Mak's Noodles

Simple, cheap, delicious, efficient.

That's all there is to it, everything is made fresh, prepared quickly.Well recognized by the city so always expect a high turnout. Need not worry, they have such a high turnover rate you'll get seated quickly no matter what the crowd size, just be open to a new neighbor every time. It's a small shop like any other place in the city so expect communal seating. 

Wonton Noodle Soup: Thin, chewy noodles in a simple broth, perfection. Wontons  are stuffed with seasoned pork, savory and fulfilling, dip with a little red vinegar on the side. Note that bowls here are small, the mindset is slurp and go. Ideal for such a fast paced city. If one does feel like they need more there's a bunch of sides to choose from.  

There are a few more options on the menu, notables being the Brisket and the bitter veggies, but I'm stuck on the wontons.  It's my first love of this city, and I still can't get over them.

• G/F, 77 Wellington Street
  Central, Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong: 7,000 & some change

I once consider myself a "sheltered" Southern Californian, sheltered in the sense that up until two years ago my idea of travel was a 32 hour drive down to Mexico every year to see my grandparents (Ixtlan del Rio, Nayarit & Villa Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi; respectively). Granted anyone else see's that trip as notable, it really loses it spark when you do it once or twice a year, every year since you where born. Lately the more and more I reflect upon my time there, the more my opinion has began to change. A sentiment I'll save for later.

What else was there, Vegas? That was only a stones throw down the highway. Phoenix? I spent my most of my 3 days indoors because it was so friggin hot, I hardly remembered outside. I pretty much was in my own little box.

But, it was two years ago where my friend and I simply said "screw it" and bought a pair of tickets to Chicago. Since, the urge to see out what else was out there led me across the country, until finally, a catalyst was lit that would send me across the Pacific for the first time!

After a year saving, a ton of hype and anticipation, my butt finally boarded on to what was one of the most brutal 18 hour treks of my life, but hey, at least there was plenty of leg space. Southwest/Delta fliers you feel me??? Although, not exactly enjoyable by any stretch of the word, it got me to point B. Soon enough though, I arrived. Finally.

Kimchi Tofu Stew

  Somewhere deep inside me I know I was Korean in my past life because I have unquestionable similarities in their passion for variety in one sitting, appreciation for the social aspect, and just the straight-up voraciousness when it comes to knocking out large portions. But among the seemingly endless varieties of banchan, kimchi has always held a small corner in my heart.
 
  Back when I was going meatless for a month, this alone kept me happy for at week. The tofu + soft-boiled egg did well enough in keeping me satiated. So any vegetarian seekin something more hardy, look no further.

  Salty, sour, spicy. Practically an awkward, if not intimidating description to any westerner, but one should always hone the spirit of Andrew Zimmern, everything is worth a taste.

Ingredients:

• 16oz Silken Tofu
• 1tspn Vegetable Oil 
• 4 cups Kimchi (gently squeezed) + 1 cup of liquid 
• 2 tbsp Gochujang 
• 8 scallions cut in 1in. pieces 
• 2 tbsps Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce  
• 1 tbsps toasted Sesame Oil

  Garnishes

• Black pepper
• Egg Yolk 
• Toasted Sesame Seeds 

  -Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat, carefully add tofu, and simmer gently until slightly puffed & firmed up. 4 min. Use slotted spoons to transfer to a bowl.
  - Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add kimchi, and gochujang, stir often until it begins to brown. 5-8 min.
  - Add kimchi liquid and 6-7 cups of water . Bring to a boil, then reduce. Simmer heat until kimchi has softened. 35-40 min.
  - Add scallions, soy sauce, & tofu; Simmer 20-25min.
  - Add sesame oil; season with salt & pepper. Laddle into bowl; top with egg yolk and sesame seeds.

  I may not be Korean, but my stomach sure is.

Photo credit to Jamie K.

Sake-Blossom (Super Sake Post)

A fantastic little drink that was haphazardly made on spot, there's a little bit of story behind it and mainly it's counterpart.

