My Food Worlds Collide

I know, I know, I was so ambitious and started 2015 with a blogging bang. And then...I took a four month hiatus but I promise, it was for good reason! At the end of February, I took a new kick ass job working with three great restaurants in SE Portland. The opportunity to work closer with food and beverage was a no brainer. The Portland food and beverage culture is amazing and I am lucky to work with such a welcoming and creative community of people.

With that said, I will try to share more of my eating adventures in the city but forgive me if I spam you with the food and drink happenings out on SE Division. Now I have even MORE access to the 411 on Portland events, so I will keep sharing the details! Check out the latest post on do503.com about my obsession with pizza...as if you didn't already know.

Here is a quick snapshot of all the goodness we have going on at The Woodsman Group.

The Woodsman Tavern

Ava Gene's




Roman Candle Baking Co.

I look forward to sharing more adventures with you!

A Benedict to Remember at Olympic Provisions

Why has it taken me this long to have brunch at Olympic Provisions? I know I have told you about the SE location for dinner but now it is time to tell you about the NW location for brunch. One of my goals this year is to walk more...anywhere and everywhere. Sunday seems to be the easiest day for me to do this. I decided to head towards Industrial NW Portland and just happened to be passing Olympic Provisions. Coincidence they opened at the EXACT moment I walked by? I don't think so. Brunch was my destiny for the day. 

I was the first one in the restaurant but that didn't last long. The server was great, super helpful and offered great recommendations. She said all the Benedicts were great but specifically called out the traditional and the prime rib. Since it was my first time, I went for the traditional. HELLO...delicious. Honestly, my new favorite in Portland. The hollandaise sauce was flavorful but was not too rich. The ham was sweet with a little crisp and the eggs were poached to perfection. Oh and the potatoes...yeah, those are special. A layered potato situation made in an onion reduction...Chef's speciality. Similar to a gratin, with the layer potatoes, but just so much better. 

I think Olympic Provisions is a Portland staple and consistently I leave satisfied. Next time I am trying those chilaquiles...for sure. My server was kind enough to let me run back to the kitchen for a photo (my apologies to the patron waiting for their food...had to get the shot, duh.)

Also, a nice spot to visit solo because there is bar seating and seating near the window suitable for the "one top." It was a gloomy day so I don't have any beautiful views to report, but it was nice to have a window seat.

If you are feeling fancy after brunch, walk over to Steven Smith Tea for a yummy tea tasting too.

Olympic Provisions - Northwest

1632 NW Thurman Street

Portland, Oregon

503-894-8136 

open mon 11am - 3pm | tues- fri 11am - 10pm | sat & sun 10am brunch! 

Finally...P.R.E.A.M at Ned Ludd

I have to say...Ned Ludd has been on my list for a long time but I never found a huge desire to get to their restaurant, until....Pizza Monday. I heard about PREAM from a friend and figured I would check it out eventually, because yes, pizza rules everything around me. 

Ned Ludd has been bringing in red and white checkered table clothes and playing the awesome throwback R&B tunes for about a year now. PREAM makes Portland Mondays a little bit better. 

There was no wait and we got a table quickly. The menu is simple with a few salads, pizzas and recently added...pasta! We went for a spinach mushroom pasta and a sausage pizza with a béchamel sauce and chile oil. Not your traditional pizza, but definitely delicious. The popular pizza was the traditional Margherita and I WISH we would have gotten it. Gah...it looked so fabulous. Shocking...I wanted basil, tomatoes and mozzarella. 

If you have a larger group, don't worry because they also serve pizza in their private space, Elder Hall, right next door! 

It is a great spot and the perfect way to start your week. Ned Ludd is cozy with a visible wood fire oven and rustic ambiance. Their team brings out your order as it is ready so a fun place to go for sharing. You all know me...I LOVE sharing. 

               

               

Ned Ludd

3925 NE MLK Blvd 

Portland, Oregon 

503.288.6900

pizza monday | 5pm - close

open tues - sun 5pm - close | sun brunch 9am - 2pm

*Check out this article about PREAM - you might not have to wait until Mondays anymore. New space opening in SE Portland dedicated to pizza.

