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

Kenny & Zuke's

While in Portland, it would not be complete without a visit to Powell Books. A bookstore? Yes, but this is no ordinary bookstore. Think of something that is bigger than some main libraries. Powell Books occupies 4 separate buildings that take up a whole city block. From the outside, you'd never know it. Honestly, it looks quite modest with it's dated exterior and signage. It's a whole new world once inside. We were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the place. If you were looking for a book, you'll probably find it here. I wasn't really intending to buy anything; but I walked out of there with a discounted "No Reservations by Anthony Bourdain". It was half-priced! Anyways, we planned to eat at Kenny & Zukes which was conveniently nearby. I've been here before for breakfast with Costanza and Snake; yet I never did get to try their sandwiches.

Viv and I actually made it for their Happy Hour menu, which has a few items discounted by $3 - $4. We weren't really all that hungry since we had just finished some Jamba Juice and lunch at Adina was only 4 hours ago. But I didn't travel all the way to Portland and not eat! I was going to eat until I couldn't eat no more! That probably explains my choice of the Meshugaletta. The mush-a-what? It's actually their largest sandwich consisting of pastrami, salami, roast beef, turkey and Swiss tucked in 3 slices of bread. Oh yes, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to eat that sandwich! Alright, I didn't actually end up finishing it. I struggled to down half of it. It reminded us of the Woody Allen from Carnegie Deli in NYC; however, the Woody Allen was even bigger with no bread in the middle. I really liked the combination of meats (like who wouldn't? oh wait, a vegetarian!). Combined with the tangy relish, this sandwich delivered. Add to the fact I got a pint of beer for $2.50, I was a happy man.

Viv was a little less ambitious and ordered the Pastrami Sandwich and a plate of Fries from the Happy Hour menu. A fantastic value at $7.25 and $2.75 respectively. Despite the price, there was no shortage of thick slices of tender pastrami shoehorned between 2 slices of rye. The slices were so thick, Viv had a tough time eating the sandwich. No matter, at the very least, you know they were not stingy with the meat. The pickle on the side was not very good, it was salty and limp (insert joke here). Served with a ridiculously large bowl of ranch dip, the fries were very crispy, if not a bit over salted. We had to shake off all the kosher salt, it was stinging our tongues.

We walked away from Kenny & Zukes quite full and with half of my sandwich unfinished. Knowing how we were going to eat again tomorrow morning, I struggled to finish the meats in our hotel room. Sure it was $14.75; but honestly, that was a lot of food. Kenny & Zukes satisfied my deli cravings and more so.

The Good:
- Good meats and lots of it
- Reasonable prices
- Great Happy Hour menu

The Bad:
- Just could be me, but the pickles were not very good

Jamba Juice

My first taste of Jamba Juice was back in 2003. I was in San Francisco visiting my cousins and they were raving about a fruit smoothie. Hey, I'm a carnivore, no fruity drinks for me! Well, I had to eat those words because one sip of the silky blended sweet and a bit tart concoction, I was hooked. How could something so simple be so good? After all, it is just a mix of fruit, yogurt, sorbet, juice and a "boost". I can make this at home! Well, I have tried making it at home, it's just not the same. Usually something so good is terrible for your health. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that each cup of Jamba Juice contains 2 - 4 servings of fruit! Wow, something that I loved to drink and satisfied part of my daily fruit intake. However, tempering this enthusiasm, the amount of sugar in a Jamba Juice is not exactly good either.

Alas, there is no Jamba Juice in Canada. Nada. We have Jugo Juice and Booster Juice. Admittedly, I am warming up to these copy-cats; but I still love the original. This is probably the "I like the place that made it first" affliction. No matter what the reason, I love Jamba Juice and I couldn't go to Portland without having one. Of course there are closer locations to me than Portland; but I was at Lloyd Center already and it was right in front of me when I walked in. They have overhauled their menu and there are many new items available. However, their "classics" are still available. My favourite is the Lime Sublime. I like my drinks tart. Today, we had the Pomegranate Paradise which consisted of pomegranate juice, strawberries, mangoes, peaches and ice. It was pretty good, but I still like my Lime Sublime. I only wish I could get it in Vancouver!

