Part 3 | Brunching in Vancouver, B.C.

Our brunch pick took us East of downtown Vancouver and I have to say, I hesitated as we drove away from the city. We were still determined to find the diner and at the very least, check it out. Once we reached The Red Wagon Cafe and saw the line outside, all hesitation went away. A long line of locals is a great sign! Funny how all the sudden MY brunch picked turned into Dylan's "great pick."
We had a short wait, probably because it was Monday. I imagine on the weekends there is a lot longer wait since the restaurant isn't very large. The staff was friendly as they bussed and seated people quickly.

The menu speciality is their pulled pork pancakes served with three buttermilk pancakes layered with pulled pork and JD-spiked maple syrup. Although I am a pulled pork lover, I did not order them because I had my eye on the sausage breakfast sandwich with two eggs, aged cheddar, tomato chutney, mayo, arugula, ciabatta and home fries.

Oh and then there were the chilaquiles...with added pork belly. Dylan's pick as per usual. Always a great choice and seriously, look at the size of that piece of pork belly.

                   

              

We enjoyed this casual diner and would love to check it out for dinner next time we find ourselves in Vancouver. Don't be fooled by the location and the lack of curb appeal because once you get inside, you won't be disappointed!  

The Red Wagon Restaurant

2296 East Hastings Street

Vancouver, BC V5L 1V4

604.568.4565

open mon-tues 8am - 3pm | wed-fri 8am - 8pm | sat - sun 9am - 8pm

I have been Tilting it Up.

It is always fun when I find a Portland restaurant that my boyfriend craves more than me. He can't get enough of it and there is no arguing I love it too. Tilt isn't a new restaurant in Portland but they have a newer location in the Pearl District. Our first stop was back in December and I think we have indulged four or five times since. It is just like they say...food built for the American Workforce.

via tiltitup.com

They are known for their massive burgers, biscuits and pie. The neat part about the Pearl District location is the bar side with beer and craft cocktails Personally, I can't get enough of their breakfast sandwiches on the house made biscuits with a side of bacon, cheddar tots. Yes...bacon and cheddar with fried potato. No, do not come here for healthy eats because temptation will get the best of you. It is made to order and served hot!

Other tasty dishes are the The Big Tilt, Mad Andy and the Tilted House Fries. You can seriously have gravy on anything you want. Next time I am not walking out of there without ordering a cinnamon roll covered in gooey goodness. It is huge and requires a partner to share it with but it will happen.

                

Even if you aren't hungry but looking for a fun, casual atmosphere, I would recommend Tilt Bar for drinks. It is an upbeat atmosphere and great for watching a game, socializing or playing ping pong if the table is open.

Check out either location at Swan Island or in the Pearl District and COME HUNGRY!

TILT

1355 NW Everett

Portland, Oregon 97209

503.894.9528

3449 N. Anchor St. Suite 200

Portland, Oregon 97217

503.285.8458

check their Web site for hours at each location | happy hour daily 3 - 6pm at all locations 

Sunday Brunch at Xico

The holidays = eating my way through Portland. Lots of new restaurants to report! One of my new favorite Mexican brunch spots is Xico off SE Division. Watch out Verde Cocina...you have some competition! Each restaurant's menus are very different and you can't go wrong with either, but back to Xico. I tried a new dish and was not disappointed. My favorite savory breakfast dish is probably eggs benedict and the Sopes Floretine was their version, made with masa cakes and a chile lime hollandaise. Ahhh, so good. I would have substituted my potatoes for another masa cake. 

Of course, there are traditional mexican dishes like Huevos Rancheros and Chilaquiles, which also can't be beat. The Pork Belly Carnitas Hash looked tasty so that might be my choice for next time. The menu also featured some traditional cocktails like a Hot Horchata and the Bloody Maria. What's a Bloody Maria? It is made with tequila instead of vodka...a staple in a Mexican brunch place. It is a little spicy, so beware.

I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and it was very quiet at 10:00am when we arrived. I think most Portlanders get a later brunch start on Sundays so it worked out great for us. The good news is they take reservations so if you want to plan ahead, there is the option to do so.

Great place for vegetarian options, but just be sure you communicate to your server so there is no confusion. There was a slight mix-up with one of our meals (cowboy beans have bacon) so our server surprised us with a piece of tres leche cake with a mole spice whipped cream.  It was a nice gesture and we enjoyed the traditional Mexican dessert. 

I had a great time with my girlfriends so I am sure we will be back. It is a small restaurant but extremely comfortable with cozy bench seats and bright colors. We couldn't have picked a better place for our annual holiday brunch!