Muselet Restaurant & Wine Bar - October Wine Dinners

It is time to get fancy! South Waterfront will be the home of a new restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Muselet Restaurant & Wine Bar will open their doors in December but until then, you can attend one of their champagne wine dinners at Jacobson Salt Co. in just a couple weeks. Guess who has EXCLUSIVE details? This girl!

Muselet will feature French-influenced cooking from Chef William Harper, a veteran of several of Portland's finest restaurants, with a food-pairing focus on Champagne and regional sparkling wines. This new restaurant and wine bar is a perfect match for me because I love bubbles and I don't need a special occasion to drink them.

Once this 80 seat restaurant (+ seasonal patio seating!) is open, then I will share my experience but for now, check out one of these three opportunities for a sneak preview!

October 24th - Celebrate International Champagne Day!

• Hors d’oeuvres and six courses, each paired with Champagne.
• Four producers of Récemment Dégorgé (prestige) ‘grower’ Champagnes from France will be in attendance and seated among guests:
• Rodolphe Péters, Champagne Pierre Peters
• Arnaud Margaine, Champagne A. Margaine
• Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy, Champagne Rene Geoffroy
• Laetitia Billiot, Champagne H. Billiot Fils. 

Location: Jacobsen Salt Co. 602 SE Salmon St, Portland
$150 per person, including wine pairings, excluding gratuity. Limited seating.

October 25th - Hommage to the Greatest Champagne Houses in the World

• Hors d’oeuvres and six courses, each paired with Champagnes from the prestige cuvée of Moët Hennessy, including Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, 
• House of Ruinart, House of Krug and Dom Pérignon. Representatives from Moët Hennessy will be present

Location: Jacobsen Salt Co. 602 SE Salmon St, Portland
$150 per person, including wine pairings, excluding gratuity. Limited seating.

October 31st, 4-6:30pm - Bubbles & Treats Halloween Sparkling Wine Hour

• Start your Halloween celebration with us! Guests will taste a selection of the Veuve Cliquot and sparkling wines from around the world. Enjoy generous hors d’oeuvre ‘treats’.
• Special selection of bubbles will be available for purchase.
• Most creative costume will receive dinner for two to Muselet.

Location: Umpqua Bank, South Waterfront, 3606 SW Bond Ave, Portland
$35 per person. Limited tickets available.

Reservations: ron@museletpdx.com or 503-706-4671

Tillamook's BRUNCH VILLAGE at Feast Portland

It has officially been one week since Feast Portland's Tillamook Brunch Village and I think I am finally coming off the food high. This is the first year for Brunch Village and it was similar to the Grand Bounty Tasting...but better...because it was all centered around pastries, biscuits and morning cocktails. Portland puts a priority on their "brunching" so it is only fitting that there is a Feast event dedicated to this meal.

We started with Country Cat's bacon birch syrup cinnamon roll and what a way to start off the morning! I could have eaten two of these little pieces of heaven but knew it would be wise to save my stomach for another sweet treat. We wondered over to one of Stumptown's three stations and found cold brew on Nitro. Then, it was time for a Bloody Mary from Whole Foods and a grapefruit mimosa from the Bon Appétit Magazine tent. The Bloody Mar bar was insane...so many hot sauces and garnishes. Typically this is not my cocktail of choice, but with that spread, I had to make one!

Cream puffs on cream puffs at the Travel Oregon booth. Oh and the Eclairs were pretty tasty too.

Last, I finished with Pine State Biscuit's fried chicken sandwich was bacon and sweet apple butter. I have been craving a full size biscuit sandwich since I tried this sweet and savory sample.

The only item I feel I really missed out on was Los Angeles' Egg Slut's bacon kimchi rice with a poached egg and other goodness. They were poaching eggs on site...so impressive and the presentation looked incredible. Check out Union Wine Company's Instagram post and you will know what I am talking about.

I hope Feast Portland brings back Brunch Village next year because I am definitely attending again. In fact, I have already recruited a handful of foodies to join me!

For details on next year's Four Day Party for your Mouth, follow Feast Portland - @feastpdx and #feastpdx. 

See you next September 17th - 20th! 

BBQ again? Smokehouse 21 in NW Portland

Yes yes...we went for BBQ...again. We can't seem to get enough of it this summer and when I saw this article on Portland's best ribs, it naturally prompted us to take a stroll to the Alphabet District and try Smokehouse 21. We have probably walked by this place a dozen times and have never noticed it. It is a small restaurant with a sign up high, so be sure to look for it. I believe they have a sandwich board and outdoor seating now so you can keep an eye out for that too. 

