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Hot Spot Restaurants

Slappy Cakes

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Slappy Cakes is a Portland favorite and one of the most fun restaurants that you can visit in SE Portland.  With griddles on nearly every table, you can order and make your very own pancakes at your table.  They always have buttermilk, chocolate, and vegan batter, but there is also a rotating seasonal flavor to keep you coming back.  This time around it was a lemon poppy seed which paired perfectly with our fruit. 

Slappy cakes

I went as a special mom and daughter date, so we ordered all the berries, chocolate chips, and whipped cream.  The pancakes are light and fluffy, and the flavor combination was perfect.  In the past I have ordered chorizo and goat cheese toppings, so if you are feeling adventurous, be sure to check that out! If you aren’t in the mood for pancakes, they also have all the breakfast staples.  Hash, Benedict, Scrambles, Candied Bacon.  This place will truly please everyone in the family. 

Because I was having a mommy and me date, we ordered some fresh squeezed orange juice.  They have multiple juice options, but if you are in the mood for something a little stronger they also have a fantastic cocktail menu.  I highly recommend the Slappy Cakes Bloody Mary!

We constantly go back to this restaurant for the fun atmosphere and the yummy food and drinks, have you been to visit yet?  Make sure to let us know when you go! 

Kimura

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This week we headed out to try something new. I’d never had a japanese toast before, but I’d only heard good things. Located on the very popular Williams corridor and next to another favorite hotspot, Kayos Ramen, you can come to Kimura for lunch or dessert! Shokupan, also known as japanese milk bread, is a soft and spongy this bread that you can order with a huge array of toppings.

image courtesy of https://kimuratoast.com

The toast reminded me of a mix of a croissant and french toast. It was thick and spongy like a good french toast, but delicate and buttery like a delicious croissant. I chose to have mine topped with strawberries and cream which perfectly complimented the warm sunny day.

kimura - strawberry toast

Naturally I enjoyed my toast with my favorite beverage, a glass of champagne, but they also have a wide range of other drinks to choose from. There are multiple wine options, coffee and espresso with coffee beans from Proud Mary Coffee, teas from Smith Tea Maker, and of course, Matcha tea and lattes.

We are definitely going to be going back to visit again to try some different toasts and house made butters. Let us know if you have stopped by yet and what your favorite dish is. You can also check out their website and menu Here. If you want to see what else we love, all of our hot spots can be found Here. See you next week!

Yalla

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This week, our Hot Spot is phenomenally delicious Mediterranean BBQ spot Yalla! As Spring gets started and the weather becomes more forgiving, we have been trying to find great outdoor dining options. Both of us independently saw an Instagram post by the one and only @foodiesnitch that featured Yalla’s adorable dining cabanas and decided we had to go!

First of all, we thought these cabanas were so perfect! With one fully open side and a small directional heater, they are totally equipped so that we felt both safe and comfortable. Food was delivered in to go-style boxes to our end table that we then distributed family-style.

We started with drinks of course. Yalla has a nicely curated list of beers and a few canned wines, plus a couple of solid cocktails and their own house-made sodas. I ordered the Prime Manhattan for an opener and Jessica tried out the Ginger soda. Both were great for sipping.

For our meal, we were so excited to try the food that we ordered a bit of everything. For our salad course we tried the Gathering Together Greens with dill, radish, ricotta salata, and walnut vinaigrette. Let me tell you, I don’t normally get very excited about salads, but this one had me scraping the bottoms of the box!

The next course, we tried the Hummus with Burnt Ends and the Yellow Falafel. The falafel was so nicely crunchy on the outside but tender inside and the flavors were on point. The burnt ends seriously melted in your mouth with that perfect amount of smoky fat and the hummus was a great accompaniment. That dish also came with some delicious roasted poblanos that further elevated the flavor profile. We also had a side of the oven roasted carrots with harissa and they were delightful. Cooked perfectly with just the right spice and sauce.

Next was a battle of the fried chickens! We ordered both the chicken wings served with pomegranate molasses and the fried chicken with harissa honey and pickled cauliflower. Both were absolutely top notch, with super succulent meat ensconced in crispy batter with a touch of sweetness. Comparing notes later, we discovered that while we thought both were excellent, I leaned slightly towards the fried chicken and Jessica leaned slightly towards the wings.

We cannot wait to go back and try all of the rest of the menu! In particular, we are very excited to return for the short ribs (a dish recommended for 2-4 people) and the desserts! If you want to decide what to order when you stop in for a visit, check out the menu here. If you want to see where else we have eaten lately, you can find our other Hot Spots here.

Do you have somewhere we should feature next? Let us know in the comments!

