Happy Hour at Altabira City Tavern

September 25, 2015 by 7 Comments

Happy Hour at Altabira City Tavern is the latest hot happy hour in Portland. Located at 1021 NE Grand Ave, it’s location makes it right next to the Max stop for the Oregon Convention Center and perfect after an event there or before or after something at the Moda Center a block or so away.
Altabira City Tavern Altabira City Tavern

Located on the sixth floor of the boutique hotel Hotel Eastlund, it offers not just a hip indoor bar area that continues the contemporary cool look of the hotel inside, but also an outdoor rooftop patio to appreciate Portland sunshine and is ready for cooler weather with heaters and fire pits. Seating at the Altabira bar and patio are on a first come first serve basis, and this outdoor happy hour is a hit so expect to see lots of beautiful people along with the beautiful view!
Altabira City Tavern Altabira City Tavern

Beware though that with it’s location so close the convention center, you can see a small rush of big groups looking to network and have a bite/drink around 5:45 or so when conferences typically end during a weekday, so the outside can get busy. But, there were plenty of seats for smaller groups still available at the bar.
Altabira City Tavern Altabira City Tavern

The Happy Hour at Altabira is is Daily between 4PM – 6 PM. Here are some examples of what I’ve tried and adored from their happy hour menu:

$7 Pizza Special (half off from the regular Tavern Menu)
I was particularly enchanted with the Spinach, Walnut and Blue Cheese Pizza though the Roma Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Pizza was also enjoyed. These pizzas are enough for 2-4 to share.
Altabira City Tavern's Happy Hour, Roma Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Pizza Altabira City Tavern's Happy Hour, Spinach, Walnut and Blue Cheese Pizza

Don’t overlook the Citizen Baker Pretzel with Spicy Beer Mustard and Pimento Cheese if you want something small and it goes great with their big beer list that includes 14 beers and 2 ciders almost all from Oregon (1 was from California).
Altabira City Tavern happy hour special (also on their Tavern Menu) of Citizen Baker Pretzel with Spicy Beer Mustard and Pimento Cheese

A lot more messy but pretty tasty is the Smoked Chicken Wings which can be found on the Tavern Menu and also on the Dinner Menu though the best deal is of course at happy hour.
Altabira City Tavern happy hour special (also on their Tavern Menu) of Smoked Chicken Wings Altabira City Tavern happy hour special (also on their Tavern Menu) of Smoked Chicken Wings

More substantial happy hour offerings include an Altabira Cheeseburger on Brioche Bun and a Smoked Brisket Sandwich with Spicy Cole Slaw.

For cocktails, I tried Altabira City Tavern’s cocktail Sandia Mountain with Vodka, Fresh Watermelon Juice, Lemon and Lime and the Summer Squall with Coruba Dark Rum, Ginger Beer and Pineapple Juice. For happy hour, be sure to ask what the special cocktail of the day is – one time it was this tasty coconut cinnamon beverage!
Altabira City Tavern's cocktail Sandia Mountain with Vodka, Fresh Watermelon Juice, Lemon and Lime Altabira City Tavern's cocktail Summer Squal with Coruba Dark Rum, Ginger Beer and Pineapple Juice For happy hour at Altabira City Tavern, be sure to ask what the special cocktail of the day is, one time it was this tasty coconut cinnamon beverage

I also have tried some dinner starters:

Cornmeal Fried Local Oysters with Spicy Remoulade were light, crispy, perfectly executed (note: the photo is for a platter that is more than one order, it’s not an individual order).
Cornmeal Fried Local Oysters with Spicy Remoulade at Altabira City Tavern

Country Style Pork Pâté are a great appetizer as wellthat when I had it, had a crust around the pate of bacon. Yup. Note: the photo below is for a platter that is more than one order, it’s not an individual order).
Country Style Pork Pâté at Altabira City Tavern Country Style Pork Pâté at Altabira City Tavern Country Style Pork Pâté at Altabira City Tavern

It’s nice to see the Near SouthEast Side starting to come into it’s own instead of being just a bunch of generic convention center hotels. With the completion in the future of some high rise condos in the area, this is going to be a happening neighborhood that has the convenience of easy access to highway and public transit and some pretty sophisticated choices such as Altabira.

