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Now before I continue blogging about this food adventure, I probably need to answer a burning question. First, why the heck would you make such an effort to visit a Chinese hand pulled-noodle joint in Portland when you live in arguably one of the best cities (Vancouver, B.C.) to get Chinese food? You see, my daughter loves the Food Network, and watches Triple-D's religiously. After see Guy's mug spray-painted on the wall at Frank's (the previous time we failed to get a table), she probably would've been disappointed if we didn't try again. Yes, it is most unfortunate that we are setting her up to be high-maintenance...
With a reservation, we did finally secure a table and were started off with some complimentary plates of Kimchi and Pickled Daikon. Interestingly, the kimchi at Frank's was appreciably better than the version we had at Umi across the street 2 days before. It was spicier, richer in flavour and aesthetically more pleasing to look at. That was partially the inspiration for us ordering the Kimchi Fried Rice. Sporting the same red hue, the fried rice was on the wetter side due to the use of kimchi. With that being said, it wasn't overly wet though as it exhibited good wok heat. It wasn't particularly spicy, yet did have plenty of flavour including a notable saltiness and essence of fried egg.
Now, we didn't return to Frank's due to the fried rice, rather, it was for the hand-pulled noodles (duh...). Hence we got both versions including the Chicken Soup Noodles which sported a bevy of veggies such as Shanghai bak choy, carrots and mushrooms. There was an equal amount of marinated and tenderized chicken meat. The noodles themselves were chewy and dense which were pretty good (for Portland). As much as the broth was not brimming with natural depth, it was tasty though. Our Fried Noodle was also mated to the same chicken and veggies with the addition of cabbage and red peppers. It was also toothsome and rather salty. There was not an overload of grease where the dish could've used more wok heat (and caramelization).
To increase our veggie intake, we got an order of the Stir-Fried Shanghai Bak Choy that was blessed with a tonne of garlic. Hence it was aromatic and pungent. Unfortunately, it was also the beneficiary of too much soy which made the entire dish far too salty. Furthermore, the bak choy was not fully cooked, which meant it was nicely crunchy, but a little raw as well. Lastly, we tried their Pork and Chive Dumplings which were full of filling encased in a not-too-thick nor not-too-thin dumpling skin. It was cooked just enough that the skin retained some chew. So after we were done, it was pretty much a consensus that the stuff we get in Vancouver, B.C. is better. With that being said, Frank's did the job for a relatively reasonable price.
The Good:
- Fresh chewy noodles
- Food comes out quick
The Bad:
- Not bad, but certainly not outstanding
- Super busy
While on vacation, sometimes it is good to have a plan of some sort. But then again, things change. The original plan for the day was to wake up and head straight back to Portland from Seaside. With glorious blue skies and temperatures in the mid-teens, we decided to stay and enjoy the beach. That we did, despite freezing our arses off. Once we were done with that, it was lunch time and gasp, we had no plan at all. So we had to do a random food adventure. The first thing to catch our collective attention was the "kids eat free" banner at Finn's. Sold!
To start, we had a bowl of the Clam Chowder with smoked salmon mainly because my daughter loves it. Yah, she often gets what she wants... I pity her future partner... Anyways, the chowder was super thick (probably a bit heavy with the flour or roux), yet arguably better in consistency than the watery version from Dooger's. It was packed with tender chunks of potatoes, onions and clams with a touch of smoked salmon. It wasn't particularly creamy despite being thick while exhibiting a considerable amount of saltiness from the smoked salmon. Trying to eat a bit healthier, Viv went for the Blackened Albacore Salad which featured a bevy of greens topped with a blackened piece of tuna. Unfortunately, the tuna was unevenly cooked where one part of it was fully done being dense and chewy. The salad was mostly fresh except for the radicchio. As for the cilantro lime dressing, it was nicely acidic while balanced off with a touch of sweetness and only a minor hint of the pungent cilantro.
For myself, I had the 4 Piece Cod & Chips with coleslaw on the side. Although thin and crispy, I would've liked to see some fresh-cut fries instead of generic ones, but they were okay nonetheless. As for the fish, most pieces were flaky and moist with a super thin batter that was only slightly crisp. Tart and creamy, the tartar sauce was appreciably better than Dooger's sweetened mayo. I enjoyed the crunch of the coleslaw, but it was in dire need of more acidity, which I added myself in the form of lemon. Girl Smiley opted for something similar but served within a bun being the Beer Battered Pacific Cod Burger accompanied by smoked bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and tartar. With the same qualities the aforementioned cod and accented by the other ingredients, this was a considerably-sized burger. Not sure if bacon went with this though.
