August 2012) and then a simple Soup, Salad, a Sandwich (October 2012)
    Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland Picnic House pavlova Picnic House cocktail Moulin Rouge martini
  • Fried Chicken? I think of Basilisk (November 2016)
    Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce that needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together
  • When it comes to trying Portland Beer:
    • I always recommend Bailey’s Taproom first for their 25 rotating taps of local Northwest beers, and it’s location in the downtown area means you can choose to just have food delivered from Santeria (you can call or walk over and tell them where you are sitting adn they will deliver delicious Mexican- try the moles!), or you can then walk up to other restaurants/come from dinner beforehand. I’ve also brought in food from nearby Sizzle Pie and Lardo West.
    • Other options include Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House where you can make your own samplers and enjoy some pretty decent food if this is your first time with Portland microbrews for a beginner course. They were part of the “P’s downtown beer tour” I blogged about for my sister in March 2011.
    • I also like Breakside Brewery for this (get the blue cheese waffle fries I had (June 2011) and I also liked their curry fried chicken (Sept 2011)!).
    • Beermongers (Aug 2009) which you can combine with a visit to Double Dragon or Portobello
    • Saraveza and Hop and Vine which you can walk to both.
  • For cocktails, I always recommend Teardrop Lounge (Sept 2011), Clyde Common (June 2012) or the small Pépé Le Moko (February 2014), and I also like the Rookery (part of Raven and Rose (see more in the Southwest Area section of this page)) and Luc Lac because of the great bartenders. My favorite Portland Drink and a Bite Highlight places that I’ve written about before include
  • If you are here in September, consider checking out Feast Portland events: I blogged about several events during my coverage of Feast 20-2017
  • If you have some time, I really like Forktown tours, where you can have a progressive meal, sampling and learning about a neighborhood in Portland. Previously I took my brother on the Forktown NW Alphabet District Tour (Dec 2011). I also like the beer tours by Brewvana, such as this one I took to Corvallis and another (sponsored by Google+) that stayed in Portland
  • There are several pop-ups in town you might consider, such as lucking out if Holdfast Dining or Langbaan has an opening. My favorite popup have been for Nodoguro (The famous Twin Peaks dinner is recapped here as well as intro to the Nodoguro experience or see all my Nodoguro recaps in a list.), Mae PDX (as I recapped in September and November 2015) and also for Ruchikala (recap from Spring popup and a Winter popup). I wrote a list of 2017 Portland Pop Ups if you want to see what is active in PDX.
    Nodoguro July 2014 Cucumber soup with fermented ume, and Nasturtium Skillet Fried Chicken with Crystal Hot Sauce and the gorgeous skillet of Creamed Corn with Summer Savory and Smoked Soy
  • Gluten free? Check out this list from Portland Monthly of all the places to eat and drink!

Northwest Pacific regional Cuisine

  • For classic Northwest cuisine, I point to Higgins Restaurant (April 2014) for their classic and dependable service and focus on Northwest cuisine and ingredients all the time
  • Castagna (March 2013) for modernist fine dining with strong Northwest regional ingredient
    Castagna Snax: Onion Terrarium pea vines sunflower sprouts winter cress from Castagna Restaurant
  • Clyde Common: Happy Hour and a Dining Month Dinner (June 2012) has amazing crafted cocktails from Jeffrey Morganthaler

Food Carts – these move around so check for the latest location. A great site to look up food carts to find out where they are and the latest (they do move around) is the website Food Carts Portland. You can find all my food cart posts under the category Food Cart

