What I ate in Portland, OR!

23 July 2022

Blog by: Maelynn Le

All photos were taken by Maelynn Le unless noted!

Photo by: Marriott.com

Portland, OR is the largest city in Oregon with a population of 650,380 (in 2020). It is home to St. John’s Bridge, the Portland Timbers and Trailblazers, many hikes, and amazing food! My time in Portland, OR was truly special because I got to learn more about the Portland food scene and see what was like behind the scenes of Portland’s greatest creations! A lot of Portland business owners talked about how they would help their community by purchasing products from their local farmers/brewers to create fresh and yummy dishes to serve to their community. Not only does it benefit the business, but it benefits local farmers and brewers as well, so everyone wins! I would describe the Portland food scene as slow-paced, diverse, quirky, and comforting to enjoy. It’s basically unlike the other food scenes I checked out recently, but Portland is special in its own way. Each business has a story to tell and they communicate their love to the community through food. It has been a pleasure going through the Portland food scene so here are the places I went to and I hope you can check these places out as well!

1. Red Onion Thai

Photo: Red onion Thai food spread

I’m kicking off my Portland food journey with some amazing Thai food! Near Goose Hollow and Washington Park, Red Onion is personally, one of my favorite Thai restaurants and they even have award-winning cocktails as well! Sadly, the bartender wasn’t there when I visited however, I still experienced great Thai food! I always crave Thai food wherever I go and this spot gets me going! One of my favorite dishes here is the Emerald because that peanut sauce is so nutty and salty! It’s a very bold sauce that works with the tofu and vegetables on it! The vegetables were moist and tender and the tofu was fried nicely! My other favorite dish was the Pad Curry because the curry powder is very bold just like the curry itself and it makes a very nice medley! So far, the Portland food scene is awesome to explore!

2. Blue Star Donuts

Photo: Donuts from Blue Star donuts

I was recommended this place by my followers and I’m so glad you all wanted me to go to Blue Stars! You can’t go wrong with Blue Star Donuts honestly because every single flavor is so present and punches you in the mouth! They have about 6 locations in Portland and 2 in LA That Blue Stars is in. I love the Razz Pistachio cheesecake because that nice raspberry tart flavor was sweet and the pistachios on top made the perfect texture! I also am in love with the Lemon passion fruit because the acidity that ties into the sweetness is dynamite! As I said, you can go wrong with any of these flavors because Blue Stars has the best donuts!

What I also like about Blue Star Donuts is they support other local businesses like farmers and brewers and incorporate them into their donuts as well so not only does it benefit them but it benefits the farmers and brewers as well, creating an amazing community! They also ship Nationwide!

3. PDX Sliders

Photo: Loaded Philly Fries ft. Auggie the dog!

You can never go wrong with comforting sliders in Portland. PDX Sliders I will say has the best sliders in all of Portland! They have two locations in Portland currently and one other coming in very soon! I heard about this place in Portland saying they have the BEST sliders in Portland, so I had to check them out for myself. I really liked the Philly fries because were so loaded; they were off the chains and the perfect guilty pleasure to have. The fries are even crispy as well and I didn’t have a single soggy fry! I also got their veggie burgers (Ross Island and St. John's) were the best veggie sliders out there in Portland. Yes it is on the healthier side, but that flavor profile each of those sliders had were robust and melts in your mouth. I even got to to try their great special and it's the Nashville hot chicken Slider! That nice chicken tender, slabbed on with that hot sauce is fire! They didn't make it too spicy however, expect a nice kick when you bite into that! Hands down, the best sliders you will find in Portland!

4. High Horse

Photo: Canary And Red Ruby Mocktail

Want to see a “HIGH HORSE” in Portland? Okay, you probably won’t see a horse here anyways but the restaurant High Horse is located on the 2nd floor at The Bidwell Hotel in Downtown Portland. High Horse is known for serving up specific dishes dedicated to the Pacific Northwest and have great cocktails and mocktails. One of the MUST-TRY dishes to get at High Horse is their gnocchi! The gnocchi had a nice cheesy and garlic flavor flavor and brought out the gnocchi. The heirloom tomatoes were perfect and love the addition to the aroma and mint flavor of the basil as well. There is a chewy and gummier texture of gnochii compared to regular pasta and I love how the gnocchi was el dentae. I also loved their chilled cucumber and melon soup! It’s a nice chilled soup for a hot day in Portland and this soup is best when it’s chilled. It had a nice bitter smooth taste and the watermelon on top was the perfect sweet addition to the soup. It’s one of the best cold soups I had and it’s perfect for the hot days in Portland.

