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! 

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! 

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.

Midwestern Cuisine from Savoy Tavern

Thanks to Portland's Drink Deck, we discovered Savoy Tavern on SE Clinton Street. We decided to pick a restaurant on the Eastside since we were heading to the Trailblazer's exhibition game against Golden State.

We arrived around 5pm so we had plenty of time for happy hour! Pretty easy to find a seat at that time, but it did start to fill up around 5:45pm. It wasn't packed for a Friday so I imagine any night of the week would be great for happy hour. The menu was excellent...never been to a restaurant themed around food from the Midwest. Lots of Wisconsin cheddar cheese...even fried cheese curds!

The atmosphere was low-key and really fulfilled the "hip hangout" category as Drink Deck described it. My favorite touches were the copper mugs and the old fashion bar accessories. The "L-shaped" bar was built with dark wood and a mirrored liquor display to feature all their bottles, including the array of whiskeys. It was a rainy afternoon and we enjoyed our meal in a cozy booth lit by a single tall candle.

For dinner we both opted for the burger...go figure. It was served on a delicious Grand Central brioche bun and I ordered the side salad with basil vinaigrette. Are you surprised? Yes, that was BASIL vinaigrette. While we waited for our burgers, we ordered the Tavern Board, which was tasty. It only came with one type of salami and one type of cheese, which was a bit disappointing. Really, that was my only complaint because I love trying different cured meats and cheeses.

Last, go for the cocktails. YUM! I had the Milwaukee Mule and wanted to go back for a second. It was a ginger infused vodka with lime and ginger beer in a copper mug! Very creative drinks and I imagine most of them are inspired from the Midwest.

Savoy Tavern

2500 SE Clinton St.

Portland, Oregon

503.808.9999

open daily by 4pm | happy hour 4  - 6pm

Can't wait until next year...Feast Portland.

Dear Feast Portland,

I wish I could have met you and all of your friends.

Can't wait until next year...I will go broke before I miss out on such a great event.

Mark it on your calendars for next year...Portland's ultimate "foodie" event.

http://www.eatmagazine.ca/feast-portland-portland-puts-on-the-show-of-the-year/

@feastpdx

September 20, 21 & 22nd 2013.

via

Willamette Valley: Carlton Bakery

Portland is lucky to have a local bakery or coffee house on every corner and I wish we had more places like this in the Willamette Valley. Fortunately, we are getting closer with new places like,Carlton Bakery. It is about a 25 minute drive from Newberg, on the back roads of Hwy 240, but it is well worth it! The route is scenic, through beautiful farmland, and the pastries are absolutely divine!

This husband/wife duo recently opened this bakery for their love of perfect pastries and even better baguettes. Neither of them had culinary or baking experience but fell in love with a bakery in Japan and knew that it was time for a career change. Tim would wake up early each morning and head to the local bakery to learn how to make the baked goods from scratch. With lots of practice and a couple years of baking classes, Tim and his wife, Ahmee, decided it was time to open their own bakery! They settled on an old gas station, which had since been converted to The Filling Station Deli. Eventually, they decided to change the name to "Carlton Bakery." The old garage was renovated into a working kitchen and their dream of making fresh pastries, baguettes and croissants came true!

Since I have a problem making decisions when it comes to food, I tried a little sample of everything. The BLT sandwich, on their house made baguette with Carlton Farms bacon, is fantastic. They even have a simple, French baguette with cheese and ham that makes you feel like you are traveling abroad. Do not get me started on the pastries, please. I tried the fruit tart, sesame pastry, croissant and the chocolate croissant. No, I did not eat them all to myself. But next time, I am going back for the walnut bread...and some other Gorgonzola pastry that looked fabulous.

Carlton Bakery

305 W Main Street

Carlton, Oregon

503.852.6687

open Wednesday - Sunday 

Check out their Facebook page for more photos.

Allison Wonderland - food, wine & art event

So, I have to make a plug for a fabulous event at The Allison Inn & Spa, next Saturday August 6th. This is the first annual Allison Wonderland, an upscale farmer's market featuring local food, wineries and artists.

The Allison Inn & Spa has partnered with Lexus Luxury Cars to showcase a series of new events. This first event, Allison Wonderland, will kick off the series with some fine food, great wine, live music and a variety of different artistic media. It is going to take place throughout the gardens and on the walking paths around The Allison. 

Event Info

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

5:30 - 11pm

$100 per person

Take a look here to see a complete list of all the wineries, purveyors, artists and a sample menu!

