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I love Portland! My husband and I try to take a drive over to our favorite culinary destination every year. And each time we are more and more amazed by the growing variety of yummy choices. About a year ago we went on a much needed trip after several long months of taking care of our growing baby.
On our visit we tried some new places and went back to our usual spots as well. Here is a sketch of our foodie adventure with a list of our favorite restaurants below. If you haven't been to Portland yet or thinking about going back you may wanna give these a try. And I would love to know your recommendations too because we're planning to head back very soon!
FOOD TRUCKS - Downtown Portland is food truck heaven. There's a truck on standby to fill every appetite. We had a mouthwatering Tom Ka Soup (a thai soup with chicken, veggies, curry and coconut milk) and Persian Kefta Kebabs with Salad and Hummus. Probably not a common pairing but why not? I can't exactly remember which food trucks we ordered from, but that's okay, because there's so much to choose from and at least one of them is bound to satisfy your cravings.
BAMBOO SUSHI (Japanese) - Ever since my daughter was born, my husband and I started a tradition of ordering sushi out every Friday night after she went to bed. I think the tradition had something to do with sushi being off limits while I was pregnant, so naturally it turned into an obsession. And it just so happened to be a Friday night while we were wandering around town and Bamboo Sushi was recommended all over the interwebs and by our hotel concierges. This Portland sushi chain (and now with a location in Denver too) is a favorite among the locals and I see why. Great service, fresh and melt in your mouth yummy seafood. They had the best NW Philly Rolls we've ever tried. The Garden of Eden Roll was a nice a tasty vegetarian choice. And the Salmon Sunrise had a refreshing burst of citrus and salmon, and was my favorite dish there, but at $9 for two pieces I think I had enough for one visit, thank you!
BOXER RAMEN (Japanese) - The Vegetable Curry ramen soup was to die for good. I still dream about it's rich, bold, spicy and delicious curry flavors. It's a very large portion so my husband gladly chowed the rest of it down after his Little Big Burger treat (read on for more).
LITTLE BIG BURGER (American) - this is my husbands go to tiny burger spot. He was a bit surprised by the tiny the size, AGAIN!, but no surprise with regards to the flavor. And the truffle fries were heavenly.
LIVING ROOM THEATER (American) - this is where you get the best movie theater bang for your buck! Not only do the tickets cost the same as a regular movie theater but you get to reserve your seats in advance and order food off a fancy menu that you can enjoy either at the lounge or inside the theater. We went on the dessert path with a key lime pie, hot tea and popcorn.
NEL CENTRO (French/Italian) - We stayed at our usual spot, the modern and hip, Hotel Modera, which has an amazing French Italian restaurant. I think that is the best combination of two culinary destinations. I've had the best lamb and duck dishes from French/Italian restaurants. I got the munchies close to midnight and we just made it in time before service closed. I ordered duck leg confit with apricot-moscato compote with a side of french fries. It had just the right mix of finger-licking sweet and savory flavors.
PETITE PROVENCE (French) - We've been to Portland many times but ever since we discovered this breakfast/lunch spot we have returned every time. There's always quite a long wait outside but I think it's worth it especially for the Wild Northwest Salmon Hash which also comes with a freshly made right-out-of-the-oven croissant!
Next time you venture out to Portland give some of these a go and keep me posted if there's any you enjoyed and any other places you would recommend.
To happy eating and doodling!
Diana :)