marlynn "designmama" s.'s Profile
DatePortland, OR 97217
(503) 231-4777
Infinity Tattoo
Category:
Tattoo
Neighborhoods: North Portland, Kenton
Portland, OR 97223
(503) 443-3888
Bull Mountain Bar & Grill
Categories:
Bars,
American (Traditional)
Recently we were thrilled to learn about Bull Mountain Bar & Grill, which opened at the start of this year and is located off 99W in Tigard. The place is a decent size, with large flat screen TVs adorning two walls, a decent beer list, GREAT service, and what I think is a fantastic food menu. When I go to a bar & grill, I want good pub food, not an itty bitty salad for $12, thanksmuch. Don't get me wrong, I love itty bitty salads, but I'd rather make them at home or get those when I'm drinking wine or cocktails. With solid beer, I want solid food, and everything we ordered here was delicious.
My husband ordered the Cowboy Quesadilla, which was awesome. The quesadilla consisted of chicken, bacon, onion rings (oh yeah), jalapenos, cheese, (did I mention bacon?!) served with tasty salsa. YUM. I ordered the fish & chips and was super happy with the HUGE three filets I was served, along with fries, tartar sauce and shredded lettuce. I was happy that this place had a dedicated kids menu. We got the kids chicken tenders, but they also offer grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, cheese quesadillas and other kid versions of pub food.
The owner was super friendly. Can't say enough nice things about him. Sometimes even in supposedly kid-friendly places, the management or staff don't know how to work with kids around, and in this place we totally felt comfortable with the kids. He made our kids feel welcome, which made me smile.
Kids are welcome before 9pm, so after that I can see this place being a fun bar to hang out with friends when we can get a sitter. We'll definitely be back here!
Portland, OR 97223
(503) 452-2557
Taglio Salon
Category:
Hair Salons
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 430-8748
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
Categories:
Burgers,
Fast Food
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
So I was psyched when Five Guys Burgers & Fries opened up in Portland. Squeeee! Joy! I heard tales of happy tummies and full bellies from their burgers. Friends who know of my crazy appetite all regaled stories of amazing burgers from this place.
And so I went. And I ate. Hmmm. Something was missing from my burger. Oh yeah... it was FLAVOR. My burger, in a word, sucked. The bun fell apart and tasted like cardboard. The burger tasted like it was heated in the microwave, and yes, I know they make them fresh. So it should taste fresh, right? Hmm.
The fries were forgettable. And so is this place.
This urban park is a lovely refuge for families on hot days but that's also when it can get too crowded. Love that it's right next to the streetcar so we can hop on board for our next adventure pretty quickly. Wish there were more shady spots. Love the fountain with retracting water. Wish there were a pool boy to feed us hungry, wiped out moms some grapes and fan us. Kidding. And yet, if ever there were a place in Portland for that to actually happen, Jamison might be it. It is in the Pearl District, after all.
Portland, OR 97255
(503) 493-3600
Secret Society Lounge
Category:
Lounges
Neighborhoods: Northeast Portland, Eliot
They have a fab happy hour from 5-7pm with chalkboard special mixed drinks for $5 and all other drinks for $1 off the regular price. Their regular menu of drinks is impressive, given the size of the place. Methinks the alcoholic options outnumbers the number of seats in the house, and that is A-OK by me. They also have a small selection of food items from which to choose each night. We almost wish we had just stayed here instead of gone to dinner at Toro Bravo, but I'll save why for my review on that restaurant.
Our drinks were divine. My Moscow Mule? Perfectly made. It was nice and strong but still tasted sweet and heavenly. Hubby ordered the Shady (insert something like Cove, Palm or Pines here - can't remember) Cooler, which was also executed well. Both were served in copper cups and saucers, which complemented the decor and overall atmosphere. They were also served quickly; we like that. A lot.
I can't speak to how the food tasted, but the menu, although limited, was enticing. It included onion and bacon pie, various salads, a bratwurst dish, mac & cheese, and other assortments. Again, wish we would have stayed for nibbles here instead of moving on for dinner. Truth be told, I could have sat at that bar all night, had we not had dinner and then a party to go to.