R.S.V.P to the event

Eugene's Finest - Uly's Taco Shack

So, it wouldn't be fair unless I wrote about the one and only campus taco stand in Eugene, Oregon. Uly's is parked conveniently between two of the most active campus bars at The University of Oregon. The menu is easy...tacos and more tacos, for only $2 each. It is fair to say I have had my share of these tacos, sometimes at dinner hour and other times at 2:00am. There is generally a long line of students waiting for a carnitas, steak or chicken taco on Friday and Saturday nights.

Line at Uly's on a Friday

You can order the tacos individually or as a Trifecta - one each with a different kind of meat. It is funny because after midnight and a few Long Island Iced Teas, people insist on ordering the $6 Trifecta because it is the best deal. Interesting since the single tacos are $2 and the 3 taco Trifecta is $6. Yes, you can do the math.

But, no matter what time of the day, these tacos rock! They are loaded with a meat of your choice, cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro and a tasty sauce. These tacos would give the Mexican food carts in Portland a run for their money.

Next time you are in Eugene cheering on the Ducks, check out Uly's!

Here is a link to their Facebook page. Enjoy!

Girl's Night Out at Cha Taqueria!

My girlfriends and I were long overdue for a girls night out, so we deciding on a happy hour at Cha! What a great outdoor dining destination on 21st and Everett. This restaurant is perfect for summer time because it has a fantastic outdoor ambiance. There are tables lining the streets, but also an entire covered area with a neat fountain as the focal point (it was not running tonight, but I imagine it would be really cool).


If you couldn't already tell by the name, the cuisine is Mexican. It is authentic with fresh, organic ingredients. Our waitress brought us out chips to start, but with a flare. It was a pile of blue corn tortilla chips with black beans, mexican cheese and guacamole on top. A very nice change from the traditional chips and red salsa.



Next, we ordered our drinks and we all got margaritas (of course), but not the traditional margarita - a hibiscus margarita! This was their daily special and I was sold the minute she said it. I am not a huge fan of the traditional margarita but I loved the sound of this one. $5 on their happy hour menu, which I thought was a pretty good deal. Also, for those who are not a fan of tequila, they will substitute it for another type of liquor.



For our food, we all ordered different small plates. We started with the chicken and potato taquitos. I have never had potatoes in Mexican food, but such a nice flavor with the salsa verde. I ordered the enchiladas de mole poblano and then the others ordered picaditas, nachos and pastor tacos (pastor is pork).

My enchiladas were pretty good, but I wish there were some more garnishes. It was just a chicken filling topped with onions and cilantro. Although, the mole sauce was very delicious - it was a perfect combination of rich chocolate and peppery spice. The nachos were a good size and came with pork or vegetarian. The corn chips have got to me homemade, they were so crunchy and fresh. I did not try the picaditas but they were loaded with sauteed vegetables and served on corn cakes. A great option for a vegetarian. The tacos also looked delcious, but spicy (take a look at the picture - covered in yummy red sauce).



Overall - great for outdoor seating, vegetarian options, service was great, happy hour with food and drink specials

Cha Taqueria and Bar

305 Northwest 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97209-1141
(503) 295-4077

Happy Hours

Monday - Thursday 4-6
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 3-6
Late night Friday & Saturday 10 - 12

Fresh Ingredients from Beaverton Farmer's Market

We are approaching the middle of July and I FINALLY made it the Beaverton Farmer's Market . For a food lover, I was long overdue, especially since I live ten minutes away from one of the best farmer's markets in the NW. I decided to go in the morning with my mom and sister before I had to head to work - bad idea. I say this because I spent so long sampling and buying fresh ingredients that I hardly left enough time to do anything with them!

Beaverton Farmer's Market - located on SW Hall Blvd between 3rd and 5th Streets

SATURDAYS 5/8/10 - 10/30/10 8am - 1:30pm WEDNESDAYS 6/16/10 - 8/25/10 3pm - 6pm

We ended up walking around for a couple hours, saw the entertainment and ate plenty of samples. We tried some many tasty things - like homemade jams, breads and juices. There were also a few stands with incredible bouquets of flowers (next time I am taking my camera). After all the walking around, we left with the following: fresh tomatoes on the vine, red onions, cilantro, basil, garlic, a macadamia butter spread and a loaf of Dave's Killer Bread.

By favorite purchase was our basil - it was only $1 for a bunch from a vendor from the Yakima Valley. Such a deal! You cannot get that price anywhere, unless you grow it yourself!

So the plan was to make fresh pico de gallo but I also wanted to make caprese with my basil. So, I had to stop at the store for a couple of items (jalapeno, lemon and lime).