In walking distance/a stop or so away on the streetcar are neighboring hot restaurants like Renata, Kachka, Oso Market, Mirakutei, Simpatica, Nong’s Khao Man Gai, the bars of Coopers Hall for wine and Loyal Legion and White Owl Social for beer all to the south within 1 mile, and Reverend’s Nat’s, Upright Brewery, Ox Restaurant, Toro Bravo and more to the north within 1 mile makes this area by the Lloyd District an up and coming neighborhood.

Welcome Altabira City Tavern to the area, I believe many convention center goers are so happy to finally have a destination right here for them besides the usual chain, and they thank you!

Click to add a blog post for Altabira City Tavern on Zomato

Signature

Filed Under: Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Wynn: Lake of Dreams, Parasol Down, Conservatory, Jeff Koons, and Le Reve

March 3, 2015 by 15 Comments

The Wynn Resort in Las Vegas is considered to be one of the most luxurious on the Strip, with its number of five stars from various rankings and the fact that they even have a Ferrari and Maserati dealership inside. Unlike the other previous casinos that Steve Wynn built, The Wynn takes action on his previous regret that he created crowd-drawing attractions that were outside (Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio)- he wanted to make people come into the casino. So that’s how he planned The Wynn.

Supposedly the main attraction to the Wynn the Lake of Dreams, which is a big waterfall feature inside over a small manmade lake. In the evenings, starting at dusk and for every 30 minutes, there are shows that play using the waterfall wall and the lake with projections and props, with the shows varying (similar to how the Bellagio fountain shows vary). In between those times, the waterfall and lake are an art piece, with a statue of a man partially submerged staring at the flowing water/us (I’m not sure) being pensive/stalkery (I’m not sure) while farther on the right a woman stands about to enter the lake, pensive/stalkery (I’m not sure).
Lake of Dreams at the Wynn

The biggest different though is that to really get a good view, you pretty much have to be a guest of the restaurants that take up most of the side facing the Lake of Dreams, or be having cocktails at the bottom half of the lounges Parasol Up / Parasol Down. Parasol Down includes the lounge area inside where you can view Lake of Dreams through the floor to ceiling windows and the outdoor terrace outside. Parasol Up is the lounge upstairs, which really only gives you a view of people walking in The Wynn and little bit of the parasols. True to the name, there are giant parasols that hang on the ceiling and move up and down.

The view from by the escalators on the top floor:
These umbrella lights move up and down in the atrium which houses the Parasol Down bar and lounge (Parasol Up is on the same level before you go down the curved escalator) at The Wynn, Las Vegas "These

The view looking up from Parasol Down:
These umbrella lights move up and down in the atrium which houses the Parasol Down bar and lounge (Parasol Up is on the same level before you go down the curved escalator) at The Wynn, Las Vegas These umbrella lights move up and down in the atrium which houses the Parasol Down bar and lounge (Parasol Up is on the same level before you go down the curved escalator) at The Wynn, Las Vegas

F was working late, and thanks to Tix4Tonight I was able to get discounted seats to the show Le Reve (The Dream) for the early show. After walking here (remember my walking the South Strip and the Middle of the Strip posts?) I really needed a break off my feet, and cocktails sounded perfect. It was probably only 5 PM and far from dusk, so this lounge area was quiet and peaceful, and I was able to sit at a couch on the side where there was a much needed outlet to recharge my phone from all these pictures I’ve been taking and sharing on the blog!
Relaxing in the Parasol Down bar and lounge (Parasol Up is on the same level before you go down the curved escalator) inside The Wynn. This is where after dusk you can also sit and see the various Lake of Dreams shows every 30 min) Relaxing in the Parasol Down bar and lounge (Parasol Up is on the same level before you go down the curved escalator) inside The Wynn. This is where after dusk you can also sit and see the various Lake of Dreams shows every 30 min

I thought I might have just one drink, but I was very intrigued by the drinks menu here. For instance, a page of Wynn Signature Sips included