A couple month's back I did a bar-tending gig for a wedding, only to be given list of two "signature cocktails" consisting of a handful of ingredients chosen by the bride and groom. Now, I don't mind mixing up some fancy new drinks for a crowd, but I was given just a list and no set instruction of how to prepare or measurement of said ingredients.

Sake Blossom: Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, Sake, Lime Juice, Lime

Abocado: Avocado, Lime juice, Sake

Now I'm placed on the spot with an hour to set up my bar and whip up something the crowd could enjoy. The Sake Blossom itself was easy enough, stuck to the vodka being the base, and a little bit of everything else to add characterAbocado", how they came up with the name or the list of ingredients I don't know, what resulted after many trials was a chunky mess that I prayed didn't send me packing. The end product was 1oz each of the Sake & St. Germain, a decent squirt avocado puree (that the kitchen luckily helped me out with), and big splash of Sprite, no garnish. Taste wise, it passed, aesthetically...ehh.
. But this "

Luckily for me both drinks where a hit, and to this day I still don't know how or why the Abocado made out it alive, but I guess alcohol is alcohol to most. Go ahead and try to make it, I dare you.

As for the storied cocktail, here ya go, salud!

-1oz Vodka, 1/2oz Sake, 1/2oz St. Germain, splash of lemonade (or lime juice if it's too sweet)

-Shake it with some ice, serve neat, with a lime wedge.

Aaaand for extra good measure I'd like to contribute one of my personal favorite sake-based drinks, just for the 'sake' of sticking with the theme. This recipe was adapted off an old cocktail book I had laying around the house, this is one is for those who love the taste of citrus in a very dry, crisp format. Treat as you would with any good martini and use nothing but of the finest ingredients you have. You'll taste the cheap quality if you cope out. As for sake preferences, I'm a fan of Tozai Nigori, although I'm not a connoisseur by any means, this happened to work the best with what I've managed to test out. Oh, and how can I forget, what is this name of this drink?? The book referred to this as the "Sake-tini", don't bother looking it up on the internet, there's about a dozen or so drinks that carry this name and they don't even come close. Haha

-1.5oz sake, 1/2oz Gin, 1/2oz Curacao
-Stir in a shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass with a orange twist.

Just to make it a one for two deal here's a neat one that was brought up to me just recently. Tokyo Milk. It's delightfully sweeter than expected, the egg yolk adds a subtle character that many are missing out on. I'm sure we can thank the Health Department on that part.

Afternoon stroll at Russian Hill

Recently I've been able to do a couple projects with Spottly, and just this week they opened up their new Submissions page with one my entries to kick it all off. Enjoy.

The V word

  Of all the random things I could have possibly done to, earlier this year I decided to try out the vegetarian lifestyle. That's right. I'm going to be the V word.

 Now what started off this crazy experiment was this dish (pictured above) in my attempt to continue a series of posts that never just came to light. Then later in succession, I just happened to follow up with another meatless dish and figured why not see how far I can take this?

And since I was on this crazy crusade of a protein cleanse, I might as well make things interesting, because salads hardly hold a novelty in my book. For the later set of weeks I wanted share my exploration of the worlds take on meatless cuisine. I'm actually surprised I didn't cave in to my cravings for Fried Chicken and In-N-Out at the time.

Dish #1 Shakshouka: Tunisian dish was brought to light to me by J. Kao during our last cooking sessions before she departed back to the motherland.

• 1/4 Olive Oil
• 1 Yellow Onion 
• 2 cups chopped Kale 
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Chipotle Powder
• 1 can Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Undrained  
• Sea Salt
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Goat Cheese 
• 1 tbsp Basil

- Heat oil in cast iron skillet over MEDIUM HIGH HEAT; add chopped Onions, Kale, Garlic and stir until soft.
- Add Cumin Chipotle Powder ad stir for another minute.
- Add Tomatoes and liquid to the skillet; reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes.
- When Tomato mixture has thickened, stir slightly, add in salt.
- Make a hole in the sauce and crack in Eggs.
- Cover skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs.
- Finish with Goat Cheese + Basil, serve with toasted bread, pita, etc.

