First National Taphouse, Portland

October 8, 2014 by 4 Comments

After months of walking by and peering at the construction, finally the Eugene outpost of a taphouse in a bank has come to Portland, although the Portland location is not in a bank. It still carries over the official looking lettering in money-looking gold, as well as the First National coin symbol (with its slogan “In Beer & Wine We Trust”, which you can also find on the tables.)
First National Taphouse in Portland, located at 1962 SW 5th Ave by PSU, the Portland outpost of the original Eugene location First National Taphouse in Portland, located at 1962 SW 5th Ave by PSU, the Portland outpost of the original Eugene location

The First National Taphouse in PDX at 1962 SW 5th Ave, is a welcome addition to the area by Portland State University, where so far the main beer drinking options have been a McMenamins Market Street Pub, Rogue Hall, and if you wanted to go upscale, the bar at Higgins, or a few nice selections at Raven & Rose.

First National is just right, filling in with a wide variety of brew options (as well as wine and cocktails and food) that is more than any of these options, offering some great food just like Higgins, but at a price point that is more amenable to those who would dine at Market Street or Rogue.

And, First National has a big space, one that would be great for groups, be it professionals relaxing at a happy hour after work, or a group of friends needing a break after some time studying. And, the decor is on par with a restaurant – no worn carpets and sticky tables like a brewpub, though admittedly it does have the volume of one.
First National Taphouse in Portland First National Taphouse in Portland

Garage door windows give them the option to throw them open so everyone feels like they are dining al fresco in good weather, the front feels like a bustling restaurant with a view of the many pours going on at the bar and 3 large screen TVs.
First National Taphouse in Portland has a a taplist of 30 options First National Taphouse in Portland has a a taplist of 30 options First National Taphouse in Portland has a a taplist of 30 options First National Taphouse in Portland has a a taplist of 30 options

Meanwhile as you head towards the back, it’s a bit more romantic with an area that can be curtained and with light fixtures made from various liquor bottles.
First National Taphouse in Portland First National Taphouse in Portland front area, which then leads to a side area by the bottles and then the best area I think is the back with the bottles of liquor lights and curtain First National Taphouse in Portland

I personally like the peaceful vibe back there with the liquor fixtures the most. Don’t worry, there’s even still a view of the TV here, if you need it, without the bustle by the bar area.
First National Taphouse in Portland, the back area has the most privacy, with less tables, still access to a TV, and these lovely light fixtures of various liquor bottles First National Taphouse in Portland, the back area has the most privacy, with less tables, still access to a TV, and these lovely light fixtures of various liquor bottles First National Taphouse in Portland, the back area has the most privacy, with less tables, still access to a TV, and these lovely light fixtures of various liquor bottles

Similar to Raven & Rose, First National seems to want to support special events as well. My first visit was when Breakside Brewery was having a special Farmhouse/Wild Ale tasting night. They offered 8 wild ales and saisons from Breakside, of which each guest could get a tasting paddle with your choice of four 5 ounce pours, and if you bought a flight, you got a $1 any pint. There were also some selections of cheese from Steve’s Cheese, though we did not partake.
First National Taphouse Portland hosted a Breakside Farmhouse/Wild Ale tasting night. They offered 8 wild ales and saisons from Breakside, of which each guest could get a tasting paddle with your choice of four 5oz pours, and if you bougt a flight, you got a $1 any pint. First National Taphouse Portland hosted a Breakside Farmhouse/Wild Ale tasting night. They offered 8 wild ales and saisons from Breakside, of which each guest could get a tasting paddle with your choice of four 5oz pours, and if you bougt a flight, you got a $1 any pint.

During that first visit, we kept it small for food, sticking to the appetizer of Irish Rarebit, which is basically a beer cheese spread on bread and then broiled to melty goodness. It’s vegetarian, so satisfied both F and I.
First National Taphouse Portland, Irish Rarebit, which is basically a beer cheese spread on bread and then broiled to melty goodness First National Taphouse Portland, Irish Rarebit, which is basically a beer cheese spread on bread and then broiled to melty goodness

We also indulged in a dessert after our waitress mentioned twice how good their desserts were. She did not steer us wrong, because by the time she came back to ask us how the dessert was tasting, we actually were already done eating it, haha. This is the Taphouse Bread Pudding with vanilla custard, brioche, raisins, and whiskey crème anglaise. The waitress, F, and I heartily recommend it.
First National Taphouse Portland, Taphouse Bread Pudding with vanilla custard, brioche, raisins, whiskey crème anglaise First National Taphouse Portland, Taphouse Bread Pudding with vanilla custard, brioche, raisins, whiskey crème anglaise

For our second visit, we tried a different menu- a pairing of food and beer in 5 courses. They even had a vegetarian version, so F could have the same fun as me!
5 courses of food and beer at First National Taphouse, Portland 5 courses of food and beer at First National Taphouse, Portland

For our first pairing, while I enjoyed a Prawn Boule with Brunoise Vegetables, Prawns, Brandy Nosh in a Potato Roll with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer, he had a smaller sample of their regular main dish, a Baked Acorn Squash with grilled seasonal vegetables, goat cheese, and sun dried tomato tapenade with that same beer. The beer is a hefe style so had some yeastiness, but also some sweetness with a tinge of tart, though not as much citrus tone as I would have liked. And clearly, both these first courses are eye pleasers.
First National Taphouse Portland, Baked Acorn Squash with grilled seasonal vegetables, goat cheese, and sun dried tomato tapenade with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer First National Taphouse Portland, Prawn Boule with Brunoise Vegetables, Prawns, Brandy Nosh in a Potato Roll with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer First National Taphouse Portland, Prawn Boule with Brunoise Vegetables, Prawns, Brandy Nosh in a Potato Roll with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer First National Taphouse Portland, Prawn Boule with Brunoise Vegetables, Prawns, Brandy Nosh in a Potato Roll with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer First National Taphouse Portland, Prawn Boule with Brunoise Vegetables, Prawns, Brandy Nosh in a Potato Roll with Wild Ride Brewing Whoopty Whoop Wheat beer

