Easter Brunch & Pie Swap

It's almost spring time! Woohoo! [I'm so sick of drabby winter - hence, the overtly cheerful colors of this image] And with that comes...

"Yen's Quarterly Give-Back" <--- I just made that up :)

We got such a warm reception from the cookies we donated last winter, a friend suggested we do PIES this time around! Yep, a perfect excuse to whip out that KitchenAid mixer and apron you never use!

Bake a pie (or two) - we'll cut one of your pies into slices to swap and taste amongst each other and we'll donate your other [whole] pie to the Portland Rescue Mission for distribution to the homeless on Easter Day! Bake it, buy it (peel off the Costco / Safeway label), steal it, I don't care! Sweet or savory! I'll provide the bubbly but I'll also have tea, coffee, juice, etc. Oh and an Easter egg hunt! Just come veg out, let the kids run amuck, relax and feel good about giving back! It's just a reason for us to hang out!

Sushi Mazi

We checked out Sushi Mazi last night for my Dad's birthday. I would totally recommend going during happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, where the menu is extensive enough to try an array of fresh fish... or go for the Grasshopper sushi! Yep, a real [deep fried] grasshopper . When Michael ordered it, I was all gung-ho about it. After all, I love trying new things! When it arrived, I excitedly whipped out my camera. The waitress even asked if she could take a picture of us with her own camera, since it's what they do when someone orders it so they can post it on their wall. After the hype settled, Michael and my dad each popped one in their mouths and chomped away. When I looked down at mine, it stared back me. And my whole outlook changed - Wait a minute... am I really going to eat an insect? Eww! I've had my fair share of strange foods - I've eaten sea snails, ostrich and kangaroo but never an insect! Bleh! All of a sudden, it looked massive. There was no way I was going to be able pop that entire thing in my mouth. Why was that mound of rice so unusually large? What if its eyeball rubbed against the roof of my mouth? I contemplated on biting it in half but didn't think I could do it without my tongue touching it. I studied the angles to see if there was a way I could pop it in my mouth, so that its body would land squarely between my molars and its body could crumble before touching my tongue. Meanwhile, my dad kept encouraging me, "Just eat it! It's really crunchy and really good!" but I knew better. Growing up, he use to trick me into eating odd meats by telling me it was chicken. Then there was Michael, staring me down. I could have easily told my dad I didn't want to eat it and he wouldn't push me. But Michael!... Michael didn't have to urge me to eat it. In fact, he probably wouldn't have batted an eyelash if I decided I couldn't do it, but I knew he wouldn't let me live it down. I could already see him mockingly shake his head in shame. After all, I'm suppose to be his partner in crime; his adventure buddy; the other half of his dynamic duo! (plus, I talk a lot of shit :)... and I couldn't even eat a grasshopper??? I HAD to do it. If not for anything besides to show my man what his woman was made of. After literally eight minutes of brooding over the grasshopper, I finally compromised. I had my dad bite of its head (so I wouldn't risk it looking at me while it went in my mouth) and quickly chewed it into bits. And you know what? It was really yummy!!! I should have known, you can't go wrong with anything deep-fried!

Ken's Artisan Pizza for 6 + 1 booster seat

I am not a huge fan of pizza (I know, I know "boo Yen, boo"), but hey, I eat it ok! And I even at times enjoy it :) It's just not my "favorite" food and I would probably be the last person to suggest we eat it unless it's "gourmet" pizza (cue Mario Batali)(hehe)... or clam pizza (yum)(again, cue Mario Batali). But like with most relationships, you make sacrifices. You do things your partner likes to do and you try harder at enjoying things your partner enjoys. Most of the time, we're on the same page with our likes and dislikes. Michael is actually quite understanding about our differences, but because I won't rock climb with him, I compromise...

... by eating pizza :)

Two of Portland's most talked about pizza joints, Apizza Scholls and Ken's Artisan Pizza had been on our list of restaurants to try. But that's the problem with hyped up eateries - the wait can be excruciatingly long, particularly when reservations are not accepted. That coupled with my lack of love for pizza hindered our motivation to actually try it, even though I was already sold on Ken's Artisan's dough (see my post on its sister establishment, Ken's Artisan's Bakery), so when Allison invited Tram and I, along with our boy toys Tommy, Souk and Michael out for dinner the other night, it was the catalyst we needed to get into the two-hour wait.