The Good:
- Drinks are blended well and are packed with fruit
- It is a healthy alternative to a Slurpee (but much more expensive)
- The premise of satisfying your fruit intake and a healthy "boost" sounds good

The Bad:
- It is expensive, but you pay for what you get (fruit and fruit juice)
- With the regular drinks, there is a no shortage of sugar

Andina

Having woken up quite early for our day of shopping at Woodburn yesterday, this was our day to sleep in. I planned this long before we left for Portland and had made a reservation at Andina via Opentable. Hey, efficient and effective eating takes planning! This particular restaurant was recommended by Elizabeth Fuss (Lizzy Dishes Portland) and also happens to be the top rated restaurant in Portland according to Urbanspoon. As you can imagine, we had high hopes prior to our visit. This may be the kiss of death because it is not often anything ever lives up to the hype. Well, the Bacon Maple Bar at Voodoo sure did. You see, I'm still thinking about it!!!

Andina is located in the Pearl district in Downtown Portland. It's got this Soho-like vibe with its old brick buildings and converted warehouses. We had arrived a bit early and decided to take a short stroll around. Viv grabbed the camera and shamelessly started taking pictures of random restaurants. Uh... is this insane picture taking contagious? I even felt a bit uneasy about it. When it was time to head over to Andina, I hurried Viv along and away from her picture-taking. As requested in my reservation, we were seated at a window seat with excellent lighting. Good picture taking lives and dies by the availability or absence of soft lighting.

The menu at Andina is heavily focused on Peruvian tapas. There are a few entrees; but the thing here is to share. The tapas come in 3 sizes - small ($8.50), medium ($16.00) and large ($29.00). We selected 3 small tapas plates and one entree to share. First off was the complimentary bread which has to be probably the best we've ever had. Sure, the bread was soft with a perfectly crusty exterior. Yet, it was the 3 accompanying sauces that really impressed. The most mild sauce consisted of garlic and cheese. The medium sauce was a combination of passion fruit and chilies, while the spiciest was made up of Jalapenos, mint, cumin and garlic. Viv loved the tartness of the passion fruit while I couldn't stop dipping my bread into the spicy green sauce.

The Choros a la Chalaca was the first dish to arrive. It consisted of mussels cooked in white wine on the half-shelf dressed with tomato-corn salsa. Visually stunning, the mussels were absolutely scrumptious. A beautiful marriage of flavours and textures from the sweet crunchy corn to the tart soft tomatoes. A truly simple dish with complex flavours. From flavour explosion, we move onto something a bit more subtle. The Conchas a la Parilla or grilled diver scallop was a very delicate dish. A single large diver scallop rested on a garlic lime butter sauce hidden within fried onions. With this dish, we paid for quality over quantity. However, the one scallop was quite large. The scallop itself was barely cooked; if not a bit rare, which was perfect in this case. The delicate sauce complimented the naturally sweet scallop without upstaging it.

Our 3rd tapas was the Empanadas Caseras de Carne which were essentially fried flaky pastries filled with beef, raisins and Botija olives. Not oily and steaming hot, the empanadas were indeed flaky. The filling was soft and the flavours were well-balanced. The olives and raisins acted as effective flavour contrasts. The entree we selected was the Arroz con Maricos or seafood paella. With aji panca (Peruvian red pepper) infused rice, the dish was not devoid of seafood. A bounty of shrimp and scallops were nestled within the al dente rice topped off with 2 pieces of halibut. The rice was delicately seasoned while the shrimp and scallops were cooked just right. However, the halibut was a bit overdone and a bit bland.

I'm no expert when it comes to Peruvian cuisine; but if the food at Andina is any indication, I would like to sample more. The flavour profile of each dish was well-thought out and everything was cooked with attention to detail. The ambiance and decor helped enhance the dining experience while the service was top-notch. Did Andina live up to our lofty expectations? I would say unequivocally yes.