For our second course, we both enjoyed Artisan Cheese Terrine with Brabander Goat Gouda, Taphouse Ricotta, Ancient Heritage Hannah, Asian Pear and a baguette, paired with Duche De Longueville Cidre Antoinette. A jar of cheese you say to eat? Yes please. The cider was also wonderfully refreshing and tart, balancing the cheese but also carrying its own hint of funk that also worked well with the cheese. I don’t know if it was a one off cheese dish for that evening, but it was tasty.
First National Taphouse Portland, Artisan, Cheese Terrine with Barbander Goat Gouda, Taphouse Ricotta, Ancient Heritage Hannah, Asian Pear and a baguette, paired with Duche De Longueville Cidre Antoinette First National Taphouse Portland, Artisan, Cheese Terrine with Barbander Goat Gouda, Taphouse Ricotta, Ancient Heritage Hannah, Asian Pear and a baguette, paired with Duche De Longueville Cidre Antoinette First National Taphouse Portland, Artisan, Cheese Terrine with Barbander Goat Gouda, Taphouse Ricotta, Ancient Heritage Hannah, Asian Pear and a baguette, paired with Duche De Longueville Cidre Antoinette First National Taphouse Portland, Artisan, Cheese Terrine with Barbander Goat Gouda, Taphouse Ricotta, Ancient Heritage Hannah, Asian Pear and a baguette, paired with Duche De Longueville Cidre Antoinette

Next, we enjoyed Honey Root Vegetable Boxty with parsnip, carrot, yellow beet, Irish potato pancake, and spiced honey paired with Elysian’s The Great Pumpkin Imperial. Again, these were visual delights full of autumn color, and when they placed our plates down the aromas of the spiced honey was intoxicating. First National offers boxty as part of their brunch, 5 different ways varying from with Irish Whiskey and Granny Smith apple and ricotta to with Smoked Wild Salmon Candy… something to consider for a future brunch possibility. At dinner, the boxty comes with an Irish Whiskey Pepper steak. In terms of pumpkin beer this one by Elysian, the Great Pumpkin Imperial, is all right but leans more towards cinnamon and nutmeg than any pumpkin flavor.
First National Taphouse, Portland Course 3 of Honey Root Vegetable Boxty with parsnip, carrot, yellow beet, Irish potato pancake, and spiced honey paired with Elysian's The Great Pumpkin Imperial First National Taphouse, Portland Course 3 of Honey Root Vegetable Boxty with parsnip, carrot, yellow beet, Irish potato pancake, and spiced honey paired with Elysian's The Great Pumpkin Imperial First National Taphouse, Portland Course 3 of Honey Root Vegetable Boxty with parsnip, carrot, yellow beet, Irish potato pancake, and spiced honey paired with Elysian's The Great Pumpkin Imperial

Fred had been tempted to order this soup of the moment on our last visit, so was happy to see that his next course was the Cannellini Bean IPA Stew with Irish Cheddar, scallions, and fried onion straws. Meanwhile, I enjoyed a smaller version of their regular dinner plate of Irish Whiskey Pepper Steak with my course of Irish Whiskey Pepper Steak Frite with pepper crusted hanger steak, Irish Whiskey demi glace, and microbrew fries. Both dishes, all meat and vegetarian, were paired with Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s IPA on Nitro.
First National Taphouse Portland, Cannellini Bean IPA Stew with Irish Cheddar, scallions, and fried onion straws paired with Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's IPA on Nitro First National Taphouse Portland, First National Taphouse Portland, Whiskey Pepper Steak Frite with pepper crusted hanger steak, Irish Whiskey demi glace, and microbrew fries paired with Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's IPA on Nitro

For our last course, F saw cocoa glitter for the first time with our desserts of Chocolate Porter Ice Cream and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout Foam with a side of hazelnut brittle paired with Young’s Double Chocolate Stout beer
First National Taphouse Portland, Chocolate Porter Ice Cream and Young's Double Chocolate Stout Foam with a side of hazelnut brittle paired with Young's Double Chocolate Stout beer First National Taphouse Portland, Chocolate Porter Ice Cream and Young's Double Chocolate Stout Foam with a side of hazelnut brittle paired with Young's Double Chocolate Stout beer First National Taphouse Portland, Chocolate Porter Ice Cream and Young's Double Chocolate Stout Foam with a side of hazelnut brittle paired with Young's Double Chocolate Stout beer

Besides the 30 taps, there are supposedly some 400 some bottles of beers and ciders to select from. The bottle prices you see in the cooler are to go – if you drink them at the restaurant, expect a $1-3 corkage fee, depending on the size of the bottle. We were impressed by some of the bottles in their selection- they are ones we haven’t seen at other bottleshops in Porltand.
First National Taphouse in Portland has a pretty good bottle selection. Corkage fee is $1-3 depending on size of the bottle First National Taphouse in Portland has a pretty good bottle selection. Corkage fee is $1-3 depending on size of the bottle First National Taphouse in Portland has a pretty good bottle selection. Corkage fee is $1-3 depending on size of the bottle

