Discover Portland: Hall of Records

December 6, 2010

From native, life-long Portlanders to those transplants who have only been here six months, everyone living here knows what makes Portland a unique and special place. We are a community of people who love where we live and can talk to you forever about why it’s so great. Hall of Records, a vinyl shop/cafe/bar, recognizes the tendency of Portlanders to feel pride and loyalty for their favorite independent local shop or bar. On their blog, the Hall of Records owners write, “Justin and I really wanted to create something unique that Portland could be proud of. The kind of place where you take your out of town guests and in a sense show off something that is as unique as Portland.”

Hall of Records certainly offers a unique experience by bringing together elements that aren’t usually found within one establishment. As the name of the shop suggests, they sell vinyl records — always a good plan in our city of music buffs and collectors. Listening stations are available to preview any of their very reasonably priced collection of 1,200 records.

They also have a cafe offering coffee, hearty snacks and sandwiches. Skillfully chosen wine and beer lists round out the menu. Hall of Records offers music, coffee, beer, and plenty of food options for both the carnivore and the vegetarian.What more can a Portlander ask for?

In addition to the obvious awesomeness of Hall of Record’s mash-up business plan and merchandise, they’ve got even more going for them as a Portland-specific attraction. Every night at 8 pm DJs rock the Hall of Records — and  Open Table Fridays allow budding DJs (and anyone who want to give it a spin) to play for 30 minute sets. We all have a karaoke/open-mic-loving extroverted friend, and a chance like this  has great appeal for those among us who like to perform.

Hall of Records is a locally and independently owned business and the owners frequently interact with their customers on Facebook, on their blog and in the store. The most recent blog post tells of a last-minute wedding reception where owners Katie and Justin prepared the food and DJed for the impromptu party. Independent ownership allows for this kind of flexibility, and Portlanders love a shop that values community and interaction. This is a city of regulars, and Hall of Records is in great shape to accrue a horde of devoted patrons.

Hall of Records is located at 3342 SE Belmont (love Belmont!  Another point in its favor!). They were recently written up in Portland Monthly — but it’s time to stop reading about Hall of Records and go check it out yourself.

Green Friday with Portland Pedal Power

November 24, 2010

Join Portland Pedal Power and Seven Planet for Green Friday, a sustainability-oriented event with green merchandise, geocaching, a food drive and more!

Portland Pedal Power, a bike-powered delivery service with connections to restaurants and retail stores, can deliver all manner of food and goods, and their partnerships help their affiliates to be more sustainable and locally minded. This organization is also active in the Portland community and involved with events like their upcoming answer to Black Friday, dubbed Green Friday. In partnership with Seven Planet, which is the first green general store chain in the world, Portland Pedal Power brings you a shopping event that will leave you feeling better about the state of your soul and the world than maxing out your credit card at Nordstrom ever does.

From 10 am until 6 pm, Seven Planet on NW 4th and Couch will headquarter the event, while geocaching activities go on around NW. Seven Planet, which began in Idaho, sells organic, sustainable, locally sourced and fully “green” apparel, groceries, health and household products and more. Their products look great, but as you would expect, this stuff is more expensive than what you would find at Fred Meyer. But their amazing 20% discount on everything in the store during the Green Friday event makes it so worthwhile to do some shopping there. Bring in 5 nonperishable food items to donate for the Oregon Food Bank and receive an additional 10% off your purchases, for maximum savings of 30%!

This event is about more than shopping, though. Through the promotional material one can tell how excited Portland Pedal Power is about Friday’s geocaching activity. Geocaching is a treasure hunt using GPS and social media, so if you follow Portland Pedal Power and Seven Planet on Facebook and Twitter, you can see the clues they will publish throughout the day. Be the first to find two Pedal Power bicycles and win prizes! Find Seven Planet on FB here and Portland Pedal Power here.

Have an excellent Thanksgiving tomorrow, and if you feel like shopping on Friday November 26, make it to Seven Planet where you’ll find great savings on high-quality, sustainable and local products. Seven Planet is located at 412 NW Couch St in Portland and the event takes place from 10am to 6pm.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

Forkfly Daily Deal: 50 Plates

Forkfly Fridays-$5 Pacific Calamari during Happy Hour!

It is extremely difficult to get good American comfort food, the way your mother or grandmother makes it, from a restaurant.  Many coffee shop diners might try to pull off some sort of overly salty chicken fried steak concoction or meatloaf made from cheap ground beef, but it always lacks that “I’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for hours” taste.