Guy Smiley decided on the ol' standby being the Club House Sandwich consisting of ham, turkey, smoked bacon, Swiss and American cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, mayo and guacamole. This was another well-portioned dish which sported more filling than bread. He thought it was toasted a bit too much as it scraped the roof of his mouth. It was a decent sandwich though, but the addition of onion was strange as it dominated the flavour profile. Now the main reason why we ate here - the free children's meals! They had the Chicken Strips & Fries and the Fettuccine (in both marinara and butter & Parm). Pretty standard stuff, but hey, the dishes were no extra charge! That alone made Finn's a better value than Dooger's. In terms of the food, I would say both need a bit of work. If I had to choose, Finn's would edge Dooger's out.
The Good:
- Kids eat free on Mondays
- Serviceable food
- Decent service
The Bad:
- Serviceable food, but not memorable food
After a pretty unappetizing meal at Dooger's, we were in a bit of food shock (for all the wrong reasons). Taking a stroll back to our cars, we noticed Dundee's Donuts across the street. Donuts? Just after eating a full dinner? Well, the dinner did suck and something sweet could be the cure for our food ills. Hey, we couldn't go wrong with a random donut shop in the middle of a tourist town right? Whatever the case, the kiddies were begging us to get some. Being the great parents that we are (yeah right), we got some.
For myself, I got the standard yeast Glazed Donut. It was not overly sweet which was good in my books. However, the donut itself was dry and lifeless. It was properly drained where it wasn't greasy and in fact was rather light. But in this instance, more glaze would've helped to moisten the donut itself. Just because it looked pretty, we got a few of the Pink Sprinkle Donut. Based on the same basic donut as the glazed, this was not moist. However, the candy-like glaze helped somewhat. As such, the donut ate much sweet than the glazed.
My son didn't think much of the pink donut and decided on the Chocolate Sprinkle Donut instead. Naturally, it shared the same qualities of the aforementioned donuts, but with a chocolate glaze, it did have a distinctive flavour that wasn't just pure sugar like the pink one. That would be the same with the Chocolate Glazed Donut except it was less sugary due to the absence of sprinkles. The chocolate itself wasn't great, but it did the job. Realistically, we had a feeling the donuts would turn out as "meh" considering we were in a touristy part of town. At the very least, they weren't expensive.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- They didn't over-glaze the donuts
The Bad:
- Dry and lifeless
- Limited selection
There we were in Seaside for an overnight and with no clue what to eat. Sure, I wrote down a few ideas but all of them had equal amount of praise and pan on the internet. What to do? Well, we merely chose one from the many restaurants that littered the main drag in the heart of town. Dooger's seemed like safe choice right? It is a chain restaurant of sorts that offered up a kid-friendly environment and menu. Was it a recipe for disaster or something that would do the job? I guess we were about to find out...
As part of the entrees, we were started off with a Green Salad topped with baby shrimp. Nothing particularly wrong with the salad as it was fresh and plenty crunchy. However, I found the baby shrimp to be a touch too soft for my liking. It wasn't as if it didn't taste fresh, it just didn't have an appealing texture. I did like the blue cheese dressing as there was just enough of it and the chunks of cheese didn't hurt either. My daughter opted for a bowl of Clam Chowder instead of a kid's meal (love that she doesn't accept mediocrity). Despite having a good balance of creaminess and briny flavour, the broth itself was too thin. Also, the chunks of potato were far too small and there was too much sand.
For my main, I went for the Ahi Tuna which was prepared perfectly rare inside. Despite this, the tuna itself was rather under-seasoned while not exhibiting the qualities of ahi tuna. It was not particularly moist nor tender. Instead, it was stiff and the overly strong onion-flavour of the salsa overwhelmed the fish. I hated the side of rice as it was cold, dry and clumpy without any noticeable taste. Viv decided on the Cod and Chips which featured 5 fairly decently-sized chunks of fish. The batter was light and mildly crispy. The fish was a tad overdone, but not too much so. It was still flaky and in some pieces, still moist. Lacking acidity, the tartar sauce didn't do much for the dish. Same with the starch-covered fries, something fresh-cut would've been better.