But this entry is not really about Ken's Artisan Pizza or about long waits. It's about our new munchkin friend, Jenny! Besides my friend Thuy, none of my other girl friends in Portland have kids. But on this fateful night, Allison and Tommy brought along their three year-old cousin Jenny to dinner. Now keep in my mind, my friends and I are not accustomed to being around kids. We are all very much "single" when it comes to that sort of mindset :) But imagine my surprise when Jenny occupied all six of our attention! A tomboy at heart and not one to be messed with, she is extremely articulate, smart and well behaved. She prefers black All-Star Converse to pink ones and her favorite color is blue. She loves watching "The Grinch" and is not a fan of American food or pizza for that matter. She favors guys and doesn't care for girls, unless you got something good for her to eat. Lucky for me, I had a box of Girl Scout cookies in my bag! We all fought and climbed over each other to steal her for a moment. She is so clever, I am baffled every time she opens her mouth to speak. She even taught Michael a thing or two in Vietnamese!

Dinner was a complete blur to me. I vaguely remember a ceasar salad and calamari appetizer... oh and four pizzas, one of which had anchovies on it (another one of my preferred pizza toppings :) but the highlight of my night was hanging out with Jenny. Maybe because it was a new experience for me to be around my old friends plus a kid. We had always been kids ourselves! Or maybe because I got to imagine what great parents my friends would be one day. Then again, it might have just been because it was funny when I saw Michael dizzily walking out of of the Papa Haydn, a cake bar we had dessert at, looking as if he had gotten hit by bus. Being around Jenny was exhausting - even with six of us to take turns watching her. But it was so much fun and very endearing.

"Anh Hai [that's what she calls Souk], why are you bald?!"
:: rub rub rub ::

Michael napping while he's suppose to be watching Jenny. lol JK!

"Look, I've worn Michael out! Now I can eat his ice cream!"

The (Simple) Life

High of 59 degrees today.

Not a cloud in the sky.

Slight breeze.

Light sweater weather!

It's utterly and extraordinarily beautiful outside.

Tram and I just got back from having brunch at Village Inn, a Dennys-like breakfast joint, famous for their pies. Everyone there, including the waitresses was seriously three times older than us. As we sunk into our booth by the window, letting the vitamin D soak in, we happily ate our chicken fried steak, eggs, bacon, hash brown, pancakes and simultaneously breathed blissful sighs of content. We could get use to this life!

"No pie?!" the surprised, but friendly hostess asked us as we paid the bill. Though old enough to teach even our moms a thing or two, she was full of life and looked as if she had so much more to live for! "We're stuffed... maybe next time!" I replied. Then a slight wave of sadness swept over me. I'm starting this thing called "work" at the end of the month and wonder when "next time" will actually be. Then as if to purposely distract me, a cute old man whizzed by with his walker exclaiming, "(Out of my way) I gotta' use the little boys room!!!"

For all those of who think you'd get bored if you didn't work, I suggest you think again :) It's all in the eye of the beholder. Ok I'm going to attempt to do some yoga in the sun now, then maybe jump on my bed and sing along to some "Please Mr. Postman" oldies jams.

Unleash the Beast

I feel like I always forget how much I actually really love Valentine's Day... until the date nears, that is! Maybe it's the fact that over the years, my best girlfriend has gotten me into the spirit (it's her most favorite holiday) and even we give each other Valentines or perhaps it's because every shop and window is decked out in cut-out hearts and feel-good shades of pink and red! I don't believe in that whole "Valentine's Day is corporate/commercial made by Hallmark" b.s. or that you "don't need a holiday just to show her how much you love her" excuse because honestly, how many of you guys actually show her you love her everyday?! And girls don't even, we're just as guilty as they are. That's why Valentine's Day should be special (because the same argument could be used for Thanksgiving, Christmas or your birthday, yet no one gripes about that)! And for those few folks who actually do make a daily, consorted effort to show your lady/gentleman you care, then bravo! But anyone would be lying if they told you they didn't like attention especially on Valentine's Day! Every girl I know loves getting flowers delivered to her work (no matter how much they might tell you they hate flowers and to not waste your money) or surprises at their door. Even guys love the attention! As humans, we bask in the joy of having someone tell the whole world how much they love us! Sure, you might turn red when that singing telegram shows up at your office or when you get that panty-gram (yep, underwear delivered ;) that pops out of an envelop, but you LOVE it! And if you're single, get over it (that's why we threw that Singles Mingle :) because no one says you can't take your best single girlfriends out on a night on the town! One year in New York, two of my single girlfriends and I stayed in, ordered Thai food and watched a movie... then we thought, forget this! We raided my closet, hailed a cab and ended up with drinks in hand at some random bar 30 minutes later. Life is good people! Love it up!... with anyone!!!

But I am quite lucky to have a man who's willing to put aside his true feelings about Valentine's Day and at least humor me on this lovely February day. Each year, Michael and I take turns planning Valentine's Day. See, I like to give LOVE too! Last year, we had the most amazing lunch at Gordon Ramsay's Maze Restaurant in London, where we witnessed food service like no other - before serving each course, the servers would line up against a wall to make sure they were taken notice before presenting the plate to diners. Even the "gourmet foam" as I'd like to call it, that accompanied some of the dishes were a sight in itself. A bit fru-fru sounding I know, but if you saw it, you'd think it was pretty cool too.