50 Plates wants to bring that happy feeling back to your tummy with American classics with a contemporary twist.  They prove that you can get the classics you love at the highest quality possible without scrimping on taste.  Their menu includes well known favorites like mac & cheese, chowder, grits, ribs, fish & chips, and of course a hefty burger with fries.  Their version of mac & cheese is way fancier than anything you’ve probably ever had: rigatoni, chicken, fennel, cheddar, parmesan.  Yummy! And their fish & chips include potato crust, asparagus, bok choy, and malt vinegar, how interesting does that sound!

Like many Portland eateries, 50 Plates does what they can to be sustainable.  Chef Patrick Miller and his culinary team have made a commitment to focus on Oregon’s agricultural rhythms as they design their menus, to use organic ingredients when possible, to use meats that are naturally raised, and fish that is responsibly caught.   50 Plates appreciates the meaning of locally grown, sustainable, and humanely raised food products.

Stop on by their location in The Pearl District at 333 NW 13th Ave, and be sure to use their Forkfly deal here to get Pacific Calamari for only $5 during Happy Hour.

Forkfly Daily Deal: Acadia Bistro

November 23, 2010

$10 Off Any Purchase of $50 or More!

During these cold winter months here in Oregon, most of us crave the warmth and long for a trip down South.  You might not be able to physically afford the trip to escape the cold, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t at least enjoy a taste of the South right here in Portland.  Acadia Bistro, located at 1303 NE Fremont St., specializes in traditional New Orleans cuisine that will keep you warm all winter long.

Acadia’s menu changes frequently, which is very refreshing in my opinion, and so you never know what delights you have in store for you each time you visit.  Their Fall sample menu includes Southern favorites like hushpuppies, crawfish, Louisiana barbecue shrimp, okra, chicken sausage gumbo, fried cat fish, and jambalaya.  They also have an impressive wine and cocktail list, with cool names like Pantorium, Problem Solver, and Abominable Rodeo.  They even have a Secret Drink Menu for those who are brave enough to ask for it.  Show up on a Monday and you can celebrate Acadia’s version of Mardi Gras.  Get entrees for $9.95, and a three course dinner for only $17.95.

The biggest event of the year for this New Orleans Bistro is their annual Reveillon Dinner on Christmas eve.  Their chef prepares a three course menu with a cocktail of choice for $30.  Take a look at this year’s menu!

Reveillon Dinner 2010

-House made Huckleberry Bounce or Eggnog Donohue

-Selection of biscuits and scones

Choice of First Course:

-Pheasant confit salmis (pheasant confit in pastry!)

-Spiced Seckle pear and pecan salad with Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese

Choice of Entrée:

-Black strap molasses house cured country ham with cider braised red cabbage and roast turnips

-Blackened Drumfish with a blue crab & almond menuire and fingerling potato hash

Dessert :

-Spiced fig cake with brown sugar ice cream

Tables fill up fast for this event so reserve your table soon! And be sure to save some money by accessing their Forkfly deal here.

PDX Weekend Happenings: November 20-21

November 19, 2010

Welcome to your weekend! I’m sure it’s as glad to see you as you are to see it. Certainly two of our recommended events would love to see you this weekend to support their causes. The Swashbuckler’s Ball is a fundraiser party for the Portland Pirate Festival, an annual event that needs some help to take place this year. The Monaco Cup, where you will be plied with food and beer, benefits the United Way, a community-oriented coalition of charitable organizations. Finally, get your craft on at SCRAP, where they hope to provide some inspiration for homemade, non-consumerist holiday gifts.

The Swashbucklers Ball

What: Don your finest pirate costume and come to this benefit for the Portland Pirate Festival to enjoy Caribbean food, drinks, raffles and pirate-y fun.

Event Details: 21 years of age and older; tickets $14 in advance and $18 at the door; buy tickets online here.

When: Saturday, November 20 from 7pm to midnight.

Where: The Melody Ballroom, at 615 SE Alder in Portland.

SCRAP’s Holiday Bazaar

What: SCRAP is a store in NE Portland that sells donated odds and ends at low prices to promote creativity and reuse of materials. Their Holiday Bazaar is a gathering of crafty-minded people perusing local craft vendors, craft tables, listening to live music, eating food from carts and joining in the “killer” raffle.

Event Details: This event is free!

When: Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21 from 10am to 6pm both days.

Where: At SCRAP, 2915 NE MLK Blvd in Portland.

The Monaco Cup

What: A fundraiser for the United Way that pits 6 local chef-and-brewery pairings’ creations against each other.

Event Details: $20 admission includes 6 small plates and beer pairings. Attendees get to vote to determine the winner of the Cup. Buy tickets here.

When: Sunday, November 21, from 3pm to 6pm.

Where: At the Hotel Monaco, Portland’s premier craft beer hotel, located at 506 SW Washington St in Portland.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

Forkfly Daily Deal: The Tea Zone and Camellia Lounge

November 18, 2010

Get any cocktail during Happy Hour from 4-7pm daily at the Happy Hour price!