Dish #2 Rustic Onion Tart: Preferably, I love this for breakfast but I can't exactly say I have the patience to cook for that when my stomach wants food now. Luckily this is just as awesome the following morning after a few minutes back in the oven.

• 1 pie crust
• 2 large Onions (Yellow/Spanish)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 Cup of Half & Half
• 8-10 slices of Swiss Cheese
• 2 Tbsp of Flour
• 1/2 Tsp of Salt
• 1/4 Tsp of Black Pepper 

Preheat oven to 350F

1. Put the pie dough over a glass/ceramic (oven-proof) dish or pie pan. Press to the bottom and around the edges.
2. On the bottom of the dough, spread half the onions and half of the cheese. You don't need to cover the onions completely. 
3. Beat the eggs with the flour, half & half, salt and pepper. Pour half the mixture over the cheese you laid down.
4. Spread the other half of the onions and cheese, and cover with the rest of the egg mixture.
5. Bake for 50 minutes. 

International Knickknacks

I love giving giving gifts, but it's even more awesome when I receive. Am I right people??

Recently my best friend was lucky enough to study abroad in the UK, and traveled pretty much everywhere else near by during here free time.

After four long months I was finally greeted with big hug and elegant, pretty box filled to the brim with goodies from England, Scotland, and Amsterdam. Wonderful scotchs of all varieties (and sizes), spreadable's, smokable's, and some sweet readable's. I can't be thankful enough. ^^

Make friends that like to travel, and don't forget to do so yourself!

Achieving said "impossible"

For as long as I can remember there seems to be some daunting aura about the Souffle. That the success rate is equal to getting an acceptance letter from Harvard, a mere slight difference of key tone in your voice sends this gourmet mount Everest crumbling like my new years resolution to start eating less bacon.

Every time I see a parody or skit featuring a souffle they always deflate and the person attempting to perfect it falls into a frantic reaction of woe, but what of it? Isn't still edible and most importantly, delicious? I know the French have there standards but c'mon lighten up a little guys.

Figured I'd give this a go and see whether or not this puffed pastry will collapse if I make eye contact with it.

I WILL I OWN YOU.

Crap....Note to self don't raise your voice at sensitive deserts.

It's just a little frightened, it's still good!

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

  

  Some of the most delicately soft and chewiest doughnuts I've ever have managed to have tried in my life. What impresses me is the lack of over the top sweetness you would expect from anything else that dons the title, yet you get something so wholesome it's mind boggling . Despite the sheer amount of quality that obviously goes into each and everyone of these, the result seems almost effortless in how good they actually are. One quick note to add, these babies don't come cheap, think 2-3 bucks a pop. But for me I see it as paying for the extra quality, that's well worth it in the end. Seriously I'm still thinking about them.

  On top of that they serve premo coffee, from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, to enjoy. I enjoy mine straight up black the way it should be when paired with sweet treats.

  -Maple Bacon- A good balance of salty & sweet, the bacon is crisp (which is a must). It surpasses virtually  every other maple bacon incarnate I've had around the So Cal area, but it's definitely not the Maple Bacon Bar over at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland (my undisputed #1). 

  -Huckleberry: Wonderfully potent in flavor, bright & rich without being to sweet. The acidic citrus bite from the berries provides a clean finish.

  -Vanilla Glaze Twist: I just basically got one of these because they just where just out of the oven and freshly glazed. Now I don't even care what variety you get, anything that comes fresh is like buttery melted gold in your mouth. Did I mention the glaze has real bits vanilla bean sprinkled about? Now I gotta say it's not so drastically different from any other good glaze twist I've had, taste-wise, but it's the wonderful texture that makes it so special. 