This year, was my turn to plan Vday. The bads news was the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tết also happen to fall on this day, so I had to consider family events when planning the day... but the good news was because of Tết, I only had to plan half a day :) (hehe)

I had been wanting to have brunch at one of Portland's biggest restaurant phenomenon's Beast, for quite some time. While likely more famous for its French-infused Pacific Northwest prix fixe dinners, most people know by now I am a huge fan of brunch. Beast only serves brunch on Sundays, usually requiring a reservation at one of its two seating times, 10AM or noon. And if you know me and Michael (particularly Michael :) we don't "do" Sunday morning commitments. Sundays, especially mornings should be a leisurely affair - wake up when you want, eat when you want, right? No one wants to rush to a reservation... unless its on Valentine's Day and your girl said SO!


Beast is a small ma-pa like joint, located in the residential area of the Alberta Arts District and owned by one of Food & Wine's 10 Best New Chefs of 2009, Naomi Pomeroy, who much to my own surprise was once a vegetarian for seven years and now, incorporates meat into most of her dishes (hence the name, Beast) and politely, but clearly declines substitutions.

Though seemingly impersonal in its seating arrangement of two long communal tables, which accommodates 10 and 14 people respectively during each seating, the service is sharp, intimate and the immaculate menu yesterday consisted of:

Brioche & Baguette Bread Pudding
Maple Bourbon Sauce
Candied Hazelnuts & Glazed Bacon

Milk Braised Pork Shoulder
Brussel Sprouts, Apples & Market Potato
Poached Farm Egg
Hollandaise

Selection of Steve's Cheese
Frisee
Sherry & Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette

&
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Coffee Creme Anglais
Candied Citrus

Though we were both expecting a slightly more uncommon experience from the menu (it's what happens when people rant and rave about a place - your expectations get set too high :) Michael and I were both still very satisfied and happy nonetheless. The candied bacon was to say the least, the bomb. As a quote on their blackboard wall said, "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon!" Or in this case, if it tasted like Beast's brussel sprouts! WTH. Those brussel sprouts must have been dipped in crack. They were so yummy! And to think I didn't like brussel sprouts! (Apparently, they are all the rage now - I saw a pic of Rachel Bilson in L.A. buying some at a farmers market in a recent US Weekly ;) I will defintely come back to Beast and try out what everyone else has been telling me is the proper experience, dinner. In the meantime, I look forward to next year's Valentine's Day. "Quiche me baby, quiche me!"

Italian Night

After a deliciously successful Hawaiian themed Christmas party at Allison & Tommy's house (shall I reminisce of the homemade macaroni salad, pulled pork, ribs, chicken skewers, and mango salad - all on a banana leaf spread?!), we decided to have monthly themed potlucks in an effort to get together more often, in the midst of everyone's busy schedules.

Last night, Piet & Thuy hosted Italian night at their's where Michael started off the night with his family's shrimp bruschetta recipe.

Followed by Thuy's zuppa toscana (I don't have a picture of the soup but here's one of her Italian soda :) !


Allison's tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.

Ina's spaghetti meatballs.

Tram's corkscrew pasta with chicken in a homemade pesto sauce ("with lotsa' pine nuts").

And after making Thuy feel bad about having eclairs at Italian night, Piet ran to Jakiva and bought us tiramisu! I am so bad. But what lovely hosts! Their 2-year old son did the honors of devouring the first slice (who cares that it was the most rum potent tiramisu I have ever smelled) and I had two slices myself! YUM!!!

Kenny's Noodle House

Heard about it... read about it... heard about it some more... finally tried it. It only took us this long because every time Michael and I were in the mood for noodley soups, we couldn't stray away from our beloved bowls of pho!
What do we have to say about it? Kenny's Noodle House has a very clean (for Chinese standards) taste and decor. Not as salty as the restaurant Good Taste (which I've been a devoted customer since my early college days) so it looks like without intending to, I may have found a replacement. I got the wonton noodle soup (of course - I couldn't have fairly judged it otherwise :) and Michael got the "special" fish balls, a high recommendation from friends who don't even eat fish. That must say something!

Inside a "special" fish ball.

Ken's Artisan Bakery

In the midst of the holiday craze and frantic last minute shoppers on Christmas Eve, Michael and I went looking for a temporary refuge, where we could enjoy some down time and people watch before heading over to his family's house to celebrate Christmas.

We found ourselves at Ken's Artisan Bakery (Ken's Artisan Pizza's big sister) on NW 21st.