  • The cart is specialized in one dish, but does it sooo well- teriyaki chicken boxes at Dosirak (January 2015)
    Dosirak Food Cart, specializing in Teriyaki Chicken at its location of SW 4th and College. They've had their loyal fans since 2009, which is a testament of what a simple but great offering they provide.
  • Haan Ghin (July 2014) has a small menu because they hyper focus on two excellent Laotian dishes (Larb Gai and Mii Ghai) for a unique the weekday lunch by PSU
    Mii Gai, egg noodles with housemade sweet and savory Mii sauce topped with chicken, ong choy, fried garlic/shallots, scallions and crispy chicken skin from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland Laap Gai. This is a dish of minced chicken that you eat in lettuce wraps and can adorn with cucumber, a pinch of sticky rice, and a little scoop of jaew bawng (a dark thick reddish paste made from chiles and galangal root) from Haan Ghin, a Laotian Food Cart in Portland
  • Mama Chow’s Kitchen (July 2014) for addictive lollipop chicken legs and those garlic noodles, also Jeff makes great wontons using his mother’s recipe
    Mama Chow's Kitchen: Garlic noodles and cayote squash, or garlic noodles that are fresh made local noodles with chayote squash and onion relish Mama Chow's Kitchen justifiably raved about lollipop wings with honey soy garlic glaze with jasmine rice and baby bok choy
  • Pulehu Pizza for incredible combinations of flavor on grilled pizza from a food cart
    Pulehu Pizza Strawberries and Crème Flamee Fresh Strawberries, Lemon Zest & Fresh Mint on a creamy base, Portland food truck grilled pizza
  • Kargi Gogo – Food from Georgia from a Food Cart (April 2013). Georgia the country mind you, not the state! I love their Khachapuri (Cheese Stuffed Bread)- I’ve had everything at their cart before. This cart has closed as of December 2015 but keep an eye out for their Supra Dinner popups, as I attended and adored in this Supra Dinner recap here Closed cart, unsure if they will do dinners once in a while
  • Artigiano– Yukon Gold Gnocchi in Gorgonzola-Cream Sauce (April 2013), known for their incredible homemade pastas, yes from a food cart
  • Tabor Food Cart and their Original Schnitzelwich (September 2012)
    Tabor Food Cart and their Original Schnitzelwich
  • Noodle House Food Cart (May 2012) offers Handmade hand pulled Asian noodles
  • PB&J Grilled (April 2012) for grilled fancy peanut butter and jelly, but they aren’t just regular pb and j…
  • A Plate Lunch: 808 Grinds Food Cart (October 2011) for Hawaiian onoliciousness
    808 Grinds Food Cart, food cart, Combo plate with Kalua Pig and Fried Chicken, hawaiian food
  • The Mac and Cheese Strikes Back, by Big Ass Sandwiches (September 2011), they live up to their name with the fries piled right into the sandwich
    The Mac and Cheese Strikes Back sandwich special, by Big Ass Sandwiches, Portland food cart
  • The Frying Scotsman – Fish and Chips (July 2011)
    The Frying Scotsman - Fish and Chips, food carts, Portland
  • PDX 671 (April 2011), specializing in food from Guam- 671 is the zip code. I sampled the chamarro flatbread, the red rice flavored with achotte, the chopped grilled chicken I had loved at Eat Mobile, a fritter, the choice to add a Finadene sauce to infuse more flavor of soy sauce-lemon-chili-onion (added in the last pic). Everything he offers is great, you can’t go wrong here. Try Guamanian food!
    PDX 671
  • Pyro Pizza (April 2011), great pizza from a wood fired oven, they also make their own sodas. I like their white truffle pizza, add basil and tomato as additional toppings.