5. Bao Bao

Photo: Mushroom, Spicy Tofu, and Red Bean Bao

The MOST pillow like baos you will feel, touch, and enjoy in Portland! Bao Bao is located on East Burnside in Portland and known for some authentic Chinese food and baos! Of course, I had to come here for the delicious food and baos since I heard their baos are handmade! They make them every day except on Tuesdays and every day, the handmade buns are made around 1:00pm (13:00). I enjoyed pretty much every single item on the menu but my favorites were the pan fried dumplings and the mushroom bao! The pan fried dumplings were vegetarian and I got to say, they don’t mess with the filling to wrapper ratio because you can tell from the inside, it’s loaded with delicious vegetables! The lady said to pour the chili sauce and the soy sauce together and incorporate it with the pan fried dumplings and oh boy, I’m so glad I listened to her! The chili oil with the counter flavor of the salty soy sauce is like a medley singing together in harmony. The flavor of the pan fried dumpling took it to a another level and the perfect crispy flavor was perfect. It’s everything in a pan-fried dumpling you will enjoy. Any bao you get will not only have a flavor bomb in your mouth, but also will be the fluffiest and squishiest bao you will have! Each flavor has a nice presents and the fluffy baos make it much m0re enjoyable to taste! This hidden gem in Portland is dynamite!

6. DarSalama

Photo: Mixed Dolma

What I love about Portland is how diverse and how there is something for everyone to try. Have you ever experienced authentic Middle Eastern cuisine? Located in Downtown Portland, OR, there is this authentic middle eastern restaurant called DarSalam and they are known for serving great middle eastern food, specifically from Iraq. I’ll be honest, I never had food from Iraq before, so I thought, I might as well give it a try! When you walk into the restaurant, it feels like you are transported to Iraq because of all of the beautiful decor and murals on the wall. One of my favorite dishes would be the Adis soup. It’s basically a lentil soup that is bright and hearty. That’s why I love it so much because it has a sweet, nutty, earthy flavor that is to die for and has a great mushy-soft texture as well. Highly recommend this soup if you ever want to try! The mixed dolma was another of my favorites too. It’s basically stuffed grape leaves and inside it is typically rice and vegetables. I never had it before but the first time I tried it was incredible! Great vegetable dish and I loved all of the traditional flavors and seasonings that went along with it. It tasted like dill and mint which was very bright and the rice was cooked nicely.

7. Urban Farmer

Photo: Butter Milk Pancakes with Poppyseed and Rasberry Sauce

Need a way to get up in the morning? Start off with Urban Farmer at the Nines hotel on the 8th floor! Urban Farmer is a Farm to Table concept where they buy fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, etc from local farmers and cook them fresh for us to eat. I highly recommend these buttermilk pancakes with poppyseed and raspberry sauce because the pancakes were fluffy and the poppy seed crumble was that perfect nutty texture that I needed. The raspberry sauce was the perfect compliment to these pancakes. The raspberry gives the pancakes a nice tartness and fruity flavor that combines nicely. I also recommend the Shashuka because it was loaded with warm spices and it’s such a heart warming comfort dish that was delicious! The runny egg yolk made the dish more creamy and it enhanced that flavor with the tomatoes. When you dip that bread in, it’s just a nice complement that really soaks up the delicious flavors.

8. Departure

Photo: Nuka Carrot roll

Upscale Asian food? Can’t decide if you are craving sushi, dimsum, or noodles? Departure is where I would go! You know on special occasions that I like to treat myself with upscale food! Departure is located on the 15th floor at the Nines hotel and inside the restaurant, there is this gorgeous view overlooking Portland with many trees. It’s almost like a million dollar view. Departure has two options: you can either order off the menu or, you can experience 5 course menu which starts at $55 per person. I got to experience the 5 course menu and it comes with a starter, sushi, dimsum, entree, and dessert. I got to say that all of their items were so eye-catching and and super flavorful! My favorite item would be the nuka carrot roll because I love the crunchiness of the carrots and the overall flavor profile was balanced. Not many sushi restaurants do carrot rolls so the fact that this place did was truly gracious. I also recommend their cabbage crispy tempeh steam buns because the crispy texture of the tempeh with the earthy flavor of the cabbage was moist and had great contrast when I poured some soy sauce on the bun. There was a nice salty flavor with that light cabbage and tempeh flavor. I would go with the 5 course menu because you get everything in one so there is no debate so if you are craving sushi or steam buns, why not get both!