We each got a coffee and shared a roasted turkey sandwich and tomato basil soup. They hand-make their bread and house-roast their turkey breast. It was by far, the best turkey sammy EVER!!! Besides the fact that they take their bread baking super seriously to produce an appetizingly crunchy baguette, everything else about it was delectable! Every time I took a bite, I would wrinkle my forehead in awe and confusion (seriously, Michael had to tell me to cut it out) because I was amazed at how good this seemingly simple sandwich tasted. For a minute, I thought there was something special about their lettuce, like maybe they infused it with crack, but Michael pointed out, it was actually the crack-infused garlic aoli that made it so delicious. Perfectly hand-made bread, lettuce, cheese, and garlic aoli has change my outlook on turkey sandwiches forever.

Disclaimer: This is saying a lot because after London, I swore off sandwiches. They have countless chains dedicated to selling just sandwiches (ugh) and unfortunately, I did not share their love of bland sammys.

Bamboo Sushi

Our friend Charlie is on a mission to discover and try as many different restaurants in the shortest amount of time possible - measured by his own personal clock. We use to think he only did this while on vacation (he once tried 13 different establishments in a single day while visiting us in New York) but it's apparently the case here in Portland as well, as made obvious by the happy hour run we made on Wednesday evening.

We started off at Tapalaya... but as I just discussed and agreed with a business owner friend of mine - if I don't have anything nice to say about an establishment, better to not say anything about it at all, so I guess we'll just leave this one at that :)

We then headed a few blocks down to Bamboo Sushi, the first certified, sustainable sushi restaurant in the world (they use 100% renewable resources for power, sustainable chopsticks, biodegradable to-go containers and even energy efficient toilets and hand dryers)! And with the growing demand of fish consumption in restaurants leading to over-fished waters, Bamboo Sushi has committed to serving the best and freshest fish while fostering partnerships with respected organizations to promote marine stewardship and oceanic sustainability. How cool is that?

Charlie and I were already full and intended to just swing by for drinks (their lychee martinis were made with muddled lychees - yum) but we ended up snacking on a spicy scallop handroll and grilled kobe flank with sweet potato,sauteed garlic greens with bacon, pickled mushrooms and herbed momiji sauce.

Both were on the happy hour menu (from 5pm to 6:30pm) and both were very well made buttery goodness. They have these specials called "Flights," which is their signature way of allowing diners to enjoy a specific variety of their in-season seafood. Currently, they have a crab flight consisting of six types of sustainable crabs ranging from king crab, snow crab, dungeness crab, all the way to stone crabs, all from Alaska, Canada, Oregon and Florida respectively. I am definitely heading back to Bamboo Sushi and dragging Michael with me since there were so many other things I wanted to try! Stay tuned for Michael and his experience with their uni flight!

Cookie Swap

I am hosting my very 1st Annual Holiday Cookie Swap!

No guarantees on the "annual" thing though, since it depends on how much success and fun we have at this one ;)

Please bring four to six dozen of your favorite cookies, plus copies of your recipe to share! If that scares you, just think of it as only two or three batches :) or even less if you decide to make more elaborate cookies. No need to stress out - it's suppose to be fun! And it's for a good cause, since a dozen of each contribution will be delivered to the Portland Rescue Mission the following day.

The rest of the cookies will be swapped amongst us (we'll eat a few here :) but you will have plenty and a variety of yummy cookies to share with your family and friends at home too! BRING TUBBERWARE for your take-home!

And don't stay home just because you think you can't bake! God knows I can't bake, but it's a good opportunity for us to get together for a good cause. Plus, it's something different! Think outside the box and bring cookies, cupcakes, tarts, macaroons, brownies, biscotti or anything you'd like! You can even reply with a suggestion for someone else to bake your favorite cookie!

I will provide milk, coffee, tea, apple cider and wine!

Please respond with the type of cookie you'd like to bring (as to avoid us all bringing the same kind) or if a few of you would rather keep it a surprise, that's perfectly OK too!

Look forward to seeing you gals next week!


xx, Yen


P.S. If time is of the essence, feel free to make them the weekend before (keep them in an air-tight container) or even bring refrigerator cookie dough that you've made in advance (wrapped well in plastic and parchement, which can be frozen for up to three weeks) with instructions on how we can bake them at home!

Nong's Khao Man Gai

A few weeks ago, Michael and I were flipping through the November issue of Portland Monthly, reading a feature on Portland's 10 Best Restaurants of 2009 when we noticed a picture of a girl we thought we recognized as "Michelle." Michelle was a friend of friend who stayed with us in New York a few years ago when they both came to visit. "That looks like Michelle huh?" Michael said as I nodded absentmindedly.