    P1040513
  • Whiffies (April 2011), fried pies that may be sweet or savory, your choice. The most popular are the bbq beef brisket with mozzarella, and the apple, fried pies
    Whiffies fried pie with bbq beef brisket with mozzarella 
  • Potato Champion (April 2011), has poutine, which means fries topped with gravy and cheese curds, one of the few gifts from Canada. The fries were fresh and crisp, they are generous here with the rich gravy (I went with the meat based one not the veg one although there is one available- but look at how thick that gravy is, well flecked with seasoning), and there were nice sprinklings of squeaky chewy chunks of Rogue curd throughout.
    Potato Champion's poutine
  • Flavourspot (April 2011), has an extensive menu of “Dutch Tacos”, which are basically savory (cheese and maple sausage for instance) or sweet foods wrapped in a waffle instead of soft taco
    Flavourspot cheese and maple sausage Dutch Taco  Flavourspot Dutch Taco  Flavourspot Dutch Taco
  • Emame’s Ethiopian (April 2011), specializing in Ethiopian food. I sampled both the lentil version on top of the injera which had a nice mild spice to it, and the much spicier chicken in berbere which is the Ethiopian national dish. This would be the favorite even by the end of the tour of several of the tour participants. The name Emame comes from what her son called her, aw.
    Emame's Ethiopian, lentil on top of the injera  Emame's Ethiopian, spicier chicken in berbere
  • Baowry (April 2011). I met this cart on a food tour, and got to hear how Ross built the cart from scratch, their attempts to handmake and struggle to get the dough for their bao to rise in the winter, and then from their humble St Johns cart they have opened a brick and mortar so they can begin to offer many more ideas he has for Asian inspired dishes, a la Pok Pok. The meat here with their steamed Chinese bun is tender and moist, and came with the same little scoop of white ginger scallion rice and spicy noodle
    Bao from Baowry Food Cart
  • Grilled Cheese Grill- Cheesus and Quesus (March 2011)- eat grilled cheeses in simple and fancy formats on buses – a peek at the bus on Alberta and some of their other grilled cheeses here (December 2010)
  • Gaufre Gourmet Food Cart (March 2011), specializing in mini waffles  with sweet or/and savory. Example: a “street taco waffle” with seasonal shredded chicken with pico de gallo, salsa verde, sour cream and guacamole on a cornbread jalapeno waffle
    Milk and Honey: goat cheese mousse, pistachios, and balsamic caramel sauce, Gaufre Gourmet Food Cart, liege waffles, sweet waffles, savory waffles, mini waffles
  • Parker’s Waffles, using waffles as a wrapper taco style, genius (January 2010)
    Waffles as wrapper = genius, Parker's Waffles, two eggs scrambled with ham, onions, mushrooms and Gruyere
  • Savor Soup House‘s homemade soup and grilled cheese (choose your own fillings) (December 2009)
  • You Can Haz Cheeseburger, by Brunchbox, two grilled cheese as the “buns” (December 2009) and they have a brick and mortar and offer delivery so you can enjoy Brunchbox Breakfast Sandwiches
    You Can Haz Cheeseburger, by Brunchbox, griled cheese buns, texas toast grilled cheese, cheeseburger, Portland food cart
  • Korean Tacos and Sliders from Koi Fusion (July 2009)
  • Khao Man Gai, a Hainanese chicken and rice dish from Nong’s Khao Man Gai (July 2009)
    Khao Man Gai, food cart, Nong's Khao Man Gai, Portland Oregon