  • The Carousel, made with rum, watermelon liqueur, fresh lemon juice, fresh watermelon juice, and lemongrass syrup
  • The Pear-A-Sol, with Absolut Pear Vodka, Belle Paire Pear Liqueur, pear puree, and fresh sweet and sour
  • Lime In the Coconut, with Bacardi Pineapple Fusion Rum, Kalani Coconut Liqueur, fresh lime juice, ginger syrup, fresh basil leaves, topped with Red Bull Silver

Wynn Signature Sips available at Parasol Down inside The Wynn Example drinks at Parasol Down in The Wynn, Seasonal Sips and Signature Shots

So of course I had to do a little taste testing for you. I started out with the Parasol’s Signature cocktail, the previously mentioned The Pear-A-Sol, with Absolut Pear Vodka, Belle Paire Pear Liqueur, pear puree, and fresh sweet and sour. I was pleased to see that it came with these cute complimentary snacks. Vegas is one of those cities that I don’t even think twice of traveling, exploring, and eating and drinking on my own because there are always interesting people to meet and talk to, including even being insistent that she take a photo of me and send it to F to let him see I was having fun without him.
Enjoying a Wynn Signature Sip of The Pear-a-sol, Parasol's signature cocktail at Parasol Down. The cocktail includes Absolut Pears Vodka, Belle Paire Pear Liqeur, pear puree, and fresh sweet and sour along with complimentary snacks Enjoying a Wynn Signature Sip of The Pear-a-sol, Parasol's signature cocktail at Parasol Down. The cocktail includes Absolut Pears Vodka, Belle Paire Pear Liqeur, pear puree, and fresh sweet and sour along with complimentary snacks

They also have several Seasonal Sips and Signature Shots on the drink menu. I tried one of them, the Red Velvet Cake shot with Zing Red Velvet Vodka, and Godiva Milk Chocolate Liqueur. In the back you can see a Cucumber Fizz non-alcoholic drink, so you don’t have to feel pressured to drink alcohol- the non alcoholic drink was very refreshing and flavorful. I also tried the Signature Cocktail of Sinatra Smash with Gentlemen Jack Tennessee Whiskey, Briottet Ccreme de Cassis, freshly muddled blackberries, fresh sweet and sour, and vanilla infused simple syrup
A Signature Shot at Parasol Down in the Wynn, this one is the Red Velvet Cake shot with Zing Red Velvet Vodka, and Godiva Milk Chocolate Liqueur with a Cucumber Fizz nonalcoholic drink Example signature drink at Parasol Down in The Wynn. This is the Sinatra Smash with Gentlemen Jack Tennessee Whiskey, Briottet Ccreme de Cassis, freshly muddled blackberries, fresh sweet and sour, and vanilla infused simple syrup

The only place I can think of where you can watch the show at the Lake of Dreams for free is by standing between the inside lounge area and terrace of Parasol Down, by standing in between the escalators leading up and down to Parasol Down, or by a small terrace just by the check-in/out desks of The Wynn. Here you can see the difference in view – from standing in between the escalators leading up and down to Parasol Down where yes they somehow pulled out a whole frog to sing- and the view from the terrace just by the check in lobby of The Wynn when the Lake of Dreams told the story of two balls (a blue and pink one) that fall in love and roll around all over the misted over lake.
The singing frog at the Lake of Dreams in The Wynn, view from the top of the escalators above Parasol Down The singing frog at the Lake of Dreams in The Wynn, view from the top of the escalators above Parasol Down The singing frog at the Lake of Dreams in The Wynn, view from the top of the escalators above Parasol Down View of the Lake of Dreams from the balcony outside the check in lobby of The Wynn... this is a show with lit balls that roll in the water that is misty View of the Lake of Dreams from the balcony outside the check in lobby of The Wynn... this is a show with lit balls that roll in the water that is misty View of the Lake of Dreams from the balcony outside the check in lobby of The Wynn... this is a show with lit balls that roll in the water that is misty View of the Lake of Dreams from the balcony outside the check in lobby of The Wynn... this is a show with lit balls that roll in the water that is misty

You can sort of see the glass doors leading to that terrace by the reception desks behind these flowers
You can sort of see the glass doors leading to that terrace overlooking Lake of Dreams at the Wynn, Las Vegas, by the reception desks behind these flowers

