Come enjoy Penny’s Puppets at Milagros! The puppet show on March 13 will be perfect for the season “How to Catch Lepracaun.” A great show for ages 0 – 9!
Admission is only $3 per person, or $10 for four! Cash or check only paid to the performer.
More info at http://pennypuppets.com
We were at a holiday event at Mila’s school the other night. One thing I forgot comes with having a child in grade school is an endless calendar of school events…
Anyhoo, it was dinner time when everything wrapped up and rather than bus it home for leftovers we took the advice of another parent and hoofed it down N. Lombard to King Burrito.
Let me say that I have a serious burrito habit. I could literally eat burritos every single day of the week. And yes I am talking the real deal, the forearm sized burritos you find at your local taqueria.
La Bonita is a short walk from the shop so they see me three or four times a week. I really like La Bonita for a basic vege or bean burrito. The beans are good, the service is good, the vibe is good…and King Burrito?….man oh man…
This place is a beat up hole in the wall, the carpet is so badly worn and stained that you can’t determine its original color, the seating looks like a hodge podge of flea market rejects, there is no restroom, and they have a handful of vending machines filled with goodies to attract quarters from kids. Gael also managed to locate every electrical outlet in the room – which there are plenty! (But it should be said that trying to stick his finger in a socket is Gael’s greatest goal in life….)
They do get decor props for having two of the coolest toys in a plastic bubble machines I have a seen in a while: a Homies vending machine and a Jesus action figure vending machine (50 cents got Mila a Virgin Mary!).
The food, however, R-O-C-K’s! We are of the vegetarian persuasion and in addition to a substantial selection of traditional Mexican choices they offer a number of vegetarian choices. I opted for a chile relleno burrito for $3.75. It was magical – really.
I love chile rellenos but I tend to shy away from them in burritos because the relleno too often gets buried or is a greasy mess. Not here. The chile relleno was distinctive but none of the elements – pico de gallo, beans, rice – overpowered the flavor. Instead everything mixed together in a delicious peaceful harmony. It was huge, I finished the whole thing, and I wished I had second stomach so I could get another.
In addition to burritos they have a wide selection of other choices – tortas, quesadillas, menudo, etc. Like all taquerias should be, the place was a bargain and the service was quick. Our total bill for three burritos was 8 bucks and some change, basically about a buck a pound.
It is hard to live up to a name like King Burrito. These guys definitely do!
King Burrito is located at 2924 N. Lombard, Portland, OR 97217 – (503) 283-9757
I lived in Boston for many years during my stint of would-be rock stardom. Being young, broke and a lousy cook, I ate a lot of pizza – and I do mean A LOT of pizza. And although I got tired of many things during that time – such as being broke – I never got tired of pizza. I still love a great slice.
What is a great slice? Give me a plain cheese slice, with a thin perfectly cooked crust – not burnt or doughy, slightly sweet tomato sauce with a hint of garlic, and mozzarella cheese that is not too oily and definitely not part-skim. That’s it. Is that too much to ask?
Well, actually it may be too much to ask. I gave up searching for a decent slice after a half dozen years in Seattle. All I can say is that it is great to be in Portland and have easy access to Escape from New York Pizza.
This place is bare bones and serves up authentic NY pizza, right down to the attitude. There are no specialties here – no “Extreme Veggie” or “Southwest Chicken” or “Hawaiian
to be found. Just the basics – cheese, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, etc.
Step on in, order at the counter, grab a stool, and savor a slice or two. Or skip the authentic, kitschy, cluttered and some what scruffy decor and take your pizza to-go. Either way, there is no other real pizza place in Portland or the great Northwest as far as I can tell.
Escape from New York Pizza, 622 NW 23rd Ave, is cheap but cash-only. Kid-friendly but technically they aren’t really friendly to anyone (good thing they don’t charge extra for the ‘tude!).
Jen’s mom was in town last week and and gifted us a child-free night out. We decided to check out a new vegan place on N. Williams – Nutshell. We loved it so much we took the whole family there a few days later (Jen’s mom too!)
What you won’t find at Nutshell are dishes trying to mimic meat – no “cheecken” or “feesh” on the menu. Instead they showcase great ingredients and present them in tantalizing and creative combinations. The Chef, Sean, takes his food seriously and wants every meal to be a chance to explore. There is definitely nothing mundane at Nutshell and we had no misses in our menu choices there.
