Discover Portland: Leisure Public House

January 6, 2011

One of my friends was just commenting on how much she adores the St. Johns area and would love to move there.  She is in love with the area’s small pretty shops, quaint diners, and friendly atmosphere. I myself have never been, but after stumbling across the Leisure Public House in the St. Johns neighborhood I will most definitely be taking a trip to the North.

Leisure Public House is one part bar, one part pub, and is 100% the kind of place I would love to hang out at. They have a full bar, an absolutely gorgeous outdoor seating area, and a menu that is anything but ordinary–instead of a hamburger and fries, why not try their chevre salad with fresh goat cheese, or one of their gourmet pressed sandwiches?

They definitely succeed in the fun area as well. You can play some ping pong, something called bocce ball or just play some tunes on their jukebox. Then on Mondays you can show off your talents during open mic night. Tuesday try your luck at trivia night to win some cool prizes. Then wind down on Sundays with Sunday movie night–last week they showed one of my faves, Big Fish.

I really love the story of how Leisure came to be as well. Owners, Travis and Nicole, had a passion for pubs and a love of their neighborhood, and they both wanted to create a place where people could come hang out and get to know each other in a comfortable, fun setting.  You can really tell when you look at this place that they put a great deal of thought and hard work into designing it. Travis actually built  Leisure’s patio, tables, benches, planter boxes and bocce ball court, all himself!

I can’t wait to visit Leisure Public House located at 8002 N. Lombard St. Find them online here.

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.

Forkfly Daily Deal: 23Hoyt

December 2, 2010

23Hoyt is a New American Tavern located among the high-end and hip shopping and dining establishments on NW 23rd. Right now 23Hoyt has a Forkfly deal for $5 off your bill when you spend $35 or more! You can find 23Hoyt at 529 NW 23rd Ave in Portland. Their happy hour from 3 to 7 pm Sundays through Thursdays would be the perfect way to spend your discount: check out their happy hour menu, with snacks priced from $1 to $10. Find your coupon on Forkfly here, and enjoy!

Forkfly Daily Deal: 50 Plates

November 24, 2010

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.

Drink Mix–Seasonal Cocktails

October 28, 2010

I love seasonal cocktails as much as I love seasonal lattes, which is a whole lot!  There is something so comforting and delicious about adding nutmeg, cinnamon, and/or eggnog to any drink recipe.  With Halloween and Christmas soon approaching us more restaurants and bars have began creating their own special seasonal drinks, or are putting their own spin on the classics.  I am sure there are many great places to choose from when it comes to seasonal cocktails, but the Winter cocktails at Seres Restaurant & Bar sounded too amazing for me to pass up, so I made my way down to The Pearl District to try one of these sweet liquid treats.

Seres is now featuring on their drink menu The Grasshopper, Ginger Snap, Pumpkin Patch, and my favorite cure for thecommon cold–The Spiced Hot Toddy.  I am a big fan of ginger bread, ginger ale, etc., so I just had to try the “Ginger Snap.”  This yummy cocktail is made of Yazi Vodka, Stoli Vanilla, Captain Morgans, cream, cinnamon and nutmeg.  It is a cold frothy drink, and the cinnamon sprinkle on top mixed with the white cream mixture creates a pleasant display.

I expected the drink to be a lot sweeter than it actually is, which is good and bad.  I am not the biggest fan of super sugary fufu drinks, so I didn’t mind the cocktail being on the plainer side, but in this case I think it actually needed to be a bit sweeter.  All of the right ingredients were here, but it just didn’t come together to give me that holiday cheer.  There are variations of this drink that include eggnog, and I think that was the one ingredient missing in Seres’ Ginger Snap.  I can’t wait to go back though and try the rest of their Winter cocktails, and the best part is that if you use Forkfly you can get Happy Hour prices all night long at Seres!

To make your own Ginger Snap I would recommend this recipe.

