It’s been 8 months since I moved to Oregon, and it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed already! Undoubtedly, we love it here, for so many reasons, and it’s been fun and interesting exploring the area and finding new “favorite places” — mostly, favorite places to eat! Like California, there are the standard chain restaurants here. Restaurants that are familiar and comforting because we know what to expect. However, the past few months Don and I have started going to new places that we’ve never been before. Restaurants that are family owned, or one of a kind to the city of Portland. And WOW, have we found some outstanding places to eat that have quickly become “favorites” of ours.
A couple of months ago when we went to see Adele in concert at The Wonder Ballroom, we decided to just head down to the area a bit earlier and find somewhere new to have dinner. Lucky for us, right next to the venue is a place called Toro Bravo. Admittedly, when I first looked at the menu and read all the “different” items listed, I wasn’t too thrilled — maybe because this restaurant used words that I didn’t fully understand — such as bacalao fritura (salt cod fritters), cordero (lamb), and jamón (ham). Most of the dishes had a Spanish Flaire to them, and quite honestly, I’m not big into Spanish food (not to be confused with Mexican food! There is a difference). However, this place served Tapas or “small plates” of food. Kind of like plates of appetizers so everyone could enjoy a few pieces of whatever was ordered. I figured with smaller portions, I could give different things a try.
Anyway, back to those “wierd descriptions” of food — here are a few of the items we ventured out and ordered our first time there: Roasted Eggplant with Lamb Ragu, sweet peppers & mahon, Drunken Pork with fresh shell bean stew, Sauteed Yellowfoot Mushrooms on griddled bread and Jamon Wrapped Chicken with Pisto Manchego. We had no idea what we were going to end up with, but I can honestly say that everything was DELICIOUS! And the whole time I kept thinking “Julie would love this place!”. It’s so her kind of food — different and savory and very authentic. We enjoyed Toro Bravo so much that we’ve been back to eat there again!
Another place we recently discovered by way of a friendly recommendation is a restaurant called “The Screen Door Restaurant”. We drove into Portland one Sunday for “brunch” and decided to give this place a try. When we arrived, the wait for a seat was over an hour! Figuring we didn’t have anything better to do, we decided to wait for a table – and boy am I glad we did! This place (and the food) is AMAZING. Between all the times we’ve been there, we haven’t had anything that we didn’t like. Some of our favorite dishes from here are: Sweet Potato Waffle, REAL Corned Beef Hash with a delicious honey mustard sauce, Eggs Sardou (poached eggs over artichoke hearts, creamed spinach, and an English muffin topped with hollandaise sauce), Bananas Fosters French Toast (with rum-flamed caramelized bananas), and Praline Bacon (slices of thick, crisp bacon toped with pecans and pralines! YUM!). There are so many more things on this menu we want to try, so we’ll definitely be heading back there sometime soon!
With one of my very best friends coming out from California to visit us here in Oregon in a few weeks (for her birthday), I’ve been on a quest to find the best bakery in Portland. We love cupcakes and baked goods — and I wanted to find a place that would serve some delicious and unforgettable pastries. I tried two of what are “acclaimed” to be the best cupcake places in Portland — Cupcake Jones and Saint Cupcake. Sadly, Cupcake Jones got a big thumbs down from the entire family – while I held out high hopes for a cupcake that is filled in the middle with pastry cremes and ganaches, the actual cupcake itself was dry and bland. Even the frosting (which is the best part of the cupcake, IMO), was just “meh”. Saint Cupcake fared better — their cupcakes were moist and tasty, but honestly, they weren’t anything “special”. They just tasted like a cupcake I could make at home.
Then someone at my husband’s work told us about Beaverton Bakery – so we went to see what they had to offer. Oh. My. God. They have the most delicious cookies and pastries here! Their Petit Fours are amazing, and the “Baileys Irish Creme” cupcake we had was SO good. Unique, moist, and delicious. They have buttery, moist coffee cakes, the best chocolate dipped macaroons, amazing cakes and cupcakes, and my ultimate favorite: mocha creme filled florentine cookies! Beaverton Bakery has become my “one stop shopping” for anything and everything SWEET!