Fast forward a few weeks, "That was Michelle!" confirmed Michael after talking to his friend. WHAT?! Michelle works in a food cart?!

Not only does Michelle work in a food cart. She owns that food cart. And it just so happens, that food cart is listed as one of "Portland's 10 Best Restaurants," amongst nine other (more) high-profile restaurants. Nevermind that Portland's food cart scene has been recognized by the New York Times and various men's magazines like GQ and Details, Michelle or rather, Nong's food cart beat out hundreds of other other Portland food carts (not to mention traditional sit-down restaurants) for that rank, with her simple $6 entree of chicken & rice.

So today before Michael headed off to school, we headed to Nong's Khao Man Gai (SW Alder between 10th & 11th Ave) for lunch and I wondered to myself if she would remember us since it'd be over two years since we last met her. But I should not have even doubted her though. She nearly hopped out of her small booth's window when she saw us!

"Omigod!!! Omigod!!! How are you?! How are you?!! How did you find me?!!!!" she elatedly yelled as she grabbed both of our hands and held them close as if we were her long lost relatives from Thailand. How did we find her?! I wanted to yell back, "You're only featured on every single newspaper and magazine in Portland!!! Dontcha' know you're famous?!" but instead, we just laughed at her super contagious joyfulness. We'd only hung out with her for a few short days that summer in New York, but her emotional smile made us feel like we were family who lost touch and was soooo happy to see us. It was really endearing. I'm smiling just writing this entry. That's the thing I've learned about Thai people when I visited Thailand a few years ago - they are extremely hospitable and very warm hearted - possibly the softest and nicest of all Asian cultures.

"Two chicken & rice please!!" we ordered. Not like there was much anything else to order. Michelle's cart serves just this one dish - khao man gai - and this dish alone. Why give people the option to choose? It just confuses them :) I don't mind not being able to choose (in this instance) one bit. Sometimes, you just want the decision to be made for you. Especially when the decision is made by someone who knows better.

"O.K! AWESOME! Two chicken and rice! AWESOME!" exclaimed Michelle eagerly, inviting us to take a seat in front of her cart. Michael and I look at each other - why did we choose to eat lunch at an outdoor food cart on the coldest day of the year?! As hateful of small talk as I am, I would have loved to sit at one of Michelle's tables and chit chat with her. Just being around her enthusiastic bubble was fun, but we politely declined due to the brisk weather and Michelle then offered us some free chicken skin (think popcorn chicken, but with a Thai twist).

When our order came, we saw that our meal, slices of simply boiled chicken placed on top a pile of seasoned rice, complimented with a ginger soybean chili sauce was wrapped in butcher paper, tied with a simple rubber band and accompanied by a small cup of winter squash soup - what a lovely little lunch package!

We talked a little more, but all I can remember is her saying, "AWESOME!!! OK! AWESOME!!! OK!!!" :: thumbs up :: Not wanting to hold up the line, we finally said our goodbyes, promised we'd be back again soon and noticed the guys behind us despite the wait, were smiling appreciatively as well. The food is simple and good enough to bring people back, but I'm sure Michelle's earnest candor and bouncy sparkle help out a bit too.

Pine State Biscuits

Just when I thought I couldn't look at one more biscuit this year, Charlie and I swung by Pine State Biscuits (since it was just down the street from Happy Sparrow) to try our luck, since our individual attempts in the past to eat at Pine State Biscuit had been unsuccessful (the lines are usually out the door). But today proved to be a fruitful one as we not only scored a coveted seat in this eatery, we also got our hands on some of Portland's most famous biscuits!

"The Reggie" - fried chicken, bacon & cheese topped with gravy. This was Charlie's dish.

Biscuits with sausage gravy. This was also Charlie's dish :)

Pine State was originally a food stall at a local Farmer's Market back in 2006 and while it's still there, they've opened up shop on SE Belmont just early last year and already, have earned kudos from SeriousEats.com, Esquire and Oprah's website along with numerous local press coverage. The next time you're up earlier than usual and want a fairly fast, no nonsense bite to eat in a cool neighborhood, be sure to check out Pine State. But be warned, the place is small and the lines can make it feel even more cramped, so this isn't a joint where you can leisurely sip your coffee and read the paper. However, there are a ton of awesome coffee shops nearby that you can head to after you've filled your tummy... like Happy Sparrow (see previous post) and oh, I saw this place called Opposable Thumb Gallery + Cafe and it looks like a cool spot if you want to get some work done but need a new environment for some inspiration (everyone seemed to have a laptop though so bring yours if you don't want to feel left out :)

Happy Sparrow

Happy Sparrow on S.E. Belmont is indeed a happy place, with happy people, serving happy snacks! I'm quite happy myself, since I discovered kolaches today!

