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Phaya Thai Express

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Hey Portland friends! We just discovered a great new spot on Hawthorne Blvd that we’re excited to share with you—Phaya Thai Express. This fast-casual Thai spot has quickly become one of our go-to places for delicious, authentic Thai food, and we think you’ll love it too. Whether you need a quick lunch, or a low key dinner. Phaya is sure to meet your needs and be delicious while it is happening.

Walking into Phaya Thai Express, you’re immediately greeted by the inviting aromas of freshly prepared dishes. The setup is simple and fun—you get to build your meal from a base of either white rice or brown rice and grains, and then choose from an array of mouthwatering dishes displayed cafeteria-style.

On our visit, we decided to try a bowl with two selections. First up was the NY Steak Curry, featuring juicy NY steak, galangal, and a southern Thai curry that packed just the right amount of spice. It was hands down our favorite of the night.

2 entree meal from phaya thai

We also tried the Prik King Catfish, which included fried catfish in a house curry with rhizome root and basil. The combination of flavors was fantastic, with the basil adding a fresh twist to the lightly spicy curry. And of course, we couldn’t resist ordering some crab rangoon. These crispy treats, stuffed with real crab and served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce, were the perfect starter.

We also tried a couple cocktails so that we could test out the full experience. I had a gin cocktail, which came with jasmine, giffard pampelmouse, and lemon. It was tart and well rounded. We also tried the hibiscus mezcalita which was very smoky and tart. It was made with mezcal, hibiscus syrup, aperol, lime and a chamoy rim.

Something for Everyone

One of the things we love about Phaya Thai Express is how inclusive their menu is. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or need gluten-free options, there’s something here for you. The variety ensures everyone can find their new favorite dish. If you arent into cocktails they had multiple non-alcoholic mocktails and sodas. There is also a large outdoor patio for you to enjoy during these lovely sunny months.

Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch, having a casual dinner, or planning a get-together with friends, Phaya Thai Express is a great choice. The food is flavorful, the atmosphere is welcoming, and it’s conveniently located on Hawthorne Blvd.

So next time you’re in the neighborhood, swing by Phaya Thai Express and treat yourself to some incredible Thai cuisine. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Have you been to Phaya Thai Express yet? Share your favorite dishes and tips in the comments—we’d love to hear from you! Looking for something else? You can see our other favorite places to eat around the city HERE

Crumbl Cookies

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Portland is full of amazing dessert shops that we know and love. In fact we’ve talked about a lot of them. Today we are stepping just outside of Portland, because our suburbs have some pretty great stuff as well. This week we went to Crumbl Cookies in Lake Oswego! Crumbl Cookies also has shops in Beaverton, Clackamas, Hillsboro, and Wilsonville.

The first thing you should know about Crumbl is that they are serving you warm cookies! Each cookie is thick and just slightly gooey in the center. Before you even walk into the shop, the smell of freshly baked cookies takes over all of your senses. It’s impossible to not fall in love right away! These are not your average cookies that we are talking about. Crumbl has a rotation of 120 delicious flavors. Some of these flavors include red velvet, carrot cake, sea salt toffee, funfetti, and so many more. The number one staple here is the milk chocolate chip cookie. Check out their current selection Here. Crumbl claims to have the world’s best chocolate chip cookie. This is a big statement to make and while we haven’t had all the cookies in the world yet. We agree with their bold claim.

Crumbl Cookies was started in Utah by two cousins who sought out to just make the best cookies they could. After several failed attempts they went back to the drawing board and A/B tested each cookie at their local gas stations and grocery stores until they found the perfect combination of ingredients and bake time. The original shop opened up in 2017 in Utah, Since that point 75 more locations have opened and they show no sign of slowing down! If you’re ready to give “the world’s best cookie” a try let us know in the comment below which flavor you’re most excited about. Also check out some of our other Hot Spots Here.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert

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We all have that one dessert that brings a smile to our faces. Sometimes it’s a dessert that reminds you of your childhood. It could be something that you love to make on your own. For me Cheesecake has always been that one dessert. I’ve indulged in my fair share of cheesecakes throughout my life, and I can happily say that Portland Cheesecake & Dessert company has mastered the perfect cheesecake.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert certainly isn’t new to the Portland area. This company has been crafting desserts for over 30 years now. We decided it was time to take a trip to their local shop! The staff here is so welcoming, and it was apparent to us that they have a passion for what they are doing. We were immediately welcomed with a big “Hello how are you doing?” everyone working was eager to help out, and answer any cheesecake lovers’ questions that we had. There were quite a few options to choose from. If you’re torn between what flavor to get then simply get the cheesecake “cupcakes”. The cupcake route is the one we chose to take. My favorite was the classic vanilla, but marionberry was a very close second. Both cheesecakes were the perfect combination of creamy and fluffy.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert can be found in New Seasons Market as well, but we would recommend heading to the shop for a more personal experience. The shop is open Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 3 pm. Trust us when we tell you, that nothing beats the smell of just-baked cheesecake. You won’t find that aroma at your local supermarket! If you’d like to order ahead of time, you can do so on their website Here.

Are you about ready for a slice or two from this local company? While cheesecake might be what they are famous for, they do also offer a variety of other desserts that are sure to please any crowd. Take a look at our some of our other Portland Hot Spots Here to see what else Portland has to offer.

Portland’s Best Re-Opened Bars

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2020 was a rough year for most people. Unfortunately, Portland had to say goodbye to some of its favorite bars, restaurants, and local shops. They will forever be missed. However it’s 2021 now! We are ready to celebrate Portland’s Best Re-Opened Bars. Portland has too many amazing bars to be able to name them all at once, So this week we are featuring the ones that we are most excited to welcome back! In no particular order.

Palomar

959 SE Division St. Portland, Ore. 97214
Open Wednesday – Sunday 4pm – 10pm
Authentic cuban food and cocktails.
Website Here

Bantam Tavern

922 NW 21st Ave Portland, OR 97209
Open Monday – Friday 3pm – 11pm
Saturday – Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Interurban’s sister restaurant, Providing high quality pub classics with a twist.
Website Here

Scotch Lodge

215 SE 9th Ave #102 Portland, OR 97214
Open Wednesday – Saturday 4pm – 11pm
A cocktail bar for whiskey lovers, with a french inspired menu.
Website Here

Sapphire Hotel

5008 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97215
Open Tuesday – Saturday 4pm – 11pm
Sassy cocktails of all sorts, and dinner to please every crowd. Home to the best cheese plate in Portland in our opinion.
Website Here

Tropicale

2337 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR 97232
Open Tuesday – Friday 12pm – 10pm
Saturday – Sunday 10am – 10pm
Home to the pina colada king! Serving Caribbean and Latin American small bites.
Website Here

5 & Dime

6535 SE Foster Rd Portland, OR 97206
Open 7 days a week 4pm – 10pm
Exceptionally done classic cocktails and light snacks.
Website Here

Someday

3634 SE Division St. Portland, Oregon
Open Thursday – Sunday 3pm – 10pm
Classic cocktails and a variety of small plates
Website Here

If you’re not quite ready to dine-in at these bars, that’s ok! Most of the bars listed above will do food-to-go as well. It’s so exciting to see some of our local favorites come back to life, and we are ready to celebrate them again! If you think your favorite bar needs to be on our Portland’s Best Re-Opened Bars list, leave us a comment and we will check it out. Head to our website Here for other featured Portland favorites of ours.