  I have found my happy place. 

270 E. 17th St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

 

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Here's a quick one for those who have a hankering for that sweet & salty combo. Originally I was going to use this as treat to finish off the last Thanksgiving dinner I hosted, but I already had enough on plate to deal with that day (literally). I just now saw it fit to give this a go after so long on being in my to-make list. Just prepare to clean up a sticky mess with plenty of hot water!

Recipe here.

The John Coffey Special

Recently I just finished re-watching The Green Mile and it was around the end, during Michael Clark Duncan's most powerful scene, he was asked what would he like as his last meal. He request was simply "Meatloaf would be nice, mashed potatoes, gravy, okra, and maybe some of that fine corn bread your misses make [referring to Paul Edgecomb's spouse]".  For some reason that line struck a chord, I got an insight into what kind of man this character was, simple and seeking something that resembled home. Call me a sap, but I was absolutely compelled to recreate this dish in honor of him, part of me wasn't satisfied of the fact that I get to see this dish be enjoyed. Haha

When it came to deciding how I wanted to approach this, simple and as old school as possible would be the right choice, no fro-froing today. The only thing I'll a stickler about is putting a little more emphasis on the meat rather than the loaf aspect, I've had way to many breaded-down versions in my time (and I'm sure you have too). 

Meatloaf: I got my recipes from a jumble of sources but a southern cooking post can't go without at least a nod towards the queen of southern comfort, Paula Dean (hold the 10lbs of lard and sugar).

Okra: This post is a bit convoluted, but I really enjoyed it for the back story/history and attention to detail. To save you all the jumping, skipping and back tracking, I'll just give you the nitty gritty right here. Now he didn't exactly give us exact measurements, so it'll be something you'll have to eyeball.

-Cut Okra into half inch slices (removing tip and stem base), liberally adding salt to help absorb the moisture.
-Toss in a bowl a couple times with enough cornmeal to lightly cover the Okra and season with pepper. Let it sit in the bowl to allow the cornmeal to adhere (I went up to an hour).
- Pour into skillet with just enough oil to come up halfway on the sides of the sliced okra. Heat oil to the hottest point without smoking and add enough okra to cover the whole pan completely.
-Turn the heat down to medium high, cover over the pan with a tight-fitting lid and let it sizzle for a 2-3 minutes-  check undersides for browning. 
-Flip for a couple more minutes, until browned. Serve immediately 
-
Cornbread: I would play with the temp./time settings. Mine got a little too dark after just barely 30 minutes. 

Mashed Potatoes : Dead simple, and absolutely fantastic. 

Pho 79

I’ve been coming here for a years and this place never disappoints. The quality is consistent (always awesome), the servers are quick and to the point ( just give them your order, don’t lag). Here the price is definitely right and you always get more for what you pay for. It’s cash only, so for you dummies that never carry on you, now is the time to start. Just order an Ox Tail, a Medium bowl of whatever meats you want, and happiness is achieved my friend. If you have any room left, order the avocado shake. Sounds weird, but you’ll love this offbeat dessert. haha

P.s. Just watch out during the busy hours, parking and seating could be a pain.

9941 Hazard Ave

Garden Grove, CA 92844

One last hurrah in Los Angeles

With only a couple days to go, J. Kao and I head out for one last trip to LA to just chill and chow. For so long I was promised a Hong Kong style breakfast, yet much like a recent post, it wasn't until the end till I was finally taken out... but hey I can't complain, since I'll be having the real deal in few months. (WOOT) 

But damn was I shown what was up, as soon as we sat down we ended up getting the whole shebang (pretty much anyways). Being only two people between us, it's amazing at the fact that we had a single bowl left to go. But it was seriously not that hard to put in work on this spectacular feast, personally I love love love Chinese breakfast and this hit me right in the sweet spot. Thank you very much for giving me a preview.

(Photography only lasted up until the first bite, seriously, I forgot about everything else as soon as I dug in.) 