I’m excited to say that we now have many new places to take family and friends who visit. Restaurants that are unique to Portland, and not just standard chain restaurants. Do you have any favorite (and unique) places and restaurants where you like to eat in your area? The kind of places that make and serve savory and sweet dishes you just love and can’t get anywhere else?
Janelle Denison finds it hard to believe that it’s been nearly 25 years since she first started writing romance novels. At first, it was a way to pass idle time while her husband worked swing shift, but before long it became an obsession to get published. Luckily, she kept at it (it took her over 5 years to get that first book published!) and is now a Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and USA Today Bestselling author! Now, after selling over 45 plus novels, she finds that her Plotmonkey pals help to keep her stories fresh and unique, and she can’t imagine writing a story without their input. Janelle lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, along with two teenage daughters that keep life interesting.
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Hey everybody…Janelle, the pics of some of the dishes look so good…growing up I used to eat bacalao fritura all the time…we have a very similar dish in Jamaica….
It sounds like you are having a blast out there in Oregon…have fun when your friend comes to visit you for her bday…
I don’t really have a special place to eat or anything, but it is always good to hear about what other people like to eat…you never know when you will find yourself in a place that has a restaurant that was described…
Have a wonderful rest of the day…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Janelle…I am going to mention some of those to hubby (I usually just stick to my side of the river…LOL). Don’t forget to try Voodoo Donuts…I haven’t, but they were featured on the Food network and they look good (very different, but some of them sound good!).
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I’m so glad y’all have found some favorite places to eat.
In Nashville, we have lots of meat & threes and barbeque places that you can only find here. They have even put a few of them in the airport so people can experience the local restaurants while waiting on flight. Two of my favorite places to eat are actually in Franklin, TN(about 15 miles outside of Nashville). My friends own The Red Pony and Sol and the food is amazing!
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Hey all,
I hate to say but we have no restaurants here except chains. We live in a rural part of Kentucky, and you would have to drive at least two hours to find anything unique.
Loved the pictures and descriptions of the food. Sometimes I wish I lived in a larger city, but than I wouldn’t have the deer in my front yard. Gotta love nature. Have a great day.
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We’re known for our Eastern NC pork BBQ. There’s one restaurant here – a little, dinky hole-in-the-wall place that I’ve never eaten at that is extremely famous. The reason I’ve never eaten there is because there’s always a line out the door. No fancy, put your name on a list and get a beeper. Nope, you just stand in line and at lunch time it always wraps around the building and down the road. My step-dad had a request from one of his bosses to get some, put it on dry ice and take it back to him in Phoenix! I don’t know how he knew about it but he very specific that he wanted it from that one particular restaurant.
Of course, we have other restaurants that serve BBQ. And often when family comes to visit that’s what they request for dinner at least one night. There’s also a local seafood restaurant that’s pretty popular.
Glad to hear you’re getting settled in and finding your place in the world there!!
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Bailey’s Irish Cream CUPCAKES? Oh, God, I am SOOOOOOO there!
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We are SO plotting in Beaverton sometime soon!!!
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WOW, BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM CUPCAKES. NOW THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO TRY.
A LOCAL PLACE WAS HAVING A FUND RAISER AND THEY HAD
DIFFERENT HOMEMADE BAKED THINGS–ONE WAS A CUPCAKE
THAT HAD CREAM CHEESE INSIDE IT–IT WAS YUMMY IN THE
TUMMY.
–WE HAVE ONE MEXICAN FOOD PLACE THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO
EAT WHEN THEY COME HERE–THEY ALSO HAVE DELICIOUS
MUGS OF MARGUERITA’S.
ALICE IN TEMPLE, TX
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If you guys are plotting in Beaverton, I am crashing and taking you all out for drinks…(seriously!).
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Katie — I’ve already tried Voodoo Donuts. In fact, back in July, I did a blog on Voodoo Donuts. You can check it out here:
http://www.plotmonkeys.com/2008/07/17/voo-doo-donuts/
Another DELICIOUS restaurant we discovered is Gustav’s — it’s German food and WOW is it GOOD!
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Leslie & Julie — Yeah, I knew those Bailys Irish Cream cupcakes would lure you my way!
