Brunch at Rae's Lakeview Lounge

$1 mimosas. Need I say more?

I still got a Bloody Mary...because I cantstopwontstop...but come on! How can you go wrong with ONE DOLLAR MIMOSAS?

That's what you can get at Rae's Lakeview Lounge in NW Portland (my neck of the woods). Situated in the hilly 'burbs, it's the place to be for Saturday or Sunday brunch (served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.). When we walked in last weekend around 1 p.m., the one-large-room place was bumpin' with twenty- and thirty-somethings. (During the nicer, drier seasons, their large outdoor patio is also open).

There was a short wait for a table, so we opted to sit at two out of the four seats at the intimately sized bar. Despite a short wait to place our orders, our round of drinks came out quickly (my weekend brunch beverages always include coffee, water, and a Bloody).

The Bloody Mary Deluxe ($8.50) is made with house Bloody mix, Crater Lake Pepper vodka, and garnished with a salted rim, olives, and citrus (despite the description also boasting banana peppers and house-pickled green beans. Humph!). Despite the lack of promised garnish, this Bloody hit the spot - wonderfully strong and spicy. (Z got a $1 mimosa, and it was also tasty).

When it comes to brunch entrees, Rae's has quite the variety, including omelettes, French toast, sandwiches, and salads, to name a few. I went with the Westover Omelette ($12), chock-full of poached Pacific shrimp, roasted red pepper, caramelized shallot, and house creme fraiche - all topped off with slices of super fresh avocado. On the side were perfectly crispy roasted potatoes and 9-grain toast, served with butter and jam (you also have your choice of farmhouse white toast or a biscuit). Everything was seasoned very nicely, and I appreciated how the portion size was reasonable yet filling.

Overall, we enjoyed our first time at Rae's, and will definitely be back again soon for brunch (and/or happy hour, which is daily from 2-6 p.m.!).

Which would you choose: a $1 mimosa, or a Bloody Mary?