Gingersnap Egg Nog Martini

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Canton Ginger Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Disaronno
  • 2 ounces Egg Nog
  • 1 pinch Cinnamon Sugar
  • 1 ea Ginger SnapCookie garnish

Directions:

In a mixing glass combine all ingredients then add ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed in cinnamon sugar. Garnish with a ginger snap cookie or touille.

The Nomayo cocktail: The Drink with a Fantastic Twist, But a Weird Name!

August 19, 2010

If you are a fan of gin, you must try the Nomayo cocktail at Davis Street Tavern.  The Nomayo is Davis’ signature drink and is very popular among the Davis crowd.  It is made with Beefeater’s gin, Aperol St. Germain and lemon.  For those of you who like myself have no clue what Aperol is, it is an Italian aperitif that was created in 1919.  Its ingredients include bitter orange, genitian, rhubarb and cinchona.  The Aperol really gives this drink a slight grapefruit taste.  It is quite refreshing and not like anything I’ve ever had.  One of those drinks that you can’t really pinpoint why you love it, but you just know that you must have it again!

I would also recommend trying Davis’ Black & Blue, which is made with blueberry absinthe, and their Finca Canton made with ginger liqueur.

The perfect meal to compliment the Nomayo is Davis’ Anderson Ranch Lamb Burger.  This burger is in my top five best burgers I have ever had in my entire life.  Feta, dried apricots and pine nuts are cooked into the burger, with roasted red onions and a spicy mint yogurt on the side.  This is a robust burger, and I was not able to finish it all myself, but boy did I want to.

Also check out Davis’ dungeness crab bisque and velvety mac ‘n’ cheese, and find their great deals on Forkfly, like 25% off Sunday brunch.  I gotta go back to Davis’ just to at least ask them, what is with the name Nomayo?

Try A Collins/Cooler/or Drop at Paragon & Learn How to Make Your Own!

August 13, 2010

While dining outside at Paragon, located in The Pearl District, I perused over their Happy Hour menu to find myself a new cocktail to try.  My options were a house infused blackberry, blueberry, raspberry or strawberry Collins/Cooler/or Drop.  Now I have drank quite a few cocktails in my life, but by no means am I an expert in mixology, so seeing my options I was immediately curious what the difference is between a Collins, a Cooler and a Drop.  I tried the Blackberry Cooler for fun, and Paragon’s version did not disappoint, but I still went home wondering what the difference was between these cocktails, and so I decided to check it out for myself.

Apparently a Collins is basically “sours” with club soda added. You start off with 2 oz of your base liquor, whatever that may be, add 2 oz or so of sour mix, and top it off with some Club Soda.  The most well known of Collins of course being the Tom Collins, which uses these ingredients:

Tom Collins

2 oz Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
½ oz simple syrup
3 oz chilled Club Soda
Lemon Slice
Maraschino Cherry

Add the first three ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with the lemon slice and the cherry.

A Cooler is defined as any wine or made-wine made of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 5.5%. These drinks may be based on spirits, cider or perry.  The most well known of coolers of course being the Wine Cooler, which I’ve included a recipe for below.

Strawberry White Wine Cooler

2 cups strawberries (about 1 pint), trimmed
1/3 cup sugar
a 750-ml. bottle Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine, chilled

In a bowl gently toss together strawberries and sugar and let stand 10 minutes. In a blender purée strawberry mixture with wine until smooth and pour through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Wine cooler may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled.

A Drop traditionally uses vodka as the base and then often sweet and sour mix is added and usually a splash of sugar, and it is served chilled in a martini glass.  If you think of a Drop, you of course imagine the Lemon Drop.

The Lemon Drop


1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 sugar cube

Outdoor Seating Guide: Jinx Lounge

August 4, 2010

With the anticipation of better weather Portlanders are going to be eating out now more than ever, and many are itching to enjoy their food and drink outside.  However, not all vendors here in Portland provide such amenities, so we here at Forkfly have done all the research for you.   Every week we will showcase a new restaurant or café that offers outdoor seating for your weather enjoying pleasure.  The first spot we are highlighting is the uber popular Jinx Lounge located on 12th Ave in the Pearl District.

