Category Archives: Portland

Sur Lie:The New Kings of Brunch!

Sundays 10am to 3:00pm the most amazingly yummy brunch delights are now available at Sur Lie. So many delicious things! Luckily Portland is the land of small plates. Although, Sur Lie’s portions are so generous it seems unfair to call them small!

We started with the Lox Toast, a delicious combination of egg salad, house cured salmon, and dill served on toast. Topped with capers, it was briny/salty/creamy rich! We followed this up with the PBEC, pork belly, egg and cheese that combined in such a way that I fear the photos I’m publishing may be obscene. Perfectly seared yet tender pork belly, warm egg yolk, melted cheese, crunchy heavenly bread! So good, so very good! I really didn’t think it could get any better, until I tried the caviar with eggs! North Spore Mushrooms, rich eggs, and topped with a generous dollop of caviar. So satisfying, I found myself mopping the plate with the accompanying sourdough toast! I left ready for a nap that was sure to include dreams of pork belly.

Lox Toast

Lox Toast


PBEC

PBEC


Caviar and EGG

Caviar and Egg

The Honey Paw is Honeylicious!

The Honey Paw, is a brand new sister restaurant to the renowned Eventide Oyster Co. and Hugo’s. The space is uniquely refreshing, with a large communal table at the heart of the room and counter seating ringing the outside of the restaurant. The set up makes the space feel very welcoming and more open than many of Portland’s other new restaurants. Even more delightfully unique is the menu. Billed as a non-denominational noodle house, the dishes range across Asia and incorporate such varied ingrediants as duck, veal, and goat to yield fantastic fare. The resulting dishes are bursting with one of a kind flavors and textures. I love it so much,that I have now been back three times. Twice for dinner and once for lunch.

The menu is divided into four numbered sections from small to large. While I love small plates, I really enjoy the option of having larger dishes. Particularly because they are all so good. One of my favorite dishes so far, is the charred Pork shoulder served with fermented turnips. This dish made me so happy! Reminiscent of the candied pork I used to get at Chinese restaurants as a child, but elevated to a grown-up decedent taste sensation. The fermented turnips add a nice tart counterpart to the sweet charred pork. The wok fried collards were one of the tastiest things I’ve had this year. Smokey pork hock, tender collard greens and topped with amazing onion rings, the ingredients combine in a way that I would have never imagined was possible. So yummy/savory/spicy/good! Other dishes that I have enjoyed, include the Wok Fried Wide Noodles with its uniquely prepared pasta and the Crab and Pork Wonton that just burst with unique flavor and textures. In the case of the Wok Fried Noodles the texture of the fried noodles made this seafood dish so much more interesting than noodle dishes found elswhere. While the crab broth was deliciously rich and infused the tender pork wontons with a marvelous taste. Of special note, your meal cannot be complete without trying their rich soft serve. Congratulations to Chef Pisha-Duffly, he is creating oh so satisfying meals here that you won’t find anywhere else.

Charred Pork Shoulder

Charred Pork Shoulder


Wok Fried Wide Rice Noodles

Wok Fried Wide Rice Noodles


Wok Fried Collards

Wok Fried Collards


Crab and Pork Wanton

Crab and Pork Wanton


Goat chili with home made "Fritos"

Goat chili with home made “Fritos”


Fanstastic Softserve with Magic Shell

Pocket Wedding

Do you love getting dressed up in your finest and dancing the night away? Have you ever thought that going to a wedding would be so much more fun, if you didn’t have to sit through a long ceremony,deal with unpleasant relatives, or buy an expensive gift? Then you’re sure to love Pocket Wedding!

The crew behind Pocket Brunch have prepared an evening to remember filled with some of the best food, drink, and music available. So put on your dancing shoes and purchase your tickets to this May 2nd event. If you aren’t lucky enough to get tickets, you can catch their follow up act at Flanagan’s Table for Mother’s Day Brunch. Get them while you can!

POCKET-WEDDING-PROMO-2-2 (3)

14 Portland Area Happy Places

These are some of the restaurants that make the food I love. They span the range from inexpensive to quite pricey, but every one of them is worth trying.

1) Central Provisions, arguably one of the best restaurant in the country. Chef Chris Gould specializes in making visually stunning and immensely satisfying small plates.
Smoked carrots

2) Hugo’s is a delicious ballet filled with edible art accompanied by unparalleled service. A full sensory experience.
Rabbit Terrine

3) Miyake Fore St just from the sea perfection. There is a reason that Chef Masao Miyake receives James Beard nominations year after year.
omakase sashimi

4) David’s Opus 10 Chef Bo Byrne serves up intricate seven course meals in an intimate setting.
Butter Poached Lobster, Caramelized Onion and Vanilla Bean Risotto Cake, Citrus Truffle Micro Greens

5) Eventide Oyster Co. sibling to Hugo’s next door,this restaurant serves some of the most beautiful seafood you may ever see. Amazing oyster selection and a lobster roll made that sill make any visit worth remembering.
Char

6) Boda Thai street food served in a casual environment with some of the friendliest wait staff in town. My can’t miss, their quail eggs and many tasty skewers.
mai tai

8) Slab Siciian Street Food carb heaven. Each slab is a giant pillow of happiness. At six bucks for a one pound hand slab, it is one of the best deals anywhere. As you can see from the photo below, they makes some pretty good sandwiches too.
Pork Sandwich

9) Nosh Kitchen Bar sister restaurant to Slab, if you are looking for the most over the pork fat related experience go here. Amazing fries (my favorite are bacon dusted), filthy good sandwiches and the option of adding pork belly and foie gras to any dish.
Nosh

10) Bao Bao delightful dumplings,asian salads and cocktails. Delicious, satisfying and inexpensive. What more can you ask? Overseen by celebrity chef Cara Sadler.
pork bun

11) Palace Diner simple food prepared with the finest local ingredients. Don’t let the menu fool you these simple dishes will blow you away. Bon Appetit called their tuna sandwich one of the best things they ate in 2014.
Palace Royal

12) Hot Suppa this beloved neighborhood spot serves delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a touch of southern flair.
Grits w chili and poached eggs

13) Sur Lie, new kid on the block, serving inspired small plates with influences from the chef’s Puerto Rican heritage.
Maine Oatmeal Pudding

14) Little Bigs savory hand pies and delicious donuts that are guaranteed to blow you away with flavor and creativity.
Donuts and Hand Pies