Guy Smiley went for a relatively safe dish in the Salmon Burger that featured a relatively thin piece of fish. Hence, it was overcooked and slightly dry. Moreover, it didn't seem to have much seasoning and the squashed bun didn't help matters. He thought it was rather "meh". Girl Smiley opted for the Clam Steamer which looked impressive and appetizing. In reality, it was only passable. The clams themselves were fresh enough, but there was something lacking in the seasoning as they had no apparent flavour of any sort (other than its own brininess). Again, the dish was okay enough to eat, but there was nothing screaming out for it to be memorable.
My son ended up getting something from the kid's menu being the Fettuccine Alfredo with a side of garlic bread. Much like the garlic bread on my plate, it was stone cold and not toasted enough. We actually had to ask for butter because there was barely anything on the bread itself. As for the fettuccine, it was a touch soft, but the sauce was actually quite good. It was creamy, rich and well-seasoned. Now if the only "good" thing of the meal was the kid's fettuccine, there are some issues. Seeing how the prices are not exactly cheap either, Dooger's needs to be a whole lot better.
The Good:
- Attentive service
- Kid-friendly
The Bad:
- Food ain't good
- Not cheap either
Driving for nearly 2 hours from Portland in torrential rain, our main purpose was to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory. It either speaks of our dedication or outright lunacy. Whatever the case, the kiddies were relieved to arrive at our destination. Despite being a relatively simple self-tour, they enjoyed watching the assembly line (much like on Food Factory). Funny how we could just watch the cheese move down the conveyor belt over and over again. After some cheese tasting, we were inspired to stay for lunch and for some ice cream afterwards.
Seeing how we were surrounded by cheese, it would be shame that I did not indulge myself in the Centennial Grilled Cheese made with sharp white cheddar and mild cheddar on sourdough bread. This was seared on the flat-top until crunchy with ample cheese oozing out. I found the sharp cheddar to be impactful and flavourful. The side of tater tots were fried until super crispy. Viv had the Pesto Chicken Grilled Cheese and it was definitely cheesy and full of meat. There wasn't much pesto though. She had the Creamy Tomato Soup on the side and it was rather sweet while plenty thick.
My son had the Mac n' Cheese (which was more like penne n' cheese) where it featured toothsome noodles bathed in a creamy sauce. The blend of cheeses were sufficiently flavourful while coating each noodle and then some. This was a fairly large portion for a kid's meal. The side of fries were, well a side of fries. My daughter went for the 2 Mini-Cheeseburgers which were pretty generic. With a somewhat soft and dry bun, the small burger patty wasn't that noticeable. However, the slice of cheddar made things a bit better. Not sure why she chose this over a grilled cheese...
Of course we left room for ice cream, in particular, my daughter who claimed she was full. Hogwash, because she was able to eat a Junior Strawberry Ice Cream in a sugar cone. For myself and Viv, we shared one scoop of Black Cherry and Chocolate each. The ice cream was rich and dense while just sweet enough. Even the sugar-free black cherry was creamy and rich despite the absence of sugar. As much as the food here at the factory cafe was pretty standard and simple, it was good because of the ingredients involved. The ice cream was a treat too. Really, this is what it was all about.
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Kid-friendly
- Good ice cream
The Bad:
- Don't expect too much
Fresh off a visit to Southern Kitchen whereby our inspiration was Triple D's (despite varying degrees of reliability), we were in search for more (due to my daughter's fascination with the show). With that in our rear view mirror, we headed off to our second Triple D's destination in Frank's Noodle House near Lloyd Center. Well, we did a face plant of epic proportions as we were too late to be seated as a group of 8. Hence, we had to think of a backup plan on the spot. That meant dining at Umi Sushi across the street.
Interestingly, the menu and staff were more indicative of a Korean restaurant than one that serves sushi. So it was no surprise that we were served some Banchan to start. It included stewed potatoes, kimchi, spicy cucumber and wakame salad. We found the kimchi to be a bit too mild (and pale-looking) while the cucumbers could've used more time marinating. The potatoes were texturally fine while being typically sweet. As for our first dish, the Assorted Sashimi was prepared and plated strangely. With atypical slices, the fish itself was fine texturally and taste-wise, but these were some pretty ugly looking sashimi slices.