Breakfast Foods

Happy Hours / For Cocktails

Vegetarian

Downtown

  • I’m a big fan of LeChon which offers brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner and is unique in that they offer South American grilled meats but also have plenty of vegetarian friendly option. I highlighted happy hour and some of the vegetarian options (July 2016)
  • A huge value for lunch is the lunch buffet at DarSalam Lazurdi but it’s also great for dinner and always any time of day for those desserts! (December 2015)
    Clockwise desserts at DarSalam you see Baklava, a Date Roll and a dessert called Dark & Honey
  • Great tea and desserts at Maurice, which is only serving their menu starting at 11 am (they open at 10 am but only serve their pastries and drinks then, not the food menu). Oh, those desserts! (January 2015)
    Some of the treats at Maurice on and in the case by the register counter Maurice Black Pepper Cheesecake with Salted Butter Ice Cream and a bit of strawberry leather A lovely chocolate banana cake box from Maurice, love the layers and the valrohna chocolate balls on top
  • A lunch at Tasty n Alder March 2013)- check out their takes Korean Fried Chicken with short grain rice and Bim Bop Bacon and Eggs as unique dishes in Portland (but don’t expect authentic Korean), but I was especially in love with their various bloody mary options. Brunch and dinner are also rocking. I’ve probably had their entire menu I’ve been here so many times, after my visit with Portland Food Adventures(Feb 2013).
    The Dockside Mary at Tasty n Alder with gin, kummel, tomato, old bay, and shrimp
  • Lunches at Lardo for their amazing sandwiches where they are bringing the fat back and celebrating the pork (February 2013), and also for their Chefwiches (July 2013)
    Double Burger, Dirty fries, Cascade natural beef and pork belly with the cheddar and lardo sauce, Lardo west, bringing the fat back, Portland restaurant, sandwich restaurant Lardo's signature porchetta sandwich with caper aioli, gremolata, Lardo west, bringing the fat back, Portland restaurant, sandwich restaurant Lardo, chefwich, Scott Snyder, Levant, Morroccan Lamb Meatball and black olive mayo, harrisa carrot slaw, feta
  • I love grabbing those swaddled baguette sandwiches from Addy’s Sandwich Bar that come in delicious combinations ranging from duck confit or country pate to vegeterain ones like chickpea spread, or cucumber and brie. Also offers pressed juices and smothies adn salads and yogurt parfaits, great to take on a picnic, on a hike, or on the go in general.
    I love how Addy's Sandwich Bar always cutely swaddles their baguette sandwiches. This was a sandwich special with brie, radish slices, mint parsley pesto on baguette. Simple but delicious, perfect to take to eat in the park, on a picnic, on a hike. They also offer great pressed juices and smoothies Addy's Sandwich Bar - country pate + cornichons + mustard I love how Addy's Sandwich Bar always cutely swaddles their baguette sandwiches. This was a sandwich special with brie, radish slices, mint parsley pesto on baguette. Simple but delicious, perfect to take to eat in the park, on a picnic, on a hike.
  • Little Bird offers lunch, happy hour, and dinner from Gabriel Rucker (owner and chef of the famous Le Pigeon). The famous Le Pigeon burger is available here (as I tried in June 2011), as well as marrow bones as appetizers and this excellent chicken fried trout (Dec 2013)
    Little Bird Bistro's Chicken-Fried Trout, gribiche, fines herbes, radishes, pickled carrots
  • Kenny and Zuke’s (February 2014). Great bagels, great pastrami, and yum pastrami fries
    Kenny and Zuke Deli, Delicious pastrami brunch with pastrami cheese fries
  • For a little bit of an appetizer for a date night/progressive dinner, enjoy a cheese flight of your choice or omakase where the wise cheesemongers pick out a flight to go with a drink at Chizu (March 2015)
    At Chizu, you can gaze at the artfully arranged cheeses in the cases at the cheese bar and order whatever cheese you'd like a la carte similar to sushi and sashimi
  • H50 for Portland Dining Month (June 2013) for very modernist cuisine right along the waterfront  Closed
  • Steaks at Urban Farmer (December 2011) in a hip instead of the usual dark wood atmosphere
  • Clyde Common: Happy Hour and a Dining Month Dinner (June 2012) has amazing crafted cocktails but communal tables for dinner, and I particularly am a fan of their lumpia (July 2015) as chef Carlo Lamagna brings a few touches of his Filipino heritage into the menu here or there, they are quite a power lunch spot.
  • Gruner, alpine cuisine where I love the spatzle (June 2011) and also visited for lunch as part of Burgerquest (September 2011) but I didn’t love the service when I went there for another visit (August 2012) Closed
  • Santeria, delicious Mexican  best eaten across the street at Bailey’s Taproom (March 2011)
    Mole enchiladas with tinga in brown mole sauce, Santeria, mexican
  • Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen (December 2011) which used to be Pho PDX which even then offered vegetarian take (February 2011) and the best tofu rolls
    traditional spring/salad roll with tofu, Pho PDX, now Luc Lac Vietnamese, Portland, Oregon
  • Nam Khao… at E-San Thai Restaurant (July 2011) is an unusual Thai dish that you cannot miss here
  • Grassa for pasta, another outpost of Rick Gencarelli (July 2013)
    Bucatini wtih hazelnut pesto, zucchini, mozzarella crema and Radiatore with tomato braised chicken, crisp skin, ricotta, basil, from Grassa by Rick Gencarelli
  • A Imperial: a dinner, 2 happy hours (Aug 2013) reveals I thought the dinner was good but happy hours are amazing, make sure you get something that was wood-fired!
    A Radish Walks into a Bar cocktail, ransom old tom gin, carpano antica vermouth, radish gastrique, lemon, and cracked peppercorns, Imperial PDX, Vitaly Paley happy hour salad of Grilled Romaine with cherry tomatoes, Israeli feta, salsa verde, Imperial PDX, Vitaly Paley
  • If you want seafood, then head to Headwaters for lunch or a brunch with reservations at Paley’s other downtown restaurant (2017)
  • A dinner at Ringside Fish House for Seafood(August 2011)
  • Japanese curry at Kale (December 2011), it’s all he offers in his restaurant, so you know it’s his specialty
  • A dinner at Nel Centro  the restaurant of Hotel Modera (November 2011) and they also offer an excellent happy hour (June 2016) and are one of my secret recommendations for an amazing al fresco meal and drinks with their fire pits outside
  • Karam Lebanese Restaurant (January 2011)
  • Vegetarian House, an all vegetarian Asian restaurant in “Chinatown” (January 2011)
  • Little Bird Bistro, a more accessible Gabriel Rucker restaurant than Le Pigeon. I gave a mixed review from a few different meals (June 2011). I like sitting and eating at the bar.
  • Stanford and Newport Seafood Grill by the Lloyd Center
  • A nostalgic turkey lunch at Huber’s (February 2010) that takes you back to the 80s.