1.Pineapple Bun w/ Butter: No real melon included, it's just named after it's appearance. It's my personal favorite combination of slightly sweet bread and salty butter (magic). -

2. HK-style French Toast w/ peanut butter: It's as good as it sounds, straight up.

3. Fermented Egg Congee: There's something about this one that makes it so much better than others. Savory chicken broth perhaps?  

4. Chinese Churro w/ rice wrap and peanut sauce: Guilty pleasure, stretch pants not included.

5.Ham & Egg Sandwich: Bare bones in simplicity, but I find a certain charm about in how it reminds me about my younger days. I'm told this a traditional thing for the old men to snack on before they go out to spend their days playing Mahjong  

6. Horlick: Not as sweet as I was expecting to be but incredibly refreshing and a pleasant palate cleanser. 

7. Ovaltine: J. Kao's personal favorite drink growing up.

After a brief interlude through downtown, what could a trip here be without visiting our favorite watering-hole, Handsome Coffee Roasters? See that simple menu, love it! The fine print makes it sound pretentious,
but it keeps the Starbucks crowd out. 

After deciding to stay local we ended up with the mega cravings for noodles, and since the ever-so-popular Daikokuya, is always packed we gave a quick search on yelp only to discover an equally intriguing spot only a few doors down. 

Being the group that we are, this cordial dinner turned into another veritable feast! Bowls and tempura for days, some of the notable side orders where the deep fried egg (possibly duck) which carried a deep yellow yolk, soo good. Among all the other bowls, the highest of recommendations can go the Uni Udon! So magnificently rich and decadent, that it has actual (generous I might add) chunks of tasty sea urchin floating about on ever bite. As a friend would put it, it looked like a hundred sea urchins died to make that dish, I have no shame. 

What's amazing is the lack of notoriety this place even gets! Half the people in here look like stragglers who didn't want to wait an hour plus over at Daikokuya and decided to compromise on the "other noodle place". But unbeknownst to their know, their about to get the rug pulled from underneath them. No matter tho, let all the attention go the hype machine and I'll just continue strolling in with only a few minutes wait. Haha

With our conquest of gluttony a success, the only thing left is one last drive through downtown and enjoy the lit up skyline as we say good bye one more time.  

Delicious Food Corner

2327 S Garfield Ave

Monterey Park, CA 91754

Marugame Monzo

329 E 1st St

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Pork Chili Verde

With a only a few weeks left to before J. Kao moves back across the Pacific to Hong Kong, we've decided to host little meal sessions where we're able to experiment with new recipes that we had our minds on but never really had the chance to try out. It'll  be taking place at our respective homes, one night each and every week until it's time finally say goodbye. This week I began our little series with a humble stew I've been craving since I've came back from the frosty Manhattan isle. It's a classic Mexican dish  that I grew up on and favored during chilly nights, stewed pork in chili verde salsa. For the Salsa Verde, I've come to really appreciate this version, as it comes close to my moms boiling method over the roasting variations I've seen everywhere else. Unless otherwise, you can acquire decent Salsa Verde at your local Mercado (Latino market) or even find it at Trader Joes, believe it or not.

• -Canola Oil 
• - 2lbs Boneless Pork Shoulder (cut into 1" cubes)
• - Salt & Pepper 
• - 2 cups Salsa Verde 
• - 1 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• - Medium Onion ( Yellow Spanish preferred), quartered 
• - 1 Large Bell Pepper (cut into large chunks)
• - 1 lbs Fingerling Potatoes 

-Heat oil in a large skillet on high and sear pork until they brown on the the outside, then transfer to a slow cooker/oven-proof pot. You might have to work in batches, so try not to over crowd the chunks.

-Once all the pork is cooked and transferred, add the broth to the skillet and scrape up any little bits of flavor using a wooden spatula. Once the broth starts to simmer, pour into the slow cooker/oven-proof pot along with the Chile Verde, Onion, and Bell Pepper.