What are koh-la-cheeeees, you ask? They're bun-like pastries filled with various fruits, meats and/or cheeses (think Eastern European hot pocket)! The Czechs and Slovaks invented them, but Texans (arguably) have made them famous in the U.S. (due to the large Czech population there) and more recently, right here in Portland!

Natives of Houston & Austin Texas, owners Danny & Mary Quach fell in love with Portland (no big surprise there - GO Ptown!!!) and moved here just a few months ago to set up shop, quickly and successfully making Happy Sparrow the warmest, most welcoming coffee shop on the Eastside, specializing in none other than kolaches!

Their kolaches range from $1.75 to $2.50 - cheap and cheerful enough for you to try all their flavors (I hear they're always experimenting with new fillings) but hurry, word is spreading fast so don't be surprised if they run out of your favorite kind (they also close by 2pm). I tried their Tillamook cheddar & sausage kolache, but I'm not going to post a picture of it in this entry since I didn't get a good shot, but I will be back soon to try their nutella filled kolache and rasberry & cream cheese kolache (they ran out when I went because another customer went in just before me and bought a few dozen)!

Danny and Mary are the sweetest, friendliest and most enthusiastic people in the entire world (ok, S.E. PDX world)! Still, I felt like I was visiting their home and had known them for years! They make an effort to get to know all their customers, so go visit them and support our small and local businesses (you'll rarely find me blogging about chains - not that I have anything against them but they don't need the publicity)! The only thing they might be missing is a couch :) but they make up for it with a huge bay window (great for people watching), board games, wi-fi, a nook-and-cranny back room, a sparrow mural (painted by Mary herself) and of course, their one and only, kolaches!!! <--- I feel like doing a song and dance when I say that word :)

Everett Street Bistro

After checking out the Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show today, which resulted us swaying our bride-to-be friend away from a dress that would have cost five times the amount of any average bride's gown, Allison, Lydia, Tram and I headed to Everett Street Bistro in the Pearl for some brunch.

Whether day or night, this European-style charcuterie always seems to have a nice comfy crowd of people who seem to really know how to enjoy their food.

Since Tram and I usually each order one sweet and one savory dish to share, we agreed on the Eggs Benedict and the Grand Marnier French Toast. But once we heard the Special of the Day - Danish Aebleskiver, we quickly reverted to these pancake balls from Denmark, topped with fresh fruit, powdered sugar and creme fraiche! The Grand Marnier French Toast will have to wait for another day :) Both Lydia and Allison ordered the breakfast panini, made up of fried eggs, Black Forest ham and Tillamook cheddar, served with a hashbrown casserole.

Everything was good except I thought the hollandaise sauce on the eggs benedict was a bit too salty, but it was nothing a nice, spicy bloody mary wouldn't have taken care of. I'll have to order one next time - I secretly believe you can judge the quality of most brunches based on its bloody marys and mimosas :) Allison, a frequent guest at Everett Street Bistro, recommends the Wild Mushroom Scramble, which features roasted wild mushrooms, leeks and goat cheese. I didn't realize until after we'd eaten there that, that particular dish has been highly rated on countless reviews and as one girl from California on Yelp.com commented, it sent her on a "humming/moaning chair dancing taste bud orgasm."

Wow. That just might be enough reason for me to start eating mushrooms!

Turkey Day

Growing up, my folks always made an effort to ensure I had the experience of a turkey on Thanksgiving and even at times, on Christmas as well. But something happened as the years went on (I think everyone in my family would fighting over the turkey legs) and so one year, my aunt decided to just make turkey legs! A whole platter of turkey legs! Something about that practice turned me off of turkey from that moment on. Yech.

But that was probably a relief for my parents since they never had to worry about making me turkey ever again. And once I moved away, turkey was last thing I wanted to eat when I came home to visit. I didn't care what holiday it was - all I wanted was Vietnamese food! Vietnamese food for dinner. Vietnamese food for lunch. Vietnamese for breakfast! I had resolved that I was simply not a fan of turkey, no matter the occasion, no matter the form - I didn't even care for turkey deli meat... until I met Michael. He waits all year to eat his uncle's turkey and thought it was pretty ludicrous that my family didn't have turkey at all on Thanksgiving.

This year, I finally had my first taste of his family's renowned turkey... and man, it was deeeee-lish!!! Now I know why he rants and raves about it all the time! Not surprisingly, there were no leftovers. The meal was accompanied with a honey baked ham (from Chi Chau), stuffing, scalloped potatoes (from Kathy), mash potatoes (from Kim), gravy and variety of other side dishes, topped off with a pumpkin creme brulee (from Anh Minh). I looooooooooooove creme brulee - it's my favorite dessert!