The Good:
- Great decor, ambiance and service
- Great tasting food
- A good selection of tapas

The Bad:
- Can get expensive if you order lots (if you are big eater, you will order lots)

Pambiche

Not too long ago, it was declared that I would eat more Latin food. Well, being in Portland, where there are a plethora of Latin restaurants, this was a great opportunity. After a long and excruciating 6+ hours watching Viv shop at the Woodburn Outlets, I was both hungry and bit annoyed. A man can only take that much of: "How does this look on me?" I originally had the restaurants for our Portland trip laid out on an itinerary. Unfortunately, we had lost it somewhere between Cafe du Berry and the outlets. No matter, I used my Blackberry and looked it up on Urbanspoon. Yes, that's right, the place was Pambiche.

Entering the address in my trusty GPS, we made our way to NE Glisan Street for some Cuban food. Our first glance at Pambiche revealed a brightly multi-coloured building complete with actual street seating. When I mean street seating, I mean that the tables flanked the sidewalk. That's correct, people walking by would have to stroll right through the restaurant. How cool is that? A very good attempt to emulate the atmosphere and authentic Cuban dining experience. We decided to share Jamon Croquetas to start. Like the name suggests, it was a combination of smoked ham and spices fried up as a croquette. They didn't look like much when they arrived; but the crispy coating revealed a soft and fluffy interior.

One dish that caught my eye was the Rabo Encendido, which is oxtail stewed in a spicy red wine sauce. It was served with white rice and corn fritters. Being oh-so-tender, the oxtail practically melted in my mouth. The red wine sauce was a perfect compliment to the fatty meat. The crunchy corn fritters acted as a nice treat on the side. Viv opted for the Lengua en Salsa which is a plate of tongue (thanks Kim) and tender pork in a creole sauce with raisins and almonds. It was served with Tostones, otherwise knowns as plantain chips. The flavours of this dish were pleasant; but curiously one dimensional. Viv thought it tasted mostly of tomato and not much else.

Whatever the case, we enjoyed our meal at Pambiche. You just can't beat sitting outside right next to idling cars! Kidding aside, the ambiance was excellent and the weather cooperated. Chalk this up as another unique experience.

The Good:
- Great outdoor seating arrangments
- Large selection of Cuban specialties
- Service was friendly (despite what others have said)

The Bad:
- A tad pricey
- Meat is a bit sparse

Cafe du Berry

Ah yes, Cafe du Berry. This is not the first time visiting this quaint place. Last year, I joined Costanza and Snake on a golf trip to Portland. We were directed to this out-of-the-way French bistro by the conceirge at the Avalon Hotel. It happened to be an excellent recommendation because we would have never known about it otherwise. Today, Viv and I planned to shop til we dropped at the Woodburn Outlets. Therefore, we needed to grab some breakfast along the way. Due to some intricate planning, Cafe du Berry was perfectly situated along our route to Woodburn. From the outside, Cafe du Berry looks more like a corner store than a French bistro; but do not let first impressions deceive you. Okay fine, when you first enter the place, it ain't too impressive either. Mind you, there is a nice mural on one wall and it's presented as nice as it possibly can under the circumstances. It is indeed quaint since it only has barely 5 tables inside and an outdoor patio.

Despite not being the most visually appealing restaurant, Cafe du Berry dishes up some really good eats for a modest price. Last time I was here, I remembered that the breakfast was both plentiful and rich. Today, I was hoping that it would be a little less rich because I didn't want to feel bloated while shopping. I guess my brain and stomach do not communicate effectively because I went for the Steak & Eggs. That's right, I picked the most filling meal. I guess "fruit salad" doesn't exist in my vocabulary.

