Category: restaurants

Bounty from Coquine Restaurant in Portland

Today was a new adventure for me in food shopping. 

On the red tray is my haul from Coquine , a delightful French-inspired restaurant in SE Portland.  

As Coquine is open for take out only.  Customers can buy prepared entrees, baked goods and other delicious items from Coquine.

Also, Coquine allows their farmers and other food purveyors to sell direct through their restaurant. The menu is quite extensive with produce, meat, seafood, coffee, tea, eggs and dairy.  

It was hard to just order a few things but since I crave vegetables, I opted for a fresh produce bag. 

Since I can’t always find locally roasted coffee, I added a pound of Coava Coffee beans to my order.  Coava describes their coffee as “northwest coffee roaster notoriously fueled by good folks and Led Zeppelin”.   I like their coffee and was happy to find it on the Coquine take out menu.  Continue reading “Bounty from Coquine Restaurant in Portland” →

Sticker Shock

I buy cardamon in bulk from one of my favorite stores, New Seasons.  

I love the fragrance and taste.  

Running low, I added it to my grocery list.  

Without thinking, I put a few large scoops in a plastic bag.

When I weighed it and saw the price, I was shocked.

It’s almost $50 per pound. Continue reading “Sticker Shock” →

Lox & Bagel

The bagels at Spielman Bagels are delicious.

There’s nothing like lox, a bagel and cream cheese with a side of capers and tomato slices.

This morning, I enjoyed my nosh with a strong cup of coffee.  Love the artwork!

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Photo Lori Greer in Portland

 

Heresy

To  think that I used to buy bagels from the grocery store, toast them and eat them with cream cheese and jelly.

Now that I have discovered real bagels, there is no turning back.

I could eat them everyday!

Thank you Spielman Bagels!

Spielman Bagels & Coffee

 

Then there were three…

Working on the Oregon coast today.  *

With temperatures in the 90’s in Portland,  Astoria is a cool choice in more ways than one!

First stop, the lovely port city of Astoria, also of “Free Willy” fame. Continue reading “Then there were three…” →

Great Coffee Great People

As sure as the day breaks in Portland, you will find me sipping a cup of hot coffee.

On warm days, I sit on the patio with Ginny, my Goldendoodle, who wonders when we are going for her morning walk.

In the winter, we sit by the fire listening to soft music.  If it is raining, Ginny is much less interested in going for a walk.  She is a fair-weather girl!

Rose City Coffee

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Coffee from Rose City Coffee, Portland, Oregon. Photo Lori Greer

In my cup you will find Rose City Coffee.          Rose City Coffee

The people are lovely,  The coffee is great.  I take it on trips.  I give it as gifts.

The owner, Christie, has created warm welcoming spaces at both of her locations in southeast Portland.

Rose City, I love you too!  Lori

 

A Saturday Night in Portland

Dr. Whatever

Balsamic Fig

Habanero Lime

Lemon Mint

Pomegranate Mint

Cream Soda

Ginger Ale

Natural Cola

With names like these, I had to sample these sodas from Portland Craft Soda.

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~Portland Craft Soda ~Photo Lori Greer ~Portland Oregon ~June 2018

We were at a food cart pod sampling the flavors while we decided what to eat.

It was fun especially as the evening was warm and people were happy.

There was music and laughter.  Strangers talked and joked with each other.

French crepes, Middle Eastern, Mexican, a full bar, hamburgers… So many tempting choices.  We finally settled for a  fennel sausage pizza from the  Pyro Pizza Cart.  It was delicious! We will return soon to try the other pizzas and the arugula salad.

Plus some of the other food carts too.

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~Food Cart Pod in SE Portland Oregon ~Photo Lori Greer  ~June 2018~

The Results

The Habanero Lime was a “must try’!  Just a whiff of it took my breath away but I was determined to drink some.  Whoa Nellie, as they say, it was strong!

The basamic fig reminded me of kambucha.

My hands-down favorite was the Lemon Mint.  It was refreshing with a hint of sweetness.

I did not try them all.  I did find a winner in the Lemon Mint and ordered a full glass.  A new favorite!

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~Cartopia Movie Night ~Photo Lori Greer ~Portland Oregon ~June 2018

Catching a movie at “Cartopia Movie Night” sounds fun especially with friends.  It’s fun to hang out with milennials. It would be fun to watch Jaws with a group of milennials and their kids.

I do love Portland!

Rose City Coffee

This sign captures the essence of Rose City Coffee.

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Sign at Rose City Coffee, Portland, Oregon ~Photo Lori Greer~

Both locations are warm and inviting.  You want to sit and stay awhile.   Continue reading “Rose City Coffee” →

Day of the Dead

 

Day of the Dead XICO
~Photo XICO newsletter

Thursday is the Day of the Dead!

Celebrate and commemorate this special holiday at XICO.

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States. It is acknowledged internationally in many other cultures. The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.  Wikipedia

Bring a picture of your dearly departed to add to XICO’s altar and light a candle in their honor.

Enjoy special dishes by Chef Kelly Myers, a special cocktail with hibiscus, pineapple and mezcal, and Mexican wedding cookies for everyone!

Day of the Dead Specials

FALL HARVEST VEGETABLES & APPLE MOLE
Apple pasilla mole de milpa with late harvest succotash of local shelling beans, Ayers Creek hominy, winter squash, sunchokes, leeks & smoked wheat

MOLE ROSA & SQUID
Taxco mole rosa made with rose petals, beets, mezcal, almonds, pine nuts, white chocolate and more, served with squid

BEEF IN OAXACAN CHICHILO MOLE
Oregon beef in Oaxacan mole chichilo, a black Oaxacan mole of cascabel, mulato and pasilla negro chiles

PECAN COOKIES
Mexican wedding cookies of toasted pecans and powdered sugar.

HIBISCUS PUNCH WITH MEZCAL & TEPACHE
A special cocktail made with hibiscus flower tea, mezcal and tepache, garnished with a pineapple flower

The regular menu will also be available.

XICO Restaurant

3715 SE Division St, Portland, OR.

503-548-6343

Read also

Fabulous Chicken Dinner

Meet Me at XICO!

Fabulous Chicken Dinner

I love chicken especially on Monday nights at XICO, an upscale Oaxacan restaurant in Northeast Portland.   Continue reading “Fabulous Chicken Dinner” →

Halloween at Saint Honore Bakery

These made me smile!

Continue reading “Halloween at Saint Honore Bakery” →