Here are three things just right off the bat that you might not know about Tea Zone:

1.) They offer tea classes and events!

2.) They sell much more than just hot tea.  They also have specialty cold tea concoctions and yummy food!

3.) They have proved that flavored teas can be turned into some delightful cocktails!

The Tea Zone holds classes focused around the thing they love best, tea, two or three times a month.  Class topics include things like the health benefits of drinking tea, the different types, and the proper way to serve it.  Reservations are required.  Along with their classes, The Tea Zone also holds some cool events.  They will be serving Holiday Afternoon High Tea throughout the entire month of December, which includes a 1-Person Pot of Premium Tea of Your Choice and a Plate of Delicious Savories and Sweets.  Champagne & Spirits are also available, and it is all for the low price of $18.95 per a person.  Fun!

Sure The Tea Zone’s allure is their huge selection of loose teas available for purchase, but they also have several types of tea tonics, bubble tea, fruit tea blast smoothies, and tea lattes; as well as, a large food menu with vegan and gluten free items.

Their tea cocktails are a real treat!  Try a warm drink like The Aristocrat, which mixes Earl Grey Supreme, almond, milk and Tuaca, or a cold drink like the #1 Fun, which uses Black currant tea vodka, blueberry/strawberry vodka, fresh lemon, sugar syrup, hibiscus, and is served up.  And remember that during Happy Hour all of their cocktails are only $5 for Forkfliers!

The Tea Zone and Camellia Lounge is located in The Pearl District at 510 NW 11th Ave. Find their deal with Forkfly here and enjoy your tea!

Forkfly Daily Deal: Boyds Coffee

November 17, 2010

$1 Off Any Drink at Any Boyds Coffee Location

Whether you prefer black coffee or a syrupy seasonal espresso treat, warm up with a Boyds beverage for $1 off with Forkfly.

Boyds has been around for more than 100 years and has played a role in the history of coffee in our country, including developing coffee-brewing technology and establishing the service of coffee in restaurants as we know it. Originally, Percival Dewe (P. D.) Boyd, moved to the Pacific Northwest from New Zealand in 1882 and sold tea and coffee from a horse-drawn cart. Four generations later, the company is still in the family and has maintained the integrity of the product and the operation.

The fact that Boyds has only three actual coffee shops makes it attractive in our current oversaturated, overwhelmed  corporate world.  They also sell their product online and in some grocery chains, which makes it accessible all over the country. Boyds love for coffee comes across on their website, which has tons of information about brewing and tasting different kinds of coffee. They’re also committed to sustainability: in fact, Boyds has a separate website devoted to the discussion of ethical and responsible coffee growing, harvesting and purchasing.

All this history and environmental awareness is wonderful, but how does the coffee actually taste? Let’s just say that unlike some well known coffee establishments you don’t need to add a thing to their coffee, it is perfect the way it is.  But if you were looking for something a little more indulgent Boyds has you covered.  They just announced a seasonal drink, the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cappuccino. This rich drink blends the sweetness of cherry with the sophisticated, heavy flavors of dark chocolate and espresso, balanced by foamy milk.

Boyds has coffee shops in the Pearl District at 404 NW 11th, in Southwest Portland at 1229 SE 10th in the Eliot Tower, and at their Roastery at 19730 NE Sandy. Find their deal with Forkfly here and go get yourself $1 off one of those Dark Chocolate Cherry Cappuccinos!

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

Forkfly Daily Deal: The London Grill

November 15, 2010

$50 food credit for birthdays with parties of 8 or more

$5 off any lunch or $10 off any dinner entree

Buy one appetizer, get one free from the dinner menu!

The London Grill, located inside the classy Benson Hotel, is an elegant dinner destination made even more attractive by these amazing Forkfly deals. Have you ever had an upscale tableside service experience? This is the kind of restaurant where the sharply dressed servers bring a tray to your table and prepare fresh Cesar Salad, Bananas Foster, Steak Diane and other delicacies right in front of you. I remember attending a restaurant like this for the first time as a kid, and being appalled to see that sardine paste went into my Cesar salad — but I ate it anyway, and it was fresh and delicious, and more exciting for having seen it prepared in front of me by a skilled chef.

The London Grill is a must-go any time of the year for an elegant night out, but right now is an especially great time to check it out, because of our Forkfly deals and because of their Thanksgiving special. The London Grill Traditional Thanksgiving Feast takes place from 1pm till 8pm on Thursday the 25th. The enticing menu includes appetizers, sides like garlic mashed potatoes, numerous entree options (turkey, gosling, salmon, ribs, filet mignon and more!), and a selection of pies for desert. The Thanksgiving menu has a set price for the four courses. Alternately, get your London Grill Thanksgiving meal to go with this carry-out menu.

