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Monday, July 31, 2017

Pip's Donuts

We hadn't had any donuts in Portland and went to Pip's Donuts.


Pip's is located at 4759 NE Fremont Street.


They have mini donuts and Chai.


I ordered 8 donuts--$5.25 but got 10. The flavors of the day were cinnamon sugar (loved it), raw honey & sea salt, Nutella & sea salt, candied bacon maple (my favorite), dirty Wu (cinnamon sugar with Nutella & honey) and Meyer lemon pearl butter.


This sign summarizes the Portlandian motto.



2017 04 18

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Fifty Licks

We wanted to try one more ice cream place and remembered Fifty Licks. We had seen a line there when we went to Jacqueline's a few nights before.


Fifty Licks is located at 2021 SE Clinton St.




Show up when it opens at noon and there's no line.







Classic scoop of Blackstrap Gingersnap--$3.50. This was more flavorful than the ginger cookie at Cool Moon but this was the only flavor I really liked here. I liked more flavors at Cool Moon.



2017 04 18

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Alder Street Food Carts

Alder Street from SW 9th to SW 10th Avenues in downtown Portland is full of food carts.


Dump Truck serving dumplings.



There's an outpost of Nong's Khao Man Gai but it has a very limited menu, serving only chicken & rice.


Gyros food cart.


Grilled cheese cart.


I love their saying. "Come by for a taste of your childhood. Unless your childhood sucked, then we'll share a taste of ours."



2017 04 18

Friday, July 28, 2017

Downtown Portland

We went on a walking tour of downtown Portland.


Near Mother's was the Portland Outdoor Store--a Western outfitter, open since 1919.


Walk 0.4 miles south to reach Lownsdale Square. The square was designed as the "gentlemen's gathering place." In the  middle of the square is "Soldiers Monument" dedicated to the soldiers of the 2nd Oregon US Volunteer Infantry killed in the Spanish American War. 


Between Lownsdale and Chapman Square is a fountain featuring a large elk. It was given to the city of Portland by David Thompson, a former mayor, who wanted to provide the citizens, as well as its animals, a watering hole.  The base of the fountain is a drinking trough for dogs and horses. Erected in 1900, this is Portland's 2nd oldest statue. It's a controversial statue, some calling it a "monstrosity."


Multnomah County Corrections building borders Chapman Square. 


"Promised Land" Statue in Chapman Square. Chapman Square was originally planned for the exclusive use of women and children. 


US Immigration Court.


Portland City Hall is just 1 block south of Chapman Square. It has a replica of the Liberty Bell in front.


In Portland, there are public bike rentals. Sign up for membership and you can rent the bikes by the trip or for an entire day.


Portland Building (a municipal services building) with "Portlandia" statue.


"Portlandia" is the 2nd largest copper repousse (hammered into relief from the reverse side) statue in the US, after the Statue of Liberty.


Portland is full of statues. "The Quest" is in front of the Standard Insurance Center. It was hewn from 1 block of Pentelic Greek marble and "depicts the growth of today and tomorrow and awakening to the future" according to its artist, Count Alexander von Svoboda. The sculpture was created in 1970.


Rick Bartow's "The Responsibility of Raising a Child" is a bronze statue erected in 2010 at the intersection of SW 5th Avenue and Taylor Street. It features several animals and objects being carried on the back of a coyote.


Huge Apple store on Pioneer Place.


Pioneer Courthouse--federal courthouse built in 1869. It's the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest and the 2nd oldest west of the Mississippi.


Playful bears in a fountain in front of the courthouse.


"Kvinneakt" by Norman Taylor, installed in the Transit Mall in 1977. Kvinneakt is "female nude" in Norwegian and is "about grace and motion and a certain beauty and pride in the human figure."


Powell's City of Books is located 1005 W. Burnside. It's the world's largest independent bookstore and occupies an entire city block.


Entrance to Chinatown.


Nearby is the "Keep Portland Weird" sign in an parking lot. 


Across the street is Voodoo Donuts.



2017 04 18

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Mother's

Our last breakfast in Portland was at Mother's Bistro & Bar.


It's located at 212 SW Stark Street. Parking is on the street at $2/hour.


Bloody Mary--$8. Nice & spicy.


Crunchy French Toast--$8.96. They're crunchy because they're coated with cornflakes.


Grilled Portabello Mushroom Scramble--$11.95. It normally comes with potatoes and wheat toast. I asked to substitute a biscuit and was charged for it. The biscuit was good but the scramble was just okay. The eggs were overcooked. 


Wild Salmon Hash--$14.95. Served with 2 eggs.


Biscuit Breakfast--$10.95. Biscuits topped with Country Sausage Gravy and 2 eggs. This was good. It had a lot of sausage.



2017 04 18

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Pok Pok

Pok Pok has remained one of the top restaurants in Portland. It's Thai street food and located at 3226 SE Division.


Papaya Pok Pok--$9.50. This was very authentic but also very spicy. It came with a wedge of cabbage--not sure what we were supposed to do with it.


Yam Makheua Yao--$14.50. Eggplant salad with boiled egg, dried shrimp, pork, prawns (more like shrimp), shallot and crispy garlic.


Cha Ca La Vong--$15.50. Catfish marinated with turmeric served on rice vermicelli with peanuts, mint, cilantro mam hem (sauce with fermented fish). This was delicious and very similar to what we had in Hanoi.


I've decided that Portlandians are very adventurous eaters. If they weren't adventurous, there's no way this restaurant would remain at the top of the restaurant scene, even in the Bay Area. It was so good and reminiscent of my time in Thailand & Vietnam.



2017 04 17

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Nong's Khao Man Gai

I had read so much about the Hainan style chicken at Nong's Khao Man Gai.


They have several locations, including food carts. We went to the restaurant located at 609 SE Ankeny.


Order at the counter and they bring the dish out to you. We ordered takeout and it took about 15 minutes to get our order.


There is a Happy Hour from 4-6 pm every day--half portions for $5 with purchase of a drink.


Chicken & Rice Big Size--$14.25. The regular size is $9.25. It comes with soup and an amazing sauce--the sauce is what makes the dish so delicious.



2017 04 17

Monday, July 24, 2017

St. Jack

We wanted oysters and went to St. Jack for Happy Hour after our Midday snack at Olympia.


It's located at 1610 NW 23rd Ave. Happy Hour is Sun-Thurs 4-5 pm.


Chicken Liver Mousse with Dijon, Port Poached Prunes--$6. The mousse was very creamy and full of flavor.


Poutine de Canard--$11. We added Duck Confit for $2 more. I'm not a poutine fan and this didn't sway me. I'm not a fan of gravy over fries. I like my fries crispy.


Miyagi oysters--$1 each. Limit of 2 dozen per table. I liked Jacqueline's better.



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