Grassa | NW Portland

Who's in the mood to carbo-load??

Grassa - another outpost from the geniuses behind Lardo - just opened a second location right around the corner from us, here in good ol' NW Portland. Our 'hood, as bumping as it might be, was seriously lacking a fast-casual spot with incredible food and decent beer on tap. Thanks to Grassa, that void has been filled.

Now, first things first: Grassa just opened their doors here in NW, so this isn't a review. I just want to share my initial thoughts on this new spot here in my own neighborhood, as I've been anxiously awaiting its opening - and I think it's worth the early visit.

The concept behind Grassa, in my own words, is a casual atmosphere (you order at the counter, then seat yourself) with a high quality yet simple menu (simple meaning your options are pasta, mostly, with a few additional appetizers and sides - think salad, garlic bread, cheese plate).

Z and I dined there last Friday night, and we both ordered a Barley Brown's Hand Truck Pale Ale to start. (It's a solid, local pale ale). To start, we also had the surprisingly impressive Cheese Board ($8) served with a generous amount of roasted garlic, grilled bread, oil-cured tomatoes, and the most decadent Cambozola cheese.

We also opted for the house Garlic Bread ($3), which had odd yet welcome notes of orange zest in each bite. We eagerly heaped the creamy cheese, sweet roasted garlic, etc. on each crusty piece of bread, getting a bit too full too fast - but calories don't count on Fridays, amiright?

For our entrees, we each got one of the two vegetarian pasta dishes on the menu (sadly, Grassa doesn't seem to modify meat dishes for vegetarians - even if the request is simply "no pancetta"). I got the Spaghetti 'Aglio Olio' ($8), tossed with garlic, chile flake,  olive oil, Grana, and breadcrumbs.

Z got the Cacio e Pepe ($9), made with truffle butter, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and Grana.

While both dishes were quite simple, the flavors were spot-on, and the pasta texture was perfectly toothsome. For the prices, the serving sizes were quite huge - we both went home with half of our dishes as leftovers (the bread and cheese beforehand may have helped with that, though).

I'm definitely excited to make a return visit to this new Grassa location, despite how dangerous its proximity to me will be for my waistline.

Have you checked out the new Grassa yet? 

My Top 5 Pizza Places in Portland

Very few people think of Portland as a pizza destination.

That's because it's not...but we do have some damn good pies here in the Rose City.

I shamelessly admit that I get a craving for pizza at least once a week (but, if we're being honest here, it pretty much happens once a day). So, as soon as we moved to Portland in October, I knew I needed to seek out some of the best slices this city had to offer. And while I do have a ton more research to do, here are my top five favorites so far:

1.) Sizzle Pie
Those cravings for pizza I get? Nine times out of 10, I'm craving Sizzle Pie. Sizze Pie offers a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and meat-topped slices and pies, with decent beers on tap to boot. I love their creative names and topping combinations - such as the Vegan Angel of Doom ($19/$28), topped with Daiya mozzarella “cheese,” fresh jalapeños, pineapple, shaved almonds, and cilantro.

2.) Life of Pie

Specializing in brick oven pies perfectly split between two people (or one, if you're extra hungry), Life of Pie not only makes great pizza - they're also ideally located two doors down from Tin Bucket. (Yes, you can bring your pies into the bar for some epic pizza-and-beer indulging). Life of Pie's Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, and Garlic Confit pie ($10) is a personal favorite, but the simple Margherita ($10) is fresh and delicious, too. (Bonus: from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily, the Margherita pie is only $5 if you dine-in!).

3.) Escape From New York Pizza
Who knew we'd find authentic New York slices right in our own 'hood? This place is anything but friendly, but the slices (and personalities) are just what you'd expect from a NY pizzeria. Everyday there's a new featured slice, but I've always gone for the classic cheese. (Side note: I also love how their slogan is "Ranch-free since '83." Good crust doesn't need to be dipped in Ranch dressing!).

4.) Pizzicato

I've had several pies and slices from Pizzicato now, and every single one has been consistently delicious (they also deliver for free to our door here in NW Portland, so that helps, too). Pizzicato's toppings are varied and inventive, and the prices are quite reasonable, too. One recent pie I had and loved was the Puttanesca ($14.50, $20.50, or $26.50, for small, medium, or large). It's topped with tomatoes, artichokes, kalamata olives, and feta on a garlic/olive oil base. I also love it with plump garlic shrimp added! (Pro tip: During happy hour, a slice and a pint of beer is just $6.50).

5.) Lucky Labrador Beer Hall
Lucky Labrador's pizza is on-point. Again, they have a location not far from our apartment, so I've walked over on many occasions to order a slice (or two) and drink a beer while I wait. They almost always have a cheese, vegetarian, and meat slice option available, and their toppings are plentiful - while the crust stays ideally crisp. The Veggie Deluxe ($22.95 for a pie) at the NW Quimby location is my favorite so far, topped with artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, onion, mushroom, green pepper, black olives, and tomatoes.