First National Taphouse also has a happy hour everyday 4 – 6:30 PM, and serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30AM – 2PM. Brunch includes several Boxty topped with eggs (a boxty is an Irish Potato Pancake), such as the one I tried below with smoked wild salmon, poached egg, capers, tomato, and touch of  Hollandaise.
First National Taphouse Portland Brunch includes several Boxty topped with eggs (a boxty is an Irish Potato Pancake), such as the one I tried below with smoked wild salmon, poached egg, capers, tomato, and touch of Hollandaise First National Taphouse Portland Brunch includes several Boxty topped with eggs (a boxty is an Irish Potato Pancake), such as the one I tried below with smoked wild salmon, poached egg, capers, tomato, and touch of Hollandaise First National Taphouse Portland Brunch includes several Boxty topped with eggs (a boxty is an Irish Potato Pancake), such as the one I tried below with smoked wild salmon, poached egg, capers, tomato, and touch of Hollandaise First National Taphouse Portland Brunch includes several Boxty topped with eggs (a boxty is an Irish Potato Pancake), such as the one I tried below with smoked wild salmon, poached egg, capers, tomato, and touch of Hollandaise

Mine was ok- I think the tomato ruined the experience for me because I had to walk through the Portland Farmers Market to get to brunch, and knowing the delicious heirloom tomatoes available there, this regular beefsteak tomato was unappealing and flavorless when it could have really made the dish. I didn’t take a photo of it, but after saying he wasn’t sure how hungry he was, F completely polished off his Oat Grouts with Irish Oatmeal, Fresh Barries, Spiced Honey, Candied Walnut and Maple Cream. Also on their brunch menu are several hashes (including a salt roasted beef or a duck confit). There was a vegetarian version of the boxty and hash as well, and I appreciated that thoughtfulness to think of vegetarians for every section of the menu.

Various sandwiches such as a triple grilled cheese with marscarpone, white cheddar, and Cashel Blue, a Cannelini Bean Rarebit, Mushroom Barley Burgers or Kobe Beef Burgers, Country Ham Scones and other savory selections round out the brunch menu. There are also two versions of a bloody mary- a regular one with Vodka, Tomato Juice, Tomato Consome, Veal Stock, Lemon, Aardvark Hot Sauce, Cerignola Olives, House Pickled Green Beans and Smoked Salt. There is also a Vegan Bloody Mary with Vodka, Tomato Juice, Shitake Kombu Dashi, Bragg’s Aminos, Aardvark Hot Sauce, Horseradish, Lime Juice, Castelvetrano Olives and Giardiniera Relish. There are 4 other brunch cocktails as well.
First National Taphouse Portland Bloody Mary with Vodka, Tomato Juice, Tomato Consome, Veal Stock, Lemon, Aardvark Hot Sauce, Cerignola Olives, House Pickled Green Beans and Smoked Salt First National Taphouse Portland Bloody Mary with Vodka, Tomato Juice, Tomato Consome, Veal Stock, Lemon, Aardvark Hot Sauce, Cerignola Olives, House Pickled Green Beans and Smoked Salt

Pours from the draft depend on the size as you would expect, but there are also two tiers depending on the beer (a regular and premium price point) , though I can’t quite ascertain if it’s based on difficulty to get the keg or price of the keg or what. I suppose more investigation might be necessary…

First National also offers a full bar,  including cocktails and wine. Cocktails include those named Banker’s Manhattan, Frank Nash, The Greenback, Cat Ballou, and Bonnie Parker.
First National Taphouse, cocktail First National Taphouse, cocktail

With the 3 tvs at the bar playing different games, it’s not a bad place to cheer with other fans while enjoying a wide variety of selections, but other customers also included an age range of students, work professionals, and those who live in the area so it’s not just a sports bar or for the twenty-somethings. With seating for probably 100, you’re likely be able to easily get a seat and start enjoying. The only caution is though it would be fine for a casual date, since it can be a bit boisterous except for on the back or for brunch, it may not be suitable for a romantic rendezvous.

Welcome to Portland, First National Taphouse!

Disclosure: Thank you to Watershed Communications, as one of the four meals was complimentary, but the other three visits I came on my own and paid for myself. 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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Review of Instacart in Portland

October 1, 2014 by 9 Comments

When I heard that Instacart was coming to Portland, and it offered fast delivery services similar to now the now defunct Kozmo, I was pretty excited. Finally, Portland is not a second class city while other cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle etc. get the new modern services to bring urban convenience with technology together.

I recently decided to try out their grocery delivery services, so here is my review of Instacart in Portland. Would you like to try Instacart yourself?! If you don’t mind, would you consider using my referral link? As long as you spend $10, your first delivery will be free and you get a $10 credit on top of the free delivery.

Instacart Home Screen

Delivery Service All Grown Up

If you were not around or aware of Kozmo, it was a service I remember fondly where after placing an order on the internet for items like milk or ice cream or a movie rental, it would be delivered to your front door within an hour.

As probably all of us have experienced, there are many a time you start putting together a meal and find out that the milk is no longer good or you’re out of lemon juice, or have a craving (say, ice cream, chocolate, mac and cheese).

Then, comes the internal struggle- do you take the time to change out of your comfortable pjs/loungewear that you have decompressing from your hard weekdays and make yourself travel to the store, deal with going down the aisle, and the checkout process… or do you just do without?

Then add if the weather sucks because it’s cold and raining, or even snowing… I seriously used Kozmo probably every week. And then, with the burst of the dot com bubble, Kozmo went away, to the sadness of many college students and young professionals.

Instacart aims to provide that second answer once again, but has expanded the offerings from the small goods that Kozmo had to now, in the Instacart incarnation, include partners such as Whole Foods, Costco, and Uwajimaya, as well as additional local stores to come. Update: Instacart has now added Safeway, Natural Grocers, and Green Zebra Grocery.
Whole Foods Logo Costco Logo Uwajimaya Logo

It’s delivery service all grown up.

So once again, you can go online and order through their website so you can continue doing what you need to at home (be it watching the kids or writing work documents or trying to edit photos for your blogposts). And, this is important, in one shopping and check out process you can combine multiple stores.