Per Michael's request, I made spicy cheddar biscuits (from Martha's book) and non-spicy for the kids, which sadly, were not that spicy or cheesy :/ Everyone was nice enough to extend their compliments though :) At least they looked ok! haha I think it's time I steadily move on from looks to taste!

Pre-baked kids' cheddar biscuits.

We also made Rice Krispy treat turkey legs for the kiddies! I'd been planning to make something a little bit more special for them from my cousin My's book of recipes, but after running around town, I could not find all the ingredients for the finishing touches, so unfortunately, they will have to wait till next year!

Already, I am looking forward to my next turkey!

Julie & Julia

My friend Tram never ceases to amaze me at how she crafts and cooks so effortlessly.

FYI: There is a Tram and a Tran - it's not a typo - it's two different people. I know, gosh darn those Vietnamese people huh?! We all have either similar names (Tran & Tram), same names (Yen & Yen) or names that rhyme (Huong & Phuong) and we all have the same freakin two last name (Nguyen & Pham)! Trust me, I understand your confusion :)

For Tram, cooking is a stress reliever. For me, it's anything but!

So this past Tuesday, Tram invited me over for dinner and a movie. We watched Julie and Julia, a film based on two true stories about blogging and cooking! How fabulously appropriate! The night started off with some delectable olives and cheese, complimented with a bottle of pinot gris, which she picked up while wine tasting at Anne Amie Vineyards in Carlton, Oregon. I eat pretty much everything except for eggplants, mushrooms and until recently, olives. I know that sounds insane since everyone I've ever known loves mushrooms, but I can't stand the texture of the aforementioned. However, I believe it'll only be a matter of time before I start liking them since over the past few years, I have a acquired a taste for many other things I use to hate i.e. onions (where have you been all my life???), fresh mint, basil and cilantro in my pho (I use to eat pho like a 5 year old), tofu and as of two years ago, olives (while at a bar in Ibiza, Spain - there was nothing else to eat)! More recently, I discovered that I loved these bright green (see pic), Castelventrano olives, which were introduced to me by Tram.

So while I munched away and drank to my hearts content, she waltzed around her kitchen and made a Venetian squid linguine (that she bought from Pike's Place in Seattle), with smoked salmon and clams in a creamy vodka Sauce, served with a side salad and crab cake, topped off with some parsley which she plucked from her own garden!

Note to self: Start buying seeds to plant an herb garden (I already asked my Dad to section off a piece of land for me to garden in our back yard this Spring. He did a double-take, as I'm sure many of you would. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself wanting to dig in the dirt for "fun." Especially while living in New York, I thought I'd be perfectly content living in an 800 square foot apartment forever, with no yard work to ever worry about or cleaning to ever do (everyone had a cleaner - even if you lived in a studio and could barely afford rent, you had a cleaner :) But they say as you get older, you feel closer to the earth.

After dinner, Tram brought out dessert, which she picked up from the gourmet bakery at Freddy's on her way home from work (we can't expect her to hand make it all - the girl works too)! I've been reading up on how to take better food pictures. See me practice?

After finishing our bottle of wine, picking away the last of our desserts, and watching our flick, we ended the night in high spirits. Prior to the movie, all I had known of Julia Child was through re-runs of her show with Jacques Pepin (that French chef that doesn't seem to have very clean hands and spits in his foods all the time) and she never seemed to do anything besides hover over him and talk real high pitched. But Meryl Street did a wonderful interpretation of her. Who knew Julia Child was such a sanguine soul, with a certain liveliness to her that made her all the more interesting and a pioneer in French cooking for Americans?! She was nearly 40 years old when she went to cooking school in France, basically stumbling upon her talents and empire. That gives me and Tram some hope in our lives. Maybe someday I will start cooking! And like the other main character in the movie, Julie, maybe one day Tram will start blogging!

Sweet Treats

As my dental bill would prove, I have a major sweet tooth.

I'm not kidding about the dental bill either. A few weeks after I moved home this past summer, I had a toothache and ended up spending $1k on my teeth. Of course, I didn't have it taken care of while living in London where I had universal health care. Why would I do a sensible thing like that?! It's in my cards to spend ridiculous amounts of money on dental hygiene the second I become unemployed and uninsured. In fact, every time I move or am about to move somewhere, I end up spending obscene amounts of money on my health - circa February to April 2008 when I spent $1800 on a root canal and that's WITH dental insurance (goddamn NYC dentists), when I could have waited to get to London to have it taken care of for close to free. I swear I brush my teeth religiously at least twice a day and floss daily!!! I even use a prescription toothpaste! Why me???!!!