The London Grill is an excellent place to host parties, and they have three private rooms available to accommodate parties up to 26 people. Fewer guests than that is okay too: invite at least 8 people to your birthday party at the Grill and receive $50 toward your food bill with Forkfly!  The restaurant also serves breakfast and lunch — get $5 off any lunch entree with Forkfly. And go ahead and have a glass of wine with that lunch: the wine cellar boasts over 6000 bottles. The restaurant is located inside the Benson Hotel at 309 SW Broadway St in Portland.  Whether you take them up on the Thanksgiving menu or stop by for lunch or dinner to use your Forkfly coupons, the London Grill experience will impress and satisfy you.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

PDX Weekend Happenings: November 12-14

November 12, 2010

Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away, and while we still have awhile until we commence the stuffing of our faces, food is definitely on all of our minds.  This week is when you really have to start narrowing down your Thanksgiving plans, and in honor of this preparation all of this weekend’s happenings are focused around food.

Make Your Own Cookbook Straight From Your Garden

What: Portland-based artists, gardeners and cooking enthusiasts Lexa Walsh and Nicole Penoncello want to make you a cookbook. Through their program Your Garden Cookbook, they will assess your garden and then make a custom, handmade cookbook designed to utilize your garden’s bounty to its fullest.  I love this idea and it really makes me hunger for my own garden once again.

Event Details: This workshop is FREE; for more details visit their blog.

When: Saturday, November 13; 12pm-2pm

Where: 2505 SE 11th Ave., No. 106

People’s Food Co-op turns 40

What: People’s Co-op is having a birthday party and everyone is invited. You’ll find natural foods, a cake in the shape of the store and a “People’s Co-op through the Ages” presentation. T-shirts bearing the winning design of a T-shirt contest will also be for sale.

Event Details: This is a FREE event.

When: Saturday, November 13; 5pm-8pm

Where: 3029 SE 21st Ave

Portland Opera’s Hansel and Gretel

What: This is not your kids’ Hansel and Gretel.  This show by Engelbert Humperdinck, the German composer,  features a terrifying chorus of cooks, flying food, and murder.

Event Details: $20+; call for full ticket pricing 800-745-3000 .

When: Saturday, November 13; 7:30pm

Where: Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St

Kenny & Zuke’s Thanksgiving Dinner To Go

What: Who wants to really go through all that effort just for one Thanksgiving dinner?  Wouldn’t you rather be enjoying yourself and spending time with family than slaving over your stove all day?  That’s why at Kenny & Zuke’s delicatessen they want to take care of the entire dinner for you!  They’ll be offering turkey stuffed with wild mushrooms, along with sides like cornbread stuffing, twice-baked truffled potatoes and three different pies. Yummy!

Details: Call 222-3354 or visit www.kennyandzukes.com for full menu. Orders must be placed by 3 pm Monday, Nov. 22

Where: Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen, 1038 SW Stark St.

Forkfly Daily Deals: Whiffies Fried Pies

November 10, 2010

Buy 2 pies for $5 at Whiffies Pie Cart with Forkfly!

So here’s your mission for the week: mosey over to Food Cart Land at SE Hawthorne and 12th; pull up your Forkfly Iphone App, or open your mobile web browser and type in m.forkfly.com; find Whiffies under Food Carts; and now the hard part, pick two pies.

Whiffies offers both sweet and savory pies, so if you’re by yourself you can have a whole dinner here. Try one of the many vegan dinner pie options like a vegan pot pie, or go carnivore with a BBQ brisket and mozzarella cheese pie (it gets a great review in the comments here.) I’m personally tempted by the one fish option, salmon with chipotle mayo. For dessert, they have a wide selection of fruit pies, as well as peanut butter and chocolate options. You could visit with a date after dinner for two dessert pies for $5.

I’ve pretty much gotten used to seeing clusters of food carts around town (the technical term for these groupings of carts is “pods”). But I must remember not to take them for granted, because Portland is unique in its abundance of “street food” and food carts. It’s nice to know our little city can allow small entrepreneurs without much capital to operate businesses, and patronizing such places is a good way to support local efforts and keep money in the community. There’s even a website dedicated to Portland food carts: www.foodcartsportland.com. The site acknowledges that this is a different medium than your typical restaurant: menus and hours are more subject to change, and the casual atmosphere may not please everyone. But a fried-pie food cart is a uniquely Portland experience, so we’re here to help you get the most out of it!

Here is the direct link to the mobile Forkfly website coupon for 2 pies for $5 at Whiffies, good until the end of the month. So let that kitchen stay dirty one night this week and venture out for a taste of Portland culture.


« Newer Posts — Older Posts »
Share