You can shop bulk, and shop organic, and shop those special Asian goods that are hard to find, all in one sitting, literally!

Using the Instacart Website

I tried this Instacart service out myself this past week. After all the gastronomic fun of Feast, I decided I wanted to try to do a juice cleanse. This time, I’m all about making it easier for myself. So I borrowed my friend’s Vitamix so hopefully it would not be an 8 hour ordeal again to make all my juices from scratch. I decided to try Instacart, so I wouldn’t have to run to multiple grocery stores like last time trying to gather all the ingredients. By combining what was available from both Costco and Whole Foods, I was able to order everything without the hassle of driving across town to hit both stores.

This is especially a bonus for me as I am car-free – I don’t own a car. I do belong to car sharing services like Zipcar and Car2Go, but similar to how you would be out the cost of gas, that meant I would even in getting in the car and before I got to the store, already spent money for the car rental.

Starting up was extremely easy- just enter a zip code to verify Instacart works for your area, a first and last name, email address, and password. I loved how they made such a low barrier to get through before I could start looking around the website to see what they had.
Instacart start screen after creating a login, start shopping!

As I was shopping for my various ingredients. there was a little work in that since I didn’t see the packaging right in front of me, I didn’t know how many apples were in the bag, or how many celery stalks in a 4 ounce bunch. But since I was already at home, based on the packaging of each ingredient, I was able to just open another internet browser tab to calculate via a Google search based on Oz weights or such that were given.

This is maybe a work in progress- sometimes they have information, and sometimes not. When information is available it’s divided into tabs you have to click on to see what’s there that include general description, nutrition information, and recipes. See the difference between a description from another delivery service I use, Safeway, in description?
Instacart, the garbanzo beans description, or more like lack of Safeway, the garbanzo beans description
Instacart, the lime juice description Safeway, the lime juice description

However, if you are pretty familiar with packages at your store, this may not be as much of a problem. For instance, I was very familiar with the sizes of the Lysol, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, etc already from purchasing them before.

As you add items, you can use a dropdown located in the top, just to the right of the Instacart logo to switch between checking the offering for the same ingredient (such as lime juice for me) in one store vs another in terms of size and price, such as when I was searching for lime juice. This was great for comparison shopping on prices between the stores so I could decide whether I wanted to buy from one store versus another.
Instacart, search for the same ingredient across multiple stores

Keep in mind though that there is a $10 minimum for each store you want to include in your shopping cart.
Instacart shopping cart in progress    Instacart shopping cart in progress

You can also use the dropdown next to that decide to shop by browsing aisles of that store instead, or based on what is popular. I stuck to the search so I wouldn’t get tempted to buy additional things I didn’t have in mind, which is usually a problem when I grocery shop in person but easy to resist when you’re shopping online.

After I was done, it asked whether I wanted delivery within 1 hour, 2 hours, or other time slots that I could select that were each one hour, either today or tomorrow, between 9am to midnight everyday (including Sunday, which is when I made my first order). For your very first order they offer free delivery, but otherwise the pricing looks like $3.99 for all the slots except the “within 1 hour” slot which is $5.99 if you spend $35 or more on groceries, or $7.99 / $9.99 “within one hour”  if you spend less then $35.
Instacart Delivery Time options

Again, that’s cheaper then if I tried to drive to Costco gas-wise, even if I did own a car. And, certainly my time is worth that I’m thinking! When I use Safeway delivery, their prices for delivery start at $9.95 for an order of $150 or more or $12.95 for less than $150, so I don’t think much of the $35 minimum that Instacart uses at all. It is much harder for me to get to $150 then $35.

I should note though that the delivery fee, and $35 total to reach the lower delivery cost, is also per store. It’s only a few dollars more if your order is less than $35 so as long as you hit the $10 minimum per store you don’t have to buy more. You will get 2 deliveries if you order from 2 stores, even though you are doing one combined but separated shopping cart.

In comparison, Safeway can only do same day delivery if you order essentially 6 hours ahead of the delivery schedule, which is not as responsive as Instacart either. I also have let my Costco membership expire, so it was great that I was still able to save money by purchasing some Costco bulk goods without having to pay for a membership myself.

Alternately, if you think you might use Instacart’s delivery service a lot, you might consider getting a membership instead of paying the delivery fee. The memberships are called “Instacart Express” and are $10/month or $95/year, and with that membership all deliveries except the “within 1 hour” one are free as long as you spend $35.

It also looks like they have a way to share your shopping cart so that can be a help in bringing up your order total.  I did not try that feature, though if you are doing that it looks like you have to define it as a shared cart at the beginning before you add items.

Also, if you don’t see something listed on the website, you can still request it – so for instance even though only the packaged croissants are listed on the Whole Foods site, since I know they almost always have these delicious cheese spinach cheese croissants at the store, I could have asked for that using that form.
Request form on the Instacart website

 

During checkout you can select whether you want substitutions on certain items and what substitution item you would want. This is more flexible then Safeway as I can actually search and select whether I want to for instance, substitute garbanzo beans with a can of black beans instead. You can add extra text to help them get to you, and also add the tip to your order directly at this point.

The Delivery

So after ordering 1:35pm, I waited for my order to be delivered around 2:40-3:40pm. I saw minutes later the names of the personal shoppers who were filling out from my virtual shopping cart into a real shopping cart!
Instacart shopping status

I got calls from both shoppers who wanted to check on whether some of the items they were able to find in the store were acceptable. For instance, whether it was ok that the Lysol pack from Costco has both Ocean and Lemon scent and not just Lemon like it showed online, or at Whole Foods the lime juice they had was a smaller bottle but also cheaper – and thankfully still enough for my juice cleanse recipes! It was nice to know they would contact me if they weren’t sure, and I got to talk to both ladies to answer their questions and explain what I needed just like I had asked a friend to pick up something for the grocery store for me.