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Since Coronado, CA is primarily targeted towards tourists, there are a number of fabulous restaurants to choose from. Mexican food is huge down south and the best place on the island to soothe your craving is Miguel’s. But if your looking for a more unique dining experience I suggest the following…
For breakfast, I’m pretty attached to the Crown Bistro – I love their banana nut waffle special
the lemon poppy seed pancakes are also quite delicious…
Tartine is our fun European Style Cafe – they have the best dessert on the island and unique little meals (my favorite: turkey breast, artichoke hearts and gruyère cheese grilled in a panini roll)
My mom took me to lunch at Chance Bistro the other day for the first time and ordered her regular flank steak with avocado sandwich and fries. It was melt in your mouth delicious. She waited until after the meal to tell me that mixed in with the avocado were beans – which I’m not a fan of but had no idea they were in there – I received a brief lecture on how I don’t give things a proper try
And finally (cause I could go on for days on all the local restaurants I frequent), If you’re looking for a good burger with a little healthy twist then Burger Lounge is your place – there are three locations in San Diego and their salads and burgers are a huge hit with the local crowd.
I’m craving a good meal right now…
<3 J
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We have Brown’s Bakery, a local staple and their varieties of cheesecake are to die for. Most of our favorites are pretty plain, small, family owned places. We have Greek, Thai, and Mexican that are wonderful and then we have Cattleman’s for steak. It’s legendary. I’m going to have to figure out a recipe for Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes now!
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Love those pics. And the cupcakes….omg, so pretty.
I have to say, lately I do not have a favorite restaurant. We go out so rarely these days. If we do get to go it’s just the kiddos and I, so that limits my choices. Although my son’s favorite place is Olive Garden, and my daughter’s is Macayo’s Mexican. They have pretty decent taste for being 9 and 10.
Hope everyone has a marvelous Monday. It has been wickedly windy here and kinda busy in the office today.
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Janelle…I must not get out enough….my husband has been to Gustav’s, he won’t take me…LOL. He has said it was good, though.
Ooops, forgot about that blog…I was reminded of Voodoo only because they are hiring…one of the few places that are (no, I am not going…I’d eat their profits!).
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Hi Janelle – There are a couple good places south of you if you want to take a day trip. For a good breakfast try Busick Court in downtown Salem. It is excellent…even had a visit several years ago from Rachel Ray for her $40 a Day show on HGTV. If you are a mushroom lover, you could stop for lunch or dinner at The Joel Palmer House in Dayton. Kind of spendy so for me it’s a special occasion restaurant but what they can do with mushroom defies description. Mmmm-mmmm. I can see I’ll have to make a trip to Portland to try out your finds.
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Terry — I’ll definitely give those places a try. Thanks for the recommendations!
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@Jessica O: Sure, now you tell me all the restaraunt names now that I am here and ate at Subway tonite here on the base!!
During this trip, until today, I have eaten at all local places. It’s been great. Even at home we usually eat at local places- I find that they are still the best and everyone usually knows your name after awhile. I get hugs from certain owners and waitresses. Love it!!
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Janelle, Really interesting post about Portland’s food. While at the Celebrate Romance Conference, in Downtown Portland, several of us had breakfast at The Bijou Cafe, which is located at 3rd & Pine Sts. A few of us (including me) had oatmeal pancakes, which were the size of plates & delicious. If interested, the food is wonderful, & the restaurant is recommended by ten or more “good food” organizations, based on the stickers on the front window. It appears to only be open for breakfast (was closed at lunch), but, if interested, I can heartily recommend it.
Patricia
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Wow, Janelle, those places sound fantastic. I may have to hunt them out the next time I’m in Portland. Especially the bakery since I love baked goods, especially the sweet kind.
As for my favorite places here in Denver. Two of them are: The Blake Street Tavern, which is an awesome bar with its own microbrewery (fairly common here), and The Celtic Tavern. They both serve some fantastic food. The Blake Street Tavern has the best chili cheese dog I’ve ever had. The Celtic has the best fish and chips out of all the places I’ve tried in the city, not the mention the Irish atmosphere.
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Patricia — I’ll have to put The Bijou Cafe on our list of places to try. Thanks for the recommendation!
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We just ate at Toro Bravo last Sunday. It was delish.
You should try Panera Bakery on Cedar Hills-right across from Powells. Great bakery items. The lunches are good too.