Alright, I'm still on the quest for pizza (despite eating my way through all of these places...several times). What are your recommendations for the best pizza in Portland? 

Brunch at Meriwether's Restaurant

Meriwether's Restaurant, located right in our 'hood in Northwest Portland, is a hidden-to-us gem that we recently stumbled upon a few weeks ago. Located off the beaten path in the NW Industrial area, Meriwether's sits quietly on some history: the restaurant is situated on the site of Portland's 1905 World's Fair, the Lewis and Clark Exposition. Besides paint and some landscaping, provided by current owners John and Renee Orlando (who bought the building in 2003), the exterior has remained relatively unchanged since the late 1920's.

Oh, and they operate their own 5-acre vegetable farm just 20 miles from the restaurant. Their menu even includes a list of produce, beans, and grains the kitchen is harvesting from the farm that week.

Meriwether's serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and Z and I decided to check out their brunch menu last weekend. It was a beautiful Sunday morning - the sun was even out! - so we took the leisurely stroll from our apartment to the restaurant. Upon arriving, I immediately loved the large Lewis and Clark photograph across the wall behind the host stand. It is an impressive display of the site's storied past.

We were seated to a table shortly thereafter on the bar/lounge side of the restaurant (across the building, there's a more formal-looking dining room as well). Our server was actually also the sole bartender that morning, despite the busy brunch crowd, but she somehow kept our service fairly quick, yet not rushed.

I'm typically a Bloody Mary gal, but Meriwether's brunch cocktail menu was varied, and everything sounded delicious. I ultimately opted for the Grand Mimosa ($10) made with Grand Marnier, hand-squeezed orange juice, and Domaine St. Michelle Brut, served over ice. it was incredibly refreshing and wonderfully bubbly (and boozy).

Meriwether's brunch food menu is also chock-full of interesting yet traditional options, with plenty of their farm's bounty evident in each dish. After much deliberation, I went with the Vegetarian Benedict ($14), with cauliflower and mushroom ragu, pine nuts, and hollandaise.

Served with a side of delightfully crispy and well-seasoned herb potatoes, this was one delicious dish. I loved how the hollandaise was super creamy yet light, and the crunchy texture from the pine nuts added a little something extra to each bite. Like most of Meriwether's brunch menu, this dish was a delightful take on a traditional breakfast dish.

Overall, we really enjoyed our first meal at Meriwether's. I'm eager to check out their lunch and dinner (and happy hour!) menus soon!

Are you a hollandaise fan? It sometimes skeeves me out, but I loved Meriwether's hollandaise!

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?

Stepping Stone Cafe

You know when a restaurant's motto is "You eat here because we let you," you're in for a treat.

An affordable, filling, no-frills treat.

That's what you get at Stepping Stone Cafe.

Located in the Nob Hill neighborhood of Portland - conveniently, right up the road from us - is this gem of a breakfast spot (breakfast is served all day, but they also offer lunch and dinner). Despite only being in the area for four weeks, we've already been to this place twice for brunch. (Pro tip: you can skip the line outside and go right to the bar, if you're lucky enough to find empty seats).

The portions are huge, the servers are fast (and friendly enough), and the Bloody Marys ($6.50) are wonderfully spicy, if you order them as such. Compared to a lot of other brunch menus we've perused in the area, the prices are also very reasonable - especially for all of the food you're getting.

One breakfast dish I highly recommend is the Jalapeno Omelette ($9), chock-full of fresh jalapenos, peppers, onions, jack and cream cheeses (pictured below). The spice of the jalapenos was cut with the cream cheese, and it wasn't overly rich - a great balance of flavors. I urge you to swap out toast for a homemade biscuit for an extra 50 cents, too. The biscuit was incredibly buttery, and the size of my face.

The Absolute Omelette ($9.50) is another winner, stuffed with mushrooms, onions, peppers, avocado, cheddar, and Swiss, with slices of tomato on top. While the avocado was scant, the rest of the ingredients were plentiful and well-seasoned.

Another must-try item at Stepping Stone is the Mancake ($3.50 for one). It's the size of the plate - meaning, huge - and is not for those with a small stomach. (You can even sub it for toast with your omelette, as Z did, which proved to be a gluttonous - yet delicious - choice). The Mancake is worth the fight, though - it's bursting with vanilla flavor, and only gets tastier with the addition of maple syrup.

One last important mention about Stepping Stone: the coffee's delicious (they use Portland Roasting). A must, in my book, to make a breakfast joint worthy of repeat visits.

Stepping Stone, we will be back. Again.

Are you more of an omelette person, or pancake/French toast/Mancake person?