Derek "DJ" A.'s Profile

This review is purely from a drinking experience because... well, that is what we did there!  

If you like Rogue beer, you will love this place.  They also have some nice guest brews and a house-made whiskey that is so smooth you could drink it like water.

A good place to pick up maple bacon doughnut beer and split it between friends.

One word of advice: "hops" is the men's room.   Just sayin'.

My first convention center review!  Weird, I know.  Not that it is my first, but that I am reviewing it.

Anyway - the place is gorgeous and makes you feel good with all their enviro-friendliness.  However, there are a few downsides: virtually no reception for AT&T phones in the main hall, very very few places to sit between sessions, and rooms are really spread out, and sometimes requiring you to go up and down between levels.  Also, the bathroom floors always look wet, but aren't - rather they seem to be perpetually sticky.  But not dirty.  Kind of weird and scary.

Overwhelming and overwhelmingly awesome.  Everyone said to go here and I was like "eh, whatever... it is a book store."  Glad I did; not only is the place MASSIVE - bring bread crumbs or string to find your way back out - but the prices are incredibly good, especially for the used stuff and the recommendations on the shelves are perfect and simple.  Basically "if you like this author, try these" and they give you the name and aisle number.   I really wish there was a place like this closer to home!

It can be difficult reviewing a place that already has so many reviews and is so well known.  I can't add too much, but I'll try to keep it short and helpful:

First, be prepared to wait, but know that the line is almost exclusively outside, so once you are at the door, they will call you in.  The line was halfway down the block when I showed up and I was inside in less than 10 minutes.

Secondly, the doughnuts are really good.  I have no idea if they are the best ever, since I'm not a doughnut expert, but they are really good.  The big appeal here is the crazy varieties - lots of over-the-top fillings and toppings.  I had what people from the northeast would call a "Boston Creme" and it was way better than your average Dunkin Donuts version - the bavarian creme tasted like eggs and vanilla and the chocolate glaze actually tasted like chocolate, not similar to chocolate.  

Third, yes, the maple bacon doughnut is really good.  Get it.

Fourth, it is cash only.

Nice hotel with a convenient location and good staff.  Nothing to complain about, but also nothing extraordinary either, but if you're looking for a place to stay in Portland, this is a good choice!

One word of warning: there are two parts to the hotel, across from each other.  Be prepared to walk across the street after checking in.  Not a big deal, but keep it in mind in case you're checking in late after a long flight.

This is not a fancy place. It is a simple little restaurant squeezed into about 10 square feet consisting of some steam tables loaded with very delicious Indian food.  They aren't messing around with the spice levels here, nor are they kidding with the size of the portions for the money.  Just about the best deal you could get for $6.

This restaurant comes up as one of the top-rated restaurants in Portland for good reason.  I was just in Peru at the beginning of March and can testify that they have taken authentic cuisine as their inspiration point, if not matching it exactly.  Either way, it is delicious.  

Seafood is the main star, though not the only one.  The white fish ceviche was as good as any I had in Peru or elsewhere.  Very tender and tangy with a nicely balanced flavor.  The scallops with citrus and cheese brought back pleasant memories while creating new ones and the empanadas had a filling that could only be described as addictive.

My main course was not seafood, but an osso bucco-like veal shank dish that was exploding with rich umami flavors and served with rainbow carrots and polenta.  

Dessert was shared among the group I was with, and all were great - Alfajores filled with caramel and a tart fruit filling, rich mango ice cream, and chocolate layered mousse.  

All in all, a great meal - AND they serve pisco sours!!

Great local place with an old-time restaurant feel, with classic furniture and decor.  Also a classic menu with a lot of options but nearly all focused on simple seafood prepared well.  

An appetizer of calamari had some of the most tender pieces of squid I've ever had and with three tasty dipping sauces.  I think the calamari could have used a little hit of salt, but otherwise, it was just wanted you would want in a fried calamari: crispy and tender.

The cedar plank grilled king salmon was tender and moist with a light seasoning and sauce that let the fish speak on its own.

Great place for well-prepared, non-fussy seafood in a classic atmosphere with a good selection of local beer and wines.

Stopped by here for some wings for lunch.  Literally, just some wings.  in reading the reviews, I should have had some tater tots, but I wanted wings.

I was not disappointed - this is a solid wing joint.  Not only are the wings excellent, but there are some nice "process" touches.  For example, the fact that they have a little tray out (under a sneeze guard) that you can dip pieces of celery into and taste the various sauces.  So no wondering "is their medium blazing hot, and what do they mean by 'hot and spicy' bbq sauce?" - just try it before ordering.  

They are also clear about how many sauce/wings combinations you can do (minimum 6 wings per sauce, 4 sauces per order).  

As for the wings themselves, they are fresh, juicy, plump, and perfectly cooked with nice crispy skin.  I tried their "medium" and "bbq" sauces.  Both seemed hotter when I sampled them and wish I had gone with the "hot" version rather than medium.  The buffalo sauces are a bit "creamy" - not sure if they put some ranch or blue cheese dressing in it, but they have a thicker texture than the typical sauce.

Not sure why it took us so long to try this place.  There is nothing like a great breakfast place, and this is one.  Far better than Coffee & Cream down the road a bit, and that place is pretty good.  They cook their eggs perfectly, the English muffins are grilled to perfection, and the home fries are flavorful and not greasy.  Homemade sausage and decent coffee make for a solid go-to breakfast choice.   The atmosphere is clean and welcoming, if not a little hokey, but appropriate for a local place.