-For a slow cooker; set on high for 4 hours until the meat is super tender, add the potatoes in the last hour. For a oven-proof pot; pre-heat the oven at 300F and set for 2 hours, add the potatoes in the last 40 minutes. *Be sure to skim some of the free floating fat off the surface, no need to use it anymore, it's done it's part.

-Serve in bowls with plenty of Tortillas and Lime wedges.

IL Dolce

I've been anticipating my upcoming trip to New York for over a month now, and the entire time what I've almost instantly been relating to that city is pizza. Don't get me wrong, that city has sooo much to offer aside from this classic staple, but ever since John Stewart's  brazen, if not ballsy professing of how superior NY pizza is over "Chicago-style", it was damn near impossible not to have it on my mind all the time.

Luckily J. Kao finally introduced me to a local shop that she claims is the best I can find anywhere around the OC. She's been talking about this place for so damn long I nearly felt that it was some old wives tale used to tease me, as it took her a couple years to finally bring me here! But I trust her in her claims, having she just been to Italy just a couple weeks ago, I was taken aback when she finally said she'd take me! 

The place is completely unsuspecting, being in the shadow of a strip mall, right off the turn of a freeway that leads straight to the beach. Inside had a very modern appeal despite it actually having a legit mom & pop kind of vibe. Our hostess (mom) was very delightful in taking care of us, and we could easily see pop get to work as soon as he got the orders in. Our orders where as followed.

-Prosciutto & Fig: Terrifically savory, the baked figs added only a nuance of sweetness that brought everything together, the cheese selected (I can't recall off the top of my head) was an excellent closer for the pallet. 

-Margarita: Had a bright, sweeter that expected sauce that rings in a balanced combination with basil. The delightfully chewy crust had that rustic charm as you picked up notes of the char from the wood oven. 

The place looked surprisingly empty for the lunch hour on a sunny Saturday in Newport Beach, we hoped it was some sort of off day for the business because it would truly be a tragedy to have lost such masterful  craftsmanship as a result of lacking a recognition. But I'm glad I was finally able to make an acquaintance with such a hidden gem. My cravings for good pie continues.

With that being said, I'm off to the east coast!

*Chicagoan discretion advised for the John Stewart link.

1902 Harbor Blvd.

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Orange Cafe

A charming little locals only spot that you would not have never have guessed to dish out out some spectacular american classics, while occasionally whipping up some awesome new innovations. First step in and you instantly appreciate that place as you look around at all the Americana hanging on the walls. Plus don’t be surprised if the sweet old lady, who I’m sure is there every day, greets you with a smile and would be happy to help you out with anything you have questions about.

Some of my favorites on their permanent menu range all across their omelette selection, the Florentine being my top choice in particular. The fact that use butter for their omelettes is something to die for in both the good and bad sense, you’ll food coma pretty hard if you actually finish the whole thing. Their Corned-Beef Hash was delish, a must try if you like a super hardy breakfast old-school. Pancakes where airy and fluffy, that I MUST recommend you try with the apple-cinnamon jam, along with some butter and maple of course.

But recently I tried one of their current specials of the day was basically “signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours”, the unctuous Chorizo Benedict. Runny yolk egg, atop silky smooth avocado and drizzled with creamy chorizo hollandaise sauce, ugh, hold on I got light a cigarette. But yes, fats on fats on fats this dish was bad intentions from the start and oh man did I embrace it.

Ok, after giving myself a moment, I’m coming back again and again to build up my credit stamps for a free meal. See you there!

(Sorry about the orange hue,no amount of editing can phase it out, the place really lives up to it's name! Haha...)

1608 E Mayfair Ave

Orange, CA 92867

Portland Day 3- Go with the flow

  It's my last day here and I wake up with the realization that I really don't have that much left to do in this city, all of the must does where officially checked off, and all of the recommendations where seen. It wasn't until breakfast till a hostel mate said "Just go out for a run, it's what this city does". After much contemplation, whether or not forsake my (foot) arches & go run in Vans, I decided to go out and brave the popular Willamette River Loop.