Pearl District

Northwest Area

  • Bamboo Sushi offers sustainable seafood, and a great happy hour!
    From Bamboo Sushi's House Signature Roll section: Green Machine Roll (vegetarian) of tempura fried asparagus and green onions topped with avocado and cilantro sweet chili aioli. Amazing. Bamboo Sushi in Portland happy hour, Imo koroshi— 'potato killer' a roasted yam press box, garlic-soy-bu
  • Besides their delicious ramen, on Sat and Sun you can get dim sum service from carts at the NW location of Boke Bowl (January 2015). They have an amazing bloody mary garnished with a fried chicken!
  • Boke Bowl Duck ramen which is a winter special ramen, seasonal veggies are the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. I upgraded the ramen with the add in of fried chicken with their orange dot sauce, pickled mustard seeds in an aioli base sauce Boke Bowl dim sum at Boke Bowl West, only on Sat and Sun 11 - 2, this cart is being pushed and serviced by Boke man Brannon Riceci himself Boke Bloody Mary with Baiju, fennel dashi, fish sauce, lime, tomato, fried chicken at Boke Bowl dim sum
  • Bent Brick where I had some happy hour food during my visit, including awesome duck jojos and a Hamburger Dog! My favorite dish though was the side of smashed chickpeas that had an earthy creaminess from the chickpeas but a light coolness yet something that brightened it from what turns out to be sour cream and Frank’s hot sauce.
    duck fat jojos from the bent brick, portland, neighborhood tavern, drinking food Hamburger Dog with cheese, bent sauce, and relish from the bent brick, portland, neighborhood tavern, drinking food
  • Urban Fondue (June 2012) for a 3 course meal of fondue – cheese, broth, and a dessert that could be chocolate/caramel whatever. They have very interesting flavor combinations… and great cocktails too (they are twinsies essentially with Bartini next door!)
  • Wildwood lunch in the NW23rd Nob Hill neighborhood, and they have their own parking lot (January 2010)
  • Slabtown Ribs & BBQ – Get the Ribs (March 2012)

