Portland, it’s a good think you’re tasty.
And sunny. Yes, I said sunny.
A belly full of warm food and a sunny, blue sky is the only way I survived this arctic weekend. My little sister, Alli, moved to Portland a few years ago and I hadn’t had the occasion to visit. Apparently they hit record lows the couple of days I finally decided to pop in. It was so cold my teeth hurt.
This was my view coming in:
The snow did melt, and the sun came out to stay! The first order of business was to eat. Alli collected me from the airport and we went right to Tasty ‘n Sons where we ordered everything #yolkporn we could find.
Potatoes Bravas with over easy egg and aioli, Burmese Red Pork Stew with short grain rice and eggs two ways (pickled and over easy), and Polenta and Sausage Ragu with mozzarella and over easy egg.
We had to carb-load so we could get a Christmas tree for Alli! I can’t believe how cheap they are in Portland – $35 for a big one! (that’s what she said).
The best part came when we got the tree back to her house. The trunk was too big for the base. No worries – we busted out a hatchet and hacked it down to size. It’s a miracle we retained all of our fingers and toes.
Once we did get the tree up, we were responsible and did some work. She took me by the jewelry store she manages. It had so much unique, local jewelry! I made an impulse buy… a pair of earrings. They are surgical steel, which turns out to be the only metal I can wear besides platinum that doesn’t hurt my ears.
Then it was time to make dinner plans. There is a great Italian place called Luce she had been wanting to try, so we invited her best friend to join us. She was nice enough to take the obligatory picture in front of the tree for mom:
Luce was delicious. It was too dark for pictures, but my highlights included a crab linguine, the grilled octopus salad, and the stuffed trout. I love that most dishes were small plates or could be ordered in half portions. We must have had half the menu! And half the wine.
The coolest part of the night was when Alli and her friend took me to a “typical” Portland party. It was a potluck and jam session. On the weekends everyone just gets together to share dishes and play music into the night. There were a lot of guitars, but also a full-sized bass, a trumpet, and an accordion! Alli plays the guitar and sings (check out her band here), but I never get to see her play anymore since she’s lives so far. She was fabulous!
That was one of the latest nights I’ve had in a long time… there was some sleeping in the next morning! I’m getting old.
We rallied in time for brunch at Tin Shed. After a day of eating nothing green, I wanted a salad… and more #yolkporn. They were really nice and let me modify the menu a tad. I ordered the McCobb Salad. It comes with free-range grilled chicken, blue cheese, candied bacon, avocado, tomato, hard-boiled egg, wasabi-blue cheese dressing, and a crostini. I swapped the hard eggs for 2 eggs over-easy and the crostini for a big, fluffy biscuit. Best decision of the trip. The waitress told me I won breakfast. 😉
Alli had to go in to work for a bit, so I met up with Anna, who I met at a food blogger conference a few years ago. She writes a blog called Banana Wonder (she’s responsible for this truffle hummus). Her friend Devin came as well.
Never a dull moment, we discovered that it was Santacon in Portland. Basically, it’s an excuse for people to dress up in Santa costumes and drink. Santa took this pic:
Devin, Anna, and me
I was offered Santa pants. I didn’t want to be impolite, so on they went. We hopped into a bar advertising hot buttered rum. It sounded good in the 20 degree air… in reality it was a sketchy dive full of really drunk Santas. We opted to move to a place with a “no Santas allowed” sign on the door.
The pants were ditched in a planer.
I edited the most inappropriate part of the sign…
Sunday I had to leave, but we made sure to get in one last meal. Prasad is one of Alli’s favorite places. It’s a vegan restaurant in a yoga studio. It was delicious! They feature organic food, much of which is gluten-free and local. They also have a lot of raw food, which I love.
We split a Dr. Kombucha (the Spiced Apple Kava is insanely good) and a bowl of the garlic chili. I ordered the Ace Salad with spinach & shredded kale, caramelized roasted carrots, black beans, rice, slow roasted tomatoes, toasted pepitas and avocado with carrot habanero sauce. It was the perfect meal – warming and fresh.
