Weekend in Portland, Oregon

It's pretty sad that this is my first really blog post about the city that I grew up in (or at least spent my high school years). So I've decided to give Portland, Oregon, a little love and tell you about my fantastic week wandering its streets while I was home for the holiday break.

First stop on the tour is Pine State Biscuits. Some of you may know it from Guy Fieri's Food Network show where he insisted that this place has one of the best biscuits around. So I decided to test it.


The famous thing to order here is the Reggie which is a biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, bacon and cheese smothered in gravy. Take it to another level and get the Reggie Deluxe and they add an egg to the sandwich which is exactly what we did.

As a biscuit connoisseur I felt it only fair that I had to taste the biscuits on their merits alone so I also ordered a plate of biscuits with jam and butter honey. And to top off the order we got the BBQ Biscuit for a little lunchtime flair which is Podnah’s pulled pork with Carolina style BBQ sauce topped with slaw (you can get it as a sandwich or as a plate - I recommend the plate).

All together here is what it looked like.

My verdict? The Reggie was a monster and when eaten all together was definitely very good, although I could feel my arteries harden as it made its way to my stomach. My main con was the fried chicken that seemed to be more bread than chicken. The pulled pork and slaw of the BBQ Biscuit was incredible - some of the best pork I've had. And lastly, there is the biscuit itself, which sadly was not the best I've ever had. I'd made rank it #3 after John O'Groats in Los Angeles and my grandmother's homemade biscuits.

As far as the restaurant, it is TINY and very lively on a weekend morning for brunch. However, by the time your food comes you can usually find a table and there were four of us. As with most Oregon establishments everyone is extremely friendly and the place exudes a neighborhood feel as if everyone has been pals forever. I would definitely go back, especially for the hash-browns, which I completely forgot to order and which looked amazing!

Now, I'm going to fast forward to nighttime locales that I hit up while home. These are in no particular order...

Voodoo Donuts
A solid late night food stop, Voodoo Donuts exemplifies everything I love about Portland. They just love to dance right on the line! Choose from a dozen different types of CRAZY donuts that incorporate everything from Cap n' Crunch to multi-colored frosting. Or if you are feeling particularly crazy...or drunk...order the Cock n' Balls. Yup I said it. And not only that I took a picture for you. While you may feel a little strange eating this uniquely-shaped donut, I can tell you that it is one of the best donuts I have ever had. And for those who love a little surprise...it has a cream filling. Hope you're laughing as hard as I was!


Doug Fir
This is one of the coolest looking bars I've ever been in. It's like drinking inside of a tree. One of the bars is made of cut logs, they have an awesome outdoor area and the lighting feels like Christmas. It is pretty easy to get drinks because it is a large, winding place and the atmosphere is like a chill house party. Check. It. Out.

Photo Credit : blog.mrandmrssmith.com

Valentines
Usually I'm down for a good hipster bar but this one made me feel inadequate. Our fratty group wandered in late night and within seconds we'd managed to send all the hipsters away glaring in annoyance. This place apparently has multiple levels but it was the holidays so we were confined to the bottom floor. I had a Guiness which was really watery. If you are super earthy you will probably love this place. It was a little weird for me but the people watching was excellent before they all left.

Tube
This place is so badass I can't even find a website for it so I'm giving you the address: 18 NW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97209. It is literally built like a metal trailer park trailer / underground subway tube. AWESOME. The crowd is the most eclectic gathering of people I've ever seen from hipsters to frat boys to ethnic to the upscale dressed. Everyone was having a GREAT time and the beers were $3.00. LOVE THIS PLACE. The DJ was playing amazing hiphop/trance/dance music so everyone got a song they liked. The bathroom is a little terrifying but it's all part of the experience. Definitely make this a stop on your trip.

Photo Credit: Yelp.com

Hubers
Welcome to Portland's Oldest Restaurant, established in 1879. Welcome to Portland's best alcoholic Spanish coffee. Made with Kahlua, Bacardi 151, Bols triple sec and coffee, it is then topped with fresh whipped cream and nutmeg. The best part? There is a whole ritual to making it, done table-side, complete with hand tricks and flames. Better be ready because this sucker is STRONG. You will be pursing your lips in between each sip.

Personally I went for the Shakespeare which looks like a hot chocolate with Grand Marnier, Baileys, Nocello & coffee served in a cinnamon rimmed glass topped with whipping cream & shaved chocolate. A lot harder to taste the alcohol, which I prefer, but still has a solid kick.

The bar itself is very speakeasy-esk with padded booths, coat racks, low lighting and a polished bar. It's a little loungey for me; I prefer to wander around and meet people, but it is a good place for a large group to sit and catch up.

Oven & Shaker
This restaurant/bar was a completely accidental stop that turned out to be a great place. If you like tattooed bartenders you will LOVE this bar. The cocktails are exciting and feature their own spin and the pizza (which I didn't have) looks AMAZING. I will definitely be back here to eat on my next trip. I recommend sitting at the bar just because the bartenders are the s.h.i.t.

Photo Credit: QPDX.com