Southwest Area

Southeast Area

  • The first place that always comes to mind for me is Kachka, which offers Russian food (June 2015).
    The famous Kachka PDX dish of the Herring Under a Fur Coat, a 7 layer dip but russian. and actually a salad, with herring, potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, mayo, eggs.At Kachka PDX, feel luxurious and fancy with one of the Caviar & Roe dishes - the most affordable one is the house cured steelhead, but during my visit we went for the prettier beet cured whitefish. All the Caviar & Roe dishes are served with yeasted blini, challah, chive, butter, and sieved egg to make your little piles of bite sized vehicles for the caviar.Kachka PDX Hot Zakuski of khachapuri, which is smoked sulguni cheese wrapped in pillowy dough -- like a crunchwrap and a cheese calzone had a lovechild.Kachka's tvorog vareniki, a dish of scallion and farmer’s cheese filled dumplings that are just melt in your mouth, and also on the happy hour menu!
  • Renata was given the title of Restaurant of the Year by the Oregonian only a few weeks into being open, but I have to admit their starters and pastas are spectacular. I think they have the best pasta in Portland. And, great cocktails. See more details at my blog post with my first look at Renata  (June 2015) and also their Aperitivo Happy Hour (April 2016).
    Renata cocktail Fortune Teller, with amaro ciociaro, lemon, marionberry, cacao, and gingerRenata cocktail of Trevi Fountain with aperol ice cream, volstead vodka, luxardo maraschino and chinotto sodaFrom the Bites section of the Renata menu was this perfect Crispy Trotters with Salmoriglio and Calabrian chiliIsabelli Scarpinocc with porcini mushrooms and pine nuts at Renata
  • Great sushi and ramen on Mirakutei. My post explains how I prescribe a visit if you have a cold! (December 2014)
    Sushi at Mirakutei, I ordered the Buri Belly, Fresh Salmon, Salmon Belly Aburi, Tuna, Unagi, Uni, and Yellowtail Genki Ramen at Mirakutei, which is white miso based and has shredded ground char siu and scrambled egg
  • You can also find amazing sushi and ramen and specialty of the restaurant fired skewers at Afuri (July 2017)
  • Fried Chicken? I think of Basilisk (November 2016)
    Basilisk Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thigh and house pickled cucumbers, shredded cabbage and special sauce that needs a knife stabbed through the middle to keep it together
  • For Korean I love Han Oak where you don’t have to worry about what to order – brunch comes as a whole set on Sunday and their dinners come as 3 courses though you can order additional snacks – more details on my Brunch Recap (July 2016) and then my Dinner Recap (November 2016)
    Han Oak presents a Korean brunch on Sundays offering 2-3 main dishes and then several banchan and rice on a tray so you get a little bit of everything Han Oak Dinner Ssam course with Ember Smoked Hanger Steak with lettuces, perilla, chrysanthemum, cabbage slaw, and ssam-jang and then Koji Marinated Slow Roasted Pork Belly and Coppa with rice noodle sheets, pickled daikon, and scallion salad
  • Fifty Licks Sorbet Cocktails and more (Nov 2013) to start before Burrasca (or after- or anyplace on SE Clinton or Division or Powell). Besides offering ice cream flavors and sorbets you can also get Fifty Licks sorbet cocktails and Cafe Cubano. So it can be your stop before and after dinner!
    Fifty Licks cocktail of The Furacão – Passion fruit with Sichuan Peppercorn Sorbet, Cossart Gordan Bual Madeira, Byrrh bitters.  Fifty Licks cocktail of The Velvet Shiso: fresh Shiso leaf and a scoop of Coconut Lemon Saffron Sorbet floating in a pond of Umeshu plum wine and sparkling AlexEli Riesling Fifty Licks, ice cream samples for our group in little sake cup tasters, this one is Jasmine Tea with Apricot with bee pollen topping
  • Ava Gene’s (Dec 2013) I wrote a menu guide to read the very Italian menu. Expect that when you go, it will be unfamiliar- just like I would imagine my or your first day or so if you were to visit Italy for the first time.
    burrata, chestnuts Ava Gene's Pane of squash, mint, ricotta salata, barrel aged colatura, carta di musica