Next, I got a text telling me that my Whole Foods delivery was on its way and an estimate of time in 30 minutes, in case I had to make myself presentable. How did they know…

The first to arrive was Whole Foods a little before 3pm, which isn’t that surprising to me as I had ordered less items. It came just as if I had gone to the store myself!
My delivery via Instacart from Whole Foods

The Costco delivery arrived around 3:20, and was even better than going myself because rather than having to deal with putting things in random boxes in the shopping cart, she had put everything in 3-4 very large reusable shopping bags, and as I emptied those in my kitchen she went and retrieved the second load for me.
My delivery via Instacart from Costco

When I checked my email, it had the final receipt that showed how much I was charged that deducted items they could not get or that in some cases there was a substitution.

Try Instacart yourself!

I would definitely try Instacart again, especially for heavier items because that is so worth the delivery fee for me, as well as my time in the grocery store. And as a non car-owner, it is much more effective then carrying it from the store myself or temporarily renting a car. I particularly love the access to Costco without having to sometimes deal with the craziness an actual visit might entail!

Would you like to try Instacart yourself?! If you don’t mind, would you consider using my referral link? As long as you spend $10, your first delivery will be free and you get a $10 credit on top of the free delivery.

I did everything on my computer at home, but they also have an app for iPhone, iPad, and Android phones, so in theory I could put together an order while commuting on the train and then come home to ingredients to make dinner, or say apologize to my cats and have a refill of cat food and litter without having to lug the boxes up my steps myself.

Currently the service area for Instacart includes Portland city limits as well as west to Beaverton and Hillsboro, south to Tigard and Lake Oswego and Milwaukie. It does not quite reach Cornelius, Sherwood, Clackamas, Happy Valley, or Gresham yet, and it does not cross over to Vancouver: see the map here. Other cities besides Portland for now are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C, so this is not a small time operation here.

Have you used Kozmo, or Instacart, or other grocery delivery services before? What do like to use, and why?

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Addy’s Sandwich Bar

August 20, 2014 by 8 Comments

I’ve dropped by Addy’s Sandwich Bar now and then since 2010, from when I first got to know them as a food cart. I think that they opened in 2009, which is also the year they also made the Oregonian’s 2009 Top 10 Food Carts.

Addy's Sandwich Bar

Since then, they’ve gone and grown up from that cart into a little brick and mortar shop located at 911 SW 10th Street… conveniently right by the central branch of the Multnomah County Library, which I still stop by to get real books to read. It’s all just the perfect walk – walk about 1 mile from my house to the library, return/retrieve more books, stop 1 block south at Addy’s to grab a baguette sandwich, walk the mile back and read while eating my sandwich and maybe a glass of wine.
Addy's Sandwich Bar - country pate + cornichons + mustard

Their storefront is bright, cheery, and still has the colors of black white and red that they brought from the food cart.

Addy's Sandwich Bar Addy's Sandwich Bar

I know it’s easy to just download a book, but I still prefer being able to turn the pages of a physical book, so I’m at the library usually twice a month. I also think it’s important to support your local libraries because they offer an important service to the community as places to meet and making resources free/cheap to anyone and everyone. I have good memories of being dropped off at the library when I was a child with my siblings and we would be there for a couple hours, just reading and reading. Sometimes I would just wander down a book shelf aisle, reading the spines, and pick a book here or there to peruse- something you just can’t do virtually.

So sometimes as I’m eating my Addy’s sandwich, I may be reading a novel that involves food. I may be reading a mystery. I may be reading a book as I plan a trip to get me in the mood for that location, or something for my book club, or something for the plane that’s a fluffy light summer fun read (which I read all year round!). Since it’s free, there is no reason I can’t just pick anything and everything, there is no cost except the time to browse.

Similarly, I have really browsed through all of Addy’s sandwiches. They are perfect to eat one-handed while reading with the other, and would be perfect for picnics or hikes and road trips as well. They are always cutely swaddled so you can gently put them in your backpack to eat in the park like I do with a book, or take it on a hike or in your picnic basket.

The sandwiches I usually get are the ones on Little T Bakery mini baguette, which means they all about 8 inches long I think, and arrive swaddled and ready to eat (like this one with chickpea spread , pickles, and romaine)
Addy's Sandwich Bar - chickpea spread + pickles + romaine sandwich on Little T Bakery baguette

They also have a handful of paninis though, as well as some on a kaiser roll, and a handful of salads and yogurt parfaits on top of that. They have a rotating soup and salad as well as breakfast sandwich option.
Inside Addy's Sandwiches at the counter Inside Addy's Sandwiches at the counter

Example sandwich combinations:

  • turkey + brie + cucumber + creme fraiche
  • house cured ham + gruyere + butter
  • country pate + cornichons + mustard
  • tuna salad + hardboiled egg
  • tomato tapenade + basil + mozzarella
  • duck confit + cranberry relish + shredded cabbage
  • cucumber + brie
  • pesto chicken salad + red onions + romaine
  • chickpea spread + pickles + romaine
    Addy's Sandwich Bar - chickpea spread + pickles + romaine sandwich on Little T Bakery baguette
  • chocolate + sea salt + olive oil

As I said, I’ve had all of these sandwiches. My favorites are the turkey brie cucumber creme fraiche, the country pate with cornichons (which I will often add brie to, and which is also pictured below), and the duck confit with cranberry relish and shredded cabbage. Also, did you notice that chocolate sandwich?
Addy's Sandwich Bar - country pate + cornichons + mustard

When they opened up their brick and mortar, I rejoiced when I saw they added lots of drink options: two pressed juices (Red Juice with  beets, grapefruit, ginger, lemon and carrots or Green Juice with kale, cucumber, lemon, parsley, jalapeno, celery and apple) and a handful of smoothies made with fruit, yogurt, and coconut water. Now if I want to not walk all the way back to my house and maybe read in the South Park Blocks, I can do that with a healthy tasty drink in hannd.
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 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

Make sure you also check the butcher block paper on the right side, which may list special sandwiches like this one I once got with brie, radish slices, mint parsley pesto on baguette. Simple, vegetarian, and delicious.
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 use all high quality local ingredients- which they all list individually at their store and website. I highly recommend stopping by to grab a sandwich before a day trip to go hiking or to the coast or to snack on al fresco in the Park Blocks or Pioneer Square.