  Now for those who love to run, you understand the zen calm you get when you fully take in your surrounds and appreciate little that you never noticed before. My time alongside this river path was highlighted by the passing industrial section  on the north side of the trail path and dodging very agitated geese. But of course nothing could beat the absolutely befuddled expressions on some of the joggers faces. Like I said, this is a city of runners (Nike was born here for Christ's sake) and I was the only schmuck on this trail without running shoes. The amount of concern on one guys face was if he was saying "PLEASE STOP, HERE TAKE MINE". Even the some hipsters I sped by where wondering "why are you even wearing those", but hey I had run off a case of doughnuts somehow.

  Everything else afterwards was picking a point and walk from there, I really had no idea what I was even going for. I ended up on the outer rims of town (the financial & university district) where I encountered a plethora of talented musicians, gorgeous city parks, Keller Fountain Park in particular just captivated me into just sitting down and meditate for an hour. After much roaming across the day I was able discover the somewhat luxurious feeling of having a coffee & cigarette, hipster achievement succeeded.

  By the time I came back there was an impromptu vegetarian potluck brewing. After a quick trip to the market, we where all in the kitchen making or pouring our contribution, where we later made our way out to our little patio. Some of the featured dishes was a Pesto Gnocchi pasta, Beet & Goat cheese spread, citrus kale & walnut salad, and Chevre baked tomatoes provided by yours truly (recipe coming soon). Naturally a congregation of this size, brings in more people and even more contributions. 

After what was once a quiet dinner, turned into a rally for a pub crawl where it inevitably turned into an all nighter of smoke, even more street musicians, and a conquering of a near by park where tunes & random stories where swapped. What a way to close it out, just wish I had more than 30 minutes to catch my bus when I woke up the following day, I've never packed my bags with such speed before. Haha 

I don't anything else I've come to appreciate after today about the fact that not everything should come planned, just take it as it goes. And that it's not necessarily the city that makes the trip but the people you meet. 

Keller Fountain Park

SW 3rd Ave & Clay St

Portland, OR 97255

-Photo Credit to Mariana Rego 

Portland Day 2- Stroll

Being such a beautiful day I decided to go on a little walk about Portland's famous park gardens and trails and get a feel for how truly green city is. Being only a short walk for my place, I hustled over to the famous Washington Park. 

Spent nearly half the day checking out beautiful trails laid out across this enormous stretch of land, nearly forgetting to swing by the International Rose Test Garden on my way back. Portland's known as the "City of Roses", how could I have???? 

Later into the evening the Hostel was having a mini open mic in the backyard patio, where there was a variety of local folk artists strumming away their soulful tunes. All the while the staff where grilling up free-range brats and veggie burgers served with quinoa salad, even the guy with the garage brewery decided to drop by an share his days batch. A true hipsters paradise I might say. (Seriously wish I brought my camera out...)

As the last kegs started to kick, so did some of the acts, as the closing artists started drifting into free association music that nearly brought the whole house down off their chairs (inebriated musicians make for some serious entertainment). 

Feeling like the evening still had some life in it, those still left hanging around the patio shuffled together for another round at the Mission Theater. Tonight's feature, early Martin Scorsese's 'Mean Streets' . 

Portland Day 1- Hitting the ground running

  After what I can call a grueling 24 hour bus trip I finally arrived in Portland!!!!! Things to do? Find the hostel, drop off the bags and make it to walking tour all within the hour of arrival, . But most importantly, find a hot meal because I didn't exactly savor my opportunities to munch on gas station grub.

  Feeling rejuvenated after heaping plate of Kahlua Pork, because all the "breakfast" menu's stopped serving at 11am (what is this McDonalds??), I rush back to the hostel to finally make it in time for the introductions. Saying hi and hello to all the fellow hostel mates, we're lead buy our guide, who I swear looks William H. Macy, except a hell of a lot more quirkier.