What will you find? For starters you can choose from a variety of breads – including a 155 grain Naan made in-house (yes 155 grains! ask to see the list if you don’t believe it.) – along with olive oils and artisan salts for dipping and tasting. The variety of colors, consistencies and tastes that salt can embody is hard to believe. How did we know what to choose? Sean gave us a primer on the choices. Definitely don’t be afraid to ask for menu advice, they staff is nothing less than friendly and honest.
Our first night there, we scored the poblano-sorrel fundido as an appetizer. This was served with the 155 grain house-made naan for dipping. This is a dish with a lot of flavor and just a teaser to what lies ahead.
For entrees we checked out the Bigfoot Lasagna and Jamaican-style barbecue. The lasagna is a raw dish which featured layers of hearty and thick heirloom tomatoes, a delicious pistachio pesto, and pine-nut p t playing the part of cheese (remember this is a vegan place which means no dairy products of any kind and no eggs or honey either). It was delish!
The Jamaican-style barbecue was a real winner for us. We ordered it on both outings. It includes grilled eggplant, fried okra, roasted yam, an orange stuffed with white yam (which Gael loved), beans and rice (which Mila enjoyed) and an absolutely amazing house-made jerk and more. It will be hard not to get it every time we hit Nutshell.
We also tried the spaghetti and tandoor roasted vegetables. The spaghetti is made with a porcini cream sauce and black and white truffles. The sauce was surprisingly creamy and flavorful. The roasted vegetables were make just right and the accompanying sauce – we chose the tahini paint – really rocked.
Is it family-friendly? Families are definitely welcome but there is no kid menu or play area and the menu does require some sense of adventure, so be thoughtful when considering whether or not this will be a good fit for your family. Bottom-line, Nutshell is all about the food and we will be back.
Nutshell is located at 3808 N Williams Ave., 292-2627. It is cash only and – irony alert – meat eating plants grace some of the tables .
One of the MANY things I love about summer is berry picking! Strawberry season is over, raspberry season is winding down BUT blueberry season is in full swing!
There are a lot of farms in the Portland area offering fresh berries that you can pick yourself. Unlike strawberries, blueberries keep well so you can pick them at their peak color without worrying about them spoiling soon.
We usually inspire the adventure by reading “Blueberries for Sal” to Mila the night before a trip to the farm. It is always good to call ahead to make sure picking is available:
Have a favorite u-pick berry farm not listed? Please let us know! Happy picking!
Yes, it’s rainy but it is still a fine time to visit the Portland Farmer’s Market. All day today – June 9 – there is also a special Etsy marketplace featuring a lot of local crafters – including crafters who have been featured at one of our monthly Crafty Mamas Bazaars!
So don’t let the rain stop you! Go enjoy, food, farm fresh produce and locally made goods at the Portland Farmer’s Market!
We love The Vita Cafe! Tasty vegetarian fare, fun and funky, atmosphere, a good kids menu and a great kids discount from 5 – 7 PM (only $1 a meal for the kiddies!)
These good people had a fire recently but Karen and her family will have the place back up and running in a few weeks.
So be prepared for a return visit – or a first time visit – soon. We’ll see you there!
About seven years ago a friend of mine turned me on to “Bubble Tea.” It was love at first sip and Jen soon became a fan as well.
What is bubble tea (or boba tea)? It is a special tea beverage that originated in Asia in the 1980s. It is a mixture of of iced or hot sweetened tea, milk, and a flavoring – often fruits such as mango, traditional flavors like red bean and taro, or others.
The bubbles in the tea are chewy tapioca pearls that sit at the bottom of the cup. You drink the tea through an oversized straw which allows you to suck up the tapioca balls and chew on them as a treat.
It definitely sounds odd but it is very tasty – REALLY! Mila loves it too! I am sure there can be some concern with choking on the pearls for younger kids but I don’t really know what guidelines are – if any. Mila has been drinking it since she was two.
Here is the troubling part of the world of Bubble Tea. It has become an industry so there are “kits” and such that result in cheap, unhealthy options for the tea. For instance, the tea is typically made with non-dairy creamer. Also the nature of the tea base itself can be questionable.
Before moving to Portland, we would frequent Gossip in Seattle for our tea fixes. And I must admit we didn’t really know about “what goes into the bubble tea?” Now that we are in Portland and have more knowledge of possible Bubble Tea contents, we have been getting our Bubble Tea at Tea Chai Te Townsend’s Teahouse on Alberta Street (same owner, new name). They are able to accommodate our requests for making a “healthier” option for Mila and us.
