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September Events

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Fall is coming to Portland or (hopefully) just a bonus month of summer! Here are some fun events around the city to keep you smiling no matter the weather.

  • Saturday/Sunday 9/7-9/8 Mini Maker Faire An awesome yearly event of tinkerers, creatives, crafters, and enthusiasts of all varieties, there is something for everyone to enjoy at this celebration of curiosity. OMSI 9:30am-5:30pm $16/day adult, $10/day youth https://portland.makerfaire.com/
  • Saturday/Sunday 9/7-9/8 Portland Dragon Boat Festival Hang out at the waterfront and watch as teams race stunning dragon boats along the Willamette. Beer garden and food vendors will keep your various appetites satisfied. Tom McCall Waterfront Park 8am-5pm Free
  • Wednesday-Sunday 9/11-9/15 FEAST Portland’s largest food event of the year is here, and includes classes, dinner series’ by celebrity chefs, ‘Drink Tank’ panels and much, much more. It’s also a fundraiser to combat hunger in Oregon and abroad. Locations, times, and ticket prices vary. https://www.feastportland.com/category/all-events
  • Friday-Sunday 9/13-9/15 Rose City Comic Con All things sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, and delightfully nerdy pop culture, this event is fun for all ages and some of the best people-watching in town. Oregon Convention Center Fri 1pm-8pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-5pm, ticket packages vary. https://rosecitycomiccon.com/
  • Sunday 9/22 Sunday Parkways The final event of the Sunday Parkways series will explore a 7.6 mile loop in Northeast Portland. Bust out your bikes or ‘blades and enjoy live music and vendors as you wheel around the streets sans traffic. Jump in anywhere along the route, 11am-4pm Free. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/67623
  • Friday/ Saturday 9/27-9/28 Oregon Burlesque Festival A festival of titillating teases, the Friday showcase features circus acts, neo, and comedy, while the closing Saturday evening show is the competition portion. Alberta Rose Theater, doors at 8pm, show at 9pm. $25/night or $40/two-day pass. http://www.oregonburlesquefestival.com/home/
  • Saturday 9/28 Oktoberfest at the Zoo A family-friendly celebration of all things German, there will be an Alpine band, games for kids, and vendors of German food and beers. You might even catch a glimpse of the Unipiper as he peddles past the penguins. Oregon Zoo, 4pm-7pm, adults $20/ youth $12.95. https://shop.oregonzoo.org/#/SpecialEvents/SpecialEvents

What events are you excited about in September? Post them in comments below!

Rum Cocktails

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Today is National Rum Day! Who want’s to celebrate?? If you said yes and you live in Portland, you are in luck. We have a multitude of fantastic rum-focused bars all across the city for your sipping pleasure.

  • Rum Club 720 SE Sandy Blvd The name says it all. They have rums from all over the world and use them in a variety of ways in their many delicious cocktails. Happy hour 4-6 daily.
  • Hale Pele 2733 NE Broadway If tiki cocktails are more your style, and you possibly want them on fire, stop by this spot that will instantly transport you to island life. Bring friends to share a Volcano Bowl.
  • Acadia Bistro 1303 NE Fremont Sometimes you need just one perfect drink to make the list, and Acadia’s rendition of the classic New Orleans Hurricane is it. A blend of three rums and passion fruit puree, it goes down a little too easily for it’s strength.
  • The Alibi 4024 N Interstate Ave Who doesn’t want to croon along to some yacht rock while downing a few daquiris? Karaoke daily and a serious span of happy hours are hallmarks of this long-standing North Portland spot.
  • Eem 3808 N Williams Ave This too-hot-to-touch BBQ and Thai fusion restaurant just started serving brunch/lunch everyday, so you can get your boozy slushy craving satisfied whenever it may strike.

Did we miss your favorite place to sip some rum? Let us know in the comments!

Coquine

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This week we decided to treat ourselves to something extraordinary. I have had Coquine on my “must try” restaurant list since it was named restaurant of the year in 2016. It has remained one of the highest rated restaurants in town year over year and it did not disappoint.

We chose to do the 7 course chef’s menu to get the best idea of what offerings the James Beard nominee had. Everything we tried was fresh, seasonal and full of flavor. One of the biggest surprises of the night for me was our very first salad. There were fresh sugar snap peas, spring greens, black sesame seeds and toasted nori all topped with shaved Oregon wasabi. the wasabi gave a unique bite to the very crisp salad.

We continued on with a calamari salad with fresh radishes and cucumbers and a lovely piece of halibut with oyster mushrooms and herb oil. We continued on with a pasta with a rabbit ragu that was my favorite dish of the night, multiple small desserts, and the cutest candy tray.

To end the night we had to try one of their famous cookies. The smoked almond, salted caramel and chocolate chip cookie was as delicious as it sounds. It is no surprise that they won cookie of the year. You can even order these cookies in advance, or just get one to go! We will definitely be back to this incredible restaurant!

Where do you think we should try next? Let us know in the comments!

Eem

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After months of hearing and reading rave reviews, we finally made it to Hot Spot of the week, Thai and BBQ fusion spot Eem, and it did not disappoint. Backed by a powerhouse team, the flawless execution of food, cocktails, and relaxed but efficient service come together to achieve an experience that deserves the accolades they are receiving. 