I love the ambience of the Secret Society Lounge: the size, the dark wood furniture, the kind and attentive staff. The general vibe was good, happy, calm and peaceful but upbeat without being saccharine. Cool, without being pretentious. I'll be visiting this new love again soon, to be sure.
Listed in: Top Restaurants
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 228-3333
Clyde Common
Categories:
Bars,
American (New)
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
The restaurant is designed with attitude, the food is prepared with attitude -- and I don't mean the bad we're-too-good-for-you attitude that seems rampant in new Portland restaurants these days. Clyde Common exudes an air of Portland creativity and rebelliousness without pretention; it's the rockin' carefree whatever attitude that I love more.
You'll dine at long, shared community tables, which I love. Every time I've been there, I've had great conversations with the servers about either the food or the beverages; they are very knowledgeable and passionate about what they serve at Clyde Common, and they don't pretend to know it all. If they don't have the answer, they send someone over that does know.
Onto the important parts: the drinks? Outstanding. Of course, I've only had a couple of drinks here, and I like sticking with my favorite: the Bourbon Revival. It's most excellent. The food? Fabulous. Their happy hour is incredible! Full burgers - huge burgers - for super cheap! Drinks for $5 instead of the usual $8-10. The popcorn with pimento topping is a great starter. The steak is done well, the tagliatelle is divine, and the salads are satisfying on their own.
So go to Clyde Common and don't be afraid that you're not cool enough. They'll make you feel like you are way cooler than they are, and that is an amazing quality in a Portland restaurant.
Listed in: Top Restaurants
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 450-0893
Yakuza Lounge
Categories:
Bars,
Japanese,
Sushi Bars
Neighborhoods: Northeast Portland, Concordia, Alberta Arts District
The food is portioned out in small plates so we ordered three items to share: the scallops, the crab rolls, and a burger. I'll start with the only really bad thing about this visit: the burger took For.E.Ver. Forever and a day, perhaps. For a medium rare Kobe beef burger, it really seemed to take twice as long as it should have. We were done with our scallops and crab rolls several minutes before the burger came out. However, once it did, it tasted mighty fine. Comes with chevre. Yum. The crab rolls were pretty typical, but the scallops. Oh, the scallops. They come out in a beautiful row of 3 scallops wrapped in shredded phyllo dough on top of a slightly spicy cream sauce. Delish. Absolutely my favorite dish.
The music selection was interesting. We heard a lot of the Cure, which is great, but then they also played some modern rock that seemed completely out of place in that setting. Don't get me wrong - I'm an alterna girl at heart and love good tunes - but as much as I loved the music personally, it seemed to offset the ambience somewhat.
All in all, a great experience, and I'd go back again and again in a heartbeat. Especially to a place named after the word for Japanese mafia. :)
I have since been back to both the Riverplace location and the LO location of Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro a few times, for both business meetings and for just hanging out. The Riverplace location is incredible: you just can't beat the view on a hot summer day. It's spacious and well designed. What I LOVE is their River Room space. It's perfect for a girls night out (which is what we used it for), a birthday party (wish I had known about it for hubby's birthday this year! drat!), baby or bridal showers, anniversary parties and company parties.
At both locations, I've had their fondue and salumi starters and would recommend getting them together...great combo for those who like hearty apps with their wines, which I do. And I still highly recommend that delish chocolate cake...oh my word. I'd like some right now, in fact.
The staff does a great job of helping, not hovering, and also in choosing wines. I'm one of those annoying people who says "I feel a little nutty today" or "a little bold" and will have a glass at the server's suggestion, and so far I have not been disappointed. I think that first flight that hubby had on that very first visit to the LO location must have been a fluke, because all of the other wines I have tasted since have been delicious.
So obviously, I love this place, since I've been back quite a few times to both locations since that first review. Now I plan on trying some of that crab dip on my next visit that Coral C. mentioned in her review...
1 Previous Review:
-
3/27/2008
Full disclosure: so hubby and I went to check out Thirst after our anniversary dinner out mainly because a) he's one of the finalists in a wine label contest they are holding and b) I recently met the owner and am talking with her about possibly hosting some events at the downtown or LO location. So for both reasons I/we had to check it out.