  • Accanto (June 2012) is the more casual enoteca sibling to its next door neighbor, fine dining prix fixe and historic Genoa. You may think Accanto is like any other moderate Italian neighborhood stop, but that’s where you would be wrong. They really take advantage of unique, perhaps even previously never heard of ingredients and bring them to your tastebuds to help you explore how much more is out there. Example: capellini with samphire, garlic, chili, and fennel seed, and Burrata with strawberries, favas, wrinkle crinkle crumple cress when I went to brunch
    Accanto: capellini with samphire, garlic, chili, and fennel seed Accanto PDX, Burrata with strawberries, favas, wrinkle crinkle crumple cress
  • I loved Boke Bowl modernist take on ramen, now their own brick and mortar location, even when it was still only a popup at Oba’s digs in March 2011 and at popping up inside Decarli’s in April 2011
    Boke Bowl ramen, Portland Oregon
  • For Thai, my current love is Paa Dee (June 2014) which tastes very authentic. I also like Pok Pok but Paa Dee is a little less written up so easy to get in without the rush with all the people who know Andy Ricker’s name and don’t yet know Earl Ninsom. I also find it more vegetarian friendly. They also have LaangBaan in the back if you want to even get more adventurous, a smaller secret kitchen restaurant in the back that has multicourse prix fixe. They also have amazing fried chicken…
    PaaDee Thai comfort food พาดี, Peek gai tod, fried wings glazed in Sriracha fish sauce. If you come here, you must get this, happy hour or not. PaaDee Thai comfort food พาดี, Kanom gui chai (3) ขนมกุ่ยช่าย -pan fried chinese chive cake, sour soy sauce
  • Ken’s Artisan Pizza is a Portland Pizza powerhouse for the past 10 years because of their perfect pizza dough and offering classic combinations that are simple with excelent ingredients. I wrote about them and several of their pizzas when looking at the recently launched cocktail program (October 2016)
  • Andy Ricker’s famous Thai Pok Pok (Mar 2009), then a Pok Pok lunch in (January 2011)
    Pok Pok, Ike's Wings, Vietnamese Fish Sauce wings, Andy Ricker, Thai restaurant
  • Andy Ricker again, Sen Yai – Dinner and a Breakfast (May 2013) which focuses more on noodles and Thai breakfast in the morning for a few hours (see photo earlier on this page)
  • Roe – a seafood dining adventure (March 2013). Some of the creativity really wowed us, others didn’t work for me but reading the ingredients I agree they sound intriguing to put together so I understand where they were coming from.
  • Nostrana Italian, from Cathy Whims- a gnocchi night (December 2011) and they often have special events, such as Handmade Pasta night at Nostrana, by Francesca Tori(October 2012)
    Nostrana, Cathy Whims, House charcuterie plate, crispy pork trotter, lamb liver and fresh herb pate, porchetta di testa, apple mostardo, coppa di testa, smoked ham, pickled radish and pattypan squash Handmade Pasta at Nostrana, by Francesca Tori, Caramelle candy-shaped pasta filled with Red Kuri squash, nutmeg, parmigiano, and sage butter, Cathy Whims  Nostrana, Cathy Whims, Pizzeria Mozza's butterscotch budino with salted caramel
  • For brunch (with reservations) that can take you back to Israel, or dinners where you can get it family style and fill you table with lots of plates just like you were there, consider Cafe Castagna (January 2015)
    Cafe Castagna brunch item of malawach, served with tomato sauce, zhoug, hard boiled egg. A Malawach is a thin folded pastry that is fried, sort of a mashup between a pita or naan and phyllo dough Cafe Castagna, coming soon to the menu a Rabbit Ballotine with a combination of Middle Eastern flavors and French technique with a crisped fried rabbit, a forcemeat with rabbit and lamb ham, and Persian Wedding Rice
  • Portobello’s + Beermongers (August 2010) for fancy vegetarian cuisine followed by lots of beer
  • You can check out Bunk Bar where I had roasted summer squash with romesco and ricotta (September 2012) to try some of the sandwiches from Tommy Habetz, Portland’s sandwich king, I tried another seasonal vegetarian sandwich (November 2011) this time of Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Apple Chutney, Gruyere & Horseradish sandwich. I’ve eaten several of the meat versions but somehow ate it with no pictures and so have no blog posts about it!
  • Genoa 5 course prix fixe (August 2011) is one of the few fine dining destinations of Portland
  • Horse Brass Pub (July 2010) has an amazing selection of beers and English pub food, I loved the Ploughman’s Platter
  • Country Cat Dinner (July 2012) offers a northwest seasonal take + southern food