Kayo’s Ramen Bar

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Our Hot Spot of the Week this week is delicious N Williams Ramen spot – Kayo’s Ramen Bar! Full disclosure, this was an accidental find. We had intended to lunch somewhere else, but arrived to find that the outdoor seating was full to the brim with newly-seated patrons. However, sometimes the world works in mysterious ways, because the loss of that other dining experience led us to discover this absolute gem!

There are several standout features of Kayo’s. First, they not only have fantastic traditional ramen options such as Shoyu and Miso, but they also have many interesting and creative spins on the dish. You could choose a Curry Ramen or Wasabi Smoked Salmon one. If you are feeling really wild, maybe you will want to try out their Japon tacos! Another great feature is that you can choose the amount of gluten you are feeling up for. You can get the standard option of traditional noodles, substitute the gluten-free option of julienned zucchini and daikon, or even try out half and half!

We both thought that the TanTan Ramen sounded the best. Apparently many people agree, as this is their most popular option. We tried out the regular TanTan and the TanTan Mazemen (no broth) respectively as well as sharing an order of the Pork potstickers.

First off, let me say that those were the BEST potstickers. They were cooked perfectly, the flavors were on point, and we made a bit of a mess because of how delightfully juicy they were. I could eat them every. damn. day. The ramen was phenomenal as well. I adore Sichuan DanDan, and having a ramen version was a totally new experience for me. We both agreed that it was better with the broth rather than the Mazemen style. That is partly because the spice disperses better in the broth and partly because the broth was so delicious!

This place is such a great option right now especially. The patio is wide open and covered, with very well–spaced tables. Plus, ramen is the perfect dish for these days where the sun is shining, but still a chilly nip to the air. Check out their menu here.

Have you ever tried Kayo’s Ramen Bar? What should we order the next time we are in? Let us know in the comments!

Güero

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We have loved this place for quite awhile and it is high time we share it with everyone! Hopefully you have already been to try this awesome restaurant, but if not, here is why we love it! Güero started as a food cart and after their massively popularity, moved into its brick and mortar location. They landed on Ne 28th which has become a more and more popular destination for food and snacks. They have been making fabulous tortas and margaritas since they opened in 2017.

Guero

All of the food is phenomenal, but they are of course best known for the tortas. My personal favorite is the Ahogada, a carnitas torta with jalapeño slaw covered in achiote tomato sauce. I always gravitate towards saucy things on the menu and this one really wowed. If you aren’t in the mood for a sandwich, you can also try one of their fabulous bowls. No matter what you order, I can guarantee you will enjoy it.

Güero also has a fabulous margarita, you can order one with Mezcal or tequila, and have them on the heated patio, or to go! They are simple yet perfectly tart and dangerously drinkable. If you want something lower in alcohol, they make a great horchata and aqua de jamaica.

Güero has done a great job of making things cozy for people wanting to dine in, the patio area is well covered and has several heaters going to keep you warm. We went out on a brisk 40* degree and were quite comfortable with our food. If you have tried this restaurant we would love to hear your thoughts! If not, be sure to go check it out soon! You can head over to their website to see the full menu and hours HERE.

Kann

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This week we are featuring a truly unique hot spot experience with Kann Winter Kitchen. This winter, American Express and Resy teamed up with some amazing chefs around the nation to create pop-up restaurants located in yurt clusters. Luckily, we got one in Portland and the chosen chef was none other than Gregory Gourdet, who created a memorable and transporting menu of traditional and creative takes on Haitian cuisine.

The Yurts

Kann Winter Village is the perfect description for what we walked into. The cluster of quaint and cozy yurts, complete with pine boughs and twinkly lights, delighted us immediately. The yurts are heated and outfitted with spare utensils, plus a lazy Susan so that the wonderful staff can safely deliver your food while remaining properly distanced.

The Food

Our first course of the evening was a Ripe Plantain and Squash salad. Full disclosure, I thought this sounded like the least exciting part of the menu. I was SO wrong. I have no idea what the chefs did to make that squash easily the most tender and delicious I have ever tasted, but I certainly want to. There were also wilted greens that were outstanding, bright pops of tart pomegranate, and plantains two ways. I think of salads as being often mundane, but this was a fully conceptualized and balanced vegetable side, and I adored every bite.

Our second course there was a split. For the omnivore menu, a Twice-Cooked Pork Belly and for the pescatarians, a shrimp Creole. Both were delicious, but the tender, crispy, rich, and spicy pork belly had our hearts. Third course was the Soup Joumou, which had a bone-in chicken drumstick for the omnis that was absent in the pescatarian. This soup was incredibly hearty, and could have acted as a filling meal in itself.