Honestly though, it wasn’t the Lake of Dreams that blew me away with The Wynn. It was the Conservatory Area here that reminded me a bit of what Bellagio offers, but without all the crowds of people that I felt at the Bellagio. The gardens here are exquisite. And, FREE to see.
Carousel made all of flowers inside The Wynn, November 2014 Carousel made all of flowers inside The Wynn, November 2014 Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn make up this flowered hot air balloonGorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn make up this flowered hot air balloon Gorgeous flowers inside the Conservatory Area, cultivated botanical gardens in the atrium of The Wynn make up this flowered hot air balloon

You can also find two artworks by Jeff Koons. The first is Popeye, made with high chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating inside the Wynn Esplanade, and the sculpture Tulips which is a bouquet of twisted balloon flowers. As you’re looking at it, know that these pieces weigh several tons, and Steve Wynn paid $28 million for Popeye and Tulips is $33.6 million dollars. It blows my mind how much insane art is just lying around for everyone to look at for free in Las Vegas. FREE!
Popeye art piece by Jeff Koons, made with high chromium stainless steel with transparant color coating inside the Wynn Esplanade Popeye art piece by Jeff Koons, made with high chromium stainless steel with transparant color coating inside the Wynn Esplanade More Jeff Koons art inside the Wynn, this time right by the Wynn Theater, it's the $33.6 million dollar sculpture Tulips which is a bouquet of twisted balloon flowers More Jeff Koons art inside the Wynn, this time right by the Wynn Theater, it's the $33.6 million dollar sculpture Tulips which is a bouquet of twisted balloon flowers

Oh, and I saw Le Reve, The Dream. I was surprised that they allowed non-flash photography during the show, but they even wanted to promote a hashtag to share the photos, so I obliged once in a while, most of the time my eyes were just flitting all over the place trying to see everything on the stage.

There is not a bad seat at all in the house. If you are closer, you can admire the details of the costuming and the rippling physiques of the performers. If you are farther away, you have an overall view of the scene without having to dart your eyes around.
There is not a bad seat in the house at the Wynn Theater, home of Le Reve, The Dream There is not a bad seat in the house at the Wynn Theater, home of Le Reve, The Dream

The stage includes not only the pool and any standing areas that come up and down or sail in (yep), but even all the airspace to the top of the theater! With every scene, your view is ever-changing with not only set and lights, but people wandering in and out, either performing as part of the act or like us, observing (though more artfully posed than me). There were many times I was really torn where I wanted to keep my eyes, and the show seemed to end all too soon. I wanted many parts of every scene to last a little longer so I can really admire the details of it before it moved out of one beautifully posed moment to another.
A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater!

I really enjoyed the show. Besides all the food in Las Vegas, and all the free art to see up and down the strip outside on the streets or inside the buildings, I really love the offering of shows here in Vegas and can’t imagine visiting without seeing at least 1 or 2! Most theater productions are only temporary, but here in Vegas they can build the stage to fit the resident show, and so the production values are just unlike anywhere else.

I highly recommend seeing a show while you are here! There’s every kind of show – I prefer shows like Le Reve or Cirque du Soleil (my favorite is O, though I almost bought tickets to Zarkana paired with the idea of pairing it with dinner at bar Masa or Julian Serrano Tapas- maybe next time! You can see friend Marlynn from Urban Bliss Life’s pictures and review of Zarkana here). The reason I love these shows is because they combine intense visuals and athleticism and grace with music and have no strong narrative. But there is also comedy, musical performances varying from musicals to concerts to tribute shows, magic, adult (I really like Jubilee, the costumes by Bob Mackie and seeing Barbie clothes in real life before me are worth it), headliners (you might even run into them in the casinos, like lucky Hailey of Discourse of a Divine Diva did with Nick Carter! She’s doing a recap of her week in Vegas and I think she packed in more than I did everyday!)… Vegas, so much to do, so much to see!

Here’s a glimpse of the visual splendor of Le Reve, The Dream in Las Vegas at the Wynn Theater.
A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater! A scene from the show Le Reve, The Dream, playing at the Wynn Theater. It's a show that takes place on continuously changing stages, the water, and all the airspace to the top of the theater!