Addy’s is open 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday and 10am to 5pm Saturdays.

Have you been to Addys? What do you think about reading physical versus virtual books,  and do you ever go to the library?

Addy's Sandwich Bar

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Portland Center Stage Show The Last Five Years Musical

June 14, 2014 by 2 Comments

Last week,  I had a really good time attending the Portland Center Stage Show Lizzie, a musical about Lizzie Borden and possible version of the events. I went with my girl friend M (I reviewed the production and my recap of the experience,  as well as shared some trivia and tips for food and drinks before or after the show here).

But, I lamented the fact I hadn’t been paying more attention to the shows and they were now ending their 2013-2014 season (during 2 months of summer July August the theater has other short events such as various staged readings you can find out at their website, rather than production runs). Luckily,  there are two theaters on Portland Center Stage,  so there is one other show available to see. This time I made it part of a date night with F. I was particularly interested when I found out that story is slightly autobiographical, and that it is currently a movie adaption in production starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan and written/directed by Richard LaGravenese.
Portland Center Stage The Last Five Years Art by Michael Buchino April 26–June 22, 2014
The Last Five Years by Portland Center Stage for 2014, Art by Michael Buchino

The Portland Center Stage Show The Last Five Years is also a musical,  and has a cast of only one man (Drew Harper as rising novelist Jamie Wellerstein), one woman (Merideth Kaye Clark as aspiring actress Cathy Hiatt), and one behind the scenes tireless pianist Eric Little during its 90 minute run time. The premise is you listen to the story from the man’s perspective going sequentially in time while simultaneously following the woman’s perspective going backwards through time in their five year relationship.
Portland Center Stage The Last Five Years Drew Harper as Jamie Wellerstein Please credit: Patrick Weishampel The Last Five Years Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown April 26–June 22, 2014 in the Ellyn Bye Studio
Portland Center Stage production of The Last Five Years, Drew Harper as Jamie Wellerstein, Photo credit: Patrick Weishampel

Because of this narrative construct,  there is only one time they are present together at the same time in both their time lines, although there are moments both are on Stage together but yet are also alone. This theme of being together yet alone is one of the many topics that arise in the story, making this a great show to discuss over drinks afterwards with other friends,  whether they are single or in a relationship. Myself, I went with a Pistachio Martini with house infused pistachio vodka, Absolut Vanilla, Midori, Half and Half and crushed pistachios at nearby Piattino after the show.
Piattino cocktail of Pistachio Martini with house infused pistachio vodka, Absolut Vanilla, Midori, Half and Half and crushed pistachios Piattino cocktail of Pistachio Martini with house infused pistachio vodka, Absolut Vanilla, Midori, Half and Half and crushed pistachios

Other topics include

  • Role of breadwinner in a couple
  • Choices between work and family
  • Value of a career in defining who you are
  • How you are told to keep trying until you succeed but also the reality of how far you can go with a dream
  • What does supporting your partner really mean
  • Where is the line between asserting for yourself and being self centered
  • Where was the missed connection or point where things could have been saved or was it doomed… And how often instead of maturely ending a relationship it seems easier to do something stupid to destroy it
  • The time is also set in the 90s, so would modern communication tools like texting and internet video calls have made a difference?
  • Although unfortunately in the production it isn’t always clear what scenes are in New York versus Ohio, the environment you live can also play a role
  • He is Jewish and she is Christian, but we didn’t know enough to talk about whether religion and upbringing also played a role

As the conversation with your date(s) continues on, or maybe even only internally with yourself, there might even be reminiscing your own history of individual failed relationships. Inevitably parts of the play will resonate with something in your own past situation.

This may make it sound like the musical is quite melancholy,  but there are also threads of excitement of the rush of love, and humor in many scenes just like the course of real life. It’s also quite amazing to see the actor and actress singing their hearts out for these 90 minutes (and on some days twice a day!), with some of the songs requiring fast lyrics that they never hesitate or tumble over. There is very little speaking so they have to communicate the story as well as the distinct character quirks all in song. In particular, Merideth Kaye Clark is insanely talented – it was hard to buy that her character was a struggling actress because Merideth is incredible. And, oh, she also has a degree in neuroscience.

Portland Center Stage production of The Last Five Years, Merideth Kaye Clark as Cathy Hiatt, Photo credit: Patrick Weishampel

Hurry though as The Last Five Years will be closing on this next Sunday June 22, so only 1 week of performances is left. Lizzie closes on the following Sunday June 29. When did Portland Center Stage become our little Off Broadway theater!??!

In the smaller more intimate studio theater space downstairs, the Ellyn Bye Studio only holds 199 and has open seating,  unlike the 590 seats assigned seating arrangements of the Gerding Theater. The doors open 30 minutes before showtime so show up early to claim your seat and then send your date to bring back your lidded drinks! They have a special cocktail for The Last Five Years (though you can order whatever you’d like, even the Lizzie cocktail of course) called Bittersweet Love Song that includes Ketel 1 Citroen, Campari, Combier Orange Liqueur, Orange Bitters, Lemon Juice, and Honey Syrup.
At Portland Center Stage, they have a special cocktail for The Last Five Years (though you can order whatever you'd like, even the Lizzie cocktail of course) called Bittersweet Love Song that includes Ketel 1 Citroen, Campari, Combier Orange Liqueur, Orange Bitters, Lemon Juice, and Honey Syrup.