At Tea Chai Te Townsend’s you can request regular milk, soy milk, or rice milk instead of non-dairy creamer. They also provide you the option of black, green, or an herbal tea base. All there teas are first rate and infused at the shop, they are reconstituted. Because Mila is sensitive to soy and dairy, we get rice milk. And since she is never lacking in energy, we opt for the herbal tea base.
So thanks to Tea Chai Te Townsend’s, we are back on the Bubble Tea bandwagon! We will be enjoying this treat during more and more as the days get warmer.
Yesterday was Jen’s birthday. It was a food fun birthday…man, we write about food a lot! Is anyone else hungry?
The day started with breakfast in bed for Jen which included made-from-scratch waffles by Mila! She did all the ingredient measuring and mixing, cracked the eggs, and was rightfully full of pride. Dinner was a trip to Marrakesh for Moroccan delights – including belly dancing. And dessert? A trip to see the patron saint of retro-baking: Saint Cupcake.
We went to the the NW location but they also have one on Belmont in SE. The place has a simple and fun design with plenty of appropriate retro elements without being overly kitschy. Cupcakes are made fresh all day (You can sit at a counter and watch them being made, Mila was fascinated by this). The aroma is warm, inviting and sets the stage for what is to come.
The cupcakes come in two sizes, dot-sized for $1.25 each and regular-sized for $2.25 each. The icing on top is about the same size as the cupcake themselves.
I had a regular-sized carrot cake cupcake, which along with the vegan options is the closest thing to a healthy choice from the saint. Not that I was trying to be healthy, I just really, really like carrot cake. The icing was light and airy and the cake was moist and dense. In the end, it was a cupcake, it was delicious and it was VERY filling!
The menu at Saint Cupcake changes a little each day but there is always something to tempt your sweet tooth such as vanilla with chocolate buttercream, hot fudge on chocolate, and red velvet. Speaking of the menu, the focus is on cupcakes. There are no “grow food” options and few other baked good choices. The drink menu is also very limited but they do offer Stumptown Coffee and milk. Basically, if you go to Saint Cupcake, you better be ready to enjoy a cupcake.
And who isn’t ready to enjoy a cupcake? I mean like all the time…
Saint Cupcake is located at 407 nw 17th and 3300 se belmont. Closed on Mondays.
UPDATE: In our humble opinion, the NW store is much cooler than the SE store. They do all of the baking at the NW store and offer the full selection of cupcakes. So if you have a choice, we recommend that you hit the NW Saint Cupcake…
We’ve all seen pictures of lovely well-planned picnics. You know the kind…wicker baskets overflowing with goodies, a gingham blanket spread in a bucolic setting, perfect weather and so on….That’s not quite how we do it. Here is how picnicing often works for us….
On Wednesday, we all did the tour of the Emerson School as part of our on-going review of the endless public school kindergarten possibilities for Mila… Anyhoo, it was a partly sunny day so we decided to go to Washington Park for a picnic. With no food in the car, what should be do? A quick stop at Elephants Deli on NW 22nd to pick-up some soup and bread was the perfect answer (we LOVE the orange tomato soup!).
Then it was a brief drive to the picnic shelter across from the Hoyt Arboretum visitor center for a warm lunch on a brisk day. After lunch, we did a little hike in the area and finished our Washington Park day with some playtime at the playground.
On Thursday, I picked up Mila from pre-school. Our plan had been an outing to the Columbia Gorge for a hike but the weather was a little wet. So we decided to go to OMSI for an indoor picnic at their science playground. Mila and I made a stop a Wild Oats on the way.
She did the shopping. She picked out apples, oranges, blackberries, an Odwalla juice, and a small loaf of bread for our spread. Simple food choices, no utensils, plates or what have you required.
Dinner last night ended up being a simple dinner of chicken, rice, and vegetables. How do you make that interesting? Have a picnic! We spread out a blanket in the living room and had an indoor house picnic.
The bottom-line is that picnics and planning don’t need to go together. Picnics can happen anytime and anywhere. The food doesn’t have to be fancy, the setting doesn’t have to be perfect. It is can just be a fun twist on mealtime that can turns something mundane in a unique and memorable experience.
Friday, February 10th 11:00am – 12:00pmMilagros, 5433 NE 30th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Saturday, February 11th 11:00am – 12:00pmMilagros, 5433 NE 30th Avenue, Portland OR 97211
Monday, February 13th 10:00am – 11:30amThe Family Room at Milagros, 5429 NE 30th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Tuesday, February 14th 10:30am – 11:30amMilagros, 5433 NE 30th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Tuesday, February 14th 6:00pm – 8:30pmMilagros, 5429 NE 30th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
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