Taste of the Nation: Heaven on Earth

As part of the Foodbuzz Foodie Correspondent Program, I was able to attend a fabulous event: Taste of the Nation. A night of the most delicious tastings around town. Wine. Beer. Cocktails. Desserts. Tonight I may have actually died and gone to heaven--I just wish I could have brought all my friends.

My favorites from Taste of the Nation

Garden State
Crostini with Confit of Pork Shoulder, Giardiniera Relish and Arugula

Vindalho
Lamb Kofta with Tomato Yogurt Curry

Nel Centro
Home Made Cracker with Fresh Ricotta and Peperonata

Urban Farmer
Cheese Steak Sandwich with Oregon raised, grass-fed beef
(the sliced beef is then fried into patties)

Seres
Tofu Salad Rolls

Seres
Crispy Prawns with Honeyed Walnuts

Accanto
Panini Misti

Ruth's Chris Steak House
Seared Midwestern Beef

Celilo
House Smoked Salmon on Lavash Cracker

Cheese Bar
Raclette

Bamboo Sushi
Albacore Carpaccio

Ruby Jewel
Cinnamon Ice Cream Sandwiches

Screen Door
Banana Toffee Pies

Organic Living: Portland State University Farmers Market

Bacon Bagel Sandwich $5.50 and Coffee $1.25
Ok, so this new concept of things happening organically in my life has been stirring in my brain lately. I’m what they like to call “a planner” and I’m starting to realize that the more you plan, the less your plans ever live up to your expectations and the things that just happen naturally and spontaneous end up being so much more fulfilling. So last night was a perfect example of starting my new organic party life and the night took me where it wanted to which was to a karaoke bar, which I normally despise, with my best guy friend singing Meet me Halfway (which is also my fall theme song) and my brothers and cousin getting wasted and one of them rapping in that poor little flower man's face. The night was so weird, so unexpected and yet, so perfectly imperfect.

beautiful apples from hood river, oregon

To the food: I decided to continue this organic road I’m on and eat some organic food and what better way to do that then at the PSU Farmers Market? Hung to the over, we took the trolley over to PSU and pushed through crowds to admire the fresh fruit, veggies and baked goods.

My first inkling—Pine State Biscuit stand. I’ve been dying to try these biscuit sammy’s forever now, but I opted out of the 20 minute line and headed to a fresher, more organically available option; Tastebuds. Tastebud bagels are rustically, hand-formed, wood-fired Montreal-style bagels. They are smaller than your typical bagel, but denser and boiled in malt water and then baked in a brick oven. I went for the Bacon Sandwich, which is a bagel, covered in cream cheese, Italian plum jam, arugula and two strips of delicious bacon.

They also have a Rhubarb & Cream Cheese sandwich, Egg Salad & Radish Sandwich and what looked the most delicious was a Lox Sandwich, with smoked salmon, dill cream cheese, onions, capers and pickles.

everything bagel with chive cream cheese

a crowded cafe in the market

fresh bread from fressen

my friend and co-worker alison working at blue gardenia

wanting to take my dad back for an italian sausage sandwich!

WIN WIN WIN!!!

A night of food, wine, cocktails and fighting hunger . . . Mangia just won tickets for an awesome event called Taste of the Nation, put on by Share our Strength, a national organization that fights hunger in America. Share our Strength creates inventive culinary experiences and has raised over $265 million, which help to fund over 1,000 of the most effective hunger-relief organizations in America.

The event features samplings from over 50 of Portland's finest restaurants, chefs and mixoligists, allowing guests to taste to their hearts desire. Tickets range from $75-$175 and 100% of the proceeds go to stopping childhood hunger.

Everyone loves a raffle . . .

Wanna come? I was given a FREE ticket to raffle off to my dear readers. To enter, comment on this blog post, telling me your favorite place to eat in Portland and follow my blog if you're not already doing so! I'll use an online raffle generator to pick the lucky winner!

Taste of the Nation Portland
April 26, 2010
6:30-9pm

LUXE Autohaus
410 NE 17th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232

Seattle or Bust

Just got home from a fabulous and very, very full weekend in Seattle. I think we may have spent 70% of our time in Seattle eating and about 80% anticipating where next to eat.

