#53- City State + Gravy!

I have completed my quest to eat breakfast at 5 new locations in Portland! I decided (while at this last breakfast location) that eating breakfast on the weekends in Portland is one of my favorite things to do! There are so many amazing brunch spots in Portland and I feel like I have just scratched the surface!

City State

Two weekends ago, I met my friend Jenn at City State for brunch.  We originally planned on going to Screen Door, but it was a few hour wait to get in so we opted for the less busy, but equally as delightful local of City State!

City State is nestled in between Burnside and Gilson Streets in the Laurelhurst neighborhood.  I loved that they had outdoor seating and unlimited refills of coffee :)  I enjoyed the Pepper Bacon scramble and honestly was full until what would have been past dinner time! The scramble had pepper bacon, tomato, spinach and brie cheese and came with the most amazing biscuit! I would highly recommend this meal to anyone who wants a hint of meat, but enjoys the flavors of brie and spinach- as they were very tasty.

The second restaurant that I ate brunch at this past week was called Gravy and is located in North Portland on Mississippi Street. I met my old roommate Tia for brunch on Tuesday morning, which gave us the opportunity to chat and catch-up on the past six+ months of our lives.  Tia is finishing her Tesol Masters program and was teaching English in Laos. Gravy was a perfect location for our meet up and despite the massive line waiting outside (on a Tuesday at 11am), we were seated within 5 minutes at the bar within the restaurant.  I did not get to snap any photos before I devoured my food, but I ordered eggs over easy, bacon and a biscuit (see a theme). I saw the french toast, but was going on a bike ride later in the day with Fiona, so I wanted to eat something more substantial.  But, next time I go, I will definitely get the french toast!

Both locations had excellent service and were quick and attentive (and affordable).  I am bit of a coffee snob, so it was refreshing that both places served an excellent cup of joe! Highly recommend both locations and I am excited to continue enjoying brunch on the weekends in Portland (especially with outdoor seating options)!

#53 Besaw's!

Living in a city that is known for its delicious food can be dangerous! Especially, when it is on a list to try new places!  Last weekend, Kristen was in town and we decided it would be a good idea to check out another amazing breakfast eatery.  I have wanted to go to Besaw's since I met a man last May in the glow of a late evening that declared it as a serendipitous location to meet the following morning. I did not meet him there the next morning, but lucky for me, almost a year later I enjoyed their eats with my bestie!

First of all, you must know the background on this place!  In 1903, two men dreamt of opening their own beer parlor and gambling hall.  The area in which this quaint little restaurant is located, was populated primarily by longshoremen and loggers (apparently people who enjoy both beer and gambling).  But with the 1920s came prohibition, which forced Mr. Besaw to turn his profitable business into more food and less booze.  After the Prohibition, Besaw was granted the first liquor license in the state of Oregon and there is a beautiful mahogany bar that dates to the beginning- you can almost smell the dust of the days of old.

Kristen and I planned a long bicycle ride after our breakfast, so we decided it would be a good idea to split one savory dish and indulge in a homemade cinnamon roll.  We chose a scramble that did not disappoint!  This little cafe is perfect for a weekend brunch, but one must be prepared to stand in line as part of the experience! Lucky for us, we beat the rush and only had to wait about 20 minutes.  The crowd slowly trickled in and by the time we left, there was a sizable crowd waiting outside.  The food was delicious and the service was outstanding.  I would definitely recommend this place for breakfast (but they also serve lunch and dinner) for anyone who loves good food :)

 

#53 Tasty n Sons

Another fun adventure tasting luscious breakfast foods in Portland (and another place added to the list).  This weekend my parents were in town and since I have Thursdays off, we thought this would be a great day to try the acclaimed restaurant Tasty n Sons.  I had recently read reviews in Portland Monthly and decided it needed to be on my list of breakfast places to try.  My brother and sister-in-law joined us in the delicious love-afair known as breakfast, which made the adventure that much more enjoyable!  I was warned of the wait time, but we were quoted at 35 minutes (for 5 people) and were served in less time than that.  Thankfully, they serve their brunch menu until 2:30, which suits the lazy, indolent attitude of Portlanders on weekends. Each of the dishes were delightful and shared amongst the five of us.  I would highly recommend the biscuits- order as a side if your dish does not include one :) Enjoy the pictures below!

Chocolate Potato Doughnut with crème anglaise 

Erin's Sweet Biscuits with warm blueberry compote 

Potatoes Bravas with over easy eggs

Auntie Paula's French Toast with  with pear-maple syrup & whipped cream

Moroccan Chicken Hash with harissa cream & over easy egg

Polenta & Sausage Ragu with mozzarella & fried eggs 

  

#53 Breakfast in Portland

This is one of the first things to cross off my list of 101 in 1001.  Last friday I met my lovely friend Erin Forget at Grand Central Bakery for brunch.  One of the beautiful perks of working 4, 10 hour days is having a week day off to explore breakfast locations that are otherwise impossible to get into on the weekend.  I have heard a lot about Grand Central Bakery, but have never been (they have locations in Seattle and my friend Kristen has ranted about their goodness). Erin and I had a tough time deciding which of all the perfectly baked food we should try, but we both settled on having the Sausage Egg Biscuit. I also had a side of Irish Soda Bread since it was pre-St. Pat's day weekend.  The food did not disappoint and neither did the conversation that followed.  It is a great gift to have a weekday off and I will continue to try new breakfast locations in the next eight weeks!

The second breakfast adventure I had was with the beautiful Jenn Hart.  This was Sunday morning following St. Patrick's Day and all we wanted was potatoes and eggs.  Jenn had been to the Bakery Bar before and it is really close to her house, so we gave it a shot. This quaint little restaurant was packed, but we put our name on the list and ordered some much needed coffee.  My latte was phenomenal!  Jenn got a mocha and it was very tasty as well (even though I dont really like chocolate in my coffee). We actually were seated within 10-15 minutes and didnt mind the wait because the people watching was fantastic!  I got a breakfast burrito and Jenn got the D-Bear Bowl (I think).  Again, a perfectly needed conversation flowed as we ate, taking in all the flavors of our food!

These resturants were perfect breakfast outings and I would highly recommend both of them!