Although the restaurant is small, the menu definitely isn't. There are a variety of sandwiches, entrees, sides and menu items that can be ordered a la carte. We both ordered entrees with two sides each and of course, I made sure we did not duplicate on side dishes. :)

                     

                    

I have learned that ordering a starter or appetizer at a BBQ joint is never necessary because of the amount of food you get, but when am I EVER practical when it comes to food? So, I started with the bacon molasses cornbread with honey butter syrup. I blame Dylan because he ordered a deviled egg with a big ol' piece of sausage on top and I definitely couldn't let him eat alone. 

Our combined order was pulled pork, brisket, cole slaw, mac n' cheese, potato salad and baked beans. I have the hardest time ordering anything but pulled pork and wasn't disappointed. Dylan said the brisket was some of the best he has had - even better than Podnah's Pit in NE Portland! It was tender and smoky with a lot of flavor. All their meat is served dry so you can add sauce to your liking. I went for the classic Texan-style sauce but they have many others to choose from. 

cornbread

pulled pork, baked beans, slaw

mouth full, in his happy place for sure

Next time we visit, we will definitely try the spare ribs and their house Bloody Mary. 

Smokehouse 21

413 NW 21st. 

Portland, Oregon 

971.373.8990

open 7 days a week | 11:30am - close | happy hour daily 3pm - 6pm

The FEASTING begins! #feastpdx

We have had such a beautiful summer this year and I can't think of a better way to end it than celebrating Oregon's incredible bounty. Feast Portland is three days of eating and drinking anything and everything you can imagine. This celebration takes over the city with chef speaker series, grand tasting, dinner series, a night market and my NEW favorite - Brunch Village. Stay tuned because I will be sharing my brunch experience with you with lots of photos after the event. Although this event is sold out, there are many still available over the weekend.

via feastportland.com

It is not to late to purchase tickets to the following events:

Friday, September 19th

MAIN EVENT: 

Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting at Pioneer Square - I mean...just go. For only $60, it is basically all the food and drink you can eat. GREAT food, awesome atmosphere and five hours long!

TASTING PANELS: 

Chardonnay is for Lovers - Does Oregon have Chardonnay? Why yes they do...this event features some wonderful whites from Evening Land, Bergstrom, Chehalem and four other wineries! 

A Walk on the Sour Side - sour beers are all the rage right now and if you haven't tried them, now is your time!

Negroni O'Clock - Exploring Negroni cocktails BEFORE noon? Yes, you can have a bitter cocktail in the morning, afternoon or night. There is a mention of pureed local peach cocktail...yum. 

Saturday, September 20th 

MAIN EVENT: 

Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting at Pioneer Square 

High Comfort at The Nines - this event sounds like a blast. High end comfort food and a chic hotel? Yes and yes... prepared by 20 Chefs with Oregon's top winemakers. 

TASTING PANELS: 

Beans & Booze  - Yes, beans...coffee beans! Mixing booze and your favorite coffee to create some incredible cocktails! 

Tastes Great. Less Filling - go taste the best new lagers! For the light craft brew drinker, come try some new ales from Worthy Brewing and Michigan Founders Brewing Co. 

You can download the full schedule PDF here. 

Cheers! 

Date Night at Olympic Provisions

A few weeks ago, I was in the mood to try a Portland favorite - Olympic Provisions. Since this is a "meat" place, I knew it wouldn't take much to convince Dylan to go. We ended up having the perfect summer date night in SE Portland at the bar, overlooking the open kitchen.

We started with charcuterie, since this is their speciality. Olympic Provisions charcuterie is served in many Portland restaurants so we decided the Chef's selection of five meats was the way to go. Let the experts pick their favorites, right? We both loved the spice of the chorizo.The charcuterie board also came with some tasty pickled vegetables too. Did you know they have a Master Pickler? 

For dinner, I ordered something vegetarian, which I thought was funny. It was gnocchi with lemon, scallions and some other yummy flavors. The sauce was creamy and those little potato dumplings were cooked to perfection. Dylan had the braised beef short rib and it fell off the bone. This seems to be a staple on their menu but they change up the set depending on what sides are in season. 

