Sherman's Food Adventures: Tin Shed Garden Cafe

Tin Shed Garden Cafe

Well, our little visit to Portland is coming to an end. Today we are heading back home to Vancouver, BC. We woke up extra early so we could squeeze one last meal before we left. We made it out to the Tin Shed Garden Cafe out on Alberta Ave right when it opened at 7:00am. I'm really liking the vibe out here on Alberta Ave, there are some cool places to eat here. If you want something a bit different, this is the street to check out. In fact, our first meal in Portland during this trip was at the Grilled Cheese Grill which is only a stone's throw away from the Tin Shed.

Normally, I wouldn't imagine waking up so early for no good reason. But you know how dedicated I am to my craft! Since it was a rainy morning, we didn't get a chance to sit out on the patio. Looks like we had escaped the rain in Vancouver and now we were just about to escape the rain in Portland. The Tin Shed prides itself on using as much organic and sustainable ingredients if possible. Furthermore, their belief is to be human first, business second. I definitely agree with this statement because Viv and I felt right at home here. Our server was friendly in a casual-as-a-matter-of-fact manner. I particularly liked how everyone can just help themselves to a cup of coffee or tea with a cool looking mug.

For eats, I had the "You Gotta Have It" breakfast. It's essentially 2-eggs with a buttermilk biscuit, Shed potato cakes or cheese grits. For $2.75 more, I added a chicken-apple sausage. Simple, but satisfying, the breakfast was a little different than your regular bacon and eggs. I particularly liked the grits, partly because I don't get to eat grits a whole lot and it was fluffy as well. Atop the perfectly scrambled eggs was a light tasting and a bit sweet chicken sausage.

Surprisingly, Viv ordered a pretty heavy meal - The Good Dog which consisted of potato cakes topped with sausage, jalapeno, bell pepper & onion scramble, smothered with cheddar cheese, salsa fresca, sour cream & green onion. Look at the picture, that is one large plate of food! Believe it or not, Viv finished it. I sampled some of it and it was a good mix of salty, spicy and a bit sweet. This is essentially a hash on steroids. A good value at $8.00.

Our early breakfast at the Tin Shed was a great last meal as we left for Seattle shortly after. The food was solid and the prices were reasonable. The service was sincere and friendly. In fact, our server gave Viv an extra tea bag and paper cup for the road. Add to the fact that the restaurant itself oozes character, you have a winning combination at the Tin Shed.

The Good:
- Honest service
- Good portions
- Reasonable prices

The Bad:
- Limited seating inside when the weather is bad

Tin Shed Garden Cafe on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

holly Lim said...

Wow, that was a lot of eating in Portland. Now I understand why you didn't have any room for the food festival.

You sound like you had the perfect vacation. Lots of cool places to eat and lots of shopping. Perfect.

I think I'll have to check out some of the places you visited when I plan my foodie trip to Portland next year.

Sherman Chan said...

Yes Holly, there were some real gems I visited in Portland. I have to give credit to Elizabeth Fuss for pointing me in the right direction. However, I did miss out on some really good places due to lack of time or appetite! Apizza Scholls, 5 Guys, Screen Door, Food Carts @ 12th & Hawthorne, Cool Moon Ice Cream and Lincoln are some others I really wanted to visit as well.

Elizabeth said...

Sherman, I'm so glad you were able to eat at so many good places! I have to say that our city has so many great places to eat, even I get overwhelmed and I live here!

Sherman Chan said...

Again, thanks for the tips Liz, I just wish I had more time. There were so many places I didn't get to try. Luckily I'm only a 5 hour drive away! Next time I will do even more!

Anonymous said...

Sherman, some very exciting news. Five Guys is opening/has opened a location in Langley (near 88th and 200th). Will you be checking it out any time soon?

Sherman Chan said...

Check it out? Of course! With bells on!

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