Places I want to try....

With my time coming near the end in Portland, there are still so many places I really want to get out there and try! I will find the time to visit these places!

1. Porque No

2. Whiffies Fried Pies Food Truck

3. Giuseppe's Italian Restaurant

4. Nostrana

5. Bijou Cafe

6. Salt & Straw

7. Pok Pok

8. Veritable Quandary 

9. Pine State Biscuits

10. Screen Door

Oh, Chickpeas

Today was the last day of my Food Ethics class & we got to have lunch in our school's (OCI) dining room.

My salad I had today was just delicious! It was a baby Kale salad with Chorizo, pickled red onions, Parmesan, fried chickpeas in a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette! 

Oh it was so good! The thing that took it over the top was the fried chickpeas! I loved them! I told everyone at my table that I was stealing that idea for a lot of different things! 

Perfect in green salads & assorted cold salads. In pasta dishes, even just on a salted buttered piece of baguette toast!

Just think everyone of the possibilities! Think beyond Hummus & Falafels (even though they both are amazing) If you love chickpeas as much as I do you will love them fried!

Convenient

Sunny day in Portland! Took this on SW Madison & 1st while I was waiting for my bus. 

So everyone, as we all know I am a broke college student. Today all I was looking for was cheap & convenient!

I got out of class earlier than usually, so naturally I just wanted to get home as fast as possible. I stopped by KINARA Thai Bistro next to OCI. I got some Pad Thai to go. This time I got medium spicy but I still had to drench it in Sriracha!

Still pretty good. Chicken was a little dry, but I love Pad Thai!

1126 SW 18th Ave, Portland

Haircut & Safeway Sandwich

 

So today on my break at school I went and got myself a haircut at GiGi's Aveda Salon on SW Jefferson & Broadway. It was really more just a trim but I loved my stylist Casey. She was really nice and did a great job.

I also got a nice student discount which was awesome! It cost a lot less then what I was expecting. I also got my eyebrows waxed.

Since that took up my time for break I just stopped into the Safeway up the street on my way back to school and ordered a sandwich at their deli.

Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Sandwich

Apparently any avocado sandwich on their menu is only $5 with chips and a drink. As soon as I got back to school, I inhaled that sandwich. It was just what I needed. 

Unfortunately, they ran out of the Sourdough Rolls which is what it was supposed to be on. So I just had a classic soft roll, it was still really good.
It had turkey, avocado, ranch, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Yum. I love that combination.

Oh, and any place that has a GOLD PEAK TEA fountain is my thing! I am in love with GOLD PEAK Green Tea! Borderline obsessed! So that made me very happy.

Oregon Culinary Institute

Today, my Food Ethics class got to enjoy a free lunch in the dining room at our school; Oregon Culinary Institute. It is always such a wonderful experience when I get to dine here.

The food is always top quality and delicious. The price is extremely reasonable as well, for those of you who would like to try it out.

They have 2 services, Monday- Friday. 
Lunch is 12:00 P.M. 3 courses for $9. 
Dinner is 7:00 P.M. 4 courses for $18. 

You seriously cannot beat those prices and the quality of food you are served. 

My second course- Sausage & Pepper sandwich, side of pesto pasta

Sorry again that I forget to take a picture of my first course! I had the Young Romaine Caesar Salad. It was so good! Spheres of Romaine lettuce with house made croutons, Parmesan cheese and the amazing acidic creamy Caesar dressing.

My second course (pictured above) Sausage sandwich with marinated and grilled onions & peppers (absolutely delicious) and melted mozzarella on top. The pesto pasta was great. Delicious basil pesto, spinach, sun dried tomatoes and olives. I loved it.

Cheesecake with a berry coulis 

For third course, I chose the cheesecake! It is different every day. Today was just the plain NY style cheesecake with a delicious berry coulis. 

I ate every single bite of my meal today. I am one happy girl. 

Ken's Artisan Bakery

338 NW 21st Ave  Portland, OR 97209

Well yesterday after my experience with People's Food Co-op and I had a Marionberry Muffin from Ken's Artisan Bakery, I had to go and try something else!

So I dragged one of my friend's from school to come with me during my break because it is only a little ways from Oregon Culinary Institute. 

You walk into the building and go up a small flight of stairs and are greeted by the display case of yummy treats. All seasonal, local fresh products.

They stop serving lunch at 3 P.M. so sadly I didn't get to try a sandwich from their menu. But the menu looked amazing! 

You can also buy bread loaves, they are very reasonably priced.

Mixed Berry Tart & Chocolate Chip Cookie

I had the mixed berry tart and my friend had a chocolate chip cookie! I wish I had brought more money with me because I would have gotten another pastry! Both very good. 

It also looks like a very fun atmosphere to work in. Everyone was very nice and smiling.

Try it!

People's Food Co-op

3029 SE 21st Ave  Portland, OR 97202

3029 SE 21st Ave  Portland, OR 97202

Today, for my Food Ethics class we took a field trip down to People's Food Co-op. I really enjoyed this place. 