Atop perfectly scrambled eggs, lay a decent-sized striploin smothered in Hollandaise. Great, my filling meal got just a bit more filling! Oh, but with every bite of each piece of juicy steak, I could savour the slightly tart and buttery Hollandaise. Pure heaven. The "hashbrown" was okay; but it wasn't as crispy as it looked and it was a bit bland. Nothing ketchup couldn't solve! I really enjoyed this dish except that the medium-rare steak I had requested was closer to medium. No matter, the steak was still extremely tender. Viv opted for the Salmon Benedict since she thought it would be "smaller". Well, if you call 2 English muffins underneath a whole fillet of Sockeye salmon topped with 2 perfectly poached eggs and a blanket of Hollandaise sauce "smaller". Although Viv is a bit indifferent towards Hollandaise sauce, she really liked this one since it didn't seem heavy. There was a good amount of tartness which probably balanced the richness of the butter and egg yolks. Underneath the sauce lay (sorry for the pun) 2 runny poached eggs. This is what eggs benny is all about! Despite being a tad overcooked, the Sockeye salmon was flavourful in a way only Spring salmon can dream about.

Another great breakfast at Cafe du Berry. It's definitely something different than the regular bacon and eggs in a truly interesting venue. Service is refreshingly sincere and friendly. Afterall, it's run by a husband and wife team, how much more personal can you get? There you have it, Cafe du Berry - good French food at modest prices.

The Good:
- Generous portions
- Reasonable prices
- Food made with care

The Bad:
- It's small, fills up quickly
- You ain't coming here for the decor

Russell Street BBQ

One of my favourite foods is good ol' BBQ. I'm talking about slow-cooked brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Mmm... ribs... So tonight, after a day of Grilled Cheese Grill and Voodoo Doughnuts, I was ready for a big plate of meat! The place I had in mind was Russell Street BBQ. As the name implies, it's on Russell Street in the Northeast of Portland. Honestly, I was a bit famished despite the aforementioned food I had eaten during the day. It was already nearing 8:00pm and I had to tear Viv away from her shopping at Target. My endless whining about being hungry finally saw us heading to dinner.

When we got to Russell Street BBQ, Viv did her best imitation of a bad Richmond driver and mashed the front tire against the curb. Luckily there was enough sidewall to prevent disaster on the rims. Still a bit annoyed, we crossed the street and headed into the restaurant. Greeted by the friendly staff, we were seated promptly. There was no doubt in my mind what I was ordering - The Meatapalooza! Choice of any 3 meats, cornbread and 2 sides, ah... gluttony on a plate... I wasted no time and decided on Pulled Pork, Brisket and Baby Back Ribs with Mac 'n Cheese and Fries as my sides. Viv wasn't in the gluttonous mood and only settled for the Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of Meaty BBQ Beans. Probably from being way too hungry, I foolishly chose the Killer BBQ sauce.

For $16.00, there was a good amount of food on the plate. As you can see, it filled the entire plate and most of it was meat. Our server placed a bottle of Killer BBQ sauce on our table just in case I needed more. Foolishly again, I doused my entire plate with it. Although it wasn't a pain-inducing spicy, the Killer BBQ sauce was indeed hot. Now onto the meats... Tender, yet still intact, each slice of brisket melted in my mouth (with a stinging sensation from the sauce). I've read a few reviews which complained that the pulled pork was dry. I'd like to say that yes, it's not the most moist pulled pork I've ever had; but with the right amount of sauce, it's excellent. I like my pulled pork this way because any softer, it would fall completely apart. I left the ribs for last because I have this inexplicable affliction which causes me to leave the best for last. The ribs were very good. They were tender without being mushy and plenty of meat was clinging to the bones. The only blip on the plate were the sides, the mac 'n cheese, it was gritty and tasted like flour. Looks like it wasn't mixed too well. Moreover, the fries were not as crispy as I would've liked

Viv's pulled pork sandwich was predictably good with crunchy coleslaw as a texture contrast. She loved the Meaty BBQ Beans, they were rich and smoky. Furthermore, the beans were all intact and retained a bit of texture. While we were devouring our food, our server checked on us and made sure our glasses were never empty. Although not mind-blowing, our meal at Russell Street BBQ was solid and reasonably priced.

The Good:
- Moderately priced
- Food is pretty solid
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- Some of the sides need some work