Macaroons at Two Tarts

But despite all that, I still think it's worthy to mention a few of Portland's sweet treats that I've discovered recently (especially since I wrote a whole long blog on savories), starting with my favorite boulangerie, St. Honoré, a lovely bakery & cafe where I went for the first time right when Autumn began when the air was crisp and sunny for some coffee. Michael and I sat outside reading US Weekly :) next to a group of stay-at-home moms and their BMW station wagons. Close by is Two Tarts Bakery, a hidden goodie on NW 23rd. My friend Tram took me and Michael there on a Saturday afternoon, right after we had just eaten, couldn't possibly eat anymore and were each on our way to various dinner parties to eat some more! Yet, we couldn't resist picking up a selection of bite sized treats! Then there's Bakery Bar where I got Michael's last birthday cake. They've got 2 locations (NE & SE) and are my favorite when it comes to clean and bold cake designs. With free wi-fi, I like chilling out at Bakery Bar (especially on sunny days when you can sit outside) with a cup of joe or some breakfast! For my own birthday, I got 3 treats! It's tradition in my family to get a Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (I'm not even gonna' bother hyperlinking that one :) but Michael also got me cupcakes from Cupcake Jones and Allison & Tram got me a super delicious chocolate cake from JaCiva! Yumm, so divine!!!

I think Cupcake Jones' cupcakes might slightly be more fluffier (although I can't say for sure since I've only had it twice), my favorite place for cupcakes is actually St. Cupcake. I discovered them years ago when I was looking for a creative Valentine's Day gift for Michael. At the time, he was still living in Portland and I was in New York. After a lot of Googling, I found St. Cupcake, who for the occasion, had a Valentine's Day special where if you ordered a certain amount of cupcakes, the owner himself (I think his name is Matt), would deliver the cupcakes straight to your Valentine (within various zip codes) and sing a song you chose from his list for like $30 (not including the cupcakes) or something totally worth it like that :) It's like a singing telegram, but with a sweet treat at the end! Matt sang "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You" (I was tempted to choose Britney's "I'm a Slave for You," for the comedic factor but we all know that's not true :) and Michael later reported that Matt surprised him by showing up in a pink t-shirt, cupid wings, and entertained his entire (and usually quiet) office by singing at the top of his lungs in a capella! For his reaction, I would have paid that amount three times over! Not only does St. Cupcake hold a special place in our hearts for that particular occasion, but my best friend was proposed to earlier this year by her boyfriend, using six of their cupcakes (also her favorite) in the form of "Will You Marry Me?" Of course she said Yes! For your sentimental moments, go to St. Cupcake :)

And finally, in the midst the frozen yogurt craze (I love you Pink Berry), I recently discovered Tart, which serves a delightful frozen custard! But other than the neat take on this frozen treat, they don't have anything on Skinnidip. Skinnidip has an unbeatable selection of toppings, all of which are freshly cut (not frozen, ugh) (my favorites are pomagranate, cream puff and cookies n' cream) and they take great pride in making their yogurt from unadulterated products (not artificial flavors like those other guys - bleh). Eh, perhaps I'm biased since I know the owner, but hey, with or without my recommendation, they're still rapidly growing! Check out their third and newest location downtown (opening right before Christmas) by Nordstrom, across the street from the Max line!

Beaker and Flask

When old friends Tran and Vi decided we were to meet up for long overdue drinks at Beaker and Flask, I half wasn't expecting anything (since I didn't have time to read the reviews beforehand) and half expecting a dusty, old school, wooden paneled bar with cowboys sipping whiskey (based on the name of the place). I know that scene is unlikely in Portland, but with my limited vocabulary, that was the closest I could get. Although I should have known. Not only is that scene unlikely, but it's especially unlikely when it's a recommendation from Tran :) The place oozed chi chi chic and maybe more so due to its inconspicuous location, sitting on an obscure corner lot and appearing out of nowhere on the SE end of (none other than) Sandy Blvd! I wish I got a picture of the building's exterior. It was kind of fearless and very now. I liked it!!!

What meant to be happy hour became dinner with two bottles of wine, which should not surprise you to hear the night flew by, with much of it a distant memory for me. So I couldn't tell you if their drink menu was extensive or not or whether there was any bourbon ( though I'd be really surprised if there wasn't) or even cowboys. But the food! The food was unforeseeingly delicious (I only remember this because it was on my camera - see below) and the wine even better. Did you know 2006 was not a good year (for wine)? Boy, the things we learned from Vi that night! If you can begin to fathom a girl that is more high strung than me, add in a bit of dynamism, sprinkle on some spirit and you've got Vi. Funny thing is, she claims she's anti-social!!!

Ricotta Gnudi, Leeks, Squash, Cream

Grilled Alaskan Spot Prawns, Millas, Fall Vegetables

Maple Braised Pork Belly, Creamed Kale, Delicata Squash, Apple Relish

Panna Cotta, Bruléed Peach, Aged Balsamic