Photo: Beast
Alright, friends. Todd and I are heading off to Portland next weekend and I am itching for some GREAT food. As I mentioned, we’re staying at The Nines downtown. My friends Sara and Nic tell me that the bar at the hotel (which I can only assume is the Departure Lounge) is great for people watching. The hotel is also home to Urban Farmer, which looks pretty appealing. Some other restaurants I am thinking of…..
- Beast. A must if the weekly menu appeals to us. I’ve read so damn much about this restaurant, I am very intrigued.
- Ping. Am I crazy or did one of my readers recommend this restaurant? I feel like I’ve heard of it. I am mostly intrigued that they have chicken butt skewers on their menu.
- Roux. Todd and I have an ongoing debate about roux and gravy-making. The menu looks delish.
- Olea. I might have to confirm, I think we may have already been to this restaurant.
- Clyde Common. Next to the Ace. Todd got me french fries from here after his sister and brother-in-law’s day-before-the-wedding party. They were DELICIOUS. Of course, I was drunk and it was 1am so I probably would have thought cold Burger King fries were the Best Thing Ever.
- Voodoo Doughnuts. I suspect Todd and I wouldn’t be able to get through one of these doughnuts together, but I’ve read about them in Saveur and Sara says they are too good to pass up. I mean, they have a doughnut called “cock-n-balls” shaped like a penis, how can I resist.
I know some of you are Portlanders (former and current) or have visited, so please hit me up with your very favorite places to chow.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t worry, you will survive Voodoo. If the drunk and stumbly can, so can you. The cock-n-balls is ehem, large. Go for the classic Voodoo Man or my newfound personal favorite, Gay Bar. (it’s cream filled! “Of course,” the boyfriend once said…)
Drinks must be had at Doug Fir, or La Merde (which has a full Montage menu, it’s sister restaurant). Side note – Montage is my favorite restaurant though the staff is notoriously bad, hence going straight to the bar…
Oh, if you’re going to be near Doug Fir, just east of the Willamette and Burnside Bridge, then you may like Le Pigeon. It just won a Best Restaurant of Some Sort Award. It’s French with lots of meat.
Fun fact near The Nines, the Starbucks down the street from The Nines, next to Nordstrom is the first Starbucks ever located outside Washington. :)
I hope you enjoy your trip! We are supposedly suppose to have wonderful weather! (though right now it’s overcast and mid 60′s)
- (your resident stumptowner) Bri
So unfortunately I know nothing about Portland (trip planned for September though!), but I can strongly recommend the eat.shop guides (eatshopguides.com) for awesome travel guide books. I’ve used them for six different cities and always been happy. She only recommends locally owned restaurants and shops, and they’re always really cool, unique places. If you get the chance to pick one up, I’d suggest it. Have fun and I look forward to hearing about it.
Awww…I just visited Portland (my former home for several years) last week and lugged home several pounds of Stumptown coffee beans.
My husband and I went to Ping and loved it. I had some of their skewers, but I think my husband’s dish was even better – it was something with duck. I would also agree with Bri that Le Pigeon is really a great restaurant. It’s tiny with an open kitchen, very non-pretentious for fancy French cuisine. I had a dessert there, can’t remember exactly what it was, but it combined maple ice cream with bacon crumblings and possible cornbread. Too die for!
If you like brunch, then I would also recommend Mother’s, Veritable Quandary, or Bijou Café.
i’ll be in PDX next week!! keep the suggestions coming!
Best breakfast in Portland (especially if you’ve had a late night before) is at Genie’s. Not much to look at, but Stumptown coffee, amazing mimosas (try the fresh squeezed tangerine), and a host of vegetarian options beyond just the standard veggie omelette. I never visit Portland for more than a day withouth going there. They have an extensive non-veggie menu as well.
http://www.geniescafepdx.com/
oh! Breakfast! I totally forgot!
I just went to the best breakfast diner/hole in the wall. On NW 24th and Quimby, there is the best pancake joint ever. The Stepping Stone. I had to flip a coin between their banana nut bread french toast and their cinnamon roll french toast (both breads homemade). Their pancakes are INCREDIBLE. Both in taste and size. Be ready.
And, if you are feeling like traveling outside the city center – look up Fat Albert’s or Bertie Lou’s in Sellwood or Cup and Saucer on Hawthorne. You will leave full and happy.
Alright, that’s all I can think of without making myself too hungry…
McMennamin’s (sp?) schoolhouse is awesome. And fun to run around in. You feel like a kid cutting class sneaking around the halls. And there is another great breakfast place in the Pearl called the Byways Cafe (I think). Great greasy spoon where you sit at the counter and are waited on by lovely hipster boys who bring mountains of pancakes and piping hot coffee.