Next up, the one Korean dish we ordered, was the Dolset Bibimbap. Arriving in a super-hot stone bowl, the rice crust formed successfully. The chewy and not overly soft rice was appealing while topped with a considerable amount of toppings. This was pretty good. However, when we got back to the Japanese food, namely the maki sushi, that was another matter. We found the Spicy Salmon Roll and Ebi Tempura Roll were haphazardly constructed. Upon contact, the rolls disintegrated. Although firm, the rice was not sticky enough, which meant it was wrong texturally and it didn't hold the rolls together.
For the kiddies, we got them the Chicken Udon. It was okay, but the soup tasted more like a savoury chicken soup meant for Chinese noodles rather than a dashi. The good amount of chicken was seared nicely where it exhibited a caramelized flavour. It was sufficiently tender without being juicy. When it was all said and done, we remarked that the place had great potential as a Korean restaurant, but not a Japanese one. So if you come by and stick to the Korean food, it should be a good experience.
The Good:
- The one Korean dish we had was good
- Attentive service
- Inexpensive
The Bad:
- Not sure about the Japanese food
For a 7-year old, my daughter watches the Food Network religiously and in particularly Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Yah, she loves Guy Fieri. Say what you want about some of the joints he visits, there are a few gems to be found amongst them. On our drive down to Portland, we decided to stop by Southern Kitchen in Tacoma, partly due to her love of Triple D's and mostly because we wanted to get something we don't normally see much of in Vancouver. On that note, it looked like we weren't the only ones with that idea as we had to wait a bit for our table.
We began the meal with a couple of appies including the Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Okra. Crunchy in spurts, the fried green tomatoes were tender on the inside. They weren't mushy tho, retaining a soft bite while contrasted by the bits of firm cornmeal. They were on the greasier side though. As for the okra, the exterior batter was crispy while overly thick. We weren't sure if these were made fresh as they seemed stiff and lacking moisture. Inside, the okra retained a bit of firmness while being its slimy self. In the end, this was probably the weakest item we had.
Before our actual meals, we were served Cornmeal Cakes (included with our entrees). Doing their best impression of a fluffy pancake except with the crunch of cornmeal and a noticeable sweetness, my son like them despite being very different than a regular buttermilk pancake. I added some butter, but stayed away from the syrup as they were sweet enough. On the topic of sweet, the Sweet Peach Drink was really sugary and full of flavor. It could've been had with whipped cream on top, but we decided against it. As the ice melted, the drink did become less potent. Yet they could've eased up on the sugar.
Onto the mains, I had the Beef Brisket with Mac n' Cheese and Candied Yams. Well-portioned and fork tender, the brisket was lean and meaty. It was dressed in a fairly sweet and tangy BBQ sauce that helped keep the drier parts moist. The mac n' cheese was spiked with a considerable amount of real cheddar. Hence, it was pretty gooey while not really all that saucy. The dominant flavour was that of the mild cheddar where a bit more salt was needed to liven it up. As for the yams, they were soft and overly sweet like candy. Viv decided to try the Fried Chicken Wings with Mac n' Cheese and Mashed Potatoes. With a firm well-seasoned crunch, the chicken wings were somewhere in between dry and moist. The mashed potatoes were smooth and dressed with a thick peppery gravy.
Girl Smiley went for something similar in the Southern Fried Chicken with Mac n' Cheese and Candied Yams. Although larger than the wings, the chicken thighs were similar in texture being on the drier side. The skin was well rendered though with a firm crunch from the coating. Guy Smiley ended up with the Fried Catfish and it was moist and flaky with a crunchy cornmeal coating. It's trademark muddiness was part of the flavour profile, yet at the same time, it wasn't overpowering. Being boring, he had the same sides as I did, so nothing more to say about them! Alright, I'm not an expert on Southern eats, but I do know what I like and don't like. In general, the food at Southern Kitchen was "okay", but not super-memorable. Maybe I need to travel much farther south next time.
The Good:
- Fairly good portions
- Excellent service
- Depending on what you order, there are some decent eats
The Bad:
- Okay, but not great
- Crazy busy, so a wait will be normal
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