McMenamins OAK HILLS BREWPUB

McMenamins has pubs all over the Portland area and the Pacific Northwest. They handcraft a ton of different beers and there is always several selections that are typically brewed on location.

Recently, to help out with the struggling economy, they LOWERED prices for their Happy Hour. Their homemade brew are only $3 and you can always get one of my favorites PBR for $2. Their Happy Hour menu has several modestly priced selections for between $1 to $5.

You can review the Happy Hour menu and hours here: http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=41&id=1255

McMenamins' OAK HILLS BREWPUB

14740 N.W. Cornell Rd.

Portland, OR 97229

(503) 645-0286

Pok Pok / Whiskey Soda Lounge

I had heard that Pok Pok has the best authentic Thai food that I would ever experience. It is true and was fabulous beyond words.

THIS IS THE BEST THAI FOOD I'VE EVER HAD ! ! !

My friend, Clark, who has a mutual love of Thai food, and I have been talking about going to Pok Pok for months on end. We finally were able to go there for lunch and found the food, service and whole experience to be perfect. We shared several dishes and every single one was delicious.

Here are some of the things we tried:

Kai Yaang
Half Bird $6.50 / Whole Bird $11.00
Roasted natural game hen rubbed with lemongrass, garlic, pepper and cilantro served with a spicy sweet and sour dipping sauce. Our signature dish.

Kuaytio Reua (Boat Noodles)
$10.00
Rice noodles in a complex dark rich broth with spices, herbs, stewed beef, poached flank, house-made meatballs, water spinach, dry chilies and bean sprouts. Traditionally sold from boats along the canals (khlongs) of Thailand.

Kung Yak Phao
$3.50 each, minimum 3 per order
Giant prawns, brined and grilled whole over charcoal, served with naam jiim thaleh, a spicy lime/garlic/chile dipping sauce.

Yam Makheua Yao (Available Vegetarian)
9.00
Salad of smoky grilled Chinese eggplant with fried dry shrimp and garlic, chopped boiled egg, Thai chilies, shallots, cilantro and a lime-fish sauce dressing.

The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed their outside seating. Service was excellent and knowledgable. The location is easy to miss. It is a mostly non-descript house and shack in the 3200 block of Division. We were there early, however, be aware that a line did form waiting to be seated.

You can find their website here:

http://pokpokpdx.com/index.php

Pok Pok /Whiskey Soda Lounge

3226 SE Division Street

Portland, OR 97202

(503) 232-1387

Bugatti's Beaverton

I dropped into Bugatti's in Beaverton a few Sundays ago as they have their Happy Hour menu available all day. On this day, just about everything was off... It started off with the bartender telling me that the beer I requested was out... so was the next choice so I had a Sangria that was good.

From there, the bar got a bit busy and the bartender became flustered and forgetful. One order was forgotten and no expanation. Things became so slow that I asked about the free wifi to play with my new iPhone. The bartender didn't know how to logon to the wifi and came back with a name and password that was printed on house stationary.... didn't work...

All and all, the food was very average... the prosciutto was so thick that it was like shoe leather... the rest was wadded up in a ball... no attention to presentation... The mussels were good and the Champagne salad looked better than it was... little to no flavour in the dressing... The fried Gnocchi was very bland and boring...

Here is the line up of things sampled:

Fried Gnocchi

Caesar Salad $2
Romaine hearts tossed with Caesar dressing, parmesan and croutons

Prosciutto Platter $5
An assortment of meat, cheese and olives with bruschette

Sautéed Mussels $5
With a lemon and thyme cream sauce

Champagne Salad Piadini Style $4
Candied walnuts, strawberries, gorgonzola, red onions and spinach atop a
whole wheat flatbread

You can find their website here:

http://www.bugattisrestaurant.com/bugattis_index.html

Bugatti's Beaverton

2905 SW Cedar Hills Blvd

Beaverton, OR 97005-1342
(503) 626-1400‎

Fresh Thyme Soup Co.

I recently went to Fresh Thyme Soup Company and had a very good panini sandwich. It was the special of the day... a barbeque pulled pork panini. Although it was very good, a panini just didn't seem right for a sandwich that is traditionally stacked high with coleslaw piled ontop of the pulled pork.

Also, I got a quart of chilled gazpacho soup to take home. It was absolutely delicious and had a bit of spicy heat to it... kind of unusual for a gazpacho soup. They sent me home with the soup, three tasty slices of garlic toast, tortilla chips, sour cream and fresh cilantro. Although I didn't get the toast into the picture, the whole presentation turned out splendidly.

I would certainly try this place again as they have a wide selection of classic panini's, cold sandwiches and wraps. Also, they have many vegitarian options. They rotate their selection of soups weekly and there is always several to choose from. I think this is a great "grab 'n go" idea if you are on the run and you want something tasty and nutritious.

You can find their website and menu's here: http://www.freshthymesoup.com/

Fresh Thyme Soup Co.

16155 NW Cornell RD

Suite 500

Beaverton, OR 97006-8101

(503) 466-9103

Some Great Grilling

With the wonderfully mild and sunny summer being upon us, what could be better than firing up the grill? On one occation, I trimmed my thyme plant and took it to the grill with a prime aged ribeye steak. The smoke added a wonderful dimension. And, I just had to indulge with a delicious cheeseburger made with a tasty chipotle, bacon grilling sauce. Add some saute'd mushrooms and red bell peppers with a thick slice of Tillimook cheddar on top of onion buns and you have the perfect combination

Father's Day at ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria

It was a beautiful day on Father's Day. My daughters and Erin's friend Zack met me at ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria for lunch. It was a bit busier than last time I was here but the short wait was worth it and the food was excellent.

