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Flying Fish Company

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Living in Portland exposes us to all sorts of amazing food, and on the top of that list is seafood. Are you ever craving some sushi-grade tuna at home, but you’re just not sure where you can find it? Or maybe you just want some oysters on the half-shell? Flying Fish Company offers a fresh fish market for consumers as well as a full-service restaurant. This week, we decided we needed to experience all that Flying Fish Company offers.  

The food

We settled in under their outdoor covered patio just after the lunch rush started to die down. The menu offers various seafood with both raw to cooked options. As well as salads and burgers. We selected the cod fish and chips, grilled steelhead sandwich, and tuna Niçoise salad. The freshness of the seafood here is unsurpassable.

The cod was lightly battered and fried until golden brown and crispy. Served with a side of Jojo’s and some citrus kale slaw. The grilled steelhead was perfectly seasoned and lightly grilled so that the interior of the fish was still moist and delicious, but the fish skin was nice and crispy. The fish was then served on a Grand Central ciabatta roll with the best herb aioli I’ve ever had and the kale citrus slaw that accompanied the cod. Last but certainly not least was the Tuna Niçoise. Poached albacore tuna was served on top of a bounty of greens with a light red wine vinaigrette with just the right amount of bite. The potatoes and egg were cooked to perfection making the salad stand up next to the other entrées without question. 

On our way out we headed into the fresh fish market. Today’s offering had fresh oysters, and clams, ahi tuna, cod, steelhead, Dungeness crab, Scallops and so many other fish options. In addition to all the fresh fish, Flying Fish Company also has a variety of canned seafood to stock up your pantry with. For the current list of what’s fresh go Here. Whether you’re looking for an easy meal out or a decadent dinner in Flying Fish Company has everything a seafood lover could need. For more local hot spots check out our blog Here.

Voysey

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This week we checked out the elegant speakeasy cocktail bar Voysey! This basement bar can be found by following the red light down the stairway at the back of Loyal Legion. If you don’t have a curious mind, you may not have even known this plush cocktail lounge existed.

Voysey Portland, that portland life

Voysey is run by veteran female bartenders and bar managers serving up their own personal cocktail recipes as well as fun twists on some of the classics. As a result, everything on the menu is very thoughtful. If you are not in the mood for cocktails the menu is simple – 5 beer choices and 5 wine choices with a little something for everyone.

Voysey speakeasy in Portland

There are lots of cozy seating areas and a strong vintage vibe. Pink and red lights add to the ‘old-world’ vibe of the space. The bartender who served us was incredibly friendly, checked in on us just often enough to keep our drinks full, and was super knowledgable about all things cocktail.

We will definitely be going back to check out more of the drinks! If you want to keep current with what they are doing, check them out on Facebook!

Have you been yet? Had you even heard about it? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Pix Patisserie & Bar Vivant

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Hot Spot of the Week

With the most extensive sparkling wine list and one of the finest dessert selections in town, Pix has been one of our favorite stop-ins for many years. Previously located in a Victorian home on SE Division, it was practically impossible to get in due to the small size and large popularity. Thankfully, a few years ago they moved to the larger space they currently inhabit on 22nd and E Burnside. We were recently reminded just how much we love this spot when we hosted our monthly Champagne meet-up on an evening that cleared up perfectly to allow us to mingle on the expansive patio.

We started out each choosing a different glass of sparkling, but quickly moved on to choosing assorted bottles to share so that we could compare and contrast the different regional flavors. The sparkling list at Pix is so long that we could easily come here for months and never repeat a bottle! Plus the costs aren’t prohibitive. While you could buy a bottle for a couple hundred dollars, there are also bottles as low as $28 that are still quite tasty.

A few of our group decided to indulge in some of the delicious tapas provisions from Bar Vivant before proceeding to dessert, including a perfect Spanish tortilla and a few quail eggs wrapped in prosciutto. Once our savory nibbles were done, it was time to sample some of the famous desserts. First off, the macaron selection here is incredible. They make somewhere around 30 different flavors and I have loved every one I have ever tried. This visit we went with the Fleur de Sel, Strawberry Balsamic, and Passionfruit, which paired surprisingly well with our Brut Champagne from the Loire region. If macarons aren’t your fave though, they have many other delectable sweets, like the fig filled with creme brulee and topped with gold leaf pictured above (hurry, it’s seasonal!).

Can’t wait until our next visit! Is there somewhere we should check out next? Let us know in the comments!

August Events

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Portland summertime. The season we look forward to all year, that always passes in a flash. But never fear! If you are looking for some last minute summer fun in PDX, here are some August events that you may enjoy.

  • Saturday 8/3 Rosé All Day You know this one has our heart. Entrance includes a frosé, tasting glass, 8 tasting tickets, and snacks. Produce Row $45 11am-5pm Benefits Make-A-Wish https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rose-all-day-at-produce-row-cafe-tickets-63984632759
  • Monday 8/5 The Moth StorySLAM Amazing storytelling, and you can enter as well! Keep it under 5 min, the theme this month is Animals. Secret Society $15 Doors-6:30pm Show-8:00pm https://themoth.secure.force.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F0e00000V3lsUEAR
  • Monday 8/5 – Saturday 8/10 BURGER WEEK! $5 burgers all over town! Can you eat them all? Probably not, but why not try? https://www.portlandburgerweek.com/
  • Saturday 8/10 Pan African Festival Live music, dance, food, and entertainment, plus supporting education, awareness, and opportunities for community involvement! Pioneer Courthouse Square FREE 12pm-8:30pm panafricanfestivalor.org.
  • Saturday 8/17 Adult Soapbox Derby One of my favorite (and most ‘Portland’) events of the year; a bunch of people make extravagant and homemade vehicles and plummet down a big hill to the delight of all. Mt.Tabor Park FREE 10am-4pm https://www.facebook.com/PDXsoapboxracer/
  • Saturday 8/17 Cocktail Crawl This month’s cocktail crawl highlights the classic Cosmopolitan! Each distillery creates their own spin and $1 of each one goes towards Causa: Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Org. Distillery Row $6 per cocktail https://www.cocktailcrawlpdx.com/2019-causes-and-cocktails
  • Saturday 8/24 Soulful Taste of Portland Eat delicious food and enjoy live music while supporting and celebrating the contributions of African Americans to Portland’s epic culinary scene. PCC Cascade Campus FREE 11am-7pm https://www.facebook.com/events/414652442596225/
  • Saturday 8/24 ANDAZ Bhangra Bollywood Dance with DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid The longest running Bollywood dance party anywhere, you are sure to have a blast learning fun moves and sweating the night away with this fantastic duo. The Liquor Store $10 ($5 before 10pm) 9pm-2am https://www.facebook.com/events/517664808977484/
  • BONUS Every Wednesday in August Movies at Dusk Every year Pix Patisserie hosts movies at dusk. Epic champagne list, amazing macarons, and a free movie on the patio? Count me IN. This month features The Terminator, Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail, The Breakfast Club, and Pulp Fiction. Pix Patisserie $5 min. purchase of food or bev (includes free popcorn) Seating opens at 7pm http://www.pixpatisserie.com/events

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!