Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Bunk Sandwiches' pork belly Cuban sandwich

Seeing that we are in the season of giving thanks, I would like to say “thank you” for the gift that gives year-round: the American Burrito, also known as the sandwich. The sandwich is enjoying a long-overdue renaissance in Portland thanks to a few key players who have upped the ante on three very important sandwich metrics: abundance, variety and scrumptiousness. The subject is certainly open to debate, but this sandwich aficionado thinks the following purveyors of tasty hand-held meals have helped fill a void that had been vacant for too longs.

Enter into the ring: Meat Cheese Bread, with a menu that favors locally sourced ingredients; Bunk Sandwiches, where creative artistry keeps you coming back for more; and Kenny and Zuke’s, offering deli-style fare that is always piled high. Three-handedly, these brick-and-mortar establishments quickly helped raise sandwich awareness in the city.

The bread-based buzz carries through the outdoor scene as well. At the Alder Street food cart pod, Addy’s tasty baguettes are the perfect lunch companion; across the way, Huong’s Vietnamese serves up a bahn mi that will be your new best friend; and, down at Fifth and Stark, Tabor’s schnitzelwich is always ready to tango.

Portland’s sandwich selection has come a long way over the years and is headed in a savory direction — right to my stomach, and for that I am thankful.

Photo by Mark Stalcup, via Flickr

The holiday season isn’t over yet! This Saturday, Portland has plenty of ways to say goodbye to 2011 and hello to a brand new year. Here’s a quick round-up of resources to help you plan the last night of the year:

Portland Food and Drink has a comprehensive list of 45 restaurants offering New Year’s Eve dinners and special events. Many of the city’s top eateries are in on the action (think Olympic Provisions, Aviary, Grüner …) and there are even a few places serving up New Year’s Day brunch.

CitySearch found some eclectic parties and events, from Champagne at the Hilton to casual comedy at Helium and free video games at Ground Kontrol.

For those who want to dance, rock or eat their way into 2012, Willamette Week breaks down the options.

Of course, this is just the tip of the celebratory iceberg — if you have other favorite Portland NYE events, please let us know about them!

Behind the scenes: Douglas Derrick (Nostrana) mixes a Manhattan for Mike Thelin (Feast Portland) and my colleague Barbara Steinfeld.

Working with our friend Mike Thelin — co-founder of the much-anticipated food and drink festival, Feast Portland (Sept. 20-23, 2012) — we recently wrapped up some fun video shoots at three leading restaurants, which shared their recipes for chocolate hazelnut toffee (Country Cat), butternut squash soup (Metrovino) and a seasonal Manhattan (Nostrana).

Visit the “Flavors of Portland” tab on our Facebook page to download and share the recipes, watch the videos and enter to win two tickets to Feast. (Must enter by Jan. 6, 2012.)

When Brian Faherty discovered a set of cast-iron glass molds in 2002, he thought a new craft lighting business would be a fun side project. Lo and behold, Schoolhouse Electric’s hand-blown shades and lighting fixtures inspired by American craftsman and mid-century modern styles took off. Soon Brian was searching for a bigger production facility, and a bigger space to show his wares.

The new Schoolhouse Electric factory and showroom opened its doors this month in the trend-setting Northwest Industrial District. True to Portland form, it is a hive of collaboration. Ristretto Roasters has moved in with a café (featuring James Beard Award winner Kim Boyce’s fine pastries). There are plenty of nooks for sitting and savoring – and people watching – in this expansive 1910 warehouse made cozy in its artful layout. Anna Mara Floral Design adds sweet scents and a colorful bounty to the scene while local fashion celebrity Adam Arnold brings a whimsical touch to slipcovers (and Brian’s outfit, above). Portland design favorite Egg Press is also on site; their partnership with Schoolhouse Electric has led to a whole new line of textiles including bedding and jaunty heraldic throw pillows.

In fact, Schoolhouse Electric’s wares have now expanded to furnish an entire condo, office or bungalow with quality goods from small manufacturers. And the only place to experience it in its entirety is here!

All year down in Portland we look up at Mount Hood’s beautiful snowy peak. In the wintertime it’s at its brightest, covered in a blanket of powder. Of course there’s skiing and snowboarding for all of you speed demons, but snowshoeing is such a peaceful way to spend time with friends on the mountain with minimal gear, and not very much cost. You can rent snowshoes in Portland at the Mountain Shop for $10 for two days, if you’re an adventurer who wants to explore on your own. Pedal Bike Tours has recently started to up the ante with their snowshoe tours that leave from downtown Portland for a day on the mountain, including a decadent lunch at Timberline Lodge.

Whether you visit Mount Hood on your own or with a group, stopping at Timberline for a warm beverage is a must. The historic landmark is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012. In celebration, they’re offering a deal of $75 for a second night’s stay in a queen room from January to May.

For 40 years The Benson Hotel has displayed a “Gingerbread Masterpiece” in the lobby for guests and passersby to admire. Chef Dave Diffendorfer has created the display for the last 17 consecutive years, with fantasy worlds ranging in theme from Santa’s North Pole to an Austrian hillside town to The Benson Hotel itself.  Each year Chef Diffendorfer crafts, molds and carves 100 lbs. of gingerbread and up to 25 lbs. of white chocolate and marzipan into a spectacle to behold.  This year’s display, A Castle in Blue, is one stop to check off your list while shopping or visiting Santa in downtown Portland.  Merry, merry!

Had a great night at one of downtown’s newest restaurants, Mucca Osteria, where Bert and I recently shared a nice pasta dish, samplings of wine and a lovely parade of antipasti from chef Simone Saviano: melon and prosciutto, organic greens, thinly sliced medallions of seared lamb, and an artful stack of heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella.

I’ll leave the full review – and the English translation of the restaurant’s name – to the Portland Mercury. But in a word (or four): It was just right. And it was nicely paired with a post-meal stroll around downtown, window-shopping at Canoe and other West End retailers.

The holiday season is here, and what better way to brighten your spirits than with a Holidate downtown!  Every Thursday evening in December, cross things off your to-do list and have some fun with special discounts, free parking at SmartPark garages until midnight (enter between 4-6 p.m.) and live merry music sponsored by Portland Mall Management, Inc.

Get all the details for each week’s Holidate and make your holidays extra merry and bright!

Gotta share: Check out this cool, buzzed-about video that’s making its way around the Internets.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — the weekend of the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale! I know I’m not the only local who’s planning to start and finish all my holiday shopping in one fell swoop at this massive event. On Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 10-11), more than 250 vendors will pack the Oregon Convention Center’s Hall C, selling everything from handmade jewelry to fine art, locally crafted clothing to supplies for crafting your own creations. I am especially looking forward to perusing my friend Jolie’s felt flower accessories and my talented colleague Amy’s encaustic paintings and “Pin Up Cups.”

If I have any steam left after shopping and socializing at Crafty Wonderland, I plan to check out the city’s newest holiday craft fair, The Portland Bazaar. Organized in part by Design*Sponge blogger extraordinaire Grace Bonney, this sale also runs Saturday and Sunday, and is at Sandbox Studio (420 N.E. Ninth Ave.), just a five-minute drive from the Oregon Convention Center.