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Hot Spot Restaurants

Sweedeedee

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Looking for a cozy spot to enjoy some homemade comfort food in Portland? Look no further than Sweedeedee, a charming cafe located in the North Portland neighborhood. This little gem has quickly become a favorite among locals and tourists alike, and for good reason.

First and foremost, the food at Sweedeedee is simply delicious. Everything on the menu is made from scratch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. You know you’re getting the best of the best. Some standout dishes include the buttermilk biscuits (a must-try!), the fried chicken sandwich, and the seasonal pies (trust us, you won’t be able to resist).

We wanted to try something new this time around so we opted for their sandwiches. They were absolutely delicious and I was glad to have branched out!!

But it’s not just the food that makes Sweedeedee so special – it’s the atmosphere too. The cafe has a cozy, vintage-inspired vibe that’s both welcoming and eclectic. From the quirky knick-knacks to the mismatched chairs and tables, every detail feels thoughtfully curated. It’s the kind of place where you can easily spend a lazy afternoon catching up with friends or getting lost in a good book.

And let’s not forget about the service – the staff at Sweedeedee are some of the friendliest you’ll find in the city. They’re always happy to chat, offer recommendations, or just make sure you’re having a good time. It’s the kind of warm, welcoming service that keeps people coming back again and again.

So next time you’re in Portland and looking for a cozy spot to enjoy some delicious comfort food, head to Sweedeedee. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

Bluto’s

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This past week we revisited Bluto’s Greek Restaurant. It was opened by the same great minds as Lardo. Seeing as we love Lardo as much as we do (best sandwich in portland) we knew to expect good things from Bluto’s.

Bluto’s is a wood fired greek inspired restaurant, so don’t expect authentic, but do expect char. The restaurant is casual but elevated. The chef calls it “fast casual plus”. He sees it as the way portland is headed, Fine dining food in a casual atmosphere. Time will tell if he is correct.

The have a small but creative cocktail menu. I had the ‘Greek it to me’ which was tequila and cucumber and very refreshing. There are lots of other fun cocktails that I am excited to go back and try. If cocktails aren’t your thing, they also have greek wine and local beers to choose from.

The food

As for the food, it was truly delicious. We tried many of the things on the menu and there was only one thing that we didn’t love. The cauliflower with lentils just didn’t work for me. The dish had lots of potential, but it was too much char for me.

The rest of the things we loved. The biggest standout was absolutely the hummus. It’s silky smooth, super flavorful, and is divine with the house made flatbread. We also loved the beet salad with quinoa, it came with a black tahini sauce that was heavenly. We also tried the chicken, shrimp, and lamb skewers. The chicken was the best for me, tender, flavorful, juicy, I could go on. The lamb was a close second, especially considering lamb is a hard protein to find in Portland.

For dessert we had chocolate soft serve, which takes just like the nostalgic soft serve you are thinking of now, and baklava, which should not be skipped!

I can definitely say that I will be coming back to Bluto’s. Its expensive for counter service, but maybe the chef is onto something with his upscale fast casual theme. Have you been? Let us know what you think!

Langbaan

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You should go to Langbaan. I will get much wordier about it momentarily, but that really is the long and short of it. We recently headed there for the first time after their move from SE Portland to NW, and were totally wowed. The food, the ambience, the service, and the wine pairings were all truly top-notch. You should go to Langbaan.

Getting In

As mentioned earlier, Langbaan just moved locations to a larger space in NW. They share the space with Phuket Cafe, who operates out of the interior and exterior during the week, but cedes the indoors to Langbaan on the weekends. They only do two seatings each day of the weekend, so plan ahead!

The Space

The decor of the new location is spot on. With exposed wooden beams and a gorgeous accent wallpaper, it somehow walks that fine line between hip and refined. The space is small enough to be cozy, but large enough not to feel crowded, and the open kitchen provides that warm feeling of really being cooked for.

The Food

The tasting menu has a simple and elegant concept: exploring different regions of Thailand’s cuisine with seasonal ingredients and the chef’s creativity. When we dined there recently, the focus was on the cuisine of Isaan in Northeastern Thailand, involving fun ferments, spicy chilis, and coconut cream. The food was all incredible, and at the end of the night when our server asked us, ‘What was the favorite of the night?” we proceeded to name basically every dish on the menu.

The Drinks

In addition to the tasting menu, we did have the wine pairings. They were wonderfully chosen, supporting and complementing the food perfectly. I often feel that tasting menus in the Northwest choose mostly reds regardless of the food, which can be frustrating. This one, by contrast, was almost entirely whites and a rose, which worked so well with the food.

The Service

One final note to mention was the phenomenal service. There were 3 folks working front of house that night, and all three were personable, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make our evening great. Thanks team!

Have you been to Langbaan yet? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Check them out Here for their current menu and to make reservations.

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!