Have you been to the Wynn, what did you think if you have? Have you gone to any Las Vegas shows, which ones?

My Guide to the Free and the Food on the Las Vegas Strip

Signature

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TOAST 2015 Ticket Giveaway – The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting

February 18, 2015 by 8 Comments

Coming up in 18 days, on Saturday March 7, 2015, is TOAST 2015 – TOAST standing for The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting. The event will be held 4 – 10 PM at the Left Bank Annex. This lets you still enjoy most of the day Saturday doing what you need to, and then spend a leisurely 6 hours being able to wander and learn and taste from among the over 40 distillers and producers and over 120 spirits ranging from locally here in Oregon to across the Northwest, the United States, and oh just the world!

TOAST 2015 - The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting
Tickets are $45 for General Admission and includes entry into the event, a commemorative tasting glass, unlimited bites from popular local chefs, unlimited spirit samples from 40+ distilleries, an Oregon Distillery Trail Scout book,  plus the opportunity to purchase cocktails from the cocktail bar and purchase exclusive products from the distilleries.

You can upgrade yourself to a VIP ticket priced at $60 that additionally provides 2 cocktails from the cocktail bar, access to the VIP area, and access to the after party with the distillers. Designated Driver tickets, which gives you entry, free non-alcoholic beverages, and food are $15.

Or you can win a ticket to yourself from my giveaway below!

About the Oregon Distillery Guild

The Oregon Distillery Guild was founded in 2007 to promote and celebrate Oregon spirits.  Oregon Distillers Guild President Ted Pappas explains that “As the country’s first distillery guild, it was something we looked to our brothers and sisters in the beer industry for.  They had their guild and it made sense for distillers to have one as well.  We have always worked together and the spirit of cooperation continues.”

The distillery trail has a lot of diversity, ranging from vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, tequila, brandy, liqueurs like limoncello, coffee or butterscotch or chocolate liqueurs, gluten free bai jiu, spirits like absinthe or aquavit… We are very rich in artisan spirits here.

Ted Pappas further noted that “I’m about growth of the industry in our state as it creates jobs not only to the distillery but all of the vendors needed to support them.  Growth in the industry is everywhere. It is very strong in the NW as both Oregon and Washington are in the top five total distilleries in the country.”

As mentioned, with your admission you will get the Oregon Distillery Trail Scout book (aka ODT Scout Book). This is a small pocket notebook that provides a map with details of the location and contact information of each distillery on the trail, including the spirits produced and tours and tasting information.

As Ted Pappas explained, “The idea behind the ODT was for the end consumer to fully grasp who we are, and that there is a vast amount of spirits right in their own backyard.”

I’ll say… In Oregon alone, there are 400 spirits being produced by more than 30 distilleries, and the number continues to grow.

If you are in Ashland, Bend, Brookings, Corvallis, Dundee, Eugene, Hood River, Hillsboro, Medford, Newport, Portland, Roseburg, Sheridan, Troutdale or Warren you can check out the book to see if there’s a fun tasting adventure nearby with tarragon or saffron vodka or limoncello…

About TOAST

Or, save yourself the roadtrip and do all your tastings all under one roof of the Leftbank Annex building in Portland, Oregon with TOAST 2015. This is right by the Moda Center so easy to park as well as convenient to lots of public transit options like MAX and Streetcar. Event organizers have also coordinated with Broadway Taxi to ensure attendees have other transportation available (Broadway Cab will be there to provide free rides home between 8:30pm and 10:30pm, which is included with the ticket).

