Gather and Nest

What is a BLB? Bacon, Beets, Lettuce. But it’s not that simple. Thick Neuskie’s smoked bacon, roasted golden heirloom beets, crispy lettuce served on sourdough with fresh aoli. Here’s the thing…I can’t have fresh aoli due to the raw egg content and the pregnant thing so instead I had it with their creamy goat cheese spread. SO good! Try it this way!

Maybe you’re not a beet fan. That’s fine, I won’t judge, but maybe you need to try them again for the very first time because all beets do not taste like what your grandma used to make. Still stuck in your ways? How about the steak & egg sandwich instead?

housemade roll + sliced flank steak + blue cheese + fried egg

Is this more your style?

Click on the sign to visit their site and look at the menu…

or just go.

Located at 1406 SE Stark. 

A beautiful sunny morning here in Portland. We headed to the Bakery Bar so I could share with my husband my new found treasure…the apple bacon scone. Light, flakey, savory and sweet!

Stumptown coffee in the form of a pretty decaf latte and a blueberry scone. One of the many tempting varieties of scones.

Bakery Bar also serves delicious egg sandwiches accompanied with a tasty pepper jam served on black pepper biscuits that melt in your mouth.

Bakery Bar located at 2935 NE Glisan Street…also at 1028 SE Water Street

When I first moved to Portland the idea of eating at food carts kind of freaked me out. I’ve come a long way with them. I have discovered there are many gastronomical treasures hidden on stationary wheels throughout this city. Such is the case for Tabor on SW 5th and Stark. Home of the Schnitzelwich.

Schnitzelwich. It’s so fun to say I had to try one. What is it you ask? Breaded pork loin (or chicken) pan fried and served with paprika spread, lettuce, sauteed onions and horseradish on ciabatta. I’ve never had anything like it! The sandwiches are huge and only $6.50. The fact that they are served by a happy, smiling czech couple makes the experience even better.

Two to go please, Monika! Her husband, Karel, was whistling in the back as he put together other orders.

Love the color of the paprika spread. And let’s face it, fried pork?! Sound heavy and greasy? It wasn’t that way at all! 

I’ll have to go back and try some of their other menu options. 

Tabor is open Monday – Friday from 10-3.

I awoke this morning to sunshine and warm weather. Any day that’s sunny in Portland is like a holiday. Stepping out on the porch I admired the blossoms and took in the fragrant spring air and wait, waffles? Someone in our neighborhood is cooking Sunday breakfast and now I can’t get waffles off my mind. Mmmmm, with maple syrup. My one pregnant craving has been anything with maple syrup. I need waffles now. Although I make a mean one at home I know just the place to get one out and we can walk there! Flavour Spot.

Waffle Taco with sausage and maple Butter, yum!

Here’s a close up to make you hungry…

Located on the corner of Mississippi and NE Fremont. Also on Lombard. Check the websight for the complete menu. Definitely worth checking out and they have soft serve too! 

Before I moved to Portland I heard about this food cart that supposedly made the best arancine (stuffed, fried risotto balls), maybe I read it somewhere or saw it on the food network or something. When we moved here I couldn’t wait to find it and try them for myself. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember the name of the place.

Garden State. Very popular with its regulars and gets rave reviews on food blogs, was recently featured in Sunset magazine and has also been written up in Portland magazine, all made it much easier for me to find. (Those articles seem to annoy some of the regulars who I heard grumbling about the line and that all of Portland will now be coming!)

Meatball hero. Locally raised organic beef, good sauce, warm bread.

Chickpea sandwich. Doesn’t it look lovely? So fresh and colorful. 

Unfortunately for me there were no arancine yesterday. After all that! Oh well, just means another trip to Garden State the next time I’m in Sellwood. 

Garden State is located at 7875 SE 13th ave. (corner of 13th and Lexington)

You’re hungry. It’s 2:15 on a Sunday afternoon. You don’t want breakfast food. Most places serve brunch and are now closed. Where do you go? 

We find ourselves at Paragon (1309 SW Hoyt St.) on such occasions. They’re open, no wait, and they make one heck of a grilled cheese sandwich, which I find can really hit the spot in this situation. It’s not a fancy grilled cheese, although in this picture it looks it! Made on crusty bread and served with mixed greens and a creamy tomato soup. A dependable Sunday afternoon snack!

No, I did not have ice cream with that.

I did drizzle some of my new favorite hot sauce on each one. It doesn’t have that much heat but it is really vinegary and tangy. A great combo with the pickles!

Where did I find such a tasty fun snack? At EaT: An Oyster Bar, located at 3808 N.Williams Avenue. Since I can’t partake in the eating of raw oysters, (my husband had 1/2 dozen assorted and he said they were very good) I was delighted to find the fried pickle chips on their menu. Other fried snacks included okra and frog legs. Creole is the name of the game at Eat. A couple next to us at the bar had the jambalaya and the gumbo and they were very pleased with their meals.  The atmosphere is casual and the eats are cheap!