We started out Friday night with sushi at Blue Fin and then headed out to Black Bottle for Presecco and rich lava cake filled with vanilla bean ice cream.

The next morning we ate a breakfast at Etta Cafe and spent the day perusing
Pike Place Market; watching doughnuts being made, fish being thrown and
bouquet after bouquet being bought.

We had an amazing antipasto plate at The Pink Door and couldn't get
enough of their fresh bread and lemon infused olive oil.

We stumbled across The Chocolate Box, where I bought a mini eclair and some gelato.

The trip ended with breakfast at The Portage Cafe. They so
brilliantly have a 'toppings bar' where you can dress your own
pancakes, waffles and french toast. The fruit was delicious, fresh and even organic!

Sydney, Jamie, Chelsea, Annie and birthday girl Margot, thank you for a wonderful weekend.
I already miss you Seattle!

Southern Comfort: Screen Door

Aahh how Sex in the City we were on Sunday. Breakfast with the chicks and before 9:00 am, I might add. Screen Door has been much chatted about in the Portland brunch scene, but with lines that form around the restaurant at 8:30 am on Saturdays and Sundays you need to be pretty serious about brunch to come here. Today we were most definitely serious about brunch.


Ok, so you need to remember that Screen Door is Southern comfort food and not for the faint of heart and also not for the dieting hearts or for those who have recently suffered heart problems (I’m talking about actual heart problems, i.e. heart disease, not broken hearts. For broken hearts this place is actually quite perfect).


Everything, I mean every single thing on the menu looks and sounds divine. Deciding what to order will be your biggest challenge. My one advice: do not think about leaving without trying their Bananas Foster French Toast; Oh my God it was so good, I’m still drooling over it. They use 1 ½ inch pieces of fresh break, sprinkled with cinnamon and drenched in their caramelized rum bananas and sauce. The dish is topped with powdered sugar and dollops of fresh whipped cream. OMG, OMG, OMG.


The Cajun Scramble was also a hit, with andouille sausage, bell peppers, onions, green onions and melted cheddar cheese. Spicy and still hearty with the bell peppers and sausage. Cheesy grits on the side; which, did you know taste just like a savory Cream of Wheat? Am I the only one that grew up on Cream of Wheat?


Traditional Eggs Benedict perfection—you may want to go crazy and try it with oysters.


Two girls ordered the Breakfast Sandwiches, with homemade sausage patties, eggs, cheese, tomato jam, on a brioche bun. Everything here is huge, including these burger sized sandwiches.


Regrettably we didn’t order: Biscuits and Gravy, Waffle and Fried Chicken or the Praline Bacon Waffle. Their daily specials list was also long and everything on it sounded incredible. Soon. I will be back very, very soon to try these.

Birthday Wishes with Egg Sandwich Dreams: Bakery Bar

Egg Sandwich $6.00

This weekend I’m certain that alcohol will be involved in my Friday night routine, as a very special ‘best friend since kindergarten’ will be celebrating her birthday. I’m also confident that Bakery Bar will be my saving grace on Saturday morning and that’s exactly where you’ll find me.


Bakery Bar is not a bar. It is however a delicious bakery, with the most amazing biscuit egg sandwiches. I die for them. The biscuits are of course made in house and specked with fresh pepper. They are flaky and buttery and absolutely wonderful. Topped with an egg over medium, some white cheddar and ham; I’m in hangover heaven.


Bakery Bar is oh so clever with their 8 breakfast sandwiches (numbered 1-8), adding originality with bacon-apple caramelized onion jam, house prepared sausage, marmalade and pimento cheese. I like to keep it simple with the Number 3. They serve Stumptown Coffee for good measure. Oh and they also have homemade English Muffins—I didn’t know you could make English Muffins, but apparently you can. I would always choose a biscuit over an English muffin though, but please, take your pick.

Don’t forget to bring home dessert for your Sunday dinner—their cakes, cupcakes and tortes are delectable and decorated with intricate detail.




To my Best Friend Bridget, whom I‘ve known for 19 years: I love you like a sister and if I didn’t work for a non-profit, in a failing high school, I would buy you a cake from Bakery Bar, with big bright flowers and raspberry cream inside. Xoxo.