The cocktail menu tends towards the rum-based, citrus-heavy vacation style, and the ones we tried were delicious. Some are served in delightful Tiki mugs and feature sprightly flourishes. Food comes as it is ready, which ended being a perfect pace for always having a variety of new things to taste without having an over-crowded table or feeling rushed. 

On our recent visit, we tried a variety of dishes from all parts of the menu, including a fantastic pork belly dish with fermented pineapple, a burnt end brisket curry, and the simply prepared but outstandingly delicious snow pea tips. The Thai street food flavors melded so well with the smoky slow-cooked barbecue flavors, it makes one wonder why people haven’t been combining them for longer. 

We can’t wait to return and try everything else on the menu, and live that vacation life without leaving our lovely city of Portland.


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

Montesacro Pinseria Romana

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We all love Italian food, but generally I’ve found that people in the United States tend to oversimplify the wide array of deliciousness that the country has to offer – too often reducing it down to pasta alone. Montesacro Pinseria does a wonderful job of showing off all of the other mouth-watering offerings of Italia.

I actually lived in the Northwestern corner of Rome for 6 months back in 2006, and since returning, had not found a single restaurant that transported me back to those times until sitting down for lunch at this unassuming spot in the Pearl district. However, one bite of the Gambuccio panini (not the pressed white bread variety you may be thinking of) and I was instantly back to a street-side bistro of Trastevere. Perfectly crunchy and soft bread, heaped with a generous portion of prosciutto and burrata, yet it was the zucchine sott’oli (zucchini marinated in olive oil and spices) that honestly brought tears of nostalgia to my eyes. I highly recommend getting the Sbagliato, a wonderfully bright and bitter combination of bubbles, Campari, and Cocchi Torino to cleanse your palate between blissful bites.

I cannot wait to return to try all of the deliciousness on this menu, and relive those days living in the epicenter of amazing Italian cuisine.

Have you tried this place yet? Let us know in the comments!

Ruby Jewel

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This week’s featured spot is the delectable Ruby Jewel! We are here to tell you that this is the best ice cream in Portland. They have amazing flavors that change regularly, they use only locally sourced ingredients, and you can get an ice cream sandwich, inside a COOKIE!!!!!

I don’t dislike the other ice cream shops, which shall not be named, but Ruby Jewel gives you classic flavors with a small twist that only makes them taste better. A current favorite is the Peanut Butter Dream. It is peanut butter ice cream, with peanut butter cups and swirls of chocolate. It is truly to die for. I would recommend getting it inside of some chocolate chip cookies. Some of their other offerings include The vegan Jewel which is made from chocolate coconut ice cream and a gluten-free cookie and the Pride-Which made from cereal milk ice cream, rainbow cookies, and rainbow sprinkles. They will donate 10% of sales to Q Center if you buy this cookie sandwich.

Since its first opening in Portland, Ruby Jewel has grown in popularity throughout the city. They currently have 3 locations that you can step into to create your own delicious treat!
1650 NW 23rd Ave
3713 N Mississippi Ave.
428 SW 12th Ave
If none of these locations is close enough to home, don’t worry! You can now find their ice cream sandwiches pre-made in most of our local grocery stores! You’re never too far away from the best Ice cream in Portland! Check out all the current flavors Here.

Do you have a place that you think we need to check out? Let us know in the comments!

Burgers

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Ahhh, the quintessential go-to meal, the almighty burger. There are many, MANY fantastic burgers in this city, and it would take more years than I have to attempt to eat all of them but a girl can try, am I right? For this post I did focus on the meaty rather than the meatless, but most of these establishments do have veggie or vegan versions for those who prefer their burgers sans bovine.

  • The Lutz – 4639 SE Woodstock Blvd
    • The Lutz has not one, but about 8 of the best burgers in Portland. I don’t know the secret of what makes this patty so delicious, but I do know that it is always perfectly cooked and incredibly juicy. It almost doesn’t matter the accoutrements, but a couple of my favorites are the Backdraft if I’m in the mood for SUPER spicy or the Lutz Burger if I’m looking for a classic.
  • Slingshot – 5532 SE Center St
    • Great drinks, rotating art collection, cheap bubbles, and a damn fine burger and fries makes this unassuming bar a fantastic spot for a low-key date night or head there for the happy hour to get the night started.
  • Slow Bar – 533 SE Grand Ave
    • At Slow Bar, a perfectly fluffy bun cradles a patty that is the perfect combination of juicy and crisply char-grilled, and best of all, you can get it until quite late.
  • Little Bird Bistro – 215 SW 6th Ave
    • All of the food at Little Bird is phenomenal, and the Double Brie burger is no exception. Tangy pickles and a spiced ketchup are a great counter-balance for the richness of the brie.
  • Yakuza – 5411 NE 30th Ave Suite 100
    • An izakaya isn’t exactly the place that I would look for one of Portland’s best burgers but happily, Yakuza delivers one. Piled high with truffled shoestrings, goat cheese, and spicy mayo, the Yazuza burger is always a deliciously messy and perfectly cooked treat. Add the fried egg for an extra dose of decadence.

Did we miss your favorite burger?? Let us know in the comments!