It is a small grocery store that only focuses on energy efficient & local-sustainable way of living.

Organically grown and produced food products will be prioritized and made available by the co-op. Unless 3 factors come into place: 

1) Locally grown/produced; 

2) Ecological/cultural/political factors; 

3) Lack of availability of an organic product.

The co-op's produce purveyors are local sustainable farmers, who sell produce directly to the co-op. Some farmers are certified organic, some are not. 

People's Food Co-op also make every effort to provide products to customers that do not contain any genetically engineered ingredients.

Myself sitting outside waiting for my class

Outside they also have a food truck named Sip. Which has all natural/organic juices, smoothies, tea & coffee. 

I did not have anything from Sip, but I did have a delicious Marionberry Muffin from Ken's Artisan Bakery (The co-op's bakery purveyor) 

People's Food Co-op do not carry any carry any meat, poultry, fish or any products containing animal byproducts for which animals must be slaughtered. 

The only exception to the 100% vegetarian policy is the Pet Food. 

Lamb Gyro

Lamb Gyro - SW Columbia & 6th St

Let's talk about Gyros baby! Today I was craving Mediterranean for lunch! I remembered my neighbor talking about this new food cart pod that opened up on SW Columbia & 6th!

There is a total of 5 carts, only 2 are opened right now. There is a Thai food cart and the Mediterranean food cart!

So today I tried the Lamb Gyro! Oh man, was it delicious! It was seasoned to perfection!

The lamb was so tender and seasoned so well! Home made tzatziki sauce that was phenomenal! As well as tomatoes and I added chunks of Feta cheese for $0.50! Wrapped in a warm pita! Yum!

All in all it cost $6.50! It was a steal considering how stuffed it was! It was huge and I ate every bite! They even have a giant Gyro. I just got the regular size!

I cannot wait to go back and try their Falafels and Hummus! 

As soon as I got back to school I had to tell every friend I saw to go try it!

TILT

3449 N.Anchor St., Suite 200
Portland, OR 97217

Today for lunch my roommates and I went to TILT! I have seen my fellow culinary friends talk about this place on Facebook. It is a new restaurant with handcrafted burgers!

We all had something different but we all agreed on getting the TILTOTS! Their house made tater tots which were soooo good. We contemplated getting another basket of them because they were $2 for happy hour! But we were so full we couldn't do it.

Non-Union Club, Fat Farmer, Fried Chicken Biscuit, Freebird

I tried everyone's food, it was all delicious. I had the Fried Chicken Biscuit with pickles and TILT Sauce (spicy thousand island) YUM! 

My roommate Josh also got a slice of berry pie with a sugary crust that tasted like sugar cookies. Sooo good. Sorry didn't get a photograph. They also have apple pie!

I would recommend this place to anyone! Huge portions, scratch made goodness. Cannot go wrong with TILT.

LARDO

Today for lunch I stopped by Lardo, on SW Washington & 12th. This place started as a really popular food cart and was approached by investors looking for a restaurant that was totally unique. They also have another location on SE Hawthorne. 

This menu is definitely unique, they have so many yummy sandwich options. From a mix of Italian classics like porchetta and mortadella to local seasonal selections like pork belly, egg, cheese and arugula.

The sandwiches are paired with 14 regional craft and classic Italian beers on tap, as well as Italian liquors and cocktails.

Cold Fried Chicken 

The first time I came to Lardo, the first sandwich I tried was the Cold Fried Chicken Sandwich. Oh my goodness. Heaven pure heaven. 

It has a huge piece of intentionally cold fried chicken. Now as a culinarian I was just thinking to myself "How does one get this chicken to stay so crispy and be cold?" Blew my mind! I had to ask the man at the counter working. He shared that the secret was to fry it in bacon grease! Of course why not bacon grease?!

But this sandwich doesn't stop there... It has spicy Bleu cheese, bacon, pickles & Sriracha mayo! I know, I know you just died inside.

My view as I was waiting for my food.

So naturally when I came in to Lardo today I was looking for that sandwich! Well it looks like they took it off the SW menu but it is still at the SE location!

I was pretty bummed but it just gave me an excuse to try another sandwich. Today I had the Pork Belly, Egg, Cheese, Arugula and Caper Mayo sandwich & Dirty Fries (we will get to those little devils in a minute)

This sandwich was once again an amazing sandwich! The savory fattiness of the pork belly! The gooey egg yolks and firm whites! The melted cheese and peppery arugula! Then the perfect amount of acid from the Caper mayo! Oh my! It was delicious!

Half of Pork Belly, Egg, Cheese & Arugula and those addictive Dirty Fries!

Alright now let's talk about Dirty Fries. Oh man, I have never tasted fries so good. Deep fried in bacon grease! (Nothing wrong with that) Marinated peppers! (So sweet & sour & delicious) Parmesan cheese! (Cannot go wrong) Fried herbs! (Rosemary, Sage & Thyme) Oh and the best things Bacon Lardons! (Juicy, succulent fried pork scraps) I swear to you will dream about these fries!