9. XinhXinh Bistro

Photo: Steam buns with jackfruit

I can never say no to Vietnamese food so might as well check out a great Vietnamese joint in Portland. Xinh Bistro is located towards to Eastern Side of Portland, near the Hawthorne area. It is known for their comforting and finest Vietnamese food you will find in Portland. They have items ranging from Banh mi, pho, rice plates, vermicelli, and great appetizers. I got their vegan hue soup which comes with tofu and other ingredients you typically see in bun Bo hue. Their vegan hue spicy soup was very robust and spicy. I like how they can make a vegetarian version of it because well, not many places do that. It has a nice spicy, salty, and filled with great umami flavors. I also do like the noodle texture and typically, these noodles are a bit thicker compared to pho noodles. Overall, great noodle soup I recommend. My favorite item I recommend the most would be their vegan rice plate! I can’t believe I was eating bbq tork because it tastes like bbq pork.I love the smokey flavor of the tork and it also gives a nice chewy texture as well. I also loved the steam buns with jackfruit. Jackfruit mimics pulled pork in a way because it has a bit of a sweeter flavor and the “pork is more shredded.” I liked how the jackfruit complements well with the carrot and fresh herbs. The steam bun was fluffy soft and wasn’t too hard. It was almost like a pillow. Overall, this was great Vietnamese comfort food that I loved and will cherish! The staff was great and this is just comforting Vietnamese food you must try in Portland. Make sure you come here because this bistro spot is awesome!

10. Tangy Bar Kitchen

Photo: Vegan Vermicelli bowl, Vegan pho, and Vegan curry soup

More Vietnamese food??? You bet! Tangy Kitchen is another great Vietnamese Restaurant towards East Portland. It is about a 7 min drive and 20 min walk from their other restaurant, Xinh Xinh Bistro. Tangy Kitchen is another great Vietnamese hidden gem that serves great Vietnamese comfort food you will love. The Vegan Vermicelli bowl was large for a great price. It was such a filling bowl to have if you are really hungry, I recommend a great vermicelli bowl. I also think this bowl is great alternative to salads if you are tired of salads because of the fresh vegetables and the light flavor this has is a great healthy noodle bowl. The peanuts also make a great addition to the bowl because it gives a nice nutty and crunchy flavor that adds a great layer of flavor. The vegan pho, I can tell this had a fresh broth because I can tell if broths were made artificially. They boiled the vegetables, creating a rich vegetable broth, and used that to make the pho. It tasted as authentic as it can get and I loved the pho. I also loved their curry soup. The soup will be thin but it is a liquid curry soup so it’s not like traditional thai curry. That coconut milk flavor was sweet and floral tasting and I love the spices that were roaming through my mouth. The curry was also very bright and had a nice deep earthy flavor as well. This curry soup hits my heart as it was a nice hearty and warming soup. Once again, Tangy Kitchen serves up the most authentic and comforting Vietnamese food you will find in Portland. If you are ever in Portland and want to check out Vietnamese food, make sure you hit up Tangy Kitchen here!

11. Potato Champion

Photo: PBJ fries and Satay poutine

Fries? Oh My! I guess the Hawthorne area is where a lot of the bomb food places are! Potato champion is located in that area where alot of the other food places are (I forgot what that are is called)! Anyways, the fries that I got where like the BEST fries I ever had! I truly recommend bookmarking this place when you are ever in Portland! They are serving up some unique flavor combinations and have creative names like the PB&J fries. Those fries are basically thai peanut sauce with a raspberry chili sauce so you get that nutty and sweet combination. I love the name of the fries and even the taste of that sweet and nutty PB&J mimic is so clever! I even got their vegan poutine and the sauce of the vegan poutine is heaven! I was so in love with that sauce and the fries were so crispy! I wish they can open in the Bay Area because I can’t find good places in the Bay that have that crispy, saucy, and flavorful fries that Potato Champion has.

12. Monster Tea

Photo: Oreo Milkshake

It’s been pretty hot in Portland and what better way to cool off by getting some boba and or milkshakes? If yuo are thirsty, Monster Tea is where you should go Monster Tea is located in the Hawthorne area and is known for serving up great boba and milkshakes. I got their Oreo milkshake and I got to say, I really like the oreo flavor and how smooth it was. This milkshake was smooth and creamy, you bet it cooled me off from the heat. I didn’t get a chance to try their boba drinks but I would recommend this milkshake if you are stuck on what to order.