We're leaving the PNW now (don't worry, more adventures are coming), so we had to get a quick drink at the airport. 

The Mountain Room Bar provided a place for us to hang out and get a drink - all while charging our phones!

One of their signature cocktails is this pineapple concoction that worked for me! It was convenient to our gate and did the trick.




Grade: B

One last restaurant in Portland - and it's dinner.

Le Pigeon, while named after, a, well, pigeon, is an upscale Portland restaurant that specializes in French cuisine.

Often hailed as a must-try, this restaurant draws a line so I was here early before they opened to assure we'd get a seat (and be finished in time to catch the bus back to Seattle!).

Bon Appetit said it's the restaurant that put Portland on the culinary map. Specifically, the beef cheeks bourguignon is legendary.

Half civilized French bistro and half culinary crack den, where your darkest desires are realized (think foie gras torchon with buttermilk pancakes or sweetbreads with blue cheese are indulged) (Travel + Leisure).

Once the restaurant was open, we were seated around the open kitchen, which is always fun to get a little show with your dinner.

The menu draws on French inspiration and has just a few entrees that span various proteins: pork, chicken, lamb, beef, fish and even a burger.

First, a bite of bread. Not bad.

After a bit of a wait, my entree came out: Beef Cheek Bourguignon - green garlic and fregola “mac n cheese” pickled escargot, carrot pesto salad. So tender, and I loved the little fregula texture. The pickling gave some nice acidity, and the rich broth soaked everything. Such a well-thought out dish. Very good.

And, a little sweet bite to end on!



Grade: A

We had time for a brewery in Portland, too.

Burnside Brewing Company was near our dinner restaurant so we had a quick beer before grubbing.

The menu has a lot of options, but there was one that stood out to me: Sweet Heat - Wheat ale with apricot puree and imported Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers.

Wow, you can actually taste the heat in this beer. Like, my throat was actually tingling.

We are brewers who make great beer.  Starting in 2010 the goal of having an independent, creative brewery in the heart of Portland, came to fruition. After a Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and 500 plus beers later, Burnside Brewing is proud to be a fixture on the inner east side along with other quality distilleries, breweries and small business owners. Our tanks are working seven days a week, on a 15 barrel system, allowing us to provide a wide variety of beer choices throughout the year (SOURCE).

It was well-balanced, though, and very good. Plus the nice heat at the end. Now, that's a good beer.



Grade: A

Who knew a simple chicken and rice dish would gain a cult following?

Nong's Khao Man Gai is more than just that, though. This food cart started out with humble beginnings and has grown and expanded and introduced the folks of Portland to khao man gai.

Poonsukwattana had to teach Portland the ways of khao man gai. "It's about balance," she repeatedly says as she walks through how the dish is made. "Here and there I see people criticize my dish. They think that every part of it has to have flavor, like a burrito. But it doesn't work that way for me." Instead, Poonsukwattana layers flavors slowly, infusing each of the three main components of the dish — the chicken, rice, and soup — with essence of the others, whether in shared aromatics or, in the case of the rice and the soup, literally infusing it with the very chickens being served on the same plate. A wallop of flavor comes from the sauce. "I like the chicken and rice," Poonsukwattana smiles. "And one word comes to my mind: celebrating." (EATER)

 This dish seems so simple, but there's so much that goes into it. After learning about it, it makes sense why it has such a following.

While there are other things on the menu, this is what most people are going for:

Wow. There is so much flavor, the chicken is perfectly tender, and that sauce is spicy and sweet and absolutely delicious. The soup - flavorful and a perfect complement. That rice even has a chicken flavor. It's all very delicious together.

Grade: A