• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

That Portland Life

Portland Lifestyle and Real Estate

  • Real Estate
    • Welcome to Portland
    • Selling in Portland
    • Buying In Portland
    • Instant Home Value
    • Home Search
    • Communities
      • Portland Proper
      • Southwest Washington
      • Eastern Suburbs
      • Western Suburbs
    • Real Estate Blog
  • Meet the Team
  • Reviews
  • Lifestyle
    • Events
    • Best of Portland
    • Featured Business

Contact Us!

1500 NE Irving St. STE 110
Portland OR 97232
503.703.1712
Team@ThatPortlandLife.com
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Meetup
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

portland eats

Pizzeria Otto

March 16, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

We headed out to try some pizza this past week, and in a city that has SO much pizza, we really dug this place! Located in the hip Foster-Powell area this Neapolitan pizzeria does things a bit differently. The crust is soft and very thin. We typically think of thin crust pizzas as being slightly crisp, or perhaps chewy, but you can hardly even call the dough of this pizza a crust. They flash-cook the pizza in an incredibly hot wood-fired oven. This results in a crisp bubbly ring around the edges and a slightly gooey center.

Pizzeria Otto, neopolitan Pizza

We wanted to see what else they had to offer so we also tried a beet salad and one of their lunch paninos. The beet salad was fresh with a bright citrus dressing and a creamy goat cheese. It was everything that you have learned to love and expect from a good beet salad. The panino was surprisingly more like a pita made of pizza dough, but so delicious! They stuff the bread with salami, Italian dressings, Lil Mama’s peppers and tons of arugula.

The food wasn’t the only thing that we liked about this cool new location. The dining room is spacious, minimalist, and they have huge windows which let in tons of natural light. I could easily spend all day in this restaurant because it has a great vibe.

Pizzeria Otto Dining Room

We enjoyed everything that we tried and definitely plan on going back to check it out again. We went for lunch and learned that they offer happy hour pricing from 11am to 5pm. So go and get a personal pizza and a glass of wine for cheap for your next lunch date!

In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, Pizzeria Otto is offering takeout pizzas and salads, just call ahead, order, and support your local businesses through these hard times!

Website, menu, and order number can be found here.

Voysey

March 2, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

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!

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.

Winter’s Cup and Negroni

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!

Portland’s Best – Steakhouses

November 6, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

In a city that claims to be “one of the best for vegans” there are still many residents that love to enjoy a delicious steak. We have our fair share of places to get a perfectly seared steak so we wanted to share our favorites with you.

We love to support locally owned businesses so everything on this list is a true Portland steakhouse. Listed Alphabetically, here are our favorites!

Clyde's prime rib steak

Clyde’s Prime Rib

5474 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97213

Website

Clyde’s keeps it old school. With a dimly lit dining room it brings us back to what Portland used to be. While the prime rib is reason enough to go, they also have many other cuts of beef that are sure to please. Clyde’s also offers live music in the bar overnight of the week.

Imperial PDX steak and sides

Imperial

410 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205

Website

Vitaly Paley’s wood fired restaurant, you will find tons of delicious cuts of meat on this menu. They have a trusty flat iron and ribeye always on the menu, and they frequently will pass out a specialty cuts list with the menus.

Laurelhurst market steak

Laurelhurst Market

3155 E Burnside St
Portland, OR 97214

Website

Laurelhurst Market is frequently named the city’s best steak house. Everyone that works here can give you the fine details about every cut of steak on the menu. They also serve them with wonderful accoutrement – like the pictured grilled flatiron with chanterelles and shrimp.

ox portland steak for 2

Ox

2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Portland, OR 97212

Website

This James Beard Award winning Latin American restaurant is all about the smoky flavors. There is a wood fired oven front and center in the restaurant which they use to cook all their steaks. The steak is served with the best chimichurri you have ever had and you can order a myriad of amazing vegetable sides.

portland city grill steak

Portland City Grill

30, 111 5th Ave
Portland, OR 97204

Website

This restaurant should be on your must visit list. The 30th floor restaurant offers panoramic views of the city. Whether you are a long time local, or a new visitor, the crew never gets old. They have a variety of steaks you can order from along with sauces and sides for your choice of beef.

urban farmer portland steakhouse

Urban Farmer

525 SW Morrison St
Portland, OR 97204

Website

This open-concept lobby/restaurant serves up some delightful steaks. You have a variety of options once you have chosen the cut of steak you’d like to enjoy. For example, you can have 8oz, grass fed, Oregon tenderloin, or you can have the 8oz, grain finished, California tenderloin.

We hope that you are able to get out and enjoy some of these great steak houses! Are you interested in seeing our other “Best of” lists? Check them all out here

Did we miss your favorite? Add it 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!

Pancakes

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

It’s National Pancake Day and we are HERE for it! But what are the most scrumptious spots in Portland for a stack, you ask? Read on for 5 of our faves.

  • Arleta Library Bakery Cafe 5513 SE 72nd Ave All of the baked, sauteed, or griddled grub here is phenomenal and the Semolina Griddlecakes are no exception. Plus, sometimes they have amazing seasonal pancake specials. Check the blackboard! https://arletalibrary.com/
  • Broder Multiple locations If you are looking for something outside of your traditional flapjack comfort zone, look no farther than the Æbleskiver (Danish pancakes) at one of the fantastic Broder locales. They are fluffy and delightful and served with lemon curd and lingonberry jam. https://www.broderpdx.com/
  • Gravy Locations in N Portland and NE Portland Breakfast foods are the focus at the two locations of Portland staple Gravy. They have several options to scratch that pancake itch, including Banana Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Pecan. http://gravyrestaurant.com/
  • Jam on Hawthorne 2239 SE Hawthorne With an extensive menu that features delicious breakfast options for all dietary walk of life, Jam even has Oatmeal Chai Blueberry vegan pancakes (that you may just order even if you aren’t vegan). Head there on a weekday to avoid the line. http://www.jamonhawthorne.com/
  • Slappy Cakes 4246 SE Belmont If your pancake proclivities lean towards the DIY but without the prep and clean-up, Slappy Cakes is the place for you. You can choose your batter and sweet or savory toppings, and then make your own fun pancake shapes on your personal griddle. https://www.slappycakes.com/portland

Did we miss your secret spot for the best pancakes? Let us know in the comments!

Pix Patisserie & Bar Vivant

September 16, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

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

July 31, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

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
  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Privacy Policy

Thank you for allowing us to help you with your real estate needs.

 

Loading Comments...