SO delicious and I cannot wait to go back this Saturday! Go check it out - the weather is going to be beautiful this weekend. It is a great place for families too!

A SE Portland Neighborhood Fav - Lauro Kitchen

Tonight I decided to take an outing over to SE Portland with my friend Will to visit Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen. I don't venture over to Southeast very often, but I know there are some fantastic restaurants over there, especially on Division Street. In fact, we drove right by Pok Pok, which is one of the many places I have been told to try.

When we arrived to the restaurant, we stood in the small waiting area behind a curtain in front of the main entrance. The restaurant had an open kitchen with counter seating for diners to watch the chefs in action. The rest of this bistro-inspired restaurant was also open so you could see the chefs cooking and the bartenders mixing from any seat in the house. A blackboard wall, adjacent to the bar, listed all the nightly specials and the rotating beers on tap. This place had a great vibe and is a neat place for locals to walk to for a fresh and flavorful meal.



The menu has a Mediterranean flare, but is not traditional, authentic Mediterranean food, as written on their Web site - "offering seasonal, locally sourced dishes inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean region." We had a hard time ordering because everything looked so good. The menu offered lamb, chicken, beef, salmon and other seafood dishes. Visiting a place like this reminds me that I could never be a vegetarian. With that said, I ordered the short ribs with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Will ordered the Lauro burger with Dry Aged Jack and Pommes Frites. We decided we better split each meal so we could taste a little of both. But first, we tried the Tender Fried Calamari with Portuguese Piri Piri Sauce. I was so proud of Will, it was his first time eating calamari and he actually had more than one piece!



When our entrees came, I ate the short ribs first and oh my gosh...the best short ribs I have ever eaten! They were so tender and cooked to perfection. The flavor was sweet and paired nicely with the savory mashed potatoes. Then, Will and I traded and I ate the rest of the burger. It was also good, especially with the jack cheese, but it did not blow me away like the short ribs. But, I did learn, you can get the Lauro burger and the calamari on the happy hour menu for close to half price!

I look forward to going back to this restaurant because I want to try the Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast. In the meantime though, I will be visiting one of Chef David Machado's other restaurants in the area, Nel Centro and Vindalho. I look forward to eating at Vindalho because I have never tried Indian cuisine before.

Go check out Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen at 3377 SE Division #106, Portland, OR 97202

503.239.7000

Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Let me know what you think!

Cafe Nell - Nob Hill Happy Hour

I figure it has been way to long since I have written about a good happy hour in town. Last Friday I had a date with two of my best friends and we wanted to try a new place for happy hour. After flipping through my Portland Happy Hour Guidebook (which I do not use nearly enough), I came across Cafe Nell in NW Portland.

What a cute place! The bar area is not very big, only about five or six tables and a bar top. We were seated right away because we were there early in the evening, but I can see this place filling up quickly!

The drink menu was wonderful with a wide selection of different cocktails. The berry lemonade cocktail sounded incredible, but of course I went with a Belgium beer on tap. I could not pass up a refreshing Hoegaarden. I am regretting not trying that cocktail though. Looks like I have to go back...too bad. :) So yes, a few beers on tap and some by the bottle as well. I peaked at the wine list and it was extensive with a selection of Oregon wines as well as others from the Pacific Northwest.

As for the food menu - prices ranged from $1 (bread service) to $12 (steak and fries), but the average was about $4. We ordered the cheese plate to start which came with a smoked bleu cheese, Tillamook sharp white cheddar, apple slices, baguette slices and almonds. Yum! Next we ordered the chicken skewers with a black bean/corn salsa and sliders (BBQ Bacon and Cheddar). The sliders are small (go figure) but are tasty. The bacon was cooked to perfection! Each order of chicken skewers comes with two skewers on a bed of salsa...I only had a bite, but the chicken had nice flavor. Last, we had a craving for one more thing...fries. It was not on the menu but we had to ask. To our surprise, they do serve fries for $2 at happy hour, but it is not on the restaurant menu. So, if you are in the mood for some salty goodness...ask for the fries.

We spent over two hours at this happy hour and had a wonderful time. It was rainy and gloomy outside, but we were warm and cozy inside. Our service was fantastic and the waiters were very friendly. They took great care of us and we never had empty glasses. We were not disappointed...the perfect place for a date or just a girls night out.

Cafe Nell on NW 20th and Kearney

Happy Hours:

3 – 6 Tuesday – Friday

4 – Close Saturday

Click here for their happy hour menu (please note that this is slightly different than the one in the restaurant and their menu is subject to change). But do ask about their $2 drafts...it is on the drink menu in the restaurant but not online.

This must be meant for me - Downtown Portland Dining Month!