Xico 

3715 SE Division Street

Portland, OR 97202

503.548.6343

open 7 days a week for dinner | lunch wed-sat 11:30am - 2pm | sunday brunch 9am - 2pm 

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

Almond Vanilla French Toast

I am trying this new thing...cutting out dairy. Not completely because that would be impossible, but I am experimenting to see how it will make me feel over time. So, now I have almond vanilla milk in my fridge which is what lead me to Almond Vanilla French Toast. Yummy. This is a very simple recipe and it can be doubled or tripled with ease.

Ingredients 
3 large slices of sourdough bread (any bread will do, this is just what I had on hand)
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond vanilla milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
handful of sliced almonds

Preparation
Mix the cinnamon, brown sugar and almonds together in a shallow dish and set aside.

Make an egg wash in a bowl with the eggs, almond vanilla milk and the vanilla extract. Slice large pieces of bread in half.

Place a skillet on the stove at low-medium heat and melt the butter. Dip each slice of bread in the egg wash and then cover with the cinnamon/sugar/almond mixture. Place on the skillet with the melted butter, cook until one side is golden brown and then flip to cook the other side.

Top with some sliced almonds and maybe some powdered sugar too...enjoy.

Serves two.

The long awaited...Tasty n Sons

Happy New Year everyone! When thinking of my New Year's resolution, I found myself coming back to food-related goals. For example, try {insert outrageous number here} Portland restaurants or make {unrealistic amount} of new recipes each week. Let's be honest...I am horrible with my food goals. So, this year, I am going attempt to post more about my food adventures even if it is just a quick snapshot. It isn't exciting unless I can share it with all of you!

Let's start with Tasty n Sons. I could write a novel about this place and why I love it so much. One (ish) word...family-style. You don't have to ask me twice to share...especially for breakfast. There are too many delightful dishes to enjoy just ONE at a restaurant. I don't get out enough for that.

In the past two weeks, I have been here twice and I don't even live down the street. Like most Portland brunch spots, expect a 30-60 minute wait. Fortunately, they usually overestimate your wait time, so you are often surprised and seated earlier than expected! They have complimentary coffee for you to sip on while you wait. Not to mention, it is in cute North Portland with lots of little shops to see.

Now, for the menu. I won't list everything (even though I want to), so these are my top three choices. Start with the chocolate potato doughnuts and I don't care if you don't like doughnuts, you will LOVE these. Next, go for the Potatoes Bravos and either the Fried Egg & Cheddar Biscuit with Fried Chicken or the Tasty Muffin with boudin blanc sausage, fried egg, arugula & cranberry sauce. Okay, so that was four items.

You won't be disappointed with this brunch spot and if you have tried dinner, let me know what you think! Oh, and just one more thing (f you weren't sold already), this is the sister restaurant to Toro Bravo. Enough said.

Tasty n Sons

3808 N Williams Ave

Portland, Oregon

503.621.1400

open daily for brunch & dinner 9am - 10pm | happy hour 2:30pm to 5pm

Down South to Screen Door

Nothing is better than a delicious breakfast on a Sunday morning. Actually, nothing is better than a Southern breakfast at Screen Door after running a 10k on a Sunday morning.

I have been wanting to go to Screen Door on East Burnside for months now and I finally made it! For all you Portland breakfast fanatics, I am sure you have been to this restaurant and if you haven't,  be ready for at least an hour wait. Unless you come right at 9am when they open, you will be waiting! 

Screen Door is known for their Southern cuisine, which includes the best biscuits and gravy in town and their HUGE portion of chicken and waffles. The prices are on point and you get a ton of food! Our group went with the biscuits and gravy, eggs benedict and the sausage Po-boy. Not to mention, we started with some tasty cinnamon and sugar beignets. There were some other ingredients included, but we ate them too fast for me to remember. So fresh and warm! 

I will be back time and time again. The breakfast was wonderful and they have rotating specials available too. Breakfast is only available Saturday and Sunday from 9am - 2:30pm. 

A few tips for the first timers:

 - Reservations are accepted a day prior for parties 6 or more

 - Your whole party must be in attendance before you will be seated

 - Be ready to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a table (of any size)

Check out this great spot and let me know what you think!

2337 East Burnside Street

Portland, OR

503.542.0880

Dinner: Tues-Sat 5:30pm-10pm, Sun-Mon 5:30pm-9pm

Brunch: Sat-Sun 9am-2:30pm