Jinx, which is adjacent to Vault Martini, offers a swanky experience for anyone who might be in the mood for a cocktail or culinary delight.  While the venue provides mood lighting and 70’s inspired décor inside, the outdoor seating is just as nice.  Jinx has three to four small round tables located out front. While it isn’t recommended that you rely on this seating for large groups, bringing a friend or two to enjoy martinis and Happy Hour in their outdoor seating is quite pleasant.  The location is perfect for people watching, and after a long day of shopping in the Pearl, Jinx is the perfect place to unwind.

Be sure to visit Vault Martini next door too, which is owned by the same owner as Jinx. Both provide a unique and posh atmosphere with well versed bartenders and a wide selection of drinks.  Even better, right now on Forkfly Jinx is offering Happy Hour all night long when you flash the fly!

Try Some Peruvian Concoctions at Andina Restaurant!

July 14, 2010

There are many things that I miss about my South, Latin and Central American travels, but the biggest thing might be the food and drinks.  There is nothing quite as delicious as a daiquiri made from fresh fruit picked just hours before and aromatic spices that make your nose tingle with delight.  Even to this day, when I drink fresh coconut milk or smell carne asada grilling on a barbecue I think of the wonderful times I spent in the southern hemisphere.  I was taken back to that happy place when I entered the doors of Andina, located in The Pearl District.

Andina’s menu embodies Peruvian culture and taste.  The chefs at Andina are all Peruvian natives and have brought to the restaurant traditional culinary dishes from their home land, as well as a new style they call ‘Novoandina,’ which uses native/pre-colonial ingredients and techniques and gives them a more modern twist.

Their cocktails are also a mix of Latin American Classics and Novoandean creations.  Much like their food, their drinks heighten your ever sense:  pleasant to the palate, sight and smell.  I tried the Guanabana..Do..Doo..Do Doo Do, (the guanabana fruit is pictured below)which is made with chilled banana infused amber rum, tropical guanabana puree, vanilla almond milk and nutmeg.  A great name for a fun, nectarous concoction!  If you want to try a more traditional Peruvian drink that originated in either Peru or Chile (it is debatable), try Andina’s Pisco Sour or make your own using the recipe below!

Pisco Sour

  • 2 ounces Pisco
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Directions

  1. Pour Pisco, lemon juice, sugar and egg white in a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake and strain in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
  3. Pour dashes of angostura bitters on the creamy drink.

Forkfly Friday: Happy Hour with Fenouil Restaurant Provides a Taste of the NW

July 2, 2010

I have had the pleasure of eating at Fenouil restaurant a few times for dinner, and so I was very excited to finally check out their happy hour.  Their happy hour runs from 4-6pm daily, and it is a great time to check out some of their dishes at a much lower price.  You can choose to sit outside in their gorgeous and spacious patio seating, or inside in their comfy couch style seating.  Either way you are going to be taken care of well by their attentive staff!

On the menu is some of my favorite North West foods, like oysters and mussels, but they also have some more traditional happy hour items, like a house ground hamburger and pommes frites. The menu is certainly not lacking in a variety of food, but don’t expect much in the way of drink options.  Wine, drafts, and one specialty cocktail of the day are your only choices if buying from the happy hour menu.

I tried the oysters at $1.50 each, the rabbit vol au vent $8, and the artisan and farmstead cheeses $6.  The oysters were chilled to perfection and served over a decorative bed of salts.  The rabbit dish was like a tiny potpie, and was very delicious.  My favorite though was the cheese and bread platter, which came with a side of almonds drizzled in honey.  I have since changed to a gluten-free, non-dairy & soy diet since visiting Fenouil’s happy hour, so I look forward to going back and trying the many items they offer that cater to my dietary restrictions.

Fenouil is located at 900 NW 11th Ave in The Pearl District.

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