Oh my! Take a look at this great deal. For the month of June, several restaurants are taking part in Downtown Portland Dining Month. 3 courses for $25. You can't beat that. I think this deal was meant for me!

Click on the this link and check out some of the restaurants participating in Downtown Portland Dining Month -http://www.downtownportland.org/diningmonth/

Some listed are - Saucebox, Kell's Irish Pub, Red Star Tavern, Mother's Bistro, Bluehour, Rogue Brewery and so many more!

Check them out and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

Coconut Shrimp with Southwestern rice

A couple of weeks ago I was craving shrimp, but I did not just want boring shrimp with cocktail sauce. I love trying new recipes, especially if they are easy ones. In another life I am supposed to be a chef, but in this life, I will stick to simple cooking. On the menu was coconut shrimp with southwestern rice and a side of asparagus. I was going for a zesty southwestern dish, so that is how I came up with the coconut shrimp and rice. As for the asparagus, that was just something I had on hand and it adds color! Why not?

My starting recipe was one I found on Food Network, this is usually my default Web site to start looking for delicious dishes. When I find a recipe, I usually end up adding and subtracting ingredients or I combine multiple recipes. Here is what you need for my coconut shrimp recipe...

Canola oil for frying (or anyone you have on hand)

1/2 cup seasoned crushed croutons (or bread crumbs)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 pinches ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of ginger

1 cup shredded coconut

2 egg whites

1 lime

1lb large fantail shrimp, deveined and peeled

The recipe online calls for Chinese Five Spice and that can be used instead of all the spices I used, I just did not have Five Spice.

Directions -

Heat oil over medium heat.

Mix coconut, bread crumbs and all spices together in a bowl.

Lightly beat the egg whites. Dip shrimp in the egg whites, then dredge shrimp in coconut mixture.

Fry shrimp 5 minutes in hot oil until evenly golden and crispy. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

So simple! Next, you can bake or cook your asparagus and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want to add a southwestern or yellow rice, be sure to start cooking it on the oven before the coconut shrimp, so it is all ready to serve at the same time!

Eat and enjoy.

Happy Hour at Blue Hour

What could be better than happy hour? How about Blue Hour? After many recommendations, I made my way to the lovely Pearl District in Portland and enjoyed drinks and snacks at Blue Hour. It is right on the corner of 13th and Everett. I cannot believe I have not been here before, it is such a staple restaurant for NW Portland. My guess is the prices...spendy dinner for someone like me, but I am sure it is well worth it if dinner is anything like their happy hour menu.

The simplicity of this restaurant is what I enjoyed the most. It is classic with neutral colors, elegant white linens and a touch of contemporary flare. The menu was also simple but still with plenty of choices and variety. Nothing was overwhelming about this place.

From the happy hour menu, a friend of mine and I shared three items and each had a drink. We stuck with the Pilsner and IPA they had on tap, but there was a lengthy wine list as well to choose from. We ordered the Bluehour burger, bruschetta and Roma tomato fonduta. The burger was tasty, served on a kaiser bun with smoked bacon and white cheddar. A classic happy hour item, but the best one I have had and for only $5! The bruschetta is a daily chef's special and we decided to give it a shot. It was a cauliflower puree topped with parmesan shavings and scallions. I never thought I would like a cauliflower puree but it was actually quite good. I ended up only eating about half of the portion because it was a lot of flavor for one bite. Last was the Roma tomato fonduta topped with goat cheese served with toasted baguette slices. This item was just okay, I definitely preferred the bruschetta and burger.

All in all, a fantastic happy hour for such a stellar restaurant. I know this places gets great reviews, but like I said, a little expensive for me to eat a meal there all the time. I highly recommend the happy hour because no food item is priced of $6. Some other dishes include a Margherita pizza, a white bean puree, garlic fries, salads and a cheese plate.

Go check it out on 250 NW 13th Avenue at Everett Street in Portland, 503-226-3394.

Brunch on Sundays - 10am.

Lunch (Mon-Fri) - 11:30 am.

Happy Hour - 4:30 to 6:30 pm every night (Saturday from 5:00), and late night after 10:00 pm.

Dinner and drinks - 5:00pm til late

via bluehour.com

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International Flavor - Salvador Molly's

Thanks to Groupon, I made my way over to Salavodor Molly's for some delicious international flavor! I purchased a Groupon for this restaurant a few months back and decided I needed to go and use my great deal. Salvador Molly's is a small place with less that twenty tables, including the bar area, but it is still fantastic! It is decorated with all kinds of international flare and you are served a bucket of peanuts when you are seated. My advice is to check this restaurant out during the week...the weekends are packed.



