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After attending a talk by Sam Harris on morals and ethics, our troop headed over to Cassidy's to get some of their marionberry creme brulee. I am not usually a huge fan of creme brulee, finding it a bit bland for my taste, but this...
This creme brulee was marvelous - the best *bleeping* creme brulee I've ever had. The marionberry was infused into the custard itself, and the torched top was really thick - a very satisfying CRACK with a spoon, I must say. Here it is, in all its crimson-colored glory:
With the brulee, I had a Spire Mountain Apple Cider - delicious.
So, the moral (haha! A joke!) of the story is: if you ever attend a lecture on morals and ethics downtown, head on over to Cassidy's afterward to rehash and debate, and to get some dessert!
On a quest for Indian food in downtown Portland, Dad and I discovered this little place instead. Habibi serves Lebanese cuisine. The place was mostly empty, and we were greeted by low lighting, and Shakira music.
I tried the Spinach Pie, and Turkish Coffee. The Spinach Pie was gorgeous, and very different. Besides spinach, it was made with some herbs, lemon, and pine nuts, which gave it a very tangy flavor. It's a good vegetarian option, and it was also pretty tasty with some of Dad's lamb.
The Turkish coffee came in a nifty little pot (as you can see) and though it wasn't very thick, it was pretty strong (if you're a wimp) and very, very sweet.
I believe Habibi has two locations: SW 10th and Morrison, and SW 3rd and Pine. Try them out! They're authentic and delicious. And they serve pretty food.
I had the pleasure of attending this year's Annual Chocolate Fest at the Oregon Convention Center. It was foodie paradise: Wine, tea, chocolate martinis, bits of cupcake and truffles, and chocolate sauce at every turn.
After obtaining my "over 21" wristband (a crucial venture), I was faced with a choice: red velvet, or chocolate? This was at Cupcake Jones' booth, of course. (They let me have both).
From there, I met with a chocolate tree carving - a future career option, I think. The guy making it said he was going to make the leaves out of spun sugar to finish it off.
Another career change I considered making was that of the chocolate bunny girl. I am not sure how well I would like standing in public in my underwear, but getting painted with chocolate? Sign me up!
Stash Teas made an appearance, bringing along their selection of "chocolate" teas; chocolate mint oolong, and their chocolate hazelnut (a delightful tea, if I do say so myself).
Moonstruck Chocolates were there, of course, with their generous, generous samples of truffles. I just have to say this about Moonstruck: they are not stingy with their chocolate. You walk into any of their establishments, and they offer you samples out the wazoo. Not dinky ones, either. Whole half truffles, people. Check them out.
Noble Estate Vineyards had a delicious Moscato for us to try, and Intrigue Chocolates had a Balsamic truffle that was fabulous! I love balsamic vinegar. And it totally works in that truffle. Taste Chocolate also had a chocolate Balsamic vinegar, which was very tasty. If you get the chance: try balsamic vinegar and chocolate!
Stirs The Soul had a great selection of organic, weird chocolate. Salted, chili powder-infused, orange-infused, great stuff. I was happy to see the Wallowa Lake Fudge Company there - I grew up in E.O., and have tasted their fudge many a time growing up and going to the lake. Glad they could make it out.
I am grateful to the Seely Family Farm and their refreshing mint brew - saviors to us all! After thirty solid minutes of chocolate and cake and truffles and sauce and custard, cold mint tea fits the bill perfectly.
Another possible career change I came upon was chocolate painting. Yes. There were some of the most beautifully painted truffles there at Chocolate Fest. Gold-flaked, swirly, sparkly, polka-dotted... Oh, to spend the rest of my days painting chocolates.
We topped off the day with hot chocolate from a European-style drinking chocolate company aptly named "Sipping Dreams" and with a round of chocolate martinis from Pralines Leonidas.
Not bad if I do say so myself.
Is your mouth watering? ;)
Ok, so, sorry I fell off the map! Or rather, I didn't get back on it. I have a ton of tasty restaurants and photos tucked away for you all, and now I have internet! I shall certainly let you all in on the yummy secrets of Portland soon.
In store:
Chocolate Fest
Habibi
Cha! Cha! Cha!
...and more!
The Bagdad Theater and Pub is an installment of McMenamin's, located on Hawthorne St. It's a quick jaunt from the Hawthorne Theater, Imelda's Shoes, and Fred Meyer.
With a store front full of windows, the Bagdad opens its walls, tempting the summer breeze as its patrons enjoy some fresh air, inside and out. A cheery bar sits in the midst of all the fuss, providing the denizens of the Hawthorne thoroughfare with McMenamin's faithful microbrews.
Hands down, the best thing on PDX Glutton's menu today was the Ginger Mushroom Soup. It's not often that you run into a soup that simply delicious - just mushrooms, broth, and ginger spice. It literally made my mouth water -- and that never happens!
Also quite good was my little pizza: the Mediterranean Chicken. Garlic-roasted chicken, tomatos, garlic, kalamata olives, and fresh basil.
That's Dad's Ruby ale in the background -- I had an iced coffee (hey, I had to work at 2!)
Mediterranean Chicken Pizza: 9 (mini)
Ginger Mushroom Soup of the Day: 3.9 (bowl)
While waiting around for a Joy Kills Sorrow concert, Dad and I decided to check out the delightful south end of Milwaukie ave in SE.
We chose, easily, the most colorful restaurant there: Stickers Asian Cafe. The brilliantly purple, green and pink place stands out invitingly. You can't help but want to go there.
Sticking to the theme, I ordered the Jaozi potstickers with shrimp. They came with soy sauce, and, a surprise from all the other potstickers I've had in my lifetime, they were not oily or greasy at all! They were very freshly made, and served with fresh onions and red peppers, made an all-around healthy-feeling meal.
Dad ordered the Street Satay Sampler with shrimp kebab, grilled chicken, marinated beef, and barbecued pork. The sampler came with little dishes of peanut sauce, soy sauce, ginger salad, and tamarin sauce, so you could try all the different meats with all the different sauces.
You can't possibly review Portland's restaurant scene and not catch its second-oldest venue on at least one round! Jake's opened in 1892,
I ordered the Northwest Salmon and Halibut Saute. It was, seriously, the most succulent thing I have ever eaten. It was served with Shiitake and oyster mushrooms, infused with sherry and cream sauce, and topped with Oregon Hazelnuts, and raspberries. The rice it was served over was actually the most amazing part. I don't know what the spice was, but it was just perfectly salty and pungent, and when smothered with the sherry sauce, it was (can I say this online?) orgasmic. The fish, of course, was just barely seared into a state of "cooked," and the mushrooms burst with juices. Try a bite with one of the raspberries, tell me what you think!
Also on the PDX Glutton menu was clam chowder. It was awesome. And this is coming from the girl who thought Mo's clam chowder had it made.
I also had the pleasure of eating Jake's Upside Down Walnut Apple Pie, featuring a buttery walnut topping. It took two days to finish!