We couldn’t leave without trying one of the raw vegan cashew-based cheesecakes supplied by Rawdacious. The Mexican Chocolate was supposed to have a little heat to it, but the chili wasn’t detectable.
That didn’t matter too much to us – there wasn’t a bite left behind!
***
I had a super time eating our way through Portlandia, but I’ll come back in the summer! It’s one marvelous food city!
Have you ever heard of Santacon? Someone said it started in NYC.
What is your favorite food city? Mine is still Alba, Italy.
SantaCons are so much fun and that’s awesome of you for playing along. I can’t wait to one day visit Portland!
I couldn’t turn down free pants! 😉
Oh my Gosh, that sounds like the most perfect trip! That food…..your breakfast plate is SO my taste and I also love the food you had at the vegan yoga studio, looks to die for. I never heard of Santacon, but we do celebrate Santa Clause day on December 6 and the city is full of Santa’s on lightenen up Harleys whoe give sweets to the kids.
You can never go wrong with yolk porn. Or Santas. 🙂
I love how you cram so much foodie goodness in such a small time frame! Stoked you had a blast with your sister and a christmas tree workout to boot.
No joke but you rock those pants…dead serious. Favourite food city is NYC or Barcelona!
Barcelona is loaded with deliciousness!
Santacon sounds dangerously fun! I love that you ditched the pants in a planter. Good times!
Looks like a blast! I’ve never heard of Santacon before lol
Food looks fab…and the jacket with the buttons…you know I love it 🙂
OMGOSH
I want your new nickname to be SANTAPANTS.
xo
Better than SANS PANTS! 😉
mmm everything does look delicious! Never head of Santacon, sounds like fun haha
you portland is similar to austin, right? just sayin
I am coming this year. It’s a goal
ok runny yolks is something i definitely miss while being pregnant!
Ohhhh… that would be even harder than wine!
Portland is definitely on my list of cities that I want to visit.
Nice! I really liked eating my way through Portland as well. I also had the Ace salad at Prasad and loved it! And those raw desserts were delicious!!
I wanted one of everything! I tried the nachos too – amazing!
I’m so jealous! I reeeeally want to go to Portland!
Sounds like you had an amazing weekend! I’m so glad you got to go see your sister!
Paris is definitely my favorite food city. I’m not sure if it’s because the food was amazing or the experience was one of a lifetime. Either way, definitely my favorite.
Ahhhh! I must go to Paris ASAP. I wonder if it would top Italy for me?
wow that food looks amazing. and killer santa pants, perfect for this time of year. I certainly need a pair
Oh man, I had me some #yolkporn in Portland at 2am during Hood to Coast Relay, I think the name of the place was Bunk Bar
That’s the best fuel. I always have it at Waffle House after races. 🙂
Looks like an awesome weekend, for sure – definitely some fabulous eats in there. And Santacon sounds intense…to my knowledge we don’t have anything like that around here, but it would be pretty fun to see!
What a wonderful weekend & fun & so much I have not heard of – wow!!! If you are feeling old, think of how I feel! 😉
I’ve yet to go to Portland. I love to visit cities with fantastic food options. Chicago has been one of my faves so far.
You would love it!!! So much good, clean food. Chicago is a great one too!
OMG, Santa pants. You crack me up … how do you get yourself into this stuff? The food looks mouth-watering. I’ve always wanted to go to Portland … it’s definitely on my bucket list! As cliche as it sounds, my favorite food city is NYC. Chicago had some great food, too, though!
The guy just offered them! I hadn’t even had a drink yet, but I thought “when in Rome…”
I LOVE that you went to Prasad AND one of the Tasty restaurants… good stuff.
I am still so super bummed that I was not here – I owe you one, BIG TIME.
I was in a deep depression over it the whole trip. 😛
Love you!!! I had so much fun!!!! Xoxo <3
OMG look at all that awesome food…NOM NOM! I just got cold reading this post. I would have to say my favorite city is still Florence. Nothing beats the pizza and the gnocchi. When I lived in San Diego, nothing beat the fresh Mexican…I miss those California burritos a lot. I love food and that is all. 😉
Florence was glorious! I liked Alba a little better, but only for the white truffles and the slow food.