When we went, on a Saturday night around 8pm, the place was pretty empty. There was a large group taking up all of the seats near the window, who seemed to be having a jolly good time. That was it. We decided to sit at the bar. Hubby had a flight of reds, and I with my belly still full of a great A-Z pinot blanc and about 10 pounds of Italian food from dinner, just ordered coffee. And of course, dessert.
Let me first tell you about the dessert: chocolate cake. Love that it's just called chocolate cake and nothing silly frilly fancy, but I bet had it been served in a large upscale restaurant it would be something like Melt In Your Mouth Indulgent Chocolate Cake. That cake was the best cake I have had since my wedding cake many moons ago. The cake itself was super moist and decadent without being too rich, and the frosting tasted of high quality chocolate without being too sweet. Hubby stole the last bites - not nice of him, but then, he needed something to wash down those reds.
Out of the four reds in his flight, he sort of kind of liked one. The other three were undrinkable (but of course he drank them). We knew it was an odd flight when the waitress/bartender set them down and they all looked exactly the same color. Really, no variance. We think a couple of them just weren't ready yet, that maybe if they had just a little longer to sit they would be better.
Now my drink, on the other hand, was fabulous. I just ordered coffee, but instead of a small cup of drip, I got a full on french press loaded with Illy coffee. SO good! I wanted to take it home with me. I didn't think they would like that.
The place itself is beautiful inside: a warm and romantic little getaway on a cold night. There's a great little alcove-type area in the back that I think would be perfect for a girls night out.They have wines to buy, apps, and can put together a full wine picnic for you and your friends to go if you want. They also sell t-shirts with their logo on them that say "mommy's juice" which I think is hilarious and I almost bought one.
The service was great: there were two very kind ladies there who made conversation with us but weren't in our face, which I always appreciate. Again, it wasn't busy, and we didn't order a lot, so I can't attest to how service is when it is busier. They were really nice though, and helpful too to the other folks who eventually came in and sat at the bar around us.
I'd give it three and a half stars if I could figure out how to do that :) and I will be back again to check it out with my girlfriends for sure. Next time I will order lots of food and wine (& that cake!) and maybe I'll update my review after that!
Between 4 and 6pm is happy hour, which means all bottles of wine are 1/2 off. HALF OFF bottles of wine! You can't beat that! Especially considering their bottles are reasonably priced to begin with. We ordered a bottle of a Gamay Noir Beaujolais and it did not dissapoint. For just $14 for the whole bottle, we definitely would have ordered another had we had more time. To feed our bellies we ordered a pizza marguerita. Very tasty. The crust was handmade, crisp in all the right places, and not too doughy.
The place itself is designed well: streamlined, modern, with retro shapes painted on the walls and mod light fixtures. The artwork currently on the walls is that of Vino Paradiso's curator and a good friend of the owners', Cathie Joy Young. We totally dig the artwork.
The service was great. I have a feeling one of the owners was the guy helping us out, but if not, then he certainly represented the management very, very well. He was friendly, helpful, and made us feel very welcoming.
Vino Paradiso's motto is "A friendly wine bar & bistro," and that it certainly is: a friendly, welcoming, laid-back yet still sleek and hip place to hang in the Pearl. Who knew such a combo existed?
We love it here. We will definitely be back!
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Portland, OR
Yelping SinceMarch 2008
Things I Lovelaughter, bacon, coffee, local beer & wine, my kids, music that inspires, everything creative, strangers who smile back
Find Me Inla la land. guilty daydreamer & insomniac optimist
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm looking for the next great adventure & goofing off with my kids
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI am picky but am super happy to refer good places to good people
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThree Cups of Tea
My First Concertwas it Duran Duran?
My Favorite MovieOffice Space, His GIrl Friday
My Last Meal On EarthPortuguese prawns, lots of chocolate, a great Oregon Pinot Noir
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I can read your mind. No, I'm not kidding.
Current Crushjon stewart. and everybody i meet. yes, that includes you.
I love the beautiful artwork that I have the pleasure of living with forever, I loved the experience, I felt so comfortable and relaxed in the beautiful space, and I will most definitely be back here for my second tattoo. Thanks for an amazing experience!