I had the Huevos Rancheros and it was delicious... the weekend is the only time they have some of their brunch entre's and this is one of them. Megan had the carnitas Flauta's. Erin had the Taco's Verduras. And, Zack had the Taco's Porque Tingas. And, matched up with a PBR, it was a delightful outing and Father's Day ! ! ! Thanks you guys.

You can see my previous review of ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria here: http://thewanderingfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/06/por-que-no-taqueria.html

¿Por Qué No? Taqueria
4635 SE Hawthorne Ave
Portland, OR
503-954-3138

Fresh Spinach and Feta Scrambled Eggs

It is so delightful to be able to walk out to the garden and pick fresh spinach to put into a tasty breakfast omlette. The addition of feta cheese really combines well with the spinach and the eggs. Be sure to season the spinach when you saute it and additional seasoning when mixing the eggs.

3 large eggs
crumbled feta cheese
3 Tbsp milk

salt and pepper
unsalted butter
fresh from the garden spinach

Combine eggs, feta, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until eggs are broken up and mixture is thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Heat butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When it foams, add spinach and cook, turning constantly with a rubber spatula, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add spinach to reserved egg mixture and stir to coat.

Return the pan to medium-low heat, add spinach-egg mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs have reached desired doneness.

WHITE BEAN GARLIC DIP

WHITE BEAN GARLIC DIP

Here's a dip, adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. It is delicious!!!

Serves 3 - 4, with crisps and raw veggies.

1 14-oz cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tbsps minced garlic, to taste

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 Tea salt and fresh ground black pepper

3 Tbsps roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves for garnish

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth. Adjust seasonings with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice, if needed. Scoop into a serving bowl, garnish with parsley leaves, and serve at room temperature.

¿Por Qué No? Taqueria

Life is funny... last night I watched a show about five sisters who started a taqueria in Phoenix after having a lunch truck and being street vendors... and some of the best taco's in the country... It made my mouth water.

Today, my daughter Erin and I went to ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria on her suggestion. It was FANTASTIC and so, so delicious. She had Verduras taco's - Seasonal vegetables, beans, salsa fresca & cilantro. I had a Carne Asada taco - Traditional chopped steak served with salsa roja, cilantro and grilled onion. And, I had a Pescado taco - Line caught snapper, spicy cornmeal crusted & fried, served with crema, salsa roja & pico de gallo. And we had some chips and delicious guacamole.

This food was so good, delicious and authentic that I'm thinking of selling my house just to move to this neighborhood... just kidding, but a guy has to have a dream....

There is a charming and comfortable outside dining area out back. The service was very friendly and I can't wait to go back. There is much more to explore on their menu and you can check it out on their website.

Here is their website: http://www.porquenotacos.com/

¿Por Qué No? Taqueria

4635 SE Hawthorne Ave

Portland, OR

503-954-3138

China Rim Restaurant

A friend had recommended this restaurant and told me the Mongolian Beef was great. I gave it a try and was disappointed. The dish seemed kind of greasy and not something special like I was hoping for. The Hot and Sour Soup was OK but not anything to get excited about. Another friend said that their chicken dishes were really the ones that were good and that I should try the Kung Pao Chicken. That day I started with the Egg Flour Soup and it was better than the Hot and Sour Soup but was still only so-so. The Kung Pau Chicken was good and definitely better than the Mongolian Beef but it was still only average.

This is definitely a family run restaurant and the service and people are pleasant. I was so hoping to find that "great" Chinese restaurant close to home but this definitely came up short. The prices were reasonable yet I doubt if I will visit them again.

China Rim Restaurant

455B Saltzman Road

Portland, OR

503-626-8883

Vegetable And Pasta Toss

Well, it dawned on me that I've been neglecting my eating of veggies... so, I harvested some spinach from the garden, chopped up some onion, zucchini and mushrooms... seasoned and saute'd them and hit them with a splash of basalmic vinegar. Then mixed in some pasta sauce, rotini pasta and panko crumbs. And a bit of fresh grated parmasean. With the whole wheat pasta it made for a delicious and nutritious dinner!

A Return To The Screen Door Restaurant

My daughters treated me to a delicious brunch this past weekend for my birthday. They met me at the Screen Door Restaurant and they got there early so MY wait was minimal... another nice gift!

Megan had the Brioche Vanilla Bean French Toast with REAL maple syrup and it was very tasty with a side of bacon. Erin had a very delicious Bananas Foster French Toast with rum flamed carmelized bananas and cinnamon... this was to die for. And I had a wonderful Spicy Cajun Bloody Mary along with my Corned Beef Hash with poached eggs.... And, of course, a side bowl of their cheesy grits... the best grits I've ever had... Also, we had a cheese blintz with strawberry sauce... a piece of heaven... unfortunately the picture didn't turn out.

Everything was perfect!!! And, there is still lots more to explore on their menu on a future visit.

You can see my previous review of the Screen Door here:

http://thewanderingfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/04/screen-door-restaurant.html

And you can find their website here:

http://www.screendoorrestaurant.com/about.html

The Screen Door Restaurant
2337 E Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
Phone: (503)542-0880