Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Portlanders love food and we’re very fond of breakfast. Instead of pondering why, I accept and embrace it. And with so many great breakfast options, I’d like to share one of my favorite weekend spots with you, which also happens to be a food cart.

The PDX Sandwich

The Big Egg at the Mississippi Marketplace pod in north Portland serves — you guessed it — eggs! But these aren’t any run-of-the-mill eggs — they’re local and farm-grown. So is the meat and the produce, which is also organic whenever possible. Did I mention that they’re absolutely delicious?

If you go, here are a couple of recommendations. Meat is optional, but I always add bacon.

• The PDX Sandwich: egg, Tillamook white cheddar cheese, fresh chives and stone ground mustard on grilled brioche Pullman bread.
• The Breakfast Wrap: a grilled flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, potatoes, portabello mushrooms and Tillamook white cheddar cheese with poblano salsa (that they make themselves) and yogurt-lime sauce.

When I go, I also like to hop over to Dogfeathers Coffee and Juice cart next door and get either a cup of coffee or one of his juices. I like The Wet Dog, a blend of apple, carrot and ginger.

Want to discover more of Portland’s food carts? There’s an app for that, if you have an iPhone. Search for the Food Carts Portland mobile app in iTunes. Happy cart exploring!

We’re entering the final weeks of our winter hotel special, which invites visitors to enjoy a different kind of getaway (filled with one-of-a-kind Portland experiences such as Powell’s, Voodoo Doughnut, food carts and tax-free shopping) and a different kind of discount ($72 off your second night).

Based on our math, these savings will go a long ways. So, how would you spend your $72?

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.)

Our food scene has bloggers buzzing – and TV audiences salivating, thanks to Travel Oregon’s new spots that feature the range of the state’s culinary experiences: from food carts to wine, from Dungies to truffles, and from farm to table.

Oregon Bounty, the state’s culinary promotion, runs through Nov. 6. Planning your trip?

• Before you come: Check out these regional itineraries, then enter to win an Oregon travel package. And don’t forget about our Portland Perks hotel package, which includes dining discounts at The Heathman Restaurant & Bar and other top restaurants.
• Once you’re here: Navigate the culinary options with Travel Oregon’s location-based mobile site: food.traveloregon.com/mmm.

Netarts oysters: delicate, a little briny, just right.

Feeling inspired (thanks, Eric), I marked my first lunch at the new RingSide Fish House by ordering (or, to be more accurate, inhaling) some  tasty Netarts oysters on the half shell.

Here’s a half-dozen things to love about the restaurant:

1. it’s a terrific addition to the downtown retail core;
2. the dining room offers a cool view of Director Park and its illuminated-at-night canopy;
3. it has a nice bar and a good happy-hour menu (try the steak bites);
4. its proximity to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall gives theatergoers another pre-show choice for, as chef Johnny Nunn calls it, their pre-Schnitz blitz;
5. it’s a family-run business that follows in the footsteps (if not the Mad Men-esque vibe) of its older sibling, the venerable RingSide Steakhouse; and
6. perhaps most importantly (ahem), it’s yet another option for lovers of the bivalve.

Photo courtesy of Portland Japanese Garden/Adam Royer

Like those around the world, Portlanders have been shocked and saddened by the recent disaster in Japan. Portland has a sister city relationship with Sapporo, and below are just a few of many ways that our community is supporting our friends in Japan.

• Japan-related organizations in Portland have joined forces to provide financial aid to survivors of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The newly formed Oregon Japan Relief Fund will contribute 100 percent of donations raised through the fund to Portland-based Mercy Corps’ relief efforts. The local humanitarian agency is working with a Japanese partner to provide emergency assistance to earthquake survivors in Japan. The donation website can be found at: http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising/oregonjapanrelieffund

• The Portland Japanese Garden has set up a “Wish Arbor” as a place to reflect, visit and remember victims of the recent disaster in Japan. Visitors are invited to write wishes and condolences on cards that can be hung on the memorial. The arbor is located just outside of the garden’s admission gate, open during operating hours, and does not require admission to the garden. http://japanesegarden.com/japandisaster

• There will be a candlelight vigil held for Japan on Fri., March 18th from 6-8 p.m. in Portland (venue TBD, please check www.vigil4japanpdx.org for updates). Donations will be accepted to send to Japan via Mercy Corps.

• Hellion Gallery, which presents contemporary art shows in both Portland and Tokyo, will be donating 20% of profits from this month’s art sales in Portland (the current exhibition is of paintings by Ai Ohkawara) to the relief effort in Japan.

• Mt. Hood Meadows ski resort will donate $5 from each night-ski lift ticket purchased ($15 on-site or $10 in advance online) to ski on March 23rd and 24th (Wednesday and Thursday) from 3-9 p.m. to Mercy Corps’ Japan disaster relief fund. Tickets are normally $29, thus offering both a discount and a donation.
http://www.skihood.com/Store/Products/Tickets-and-Equipment-Rentals/Tickets/Japan-Disaster-Relief-Night-Ticket

• Rapha Performance Roadwear is organizing fundraising bike rides (Rapha Rides for Tohoku) in Japan and the U.S., and will match donations of $10 or over on their website. The ride in Portland begins at Albina Press at 9 a.m. on Sat., March 19th. http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-rides-for-tohoku

• Beast restaurant is serving a fundraising dinner on Tues., March 29th. Tickets are $200 per person, and reservations can be made through their website. http://www.beastpdx.com/reservations.htm

• Portland Design Collective will be staging a fashion show on April 1st from 7-9 p.m. Originally a fundraiser to send teenage design students from Mt. Tabor Middle School to Japan, it has evolved into a joint effort to do so, and raise funds to help friends and family in Japan. Ticket sales will benefit the students, but other donation opportunities will be available at the event.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-Design-Collective/157191524322470

• Mercy Corps has a constantly updated list of events held around Greater Portland to benefit the Japan relief cause, which you can check here: http://www.mercycorps.org/events.

Portland continues to flex its foodie muscles, appearing in my Twitter and Facebook feeds more frequently lately. I love living in such a tasty city. Here are a few recent mentions in case you’re wondering what you’re missing.

• Food & Wine magazine named Portland one of the best places in the world to eat and shared this 48 hour cheat sheet so you can give it a try, too.
• Bon Appétit put Laurelhurst Market at the top of their list of the 10 best new restaurants.
• For the 100th episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” viewers voted on the most memorable moments from the last six years — and Portland won!

Portland’s food carts are getting noticed more as well. They are amazing little mini-restaurants that specialize in a particular type of food and offer generous portions for a reasonable price.

• Budget Travel named Portland the city with “the world’s best street food.”

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Delicious food and an affordable price make the Oregon Culinary Institute a great place to dine.

When I was in school, my favorite “class” was always lunch. I don’t really know why. I was just really, really good at it and I didn’t even have to study. Fortunately, I’m not alone when it comes to receiving straight A’s in dining.

Portland has a group of students that are in a class all their own when it comes to serving up culinary delights. No, we’re not talking Ramen noodles or frozen burritos — and these are definitely not your average college kids. They’re students at the Oregon Culinary Institute at 1701 S.W. Jefferson St. (about a 15-minute walk from Pioneer Courthouse Square downtown). Aside from teaching students how to master difficult culinary techniques, OCI also gives its students real-world experience by running a public restaurant on-site. Pretty cool. The students prep, serve, cook and do everything else that comes with serving the masses and the food is excellent — on par with the cuisine that has made Portland one of the country’s newest dining destinations.

I almost forgot the best part: price. (more…)