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Hot Spots

Scotch Lodge

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Hot Spot of the week is sultry speakeasy-style lounge Scotch Lodge! We recently stepped through their somewhat hidden entrance to sample the wares and were thoroughly impressed!

The first thing to note about Scotch Lodge is that the entrance isn’t obvious. Other than the sandwich board on the corner, there isn’t much indication that you should be opening the barred doors nearby. Once you do give the doors a shot, you will find yourself descending a dim staircase. This leads down to a cool and moody vintage-vibe space. The manner of entrance along with all of the decor gives the whole space the feel of a speakeasy in another era and I am obsessed!

Decor

To start, we ordered cocktails from the creative and well-curated list. I tried the Loch Stock, a super rich and smoky blend of scotch, mezcal, and lapsang souchong – infused sweet vermouth with a touch of Ancho Reyes. My dining companion went with the Lotus Espirit with Japanese whisky, lotus orgeat, Genmaicha, and egg white. Both were delightful and went down a little too easily…

Cocktails

Everything on the menu sounded amazing, so we went with the time-proven technique of asking our bartender to guide us. We ended up with some very delicious food and two very full bellies. The Arancini were crispy on the outside and gooey inside, with a lovely avocado crema. The Stone Fruit salad was a perfectly refreshing moment and with the thinly sliced coppa, felt like an Italian summer day. The pappardelle was fresh and perfectly cooked, and the duck breast on top was crispy and rich, the seaweed butter providing an unexpected layer of flavor. The NY strip was a lovely way to round out the meal, cooked beautifully and accompanied by enoki mushrooms and anise.

The Food

In all, Scotch Lodge was a lovely experience and I cannot wait to go back. The combination of great food and cocktails with the sexy and moody decor make it a great spot for a date night or a treat-yourself dinner.

Have you been to Scotch Lodge yet? What should we try out the next time? Let us know in the comments below!

Ripe Cooperative

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Hot Spot of the Week this week is OHSODELICIOUS market and bistro Ripe Cooperative. Naomi Pomeroy recently opened this adorable spot in the former location of epic dining destination Beast, and may I say I’m smitten?

We headed over to Ripe Cooperative for a ladies lunch recently. We were a little worried that there might be a long wait due to the small size plus the buzzworthy-ness, but they were actually able to get us in right away! They have a handful of small bistro tables indoors, plus covered and heated patio spots outside, so you are covered (haha) whatever your mood.

Upon walking in, the first things we noticed were the lovely wine selection and the smell of fresh focaccia. In addition to the bistro, Ripe Cooperative is also a marketplace. You can stop in and grab a well-curated bottle or a selection of delicious dishes to bring to your next dinner party. If you show up with Spinach and Dungeness Crab dip or Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs, I promise you will be everyone’s new best friend.

Once we were done ogling the 4 different focaccia varieties, we settled in and ordered a bottle of bubbles and some oysters to start. They had two different types of oysters, so we opted for a half dozen – 3 of each. They were super fresh and served with a champagne mignonette, the perfect pairing for the bubbles in our glasses.

Next, we moved on to lunch proper. As I mentioned, there were 4 focaccia options and they all sounded amazing. We ended up opting for the pesto, red onion, and gruyere. It was PERFECT. It was fluffy, with a wonderful bottom crust, and just the right amount of richness. We also tried out the chicories salad, which was tossed with walnuts, pancetta, parmesan, and aged balsamic. Delicious. The true star of lunch however, was the Dungeness Crab Roll. It was easily and by far the best crab roll I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. With all of the rest of the food, I was grateful that we had split it 3 ways, but someday soon I will return to hog one all to myself.

I am not overstating it by saying that I am newly obsessed. For one, I cannot wait to return for another dining experience. But I also really can’t wait to try out all of their market options. This is going to be one of my new ‘go to’ spots, for sure.

Have you been over to try Ripe Cooperative yet? What was your favorite thing on the menu? Let us know in the comments! If you have not been, I highly recommend checking them out Here.

Brasa Haya

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Hot Spot of the week this week is lovely Spanish restaurant Brasa Haya! Located in the old Beech Street Parlor space, Brasa Haya does it’s own playful take on tapas and pintxos and they do it well.

You can’t talk about Brasa Haya, of course, without mentioning the setting. It is located in an old 1906 foursquare home off of MLK, meaning that all of the dining areas are really converted rooms of the old house. They (or rather Beech Street before them) have added a beautiful wooden bar to the main level family room, but otherwise it generally feels like you could be headed to a dinner party at a friends home. Plus the wallpaper game here is top-notch.

The drinks list is understandably Spanish-driven, with a large selection of Spanish wines, a proper sherry list, and the ubiquitous Spanish coffee. Yet, we found quite a few fun surprises sprinkled throughout, like the Tensho Embassy (my cocktail of choice of the eve) which involved tequila, yellow chartreuse, and roasted miso. Once we finished cocktails, we ordered a lovely bottle of Cava to pair with the remainder of the courses.

