So Tasty: Tasty N' Sons

Fair well 2010. Hello 2011. Many of my friends this year were ready for 2010 to be over. It was a year many lessons learned--some harder than others. It was a year of a lot change, some good, but some difficult to accept. As I wrapped up my page and half of new resolutions and looked back on those from last year, I realize I came out on top and am more ready then ever to take on this new year.

#11 on my NY resolutions 2011 list: Stop procrastinating and eat at restaurants that have been on your "To Do" list.

Perfect, Tasty N' Sons had been on my list since opening day. I braved the wait and loved every second of it.

Went with a good friend who's been out of town, which accomplished #5 on my NY resolutions 2011 list: Make quality time for your friends.

And so in one morning, I knocked off two resolutions and was off to a fabulous start.

Now for the meal . . . Tasty N' Sons carries its name because it is just that: TASTY.

Everything is delicious. The presentation, the maple glazed sweet potatoes, the use of spices, the variety, the cherry red bloody Mary's with a hunk of beef jerky on top.

It was hard to decide what to order though. Everything looked incredible. After a very promising recommendation I opted for the Polenta with Sausage Ragu, mozzarella and a fried egg, $8. I was in heaven. 2011 heaven.

The polenta was creamy and the sausage ragu rich and flavorful and the yolk from the egg saturated the entire dish, not allowing me to put my fork down for even a moment.

I'm someone who wants a bite of everything, so the 'shared meals' concept worked very well for me. My friend ordered their seasonal Vegetable Frittata with squash, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, rapini & feta ,$7. Can't wait to go back. My recommendation is to try for a weekday to avoid some of the rush.

A New Beginning: Prasad

Oatmeal, $6.50

Another month of cleansing. No sugar. No dairy. No gluten. No caffeine or alcohol. No fun. This detox is sucking the fun out of life. I'm that annoying patron asking, "is this vegan and gluten free; oh and is there sugar added?--ok, I'll just have water" Ugh. I hate the word gluten-free.

In order to prove to me that my life wasn't over a friend recently took me to this peaceful place in the Pearl, called Prasad. Suddenly I was at a home I never thought would be my home. Health and yoga nuts come from all over to chow down on their all gluten-free/vegan menu . . . oh and I should mention, its delicious!!!

I put on my lululemon generic brand yoga pants, ordered some healthy breakfast and fit right in. There's something tranquil about Prasad. I'm not sure if its the connecting yoga studios energy or the fact that the people eating here are probably well-balanced, healthy individuals who read magazines like Yoga Journal and books on 'mindfulness.' I kinda want to be like them. Oooommmmmmmm.

Their made to order gluten-free oatmeal is a perfect start to any morning with dried figs & currants, Brazil nuts, fresh fruit, vanilla and cinnamon with a side of coconut or almond milk and maple syrup. Its hearty and filled with the combining textures of the apples, bananas, peaches and nuts. Their fruits change from day to day. Lately I wake up thinking about this oatmeal.



I like my oatmeal sweeter then most. I've been known to order the oatmeal brulee from Gravy--encrusted in sugar. Surprisingly the maple syrup and coconut milk add just enough sweetness to this oh so much healthier version.

They juice their own juices and have a wild combination of smoothies. I like the Lucy Blue; blueberries and bananas. I'm dying to try the Stumblebee; peanut butter, cacao nibs, coco powder, Stumptown coffee, banana and the Popeye; spinach, marionberry, blueberry, banana. 

New Cascadia gluten free teff bread with butter and homemade jam.

It's hard to explain this to you, but I left perfectly full and happy and healthy. Thanks Prasad. Gluten-free can be good.

P.S. I promise not to turn this into a Gluten-Free blog

Men and Meat: Stepping Stone

Bacon-Spinach-Cream Cheese-Tomato Scramble, w/ a homemade biscuit, $8.25

Last week I had a student ask me if I'd ever tried "The Farm" at McDonald's. "Well no, I don't think I have," I responded, "what is that?" "Its when you order a Double Pounder and a McChicken, put the chicken on the Double Pounder and add bacon. Want me to get you one?"

This must be a high school thing I thought . . . until I went to Stepping Stone and realized this a man and meat thing.

I have these three completely obnoxious friends that I think someday I'll make my bridesmen. They are hilarious, inappropriate, honest to a fault and coincidentally single . . . most likely more protective then my actual brothers, but non the less family. When they are wed, I will cry. Not out of happiness, but rather because sometimes I feel like I'm in a polygamist relationship with them.

We like food. We all like to stuff ourselves silly.

Saturday morning was no exception when we showed up to Stepping Stone (Lucio not surprisingly drunk from the night prior) ready to eat. I had been sick the week before, so found it the perfect excuse to consume my weeks calories in one meal before 11:00 am.

This is how you have to do Stepping Stone: drunk, hungover, diet-free, depressed and/or starved.

Order the scramble. Always ask for cream cheese in it. Substitute the toast for their homemade biscuit. Their biscuits are massive and so buttery. A biscuit a day . . . keeps the doctor astray.



If you are man and want to develope heart disease when you're older or if you're already old and you want to speed up this process, order what the boys got: Smothered B.A.- a slab of chicken fried steak, hash browns, onions, jalapenos, Tillamook cheddar all wrapped into an omelet and wait for it . . . smothered in sausage gravy.

Don't order the Eggs Benedict. This is not the place nor the time.



Order a Mancake, $3.50 to share with the table.

Lovejoy Bakers.

Egg and Ham and Cheese Sandwich $6.00

Oooh Ristretto Roasters—how I love you. When I wake up in the morning and my eyes are practically swollen shut, I think about swimming in your goodness. Welcome Lovejoy Bakers—Finally a spot that serves Ristretto Roasters in NW. A warehouse-esque bakery that recently opened in the pearl, with clean white walls, lots of seating and good baking and people watching (and sorry to say because I still love my Acai bowls, but who will most likely run Sip and Kranz into the ground if they don't get their act together!). Ristretto Roasters, Egg sandwiches and cute bakers sounds like the perfect
coffee house . . .

Their egg sandwiches are delish—I ordered the ham and egg and added fontina. They have a small menu of only 4 breakfast sandwiches. If you like a more complex breakfast, try their Deluxe Egg Sandwich, which is rich with blue cheese and bacon. All sandwiches are on their homemade ciabatta bread, toasted and spread with salted butter.

 deluxe egg sandwich.

  

exposed pastry rack.

 latte.

croissant.

ristretto's new location on n. williams. 

photos via lovejoy bakers and ristretto roasters

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.

By The Way . . . Byways Cafe

Blue Corn Pancakes, 3 for $7.25, 6 for $9.25 or Sunrise Special (one egg, two strips bacon and three cakes) $8.95

Do you need a pancake pick-me-up? Byways Café on NW 12th and Glisan has just the pancake for someone looking for flap jacks that are a little out of the ordinary . . . Blue Corn! Yes, exactly like blue corn chips. These pancakes are thicker than your average variety and if you like texture (I’m big on different food textures) then you’ll love the Organic stone-ground corn meal these pancakes are made with. Do you love corn bread, then you’ll adore these cakes and if you like butter (who doesn’t like butter?) then you’ll just about flip for their homemade honey pecan butter. Drizzle these little puppies with maple syrup and you have yourself a lovely breakfast!