As an extra treat to ourselves we did add on the 1/2 Peking duck, which arrived next. We were already starting to feel quite full at this point, so we just had a little taste and took the rest home for an epic leftovers feast the following day. What a taste it was! The duck was meltingly tender and the sauce was highly spiced and complex. It was served with plantain crepes, Haitian cornmeal, and spicy pikliz. Again, I could have eaten an entire meal of just this and been pleased as punch.

Next, we had another division. Braised Beef Short Ribs with Habanero and Thyme for the omnivores and an Epis Marinated Sea Bass for the pescatarians. Once more, while both were lovely dishes, I have to side with the omnivores on this one. I LOVE short ribs and would say I may eat them more regularly than most. These were some of the best I have ever enjoyed. And mind you, at this point I was stuffed, and yet I could not resist eating a slightly excessive amount of these delectable creations.

Finally, somewhat bursting at the seams, we enjoyed dessert. A lovely Upside Down Banana Cake, topped with warm coconut cream and with a caramelized burnt crust. I’m not quite sure how I managed to find the room, but I finished every bite. As a bonus treat (did we need more?) we added a bottle of the first of the wines from the pairings (our favorite!) a pinot noir rose bubbles. We finished every drop of that one too.

If you also would like to make it to Kann, check out more info Here. Where should we go next? Let us know in the comments!

Cabezon

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Cabezon calls themselves a neighborhood bistro in NE Portland, but they are so much more than that! The menu changes almost daily, depending on what is fresh and in season. They focus on locally sourced seafood and wood fired meats. Every item on the menu looked so good, we wanted to try everything! Each item blew me away, and somehow was better than the last. Cabezon clearly knows how to satisfy anyone’s appetite because they have been going strong since 2009.

Outdoor, heated, covered patio

We started our meal with basil and phyllo wrapped shrimp. The shrimp were plump and juicy inside and the phyllo was perfectly crisp. They were served with a creamy cashew sambal sauce and glass noodles which paired amazingly. Shrimp hasn’t always been my favorite because it’s so often overcooked, however, my opinion on shrimp has been forever changed.

Our final course consisted of cioppino and pancetta wrapped monkfish. I have had my fair share of cioppino as I often make it for myself at home. There were pretty high hopes for this one. I was served dungeness crab, muscles, clams, and white fish, in a silky tomato broth. There was a very slight spice and lots of aromatics coming off the broth. This was truly one of the best I’ve had. Lets talk about the monkfish. Wow! What a well thought out dish.  Black trumpet leek ravioli, Kale, Brussels sprouts, and leek fondue all under a piece of monkfish. The broth was earthy, rich, smokey, and slightly sweet.

Do you have a craving for seafood yet? If you want to see what is on the menu tonight at Cabezon check out their current menu Here. If you’re looking for other great options take a look at our other featured businesses Here.

Quaintrelle

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This week I went out to Quaintrelle. I had heard great things from friends and was very excited to visit! Dining outside in the winter isn’t always comfortable with the rain that Portland is so well known for, but Quaintrelle makes it feel comfortable and warm. There is a large white tent on the cobblestone patio with multiple tables, bistro lights, and a large heater to keep the space warm. Regardless of weather, at least one side of the tent is left open to allow for proper air flow.

Our Food

Quaintrelle makes Pacific Northwestern food sourced from local farms and purveyors. Seasonality is a huge part of their menu so it changes frequently which allows you to return over and over and always have a new experience. We started with green curry mussels with house made pickles. The mussels were plump and buttery. The broth they were served in was rich, full bodied, and had just a hint of spice. Next was the “Whiteout”. As the name suggests everything on the plate was completely white. Parsnip, egg, celeriac, pear, yuzu, and wasabi snow. The dish was playful and imaginative. This paired perfectly with my sparkling wine. They also have a small cocktail menu with some of the classics.

We moved into our second course by ordering the whole striped bass with miso and nuac cham, brussels sprouts with ginger, hoisin, and puffed rice, and beets with Meyer lemon custard, barley, and Roquefort powder. The bass was perfectly cooked, it was moist and fell away from the bones effortlessly. Quaintrelle took just as much care with their vegetable sides as they did with their main entrees. Each dish had the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and bitter notes.

I would highly recommend Quaintrelle to anyone that hasn’t had the chance to try it. If you’re in the mood for some great local Northwest cuisine, you will not be disappointed.

Have you tried Quaintrelle yet? Let us know in the comments! If you have yet to try it out, you can check out the menu here. To see what else we have featured, you can check out those here!