The thing that I love most about tapas is that it is all built to share. I always want to try everything on the menu, and tapas restaurants are the only ones that let me even get close. That said, the portions here were not tiny and still quite filling, so try not to go too overboard, even when everything sounds too delicious.

We ended up trying the salt cod croquettes and the charred onion relish with ricotta on toast to start. Both were super tasty. Next, we had some of the roasted brussels sprouts with romesco (my favorite sauce in the world). Finally, we shared the salsify gratin with black trumpet mushrooms and preserved lemon. This one was so good but also so filling that we decided to skip the larger portions and head straight for dessert!

Dessert was a real treat. We went with the servers recommendation and had, what was more or less a wonderfully upscale and handmade version of a Dilly Bar. Pairing that with a Spanish coffee to round out the meal was definitely a genius move.

I cannot wait to head back to Brasa Haya and try the rest of the menu! Next time, I’m bringing a larger group so that we truly can order absolutely everything. Have you been to Brasa Haya yet? What was your fave? Let us know in the comments!

Montelupo

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Hot Spot of the week is very cool Italian Market and
Restaurant, Montelupo! This great NE spot has a very neat business plan and something for every one of your needs. In the mornings, they have coffee and pastries, at night they have dine-in (and heated patio) delicious dinner, and throughout the day they have an excellent grab ‘n go market with wine and wonderful pantry goods. Recently, we took advantage of the heated dining tent and sampled a whole bunch of Montelupo’s dinner service and it was delish!

To start, of course, we tried a cocktail. I opted for the Daisy Chain, a bright and citrusy gin concoction that was too good not to down in about 3 minutes. To follow we ordered a bottle of prosecco, which was pleasantly crisp and complemented the rich food very well.

We wanted to try so many things on the menu that even after a lengthy ‘paring-down’ debate, we still definitely over-ordered. We were not sad about that however, as we got to have Montelupo lunch the next day! To start we went with the Dos Hermanos pull-apart bread, which is a must have in order to mop up sauces as well as eat plain with EVOO. We also got the burrata, which was delicious and fresh, served with olive, tomato aioli, and greens. We also had the arancini, stuffes with rice, bay shrimp, and cheese. Finally, we tried the roasted and carrot with sunchokes (a new favorite) accompanied by tahini and gremolata. The starters were all wonderful and also quite filling.

Even though we were practically stuffed at this point, you can’t go to an Italian restaurant and not try the pasta! We went for the pappardelle, prepared with braised pork ragu and a broccollini-basil pesto for one. For our second choice we tried the fusilli with wild mushrooms, parsnips and cream. The pastas were both well-prepared and the ingredients did not overwhelm with flavor, instead letting the noodles shine.

Too full to even think about dessert, we grabbed an extra bottle of bubbles to go from the market inside and headed home to sip and plan out our next visit. Want to check out Montelupo Italian Market? You can head right over Here.

Do you know a Hot Spot that we should checkout next? Let us know in the comments below!

Bellwether

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Hot Spot of the Week this week is the fantastic new Southeast spot Bellwether! We finally got a chance to check out this much-talked-about watering hole. I would say we were quite delighted with what we found!

As soon as I walked in the door, I felt transported. The dark wood, coffered ceilings, deep booths, and low light reminded me of a time and place of the past. The tasteful decor and sultry jazz added to the whole picture. It’s cozy, classic, and definitely a place you will want to bring someone special for a date night soon.

The cocktail list takes a more modern bent, combining interesting amaros and liqueurs with classic drink profiles for a fun twist. I started my evening with the No. 5, a smoky and strong blend of tequila, mezcal, Carpano Antica, and Cynar. This drink has the vibe of a Manhattan, but with the complex interplay of smoky agave and herbal notes it hits a whole other level. I followed that up with the No. 10. Gin, Camparo Bianco, Absinthe, Chartreuse, and Soda combined to make a bright and refreshing sipper. Again, the addition of the anise and herbals adds those extra layers that take it beyond the classic gin and soda.

Another aspect I appreciated greatly about Bellwether is the lovely simplicity of the wine list. It is short but well-curated, with simple labels telling you what to expect. You can feel safe in your choices of ‘Good Bubbles’ or ‘Bold Red’. Or you can get a little experimental with ‘Orange Wine for the Brave’. Either way, it removes the guesswork of whether to order this or that wine based on what you are looking for.