The SE location is in an industrial area, but the inside of the building is comfortable and nice. It is an open concept with lots of windows and high ceilings. There were couples, families and larger parties dining. Even a classy looking group of men for a bachelor party. :)

There are two Olympic Provision locations, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. They describe the locations "as siblings, sharing the same lineage but each has their own identity." I just love that.



Our next visit will probably be for brunch at the NW location because we have heard it is just as lovely in the mornings as it is in the evening. Of course, if you can't make it to a restaurant, Olympic Provisions sells their goodness in many local stores - Whole Foods, New Season and Fred Meyer.

Olympic Provisions (Southeast)

107 SE Washington Street

Portland, Oregon

503.894.8136

Olympic Provisions (Northwest)

1632 NW Thurman Street

Portland, Oregon

503.954.3663

open lunch, midday and dinner | saturday & sunday brunch | see hours online

Tapas at Ataula

It was my month to select the restaurant for the Supper Club and I went for tapas! I love tapas and family-style dining because you can try so many different dishes. Ataula may not be the best place to go starving because the small plate prices add up quickly, but, sort of the nature of tapas. None the less, it was delicious and I would go back in a second!

We tried several dishes, including the potatoes bravas which required intensive prep time. Our server told us all about the hours of prep it takes for these beautiful little fried potatoes and I devoured them in less than a minute. Of course I loved them, but wished they were topped with an egg like many other tapas places do. The paella was also tasty and the largest dish we had that evening. They offer a couple different varieties of paella and we went for the most traditional.

Last, we ended with dessert, which I don’t always order at restaurants. It is not because I don’t LOVE dessert, I am usually just way to full. There were donuts on this menu, so naturally, I looked to my friends and asked if they wanted to share. THANK HEAVENS we did because it came with FOUR donuts. I was thinking it was going to be these little beignets, one-bite guys and no, we got four wonderful cinnamon and sugar donuts.

Overall the service was great and the food was creative and delicious. Ataula offers all kinds of specials so I know if we go back again, there will be something new to try. I wish I could carry on about the cocktails but my I.D. was M.I.A so no drinks for me.  I swear, I am never carded until the time I DON’T have my license. Figures.

Ataula is located on NW 23^rd PLACE, which is not actually on NW 23^rd Avenue but tucked back off of Thurman Street. 

Check it out for yourself...and please, let me know how the cocktails are! 

Ataula

1818 NW 23rd Pl

Portland, OR 97210

503.894.8904

dinner tuesday - sunday 4:30pm - 10pm | sunday brunch 10am - 2pm 

Some Supper Club Action at Podnah's

Dining out isn't nearly as wonderful unless you have some great company with good conversation. The Supper Club adventures continue! My coworkers and I  really appreciate night out since we are in the industry of food, wine and hospitality. Remember our trip to Biwa? Well the fun continues on the East Side, but now we head way up North to Podah's Pit.

hey podnah

 Driving to NE Portland during rush hour traffic is not an ideal situation and I have little patience for it when I have an empty stomach. Skipping lunch was a poor choice. Anyway...Podnah's is located on NE Killingsworth which is a part of the city that has transformed in the last few years. This area hasn't always been the most desirable place for diners like myself to venture to, but now, there are awesome dining spots getting lots of attention. Check out this month's Portland Monthly edition and you will see what I mean.

Alright...off my tangent. Podnah's Pit specializes in Texas-style barbecue. They serve lunch and dinner daily with a Southern brunch available on Saturday and Sunday. We chose a perfect day to visit Podnah's because it was fried chicken day. Take note people...Wednesday is fried chicken day after 5pm. Get it while you can because once it's gone, it's gone. This goes for all of their smoked meats too.

sorry Daniel. 

Dylan thought a Mickey's grenade was a good idea. 

Since it is impossible to decide what smoked selection to choose from, we obviously opted to share the Pit Boss. It has a little bit of everything on it - brisket, pulled pork, ribs, sausage, corn bread and two sides. Our side dishes were potato salad and the featured side, green chile mac n' cheese. The best part about our meal was...we ordered another half rack of ribs. Totally not necessary. I guess that means we liked it? As for me, the pulled pork was my favorite because it was a little spicy and not too saucy.