  We make our way from our home base in the Northwest district onward to the Pearl, down through the Historic Waterfront, and circling back to the down town district . Picking up neat tid-bits such as the street signs in the Alphabet district, and how they contributed to a lot of the Simpsons characters names (Matt Groening is from here btw). Checked out Mills End Park, smallest park in the world (pictured below), got a little info on the infamous Zoobombers that come out every Sunday night, unchain the bikes shown below and simply haul major buns down the West Hills (something added to my bucket list). By the end I come to find that the city takes pride in being a little "weird", Portlandians will understand.
  Soon at the end of our tour, a few of the hostel mates decide to break off and have some lunch at a couple of the cities food carts, an estimated 500 of these stands are said to be scattered all over this city.

  First was the foodie cult phenom Nong's Khao Man Gai, Thai style chicken & rice. It's the one and only dish this place serves but they have perfected it to a T, simplicity was the key here, but it carried such a complex depth in its taste and aroma (from all the aromatics) that you can't judge it based off looks, you have to taste it.

  2nd up to bat was the aptly named Dump Truck. The story behind this little shack was that the couple that owns the place used to live in Beijing next to a restaurant owner who showed them the ropes. Once they came to Portland they refined their skills and created their own interpretations. Their selection is small but they each carry  their own unique punch of flavor and creativity. Order up Le Sampler, if your a fickle guy like me, and try Mr. Ma's Special (ginger pork), Down to Earth (vegi friendly), Potato Curry (Malaysian style), & finally the Bacon Cheeseburger (yeah seriously).
 Soon after sampling a couple flights over at the Rogue Ales Public House, my companions & I finally gave in to the idea of crossing town to wait in line for some Voodoo Doughnuts!!! Reported to have line waits as long as an hour, it was only a meager half hour+ wait till I was able to make my long awaited order of the legendary pink box. The selection process was overwhelming, since they had so many on display and the added pressure of a ton of people waiting in line behind you, I hated to be that one newb. But here's my picks, 0 regrets, all gluttonous joy. 

-Bacon Maple Bar: Easily my favorite of all time, it combines my number one fave doughnut with thick slices of crispy bacon. Pretty sure I had a big dumb smile after my first bite.
- Voodoo Doll: This one is chocolate little man filled with raspberry jelly (blood) doesn't boast anything out of the ordinary other than poking it with the pretzel stick hoping someone else feels it. Haha
- Old Dirty Bastard: A nod to the Wu, aesthetically it holds true to it's name and so does the mess it makes after you devour it.
- Memphis Mafia: Fried dough with banana chunks and cinnamon covered in a chocolate/peanut butter glaze covered with peanuts & chocolate chips. The King is somewhere blushing right now, 'nuff said. Just go and cancel all immediate appoints if your going to attempt this.
-Ain't that a Peach Fritter: A seriously massive Peach Fritter topped with cream cheese. Say F U to your diet because you're on vacation!
- Mexican Hot Chocolate: The one and only thing I can say that bares worthiness of claiming to resemble "mexican hot chocolate". By which I mean it's not the uber-sweetness most people tend to expect, but rather a dark semi bitter chocolate with some spice in the back end. I love it for that, just wish it wasn't so dry...  

  After trekking around all day I was finally able to get some rest and lay down on an actual bed! After a few hours of some shut eye I woke up to a roomie I met along the tour, thinking of heading out the Mission Theater down the street. The idea behind this place, and many other establishments like this around the city, is to enjoy classic films while drinking some of Portland's finest craft brews. The selection for the night, Woody Allen's 'Sleeper', kooky to say the least. Loving this city already. 

Nong's Khao Man Gai & The Dump Truck

SW 10th & Alder St

Portland, OR 97205

Voodoo Doughnut

22 SW 3rd Ave

Portland, OR 97204

Mission Theater 

1624 NW Glisan St.

Portland, OR 97204