The dinner menu had a variety of cuisine choices from Argentina to Louisiana. I honestly could not decide what to order. My indecisiveness lead to a ten minute debate between the Bali Thai Green Jungle Curry, Drum Pan Jerk Chicken and the Key Largo Coconut Prawns. Yeah, I know, how did I decide? I am a sucker for Thai, so I went with the curry. I was definitely not disappointed with my choice. It was served in a large bowl with a heaping side of yellow rice. It had just the right amount of spice and loaded with shrimp. Yum.

My friend had the Molly's Hot Tamales, one of their specialties. This dish is served with a couple different fillings but she had the artichoke filling. The portion was huge and came with yellow rice, black beans and all the mexican toppings. I can say it was one of the most colorful looking plates I have seen. So, she ate in Mexico and I was in Thailand, it could not get any better.

Also, Salvador Molly's was featured on the Travel Channel's very own, Man vs. Food! Adam came to Portland to try to eat their Great Balls of Fire, which are hot Habanero cheese fritters. If you eat all five, your picture is taken and placed on their wall of fame. Up for the challenge? Not for me, I will stick to my mild curry.

So if you are struggling to decide on a place to eat, try Salvador Molly's, you have no excuse because they serve everything! They are off Sunset Blvd in SW Portland. Let me know what you think!

www.salvadormollys.com

Sunday - Tuesday	11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday - Thursday	11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday- Saturday	11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Have a bite to eat and then see a show!

Recently, I just made a visit to The Venetian Theatre and Bistro. What a great place! This italian bistro is quaint and open for both lunch and dinner. We stopped in on a Sunday night, so it was pretty quiet, but I still enjoyed the overall dining experience.

We entered the building through the main entrance of both the bistro and the theatre. Since it was a Sunday, there were no shows going on, but there is an open bar that is accessible to both the dining guests and theatre guests. The ambiance was authentic and resembled a little italian restaurant with wine bottles lining the walls and small vases with flowers on the tables.

For dinner, I ordered the spinach manicotti and my boyfriend ordered the arrezzio pizza. The spinach manicotti was delicious, but very filling. The manicotti was covered in a garlic cream sauce and served with seasonal vegetables, including squash, peppers and zucchini. Well done for a traditional italian entrée. But, this was nothing compared to the pizza! The pizza was incredible and just piled high with delicious ingredients. The arrezzio pizza had italian sausage, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, peppers and more. It was an eight inch pizza and plenty for one person. I would highly recommend any of their pizzas, they all sounded excellent.



We really enjoyed our experience at The Venetian and next time we should go see a show and have dinner! The only complaint we had was about the iced tea...it was not freshly brewed. For some people this might me okay, but for us tea lovers, we like the real deal. The Nestea out of the soft drink fountain is just not refreshing.

Last, check out The Venetian on your birthday! You get a free entrée up to $15 and a piece of cheesecake! And on Sundays it is half off a bottle of wine when you buy two entrées. Great deal!

www.venetiantheatre.com

253 East Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123
(503) 693-3953

Chicken Lettuce Wraps never tasted better!

In addition to my insight on food, recipes and restaurants, I thought I would include a category on stellar happy hours with great food deals! Besides, happy hour is my favorite time of the day. Lets start it off with a china bistro staple, P.F. Changs. Two words, half off. Lettuce wraps are even tastier when they are only four bucks!



Below is a list of some of their appetizers offered during happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Prices range from $2 to $6.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Seared Ahi Tuna

Dynamite Shrimp

Crispy Green Beans (my favorite!)

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Spring Rolls

Dumplings

Spare Ribs

To find a location near you, check out http://www.pfchangs.com/pfc/locations.aspx.

It is pumpkin season!

As we approach the holiday season, many people have the sudden urge to bake and I am certainly not an exception. One of my favorite holiday ingredients to bake with is pumpkin. So far this season I have only made one pumpkin dessert but I wanted to share it with anyone who is looking for a sweet treat. It combines the delicious flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon with a yellow cake crust. Follow the three easy steps and your mouth will be watering in no time! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bar Bake at 350° for 60-75 min

Crust

1 yellow cake mix (Pillsbury) reserve 1 cup for topping

½ cup butter or margarine (melted)

1 egg

Mix and spread in butter/floured 9x13 pan

Filling

1 29oz can of solid packed pumpkin (large can)

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar packed

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon (or pumpkin spice)

Pour over cake mixture

Topping

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup butter or margarine

remaining 1 cup of cake mix

Mix until crumbly, sprinkle over pumpkin mixture