We had a great time and I know we will be back for their true Southern breakfast.

Podnah's Pit

1625 NE Killingsworth 

Portland, Oregon

503.281.3700

open mon - fri 11am | breakfast - sat & sun 9am - 1pm

It is almost here - Feast Portland!

I said it once and I will say it again...I am not missing this fabulous event.

Feast Portland is less than two weeks away and tickets are selling out quickly! This is Portland's premier event for food and beverage with participating Chefs and culinary experts from all around the city. Take a look at the event list for more details.

This year, you will find me at the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting on Friday, but don't be surprised if you see me bouncing around other parts of the city for other events.

via Feast 

The brunch series look incredible so I might have to pull the trigger and purchase a ticket. Like I said, I will go broke before I miss out on all this goodness. I mean a brunch bike ride? Can you get any more Portland than that? A few of the Portland restaurant participants are Ned Ludd and Clyde Common, but you can check out the whole line-up when you buy your tickets.

Stay tuned for more updates on Feast. Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below!

*sponsored post.

Mexican Flair at Verde Cocina - Pearl District

I have now been to Verde Cocina twice, once for dinner and again for brunch. We were equally impressed and both visits we ordered the fresh guacamole and handmade corn tortillas. These are honestly the best corn tortillas ever...no joke. Soft, fresh and served warm. You think chips are addicting at mexican restaurants? Wait until you try these tortillas and then come talk to me.

Every day, they feature a handful of speciality menu items and we haven't been disappointed with the selections. For dinner, we went for the taco trio (see chalkboard photo below) and some delicious molé enchiladas. Our brunch excursion lead us to the chorizo breakfast tacos with a cabbage slaw and the ever popular, huevos rancheros. In case you were wondering, they both come with the fresh corn tortillas. 

Not only do they offer fresh food menu items but their libations are made with fresh juices and purees. For their weekend brunch, they offer $5 drinks including a housemade Bloody Mary/Maria. The mimosa of the day was the peach mimosa with fresh peach juice and the special margarita was made with strawberry purée.  Can't wait to see what they are offering next time! 

huevos rancheros 

This is a great spot for brunch, lunch or dinner and hopefully we can check out their other location off Capitol Hwy too! Enjoy!

Verde Cocina

524 NW 14th between Glisan & Hoyt

503.894.9321 

open seven days a week | daily happy hour 3 - 5:30pm

Biwa, Biwa...I love Biwa.

I am lucky I have friends that like to eat.

In fact, we figured it was time to start a Super Club to make it more official. The inspiration came after a stop at Biwa and after three hours of yummy, delicious Japanese cuisine, we were rolling ourselves out of the restaurant. It is a small, cozy spot with limited seating and a very small bar. Like any Portland restaurant, there was a wait but it was well worth it. I know, I know, I always say that but seriously, SO worth it.

For the first time anywhere, I ordered a chef's tasting menu or as they called it, "Omakase," which is a Japanese term for "I'll leave it to you." Why the heck don't I do this every time? It was delicious and I loved all the dishes except for one...out of 10+ dishes, that is fine by me. The service was wonderful and our server repeated herself on numerous occasions. I wish I could remember her name so I could properly thank her.

Two things I fell in love with that night: butterfish sashimi and honey glazed sweet potatoes. No, I did not eat them together but yes, I did eat every last last bite. Thank goodness for my kind friends, letting me eat the last bite of both dishes.

chili popcorn to start

chef's choice starter

napa cabbage salad

butterfish, beets, wasabi

honey glazed sweet potatoes

japanese style potato salad & gyoza (dumplings) 

If you are looking at the menu, don't let the Japanese items intimidate you. The servers will guide you and I guarantee they won't steer you wrong. I recommend family-style dining (shocking, I know) because the chef's tasting menu works great for sharing. Other diners ordered their own meals too so if you rather go that route, that works too!

Last, I will you with some insider information about Biwa. Apparently, the Biwa hamburger is incredible and it is only available on their late night menu at the bar. It can highly recommended by more than one person. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Biwa

215 SE 9th Avenue

Portland, Oregon

503.239.8830

open everyday 5pm - 12am | happy hour 5 - 6pm & 9 - 10pm