The visit wouldn’t have been complete without ordering a few snacks. The food menu at Bellwether is minimal but also will fulfill most needs. I grabbed a starter of the meat plate, which had salami, spicy coppa, and pork rilletes, with a variety of pickled veg and crackers on the side. The meats were Olympia Provisions (so you know they are spot on) and I really loved the pickled kohlrabi addition. For my main I went with the pan seared chicken thighs which were served with an Israeli couscous and wild mushrooms. The chicken was super juicy and tender and the couscous was bright and lemony with perfect earthiness from the mushrooms. 10/10 would eat again!

Bellwether certainly lives up to the hype they have been getting and I’m excited to head back and try all of the rest of their offerings! Check out their menu and plan your visit Here.

Where should we check out for our next Hot Spot? Let us know in the comments!

Steeplejack Brewery

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Portland has a ton of breweries, some amazing, some mediocre, so when a new one opens up, everyone gets very excited! The most striking thing about Steeplejack is it’s location. The brewery is on the corner of 24th and NE Broadway in a 110 year old church. The owners kept the stunning architecture that you find in churches, from soaring wooden beams to bright stained glass. The space is really warm and inviting and makes you want to hang out for hours.

Steeplejack bar That Portland Life

Steeplejack is aiming to please and has something on their menu that anyone can enjoy. I wanted to try as many things as possible, so I opted to do the taster sized pours. I tried the Witbier, Travers, Amelia (A smoked beer), and Fletcher. The smoked beer wasn’t for me, but others at the table loved it! The other beers were smooth, true to their style and really delivered on flavor.

steeplejack beers

They also have a full menu, and kids menu, that you can order from. We only popped in for a quick drink, but after looking it over, we will definitely be going back! You can find things like burgers and sweet potato fries, or tacos and avocado toast. They also have a killer looking brunch menu if that is more your speed.

I know we will be going back again and again to see what these awesome brewers are putting together!

steeplejack brewery

Wild Thing

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This week’s Hot Spot is brand new plant-based build-a-bowl restaurant Wild Thing! This delicious Alberta outpost is brought to us by alum from two of our PDX faves, Arden and Tusk. We could not be more excited to have a new grab-n-go option that is not only healthy, but also a nice alternative to the typical rice and bean joints.

Wild Thing’s concept is pretty simple, but done in an elevated way. You start with options for the base, tri-color quinoa, brown rice, or mixed greens, or even a combo. Then you have many options of fun vegetable toppings to choose from. One of my favorite things about Wild Thing is that they made the flavors really diverse – sumac, turmeric, urfa chili – but also made sure that you can easily mix and match and have all of the flavors complement each other.

On our recent visit I went with smoky paprika cauliflower, sumac cabbage, lemony brussel sprouts, roasted delicata squash, and sesame broccoli. Then you get to add some crunch and I definitely went crispy garlic. The sauces are wonderful as well, with options like hazelnut romesco or tahini miso. Again, all of the flavors meld so well! If you want to bulk your bowl up a smidge you can also do add-ons, of which I highly recommend the lentil tempeh ‘chicken’ salad. I am generally not a big fan of tempeh, and this scoop was a game-changer!

Wild Thing also has their own branded cans of wine, a light chilled red and a crisp white, plus kombucha, cold brew, and other tasty options. Open Weds- Sat 11-7 with a happy hour from 3-5. Check them out next time you are looking for a delicious and hearty bowl in NE Portland! Visit virtually Here.

Where should we check out for our next Hot Spot? Let us know in the comments!

Lolo Pass

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This week’s Hot Spot is the perfect rooftop bar to wrap up your summer fun – Lolo Pass! While Lolo Pass is essentially a hip Euro-style hostel, they also have a very cool rooftop space for you to sip, snack, and take in the city views.

We headed over to Lolo Pass this week on a hot sunny day to see how it stacks up. The answer? Excellent! We started with some drinks – the Brut Rose and the Gemini SZN. Brut Rose is always a favorite for summertime sipping, but as far as I’m concerned, the Gemini SZN truly stole the show. Basically an Aperol spritz but with the lovely addition of Combier Pamplemousse, I could drink these all day long.

After finishing our first round of beverages, we ordered some tasty snacks. The fried artichokes were very crispy and served with lemon and a nice aioli. The term ‘fries’ on the menu was rather misleading, as what actually came out was so much more. They were like fluffy fried potato cubes, with shaved Parmesan, fried capers, and an anchovy aioli for dipping. ‘Fries’ did not come close to doing them justice. Next, we tried the Toast. Again, a simple word that falls short of the deliciousness we received. This Toast came with a generous spread of creamy goat cheese, topped with a rainbow of tangy beets, a few kale chips and a dusting of some mysterious and magical green powder. I don’t even really like beets. These beets changed my mind.

We will definitely be heading back up to that lovely and casual rooftop spot at Lolo Pass. We can’t wait to see all of the great things they do and try everything else on both of their menus! You can check out Lolo Pass Here.

Where should we try out next? Let us know in the comments!