This is the 5th time the event is being held, and this year boasts more than 40 distillers on hand pouring samples of 100’s of distilled spirits from Oregon and beyond. Click here to view a list of all the TOAST 2015 distillery participants
Save yourself the road trip and sample 100s of spirits at TOAST, The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting event by the Oregon Distillery Guild Save yourself the road trip and sample 100s of spirits at TOAST, The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting event by the Oregon Distillery Guild

Local chefs will provide food prepared to pair with spirits and participants include

  • Elias Cairo of Olympic Provisions
  • Johanna Ware of Smallwares
  • Scott Dolich of The Bent Brick
  • Matthew Fields of Stella Taco
  • Kevin Schantz of (soon-to-open) RingSide Grill

There are so many times when I am browsing the liquor shelves and am intrigued by descriptions of different kinds of coffee liqueur for a more tasty Espresso Martini, or see a lemongrass lime vodka or lime flavored rum, or fresh peppers or ginger infused vodka, or marionberry whiskey or cherry whiskey…

Or coffee rum or ginger rum, how about apple pie liqueur, or Sweet Tea, Spice Tea and Smoke Tea spirits, or Chai Tea vodka…

OK OK I may lean a lot towards vodka in my own cocktail making. That’s why I am excited to attend TOAST 2015 this year and learn more about these other spirits and learn to appreciate them and distinguish their flavors on their own pre-cocktail.

All these flavors by the way that I mentioned above are all products that are produced by participants at TOAST. 
Save yourself the road trip and sample 100s of spirits at TOAST, The Original Artisan Spirits Tasting event by the Oregon Distillery Guild
It’s continuing education… because we should all keep learning and expanding our view right? Including with spirits?

I mentioned the admission came with unlimited samples of the drinks and food right?

I asked Ted Pappas what his tips might be to experience TOAST, and he said “I see TOAST in two waves. For those who just want to have a quiet sampling experience interacting with the participants, the first part of TOAST is for you.

Once 6pm or so rolls around, the activities start with “Ted Talks” (interviews I’ll be doing with participants) on the half hour, introduction of the Oregon Starka Project, and who knows, maybe a few more fun things. Plus, VIP passes get you access to the after hour party with the distilleries, so making an evening out of it is very much an option. ”

And, you can win a General Admission Ticket to TOAST 2015 – I’m happy in conjunction with Little Green Pickle to help hook you up! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. You must be an adult 21+ and have valid ID to use the general admission ticket. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To increase your chances of winning, hop on over to my friend’s blog Urban Bliss Life or to Salt. Water. Coffee. or to The Good Hearted Woman or at The Spicy Bee where those lovely ladies are giving a ticket away also!

You can follow the latest news via @TOASTPortland on Twitter and @toastportland on Instagram and/or checking hashtag #TOAST2015!

If you attended TOAST this year, how would you explore spirits? Would you try to taste a variety, or try to taste all of the versions of your favorite kind of spirit, or try new spirits?

Disclosure: I am being provided a ticket to the event for myself and a ticket to give away to you, my reader, in exchange for promoting TOAST and social media coverage. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own. Special thanks to Little Green Pickle for the tickets, and to Oregon Distillers Guild President Ted Pappas for answering some of my questions! Images in this post are courtesy the Oregon Distillers Guild. Follow me and the hashtag #Toast2015 to see more of the TOAST adventures to come!

Signature

Filed Under: Cocktails, Festival Event, Food and Drink, Sponsored Post Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Signature

Filed Under: Cooking, Food and Drink Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cocktails of Jackknife Bar at the Sentinel Hotel

July 30, 2014 by 7 Comments

Jackknife Bar is located just by the entrance/lobby of downtown’s Sentinel Hotel (formerly the Governor’s Hotel) on SW 11th and Alder, only a few blocks from the City Target, and brought to you by the minds behind Dig A Pony, Bye & Bye, and Sweet Hereafter. The space inside Jackknife is very dark and art deco- I wouldn’t be surprised to see fellow patrons decked out in the garb of the roaring 20s in here.
Jackknife PDX Jackknife PDX

The atmosphere is very relaxed, with a very large bar if you want to chat with new people and watch the bartenders at work crafting drinks or pouring from their more than a dozen taps. Or you can sink yourself into groups of couches or big simple wooden tables and chairs that almost feels like you can light up a cigar and channel some of the previous guests of this historic hotel built in 1909.

If you’d like, Jackknife also has some seats by the bright giant windows facing the street and a few white plastic tables outside if you want to keep yourself grounded in the current era. In the back, huge booths seating almost a dozen people around a lounge table in shadows seems like a secret VIP area ready made to accommodate a celebrity’s entourage.