Also if you can sit on the left side the doors farthest from the stairs you come down to get to the floor the theater is on. The studio can be configured in many ways depending on the stage design, and for this production the stage is in the middle like runway with seats facing in either side. It does mean that you will at least half the time be listening to the actor/actress as they are singing in profile or even their back. I felt during certain emotional scenes the actor/actresses were blocked facing towards that side more.
Portland Center Stage production of the Last Five Years

And finally,  because the actors/actresses move in and out of the small space and there is no intermission,  go to the restrooms before the show and be ready to wait 90 minutes until your next visit!

The Last Five years is Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and directed by Nancy Keystone. You can purchase tickets here. Tickets range from $30-45-55 depending on the show day and time. Performance times:

  • Tuesday – Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
  • Thursday matinees at noon

You can find Portland Center Stage (PCS) online at Facebook PDXcenterstage, Instagram @portlandcenterstage and Twitter @PCS_Armory. Also check the hashtag #pcs_LastFive! You’ll find more about Portland Center Stage shows on the PCS blog.

Disclosure: I was invited to see this production, but 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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Grand Opening: Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria

May 2, 2014 by 10 Comments

Disclosure: I was invited to a Grand Opening dinner and this meal was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. I have also been back several times since then. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

Finally, Portland has it’s own Fogo de Chão Churrascaria (authentic Southern Brazilian steakhouse)! It just opens in downtown Portland today (Friday, May 2) for dinner service, with lunch service beginning Monday, May 5.
Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland

I really liked this restaurant when I used to live in Chicago, but I haven’t been to it in years since there was no Portland location. I remember when my favorite uncle (also a huge wine lover) came to visit from Thailand, this was one of the places my family knew we were going to take him to dine.

Fogo de Chão is also how I discovered Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread that is made with sour cassava flour or tapioca flour so is also gluten-free, and is like an even better version of French gougeres because they are cheesier and chewy!) and I will forever be grateful for that.

Thankfully, Fogo de Chão has now opened this 24th location in the US in Portland! They have 9 additional locations in Brazil, where it originated when founded by brothers in Porto Alegre in 1979, though they didn’t expand into the US until 1997. They have expanding very carefully and strategically in order to continue to offer high quality food and service. I was fortunate to be able to attend their soft opening, where they literally cut the ribbon as they also provided a donation to Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and cut the ribbon with a carving knife!
Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland

The concept of the churrascaria is from the centuries-old Gaucho culture (Gaucho is a South American term similar to “cowboy”) and the Gaucho way of roasting meats over pits of open fire for barbecues at festive occasion, especially family gatherings.

Fogo de Chão grand opening with some bubbly

Here is a little bit more detail on the Gaucho way in this video: one quote I particularly thought encapsulated the philosophy is this: “We want to feed people, we want to feed you, try this, try that! what do you think about this? and we do that with passion… We want to deliver the tradition to the table”.

It’s a great story that it’s not just about a buffet of delicious meat. The video is also how I found out that it is not pronounced “Fogo de Chow” but “Fogo de Shone“.

The Fogo de Chão Portland restaurant is located in the former NikeTown space on 920 Southwest Sixth Avenue. I particularly liked that the feel of this Portland outpost has a lot more light than the darker restaurant in Chicago- it felt spacious and open, and in the back you can’t help but notice the huge wall of wine bottles.

Dining here is generally going to be a prix-fixe menu experience. You can order just the salad bar if you are a vegetarian or want to forego the meats. There are some special items that are also priced separately, and so instead of the meats you can also order some items à la carte such as a couple seafood items – just ask your main table captain/waiter. The evening we visited, they had a chilean sea bass with mango salsa, and also big shrimp cocktail. Here is our main table captain from the evening, thank you for your impeccable service.
Fogo de Chão grand opening - our table main/waiter who fetched us wines and made sure we we were doing well

Most will probably order the regular meal,  which includes all you can eat salad bar and all you can eat meat. You can visit the all you can eat salad bar with more than 40 items, such as what you see below. It clearly has more than just your typical green salads.

Some people like to start with a plate from the salad bar, others might choose to start directly with the meat and then visit the salad bar for a break. I like starting there so I can pick some veggies and cheese to have on one plate that I can eat, while simultaneously my second plate in front of me will be for the meat parade. You might also want to finish before the sweet desserts with some of the cheeses they have here!
Some of the cheeses at the Salad Bar at the Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria Some of the cheeses at the Salad Bar at the Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar Fogo de Chão grand opening in Portland- some examples of what is at the salad bar

There are some family style sides for the table such as polenta, garlic mashed potatoes and caramelized bananas.
Fogo de Chão grand opening - sides for the table of polenta Fogo de Chão grand opening - sides for the table of garlic mashed potatoes Fogo de Chão grand opening - sides for the table of caramelized bananas

Oh, and those damn cheese bread with tapioca flour (so they are gluten-free!) AND with cheese, that chewy Brazilian take on gougeres of pão de queijo. So addictive.
Fogo de Chão grand opening - that chewy Brazilian take on gougeres of pão de queijo

At the same time, the main course is delivered tableside to you. You have a  two sided card, one side red, one side green, and when you flip it over to the green side different chefs come by, each offering you one of the 16 types of meat options.

Fogo de Chão grand opening - red mean stop, green means go, serve me meat!

These meat chefs walk around all night a la espeto corrido,  or “continuous service,” so you can always have the meats available to you. It’s up to you to choose whether you want what they have, what side and how much they carve out for you. You can have as much or as little of any of the food as you wish, based on your preferences. You decide whether they stop at your table based on turning your card to the red for need a break, or green for go, ask me about meat!