Northeast Area

  • A Dinner at Ox (December 2012) and much better photos more recently (but less words) when I visited again May 2013 at this smoke and fire loving Argentinian take on grilled meats
    Ox restaurant Fresh Clam Chowder, Smoked Marrow Bone, Spring Onion, Jalapeño Ox restaurant Asado Argentino for 2 with Grilled Short Rib, House Chorizo, Morcilla Sausages, Skirt Steak, Sweetbreads Ox restaurant Dark Chocolate Cake, Malted Milk Chocolate Mousse, Toasted Peanut Anglaise, Malbec Marshmallow
  • Get to Radar Restaurant – a great cozy restaurant that has quite a list of regulars and a brunch that takes reservations and so much family legacy imbued inside its walls and food (October 2017)
  • Dinner at Tabla Bistro (December 2011), you cannot come here without getting some of their homemade pastas
    Tabla Bistro, Fall Vegetable Salad with turnip greens mousse, feta, market vegetables, mustard seeds  Dinner at Tabla Bistro, Tajarin with truffle butter, parmigiano reggiano
  • St Honore Bakery on Division offers the tastiest tarte flambees of the city, and the location here on NE also has lots of ciders and spaetzle
    St. Honoré Boulangerie, Cider Program Media Preview, Tarte Flambée, an Alsatian-style Savory tart baked to order, this one is LARDON ET L'OIGNON Bacon lardon, fresh onions, crème fraiche Spaetzle at St Honoré, house-made tiny dumplings with a cream sauce and Emmental cheese, baked to order. This version is LÉGUMES with Carrots, green peas, mushrooms and onions
  • For a fun coffee and sweet during the day, visit 180 for churros (January 2016). These are light and crispy, not the greasy ones of festivals and fairs.
    180's Xurros Rellenos, stuffed with Creme Catalana, Dulce de Leche, or Xoco Cream at 180 PDX. This is with Dulce Leche
  • Tasty N Sons, happy hour and dinner visits (July 2011) to try their world inspired medley of spicy, savory, salty, sweet flavors
  • Firehouse Restaurant – celebrating family with fire (September 2013)
    Firehouse Restaurant, wood grilled hanger steak with crispy potatoes, arugula and grana padano Firehouse Restaurant celebrating Polar Bear, the Fire House Maine Coon cat
  • Get the coffee and the story of the bean producers and farm fresh cuisine at Proud Mary, the first location outside Australia in the USA
  • Aviary offers a fun take on Asian fusion, as exemplified by this 3 course Portland Dining Month 2015 dinner (March 2015) I enjoyed that included an incredible Dungeness crab chawanmushi with bone marrow, sea urchin, Asian pear, snap peas and truffle vinaigrette. I also have some old photos of a dinner of small samplers at Aviary (February 2012)
    Aviary first course of Dungeness crab chawanmushi with bone marrow, sea urchin, Asian pear, snap peas and truffle vinaigrette for Portland Dining Month 2015
  • Amazing Basque Cuisine at Urdaneta where you can get a twist on tapas via pinxtos (April 2017)
  • EaT: An Oyster Bar… Baked Oysters! (January 2012), though they have other cajun and New Orleans style cuisine as well
  • Northwest Pacific farm to table cuisine with some of the best cocktails in Portland at Quaintrelle (March 2017)
  • Mac! Mac & Cheesery for Mac and Cheese options galore (July 2012)
  • The Tardis Room (September 2012) which used to be the Fish & Chip shop (February 2011) but is still serving mostly the same food, but with new geeky deco theme

Asian Food

 

Beaverton


Other (Travel!)

Check out both activities and food on My Food Travel Posts Index  that includes details for Las Vegas and also Sonoma California!

Oregon Coast

Seattle, WA Restaurant Recommendations

California Restaurant Recommendations

New York City, NY Restaurant Recommendations

New York highlights from March 2014 that I have blogged about:

Hawaii Restaurant Recommendations

Other

Misc Other West Coast
Midwest
  • Lunch at Chicago French Market (Dec 2013). This included a lobster roll from Da Lobsta, frites from Frietkoten Belgian Fries and Beer, and a Montreal smoked sandwich from Fumare.
    Da Lobsta stand at the Chicago French Market, Lobster Roll Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich from Fumare Meats, in the Chicago French Market
East Coast
Asia
Europe
  • Eating meats in Germany; Bread and cheese for breakfast in Israel and Germany (March 2012)
    Nurenberg sausages Dining in Nuremberg, Germany, a braised beef cheek Roast pork from Bavarian production with crackling in natural gravy with Spaetzle egg noodles at Hofbrauhaus (enjoyed with a Dark Radler, which is their Dark Beer with lemonade
Canada


Previous Example Food Event Coverage
For some examples of how I have covered food events before

And here are examples of special event dinners with pairings blogposts I have covered previously

Food tours

Other Events

Archives: So Old I’m sort of Embarrassed…

 

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