I was able to try 4 of the Jacknife Bar house drinks. The first, Pavlov’s Bell cocktail with vodka, espresso, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla salt was deeply satisfying with its rich flavors.
Jackknife PDX, their house cocktail option of Pavlov's Bell cocktail with vodka, espresso, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla salt was deeply satisfying with its rich flavors Jackknife PDX, their house cocktail option of Pavlov's Bell cocktail with vodka, espresso, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla salt was deeply satisfying with its rich flavors

On the lighter, more refreshing side there’s

  • Bonnie Parker cocktail (their take on a Moscow Mule) with Old Taylor whiskey, toasted pecan, lime, honey, and Jackknife ginger beer
    Jackknife PDX, their house cocktail option of Bonnie Parker cocktail with Old Taylor whiskey, toasted pecan, lime, honey, Jackknife ginger beer Jackknife PDX, their house cocktail option of BONNIE PARKER cocktail with Old Taylor whiskey, toasted pecan, lime, honey, Jackknife ginger beer
  • Bye Bye Sweet Pony with whiskey, quince, lemon, maple syrup, Jackknife ginger beer, and salt both taste light but have a hint of depth
    Jacknife PDX cocktail of BYE BYE SWEET PONY with whiskey, quince, lemon, maple syrup, Jackknife ginger beer, salt Jacknife PDX cocktail of BYE BYE SWEET PONY with whiskey, quince, lemon, maple syrup, Jackknife ginger beer, salt
  • Days of Thunder house cocktail with vodka, lemon, cucumber, mint, jalapeno, Mello Yello
    Jacknife PDX cocktail of DAYS OF THUNDER with vodka, lemon, cucumber, mint, jalapeno, Mello Yello Jacknife PDX cocktail of DAYS OF THUNDER with vodka, lemon, cucumber, mint, jalapeno, Mello Yello

The toasted pecan, lime and honey of the Bonnie Taylor is subtle, while the Bye Bye Sweet Pony’s quince and maple syrup and salt combination make it dangerously easy to drink down the delicious. As my personal taste I really like spicy drinks, so the nostalgia of Mello Yello’s citrusy flavors (which I haven’t had since much younger days) added with the little bit of jalapeno burn was very enjoyable. Particularly, with the big heat wave in weather during which I had some of these beverages, the Bye Bye Sweet Pony and Days of Thunder were really a big relief as the thermometer inched towards 100.

Foodwise, I tried the Pimento Cheese, which comes with tomato relish and butter crackers. The butter crackers were so buttery that they crumbled in any attempt to spread the cheese or relish, which is fine because then you can just eat it by the forkful and it would work well with any drink you order at the bar. Or just by itself. Just saying.
Jackknife PDX, Pimento Cheese, which comes with tomato relish and butter crackers. The butter crackers were so buttery that they crumbled in any attempt to spread the cheese or relish, which is fine because then you can just eat it by the forkful.

The Cheese Plate is generous in terms of how much cheese is on the plate. That ricotta topped with Bee Local Honey, similar to the pimento cheese, is addictive.
Jacknife PDX cheese board

Meanwhile, the order of Beets which comes with fried ricotta, pickled fennel, smoked walnuts and dijon vin was a beautiful light option that is a good choice for anyone who is vegetarian or gluten free.

On the vegetarian front, along with their bar burger there is also a vegan bbq tempeh burger so you don’t have to feel like a second class citizen with just this lovely, but admittedly not filling, salad. The only really filling food they offer on the menu are the two mentioned burgers and a ham and cheese sandwich, so the intention is to be a bar/lounge and not a place for a meal. On certain days, you may even find music with a DJ and dancing on weekends and for special events.
Jackknife PDX, Beets which comes with fried ricotta, pickled fennel, smoked walnuts and dijon vin Jackknife PDX, Beets which comes with fried ricotta, pickled fennel, smoked walnuts and dijon vin

Jackknife Bar is open 3PM until 2AM, with happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30 PM everyday. There is no table service, you must order at the bar, but if you order food you will be given a number and they’ll bring your food to you.

Signature

Filed Under: Cocktails, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »