hot spot

Arden

May 13, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

We are back this week with another local Portland restaurant that we loved! We ordered takeout from Arden in the Pearl District, who typically strive to provide a full dining experience to help you escape from the hustle and bustle of life. While we can’t currently partake in the atmosphere of this beautiful restaurant, we are luckily still able to enjoy the food!

Chef Erik Van Kley creates hyper-local and seasonal food to help you stay connected to the community. They also have a great wine list that favors local winemakers, and you can even order bottles to go with your meal. We were celebrating my birthday this week so we ordered a bottle of Brut Rose by Patrice Colin from the Loire Valley. It was crisp and dry with slight hints of raspberries which paired perfectly with our chicken dinner for 2.

Our meal came with roasted beets served over house Labneh, roasted carrots and rapini, roast chicken with miso brown butter, wild mushroom spaetzle with herb crÃ¨me fraÃ®che, smashed fried potatoes with lemon peppercorn aioli and some fresh baguette.

Everything tasted phenomenal but the sauces were the real stars of the show. Each one was perfectly seasoned and expertly paired to make all of the flavors of the dish truly sing. I cannot wait to go and support this business again and enjoy the dining room when it is finally safe to do so. In the mean time, you too can support Arden and order online. You can find the takeout menu HERE.

We are always looking for great takeout options to support local! Where should we head next?

If you want to check out the other hot spots we love, you can see them all HERE

*photos courtesy of Ardenpdx

Muse

March 9, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

As everyone knows, we LOVE bubbly. All things sparkling, from Cava to Champagne, Pet Nat to Prosecco. We even run a monthly Champagne Meet-up group to explore and celebrate bubbles all over the city. This last meet-up we went to Muse Winebar and now it is our Hot Spot of the week!

There were many things to love at this hip new wine bar. The lighting and decor gave the feel of a dimly cozy wine cellar, with Edison bulbs and black and white photos dotting the walls. The size was just right as well, intimate but still large enough to accommodate our group of 13.

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/musewinebar/

Another thing we adored about Muse Winebar was the level of service. Kai, one of the owners, was our server for the evening and he was exceptional. He had a high level of knowledge about everything in his collection and was really great about telling us about the different processes and derivations of the sparklings we were tasting. He was very warm and accommodating, and helped everyone to get exactly what they were looking for.

In addition, they had no less than 6 sparklings by the glass (be still, my heart!) AND they do wine flights of 3 or 5 half pours of your choice, so many in our group decided to sample almost every bubble on the list. We also tried several of the food accompaniments: a few cheeses, chocolates, and bread, which were all delicious complements to our flights of wine and lively conversations.

We are very much looking forward to returning to experience more of the welcoming atmosphere and delicious wine that Muse Winebar has to offer!

Have you tried Muse Winebar yet? What did you love? Let us know in the comments! Plus, check out our previous Hot Spots here!

Blank Slate

February 10, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Hot Spot of the week is awesome craft cocktail bar Blank Slate. I visited this place on a whim after hearing that they would be projecting the Oscars on the big screen complete with specials on oysters and champagne. Over the course of the evening, it became clear that this is the bar that I have been missing in my life.

We started the evening with cocktails, a Negroni for me and the Winter’s Cup (Sloe gin, rosemary, soda, deliciousness) for my friend. Both were absolutely delectable and made me want to try every drink on the menu. I will have to return for that chance, as I needed to take advantage of the bubbles special next. I ended up choosing the Spanish Cava, which was bright and crisp.

After enjoying a round of a half dozen Kumamoto oysters (they were wonderful), we ordered the rest of our meal. While the menu at Blank Slate isn’t extensive, it is well-curated and perfectly executed. We were excited to see that they use Fressen bread, so we ordered the Soppressata sandwich and the Mushroom toast. We LOVED the attention to detail that went into these dishes. Even something as simple as a thin spread of high quality butter on the Fressen pretzel roll elevated that Soppressata sandwich to drool-worthy heights. The trumpet mushrooms on the toast were perfectly roasted and they made use of a phenomenal finishing salt to make it just *that* much more delicious.

The decor is worth mentioning as well. I loved the wallpaper, a black background covered in greenery and white flowers. Hanging plants in the windows and a beautifully designed bar make this place feel simultaneously chic and cozy. Our service was the same, attentive but also warm and friendly. I felt welcomed like I was a regular, which I fully plan on becoming.

Have you checked out Blank Slate? What did you think of this awesome NE bar? Let us know in the comments! If you would like some info about Blank Slate, you can find it here.

Do you know a spot we should feature next? We want to hear about your favorite places in Portland!

Shalom Y'all

February 3, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Our Hot Spot of the week is the delicious Shalom Y’all! Shalom Y’all is the Israeli street food focused offering from the wildly successful John Gorham restaurant group. It is located in a cute brick building in inner SE Portland. They serve lunch, dinner, happy hour, and even brunch on the weekends, so you can stop in and check them out any time!

We were pretty impressed immediately upon walking in the door by the beautiful design of the space. The black accented bar was a beautiful contrast to the clean, white subway tile and the hanging plants scattered around the space added a lovely, natural feel.

We started with drinks, as always. There was a lovely Spanish Cava on the happy hour menu that I jumped at. It was crisp and dry with nice, small bubbles. My dining companion opted for the Turkish Delight Slushy, which contained limoncello, ceylon tea, and orange blossom water. It was like summer in a glass!

Like most of the Gorham restaurant collective, Shalom Y’all is designed for sharing. As small plates for the table is my favorite way to eat, we happily obliged and ordered several dishes. One of our favorites was the Labneh with fried artichokes. The house made yogurt cheese was properly tangy, and the fried artichokes were crispy and tender simultaneously, and smothered in a hearty pile of garlic.

We also loved the Hummus ‘Pitryot’, which was topped with sauteed maitake mushrooms (YUMMM) plus dill and paprika. The Chard and Feta Safayech was amazing as well. It was almost like a spinach pie inside of a grilled pita with a wonderful tzatziki on the side. Both the Labneh and the Hummus were served with warm, fluffy pita that our wonderful server was happy to provide more of after we quickly devoured the first few.

While many of the dishes at Shalom Y’all are vegetable focused, the presence of hearty additions like fried artichoke to the dishes will leave even the omnivores satisfied. We can’t wait to come back and try so many more delicious items at Shalom Ya’ll! Check out their menus and hours here.

Have you tried any of the restaurants from John Gorham’s restaurant group? Which was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Tea House at The Chinese Garden

January 28, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

The Chinese Garden is one of the true treasures of downtown Portland. The rest of Chinatown is known more for its nightclubs, but this oasis is something you should add to your “must visit” list.

There are events most days, ranging from Tai Chi in the courtyard to artist meetings and craft events. Check out the calendar over on their website to find something fun to coincide with your visit here.

Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou, our sister city in China. It is considered one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China. After you finish walking through all of the pavilions, head over to the tea house for some superb Chinese tea.

There are many types of teas to choose from but I highly recommend doing the full tea ceremony. The ceremony allows you to choose a style of tea and observe the leaves and aroma more fully. You are also able to take in the unfolding of the aroma as you continue to add infusions of water to the leaves.

In addition, there are many lovely snacks to nibble on while you are tasting the teas. They stick to authentic Chinese fare so the snacks really complement the tea quite well. Whether you want something sweet, savory, or a small meal, the tea room has you covered.

We tried the steamed buns which were filled with sautÃ©ed seasonal vegetables. The buns were perfectly doughy and they weren’t overfilled. We also had the seasonal vegetable dumplings. They were steamed and topped with a light black bean sauce. Overall we were really happy with the food and can’t wait to visit again.

Have you been to check out the Chinese garden or the tea house yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments!

Hat Yai – Belmont

December 9, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

For our Hot Spot of the Week, we decided to check out the newly opened SE branch of Southern Thai spot Hat Yai. With counter service and checkered plastic tablecloths, this casual eatery is a perfect spot to grab a bite while checking out the great bars along the Belmont strip with friends. If you want to check out the menu, or see more information, you can do that here

As usual, we each got a cocktail to start. While the cocktail list here isn’t extensive (3 options and a seasonal special) we were both able to easily choose something that catered to our preferences. The Turmeric Sweet Tea was a lovely Thai twist on the classic, and was perfect alongside the fried chicken. The Tamarind Whiskey Smash made me seriously wish it were a hot sunny afternoon. If cocktails aren’t your thing, there is also a no-frills wine and beer list to choose from.

For dinner, we decided to share the famous fried chicken. We opted for the half-chicken portion so we could try several different dishes. The dark meat was, of course, the winner. Even the breast was tasty when doused with the Thai chili dipping sauce. We also shared the Goong Tom Gati, a shrimp and clam curry served with sticky rice. The curry was fine, but we wished we had gone with our instincts and ordered the special Jungle Curry. With trout belly and Chanterelles, it sounded outstanding. However, the person at the counter somewhat warned us off of it saying, “It’s a 9/10 on the spicy scale.” Sometimes in Thai restaurants, that would mean inedible, but once we had tasted the other curry, we felt that we certainly could have handled it.

Our surprise winner of favorite dish of the evening was the seasonal special pea tips. Simply sauteed and served in a light curry sauce, pea tips have been an exciting discovery for me in restaurants this year. They were my favorite of this evening, as well as another spent at delicious newcomer Eem a few months ago. After this experience, I know I will be ordering them every time I see them on a menu! Have you been to Hat Yai yet? What should we order next time?

What Hot Spot should we try out next? Let us know in the comments!

Cascade Brewing

November 26, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

This week we went and checked out Cascade Brewing! This sour ale brewery has so much variety we will have to go back multiple more times to try everything on the menu.

I love sour ales, so if you don’t this is likely not the place for you. They do typically have 3 or 4 non sour beers on the menu, but they are no where near as good as the sour ales. My favorite thing about Cascade is that they use fresh, local ingredients and truly experiment with their beers. I tried the Brunch Line, which is very Portland. Its a sour wheat ale that is aged in white wine barrels with willamette valley chardonnay grapes and orange zest. It does taste a bit like a mimosa.

We went during happy hour and were able to try both the pretzel with beer cheese, and the smoked albacore tuna melt. The pretzel was perfectly salted and toasted to perfection. The albacore sandwich isn’t your grandma’s tuna sandwich. With both cheddar and gruyere cheese, the sandwich was delicious and well balanced.

We will absolutely be heading back to cascade brewing for some beer very soon!

If you want to see the current offering of beers, you can see the menu here. or check out the full website

Do you have somewhere that you want us to feature? Let us know in the comments!!

No Bones Beach Club

October 21, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

This week’s Hot Spot is the perfect place to chase away those winter blues, No Bones Beach Club. With fun tiki decorations and a healthy dose of tropical flavors, this all-vegan spot on N Mississippi will make you feel like you’re on a getaway, without any of the guilt.

I brought a friend from out of town here recently in response to his query, “Where can I eat some yummy vegetarian food in this town?” and he was delighted to find out that he could eat every single thing on the menu at No Bones. The portion sizes are large though, and we were luckily saved from ordering FAR too much food by a word to the wise from the fellow at the counter when we attempted to order 5 or 6 items to share.

As with any good Tiki bar, most of the cocktails involve some combination of rums and fruit juices, but I steered towards one that was more like a combination of a Kentucky Mule and a Julep. With bourbon, mint, ginger, and lime, it was perfectly refreshing and bright. My friend got a take on a hot toddy and said it was delightful and well-spiced.

For food, we ended up sharing the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, the Coastal Chowder, and the ‘Crab’ Cake Sando, all of which were delicious. The crab cake sando in particular was quite tasty and served with fries seasoned with Old Bay. I must say, I didn’t remotely miss my omnivorous ways. As I mentioned previously, the portions are quite large, so we ended up taking home most of the cauliflower, which was fantastic as part of breakfast the next day.

I can’t wait to come back to this spot and try out their brunch! Fried avocado Benedict?? Sign me up!

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

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