Much happy much happy. Siblings music food and smiles. Happy.
I have heard great things about Portland and we are only 1- 1 1/2 hours away in Washington. Now it’s just finding the time to go! I would love to try some of their awesome restaurants!
Washington is a great food place too! I love Seattle and the surrounding.
$35 for a Christmas tree?! Lucky! They’re way more expensive here in LA 🙁 But I guess everything is! Maybe I’ll go steal one from a department store…jk 🙂
My favorite food city is San Francisco. They have fun, trendy restaurants that are still super health conscious. I had a delicious time when I was there last.
They’re more expensive in Atlanta too! I guess trees are in excess in Portland. 🙂
SFO is a great food town. I was there right before PDX.
OMG where was the food porn alert!!! Everything sounds amazing.
I thought you’d enjoy this one. Bulking is fun. 🙂
I am dying to visit here. Any Portlandia experiences? LOL
No fart patios… 😉
I bet Portland was foodie HEAVEN! I love the last picture. Yum. I’m glad you had a fun time with your sister! You two are hard core for chopping the tree to fit hahaha!
There’s always some sort of shenanigans when we get together. 😉
Sounds like a super fun weekend – plenty of good food and fun times with your sis and her friends = perfect!!!
Ohhh, everything looks and sounds amazing!
And a weekend spend around good food and friends is always amazing.
I’ve never actually heard of Santacon, so that’s kind of sad for myself.
Ok am I the only one just dying to know what’s behind the censor! My mind lives in the gutter so it’s just running wild right now! Lol!
It rhymes with rum… 😉
YUM!! I have never been to Portland! I think so far my favorite food city was either LA or Seattle! I have never been to Italy though… yum! I wonder I would do Italy GF…..
In Florence I saw a place with a sign advertising GF pizza!
I have in-laws in Portland, and it’s one of my favorite cities. So many healthy, vegetarian, vegan options and they are so open and all about healthy living. It’s refreshing when you’re a vegetarian living in the mid west. Judgmental much?! Next trip, check out Voodoo Donuts. They have a maple bacon donut you’d appreciate.
I was going to go, but the local said it was overrated. Ugh.
It might be overrated but it’s also one of those things you have to do once. The donut concoctions are crazy and the décor is eclectic and wild, and there’s always a line out the door to get in. Next trip.
I guess having this deliciousness just a few blocks away makes Voodoo less urgent: http://sublimedoughnuts.com/index.php
I can only imagine how cold Portland is right now, although at least having the sun out must have been nice. I am 100% sure I need that garlic chili. And the raw cheesecake. Dying…
The chili was the best thing! Next to the cake, of course. 😉
I think the best part is how fitting the can of PBR is in front of the dive bar sign, ha! Sounds like a great trip, except for all that freezing weather stuff..Me and the cold just don’t get along.
Isn’t it?! I think it was there on purpose… but I may be giving them too much credit. 😉
Oh man! It seems like all of the US has been hitting their lowest temperatures! Even in Socal which is wimpy cold weather but to me it’s been quite chilly in the evenings~hah! And I want to visit Portland so bad! I always imagine it’s somewhat like SF in terms of food and culture.
You should go! It is like a little San Fran… like it’s hippie kid sister. 😉
Man, I love Portland. It’s definitely one of the places I would move to if I didn’t live here! You definitely found some great eats too. I really don’t remember much of what I ate either time I’ve been there- but I certainly remember DRINKING A LOT OF BEER. I’ve got to try that kombucha- I’ve wanted to ever since I saw yours at Heather’s house.
Nice “that’s what she said” placement. 😉
I could definitely see you there. Alli promised we would go hiking next time. Too cold!
Oh WOW! Looks like you girls had a BLAST! And of course, you know I’m loving all the yolkporn action going on! Way to win breakfast there lady…I’m drooling all over myself and have a seriously case of biscuit envy! 😉
So glad you got to spend some quality time with your sis…you can never get enough of that!
I’m not normally a huge biscuit person… but there wasn’t a bite of that fluffy deliciousness left on my plate!