If there is a certain cut you are looking for, feel free to wave a gaucho over and he’ll tell his friend or bring it to you himself. My friend and I both asked for medium rare slices of the Filet Mignon, and hers was a little more rare then mine and he remembered a few minutes later and came over to check on her and offer another less rare piece if she didn’t like it. Fortunately, I chose wisely in selecting a meat friend to bring and we both don’t mind red in our meat. Thanks for joining me S, and I still apologize for initially introducing you to a few people as a coworker rather than a friend. You ARE a friend! And, the gauchos are also our friends!
Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet

This dinner service is intended as a replication of the Gaucho way after working all day, gauchos would  gather  to grill meat in ground pits (Fogo de Chão means fire on the ground. Ha, men and meat and fire… tale as old as time). As you saw from the video, the way the gauchos and their families eat really does involve carving meat for each diner from a large skewer and community vegetables and sides. Portland’s location has an open grill kitchen so you can look through the glass and see the skewers as they are getting ready for you and as the gauchos skewer and check on them to make sure they are just right before bringing them out to serve.
Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet

I had every intention of trying to track which meats were which as they were being served to me- but they come so fast and furious, and all smell and look so good, and the gauchos are so handsome and friendly, I just kept saying yes and lost track. Ooops.
Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, a Brazilian Churrascaria offering meat buffet

The 16 cuts of meat to be looking out for:

  1. Picanha (2 versions)-  prime cut of top sirloin, either traditional light seasoning or garlic version
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Picanha (2 versions)- prime cut of top sirloin, either traditional light seasoning or garlic version
  2. Alcatra – a special Southern Brazil cut of top sirloin
  3. Filet Mignon (2 versions)- besides the traditional filet mignon cut from the beef tenderloin, there is also a bacon-wrapped version
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Filet Mignon (2 versions)- besides the traditional filet mignon cut from the beef tenderloin, there is also a bacon-wrapped version
  4. Beef Ancho –  marbled prime rib eye
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Beef Ancho
  5. Fraldinha – juicy bottom sirloin
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Fraldinha - juicy bottom sirloin
  6. Costela – beef ribs
  7. Costela de Porco-  baby back pork ribs
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Costela de Porco- baby back pork ribs
  8. Lombo – pork loin filet crusted with Parmesan cheese
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Lombo - pork loin filet crusted with Parmesan cheese
  9. Linguica – cured pork sausage
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Linguica - cured pork sausage
  10. Codeiro (2 versions)-  lamb chops or tender leg of lamb with fresh mint marinade
  11. Frango (2 versions)- chicken legs or bacon wrapped chicken breasts
    Fogo de Chão grand opening - Frango (2 versions available)- chicken legs or bacon wrapped chicken breasts

Desserts (such as Chocolate Mousse Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake, and South American Flan and ones we didn’t try like Papaya Cream, creme brulee, key lime pie and molten lava chocolate cake) are extra cost to the lunch or dinner price. I really enjoyed the South American Flan as a lighter dessert at the end after all that heavy meat.
Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, Chocolate Cake Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, South American Flan Fogo de Chão grand opening Portland, Strawberry Cheesecake Fogo de Chao dessert Fogo de Chao dessert Fogo de Chao dessert

You might also consider trying their various cocktails (also priced separately), including Brazilian cocktails- Caipirinha anyone?- only Brazil’s national cocktail comprised of cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and lime. It’s a perfect mix of the sweet and sour of a margarita with the light freshness of a mojito. They also have a tropical version that has more fruit if you wish.
Fogo de Chão grand opening - Caipirinha anyone? - only Brazil's national cocktail comprised of cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and lime. Fogo de Chão grand opening - Caipirinha anyone? - only Brazil's national cocktail comprised of cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and lime. Fogo de Chão grand opening - Tropical Caipirinha anyone?

They also have an extensive wine list of more than 200 items befitting a steakhouse, particularly they have a lot of South American wines and they have their own line of Fogo de Chão wines as well. That night we were sampling more than a few times the Fogo de Chão Malbec, which had a spicy characteristic to the wine that complimented the meat.

Fogo de Chao wine, Malbec 2013

They don’t have a happy hour and bar food menu yet (Update: now available weekdays in the bar only 4:30-6:30 PM), but I hear it is in the works if you don’t want to do the full buffet experience but still enjoy a few bites and take advantage of the delectable cocktails and fine wine selection, perhaps more details to come in the next couple weeks as they open. I was teased that one of the bar food items are sliders made with that cheesy pao de queijo bread and picanha meat! I am definitely keeping my eye out for more. I have visited Fogo many times in Chicago, and am planning to do so now here in Portland!
Fogo de Chão grand opening, pouring some of their fien wine selection Fogo de Chão grand opening, coffee cocktail to end with

You can make reservations online or by calling (503) 241-0900. Lunch service is scheduled for Monday – Friday 11:30am – 2pm | $29.50 | (Salad Bar Only – $22.50) Dinner service | $49.50 | (Salad Bar Only – $26.50) Children 6 and under are complimentary. Children 7 to 12 are half price.

  • Monday – Thursday, 5pm – 10pm
  • Friday, 5pm – 10:30pm
  • Saturday, 4:30pm – 10:30pm
  • Sunday, 4pm – 9pm

Are you interested in checking out Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria? What is enticing you- a certain cut of meat, the drinks, the salad bar?
Fogo de Chão Portland Churrascaria

Other bloggers photos/recaps, if you are interested in more!

The Good Hearted Woman

Serious Crust

A Cloth Life

Fogo de Chão Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Disclosure: I was invited to a Grand Opening dinner and this meal was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. I have been back there several times since the Grand Opening myself! The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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