Postcards Portland Notes from a City with afrom Passionate Sense of Place [ Written by Heather KW Brown ]

t was barely 11 a.m. and so far, I’d found my way to a plate of artisan LAND I RT cheese, a charcuterie board, a swig of O P house-made soda, a slice of pizza topped with seasonal veggies, and mouthwatering cookies from a sister-owned bakery called Two Tarts. As I stood in line at one of the most popular food trucks in town, my Above: The stylishly appointed rooms at bike leaned against a nearby tree and its The Nines cage, which would have contained a plastic Below: Blend No. 67, a water bottle in any other place, sported caffeine-free herbal infusion a recycled paper cup half-full of freshly called Meadow by Steven N AND Smith Teamaker O TL roasted coffee. I suddenly felt like a local. OREG OR P Since my last visit to Portland, Ore., nearly 13 years ago, the city has become a powerhouse of refined palates, and my plan was to absorb as much as I could. Considering I still had an hour to go on my Bites by Bike tour, I was clearly on the right path. Our stop at Cacao, which specializes TLAND OR in craft chocolates often produced locally P in small batches, served as a sweet ending ON to my three-hour tour, but it was merely a OREG taste of Portland, where experiencing the city’s passions are just as fun as they are filling.

Above: Portland’s outdoor Food Fetish dining scene The sign on the aforementioned food truck Bottom Left: read, “Simply, it’s Thai chicken and rice ON Octopus Terrine OREG by ’s chef served with soybean sauce and soup on the Thomas Boyce side,” but the line of loyal fans waiting in Bottom Right: front of Nong’s Khao Man Gai at 10th city, the search for a culinary experience Coffee stop on and Alder for her one and only dish at this is short. Incredible food is inescapable. Pedal Bike Tours location is perhaps the more telling sign Of all the restaurants on my list, about Portland’s food culture. I was most excited about , where Whether found on the hundreds of witty quotes are scribbled in chalk on pitch

photo credits facing page: registered food carts that have ditched black walls and “Top Chef” Master Naomi Top photo courtesy of Travel portland Bottom Left photo courtesy of Bluehour their wheels and set up camp in pods, or Pomeroy floats through the open kitchen bottom right courtesy of Heather KW Brown This page: top photo courtesy of The Nines in neighborhood restaurants around the preparing a six-course, prix fixe meal that bottom photo courtesy of Heather KW Brown

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knew a few locals who had been biting at the bit to try Grüner, a restaurant serving alpine cuisine. Talented owner/chef Chris Israel immediately made an impression, starting with the attractive beer list and homemade pretzel bread. To say that Grüner ranks as one of my all-time favorite restaurants is a bold statement but is right- fully deserved — the signature spätzle with Riesling-braised chicken, morels and crème fraîche was absolutely amazing. Tapping is only available at two seatings four nights into my German roots and my love of craft a week. My friend and I sat at one of two beer simultaneously is a rare but welcome communal tables in Pomeroy’s 24-seat res- confluence. taurant, said to be relocating this summer, Anchoring the post in Portland’s sexy and waited to be wowed. and sophisticated Pearl District is Blue- We did not have to wait long, as the hour. With the recent addition of Chef house curry-spiced carrot velouté, shiso Thomas Boyce, this modern yet elegant pickled oyster and fried garlic soon arrived, staple, already established as one of the Left: Stumptown Coffee Roasters, followed by a charcuterie plate that has city’s favorites, upped the culinary ante one of the hometown garnered almost as much attention as the yet again. Boyce left Wolfgang Puck’s favorites chef herself. And for good reason: Pome- Spago in Los Angeles, and moved with Right: Hopworks BikeBar serves roy’s fois gras bon-bon and her steak tar- his wife Kim, a baker and author of the organic beer tare and quail egg toast were worth every James Beard Award-winning cookbook Bottom: Lemon Bar minute I’d spent on the plane from Atlanta “Good to the Grain.” Under his helm, the by Bluehour’s chef to Portland. menu has been reinvigorated, reflecting Thomas Boyce In a city packed with so much skill, the influences of the Pacific Northwest in its biggest challenge is deciding which of the Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. chef-driven restaurants to visit. Luckily, we Tucked elsewhere in the Pearl Dis-

Photo credits From Top to Bottom: Top two photos courtesy of Travel Portland; Bottom photo courtesy of Bluehour trict is Metrovino, which pairs two of Portland’s passions in one place, its food and its wine. Boasting the city’s only Eno­ IN SPINE CARE & matic wine system, which offers nearly 100 wines by the taste or by the glass, this VISIT THE EXPERT PAIN MANAGEMENT is a popular hotspot for oenophiles and

Meet Jonathan Newton, M.D., Ph.D. foodies alike as the dishes are innovative Dr. Jonathan Newton, a board-certified and downright delicious. Daring drinkers pain physician previously of Northside Hospital, has opened a new practice in should belly up to the bartender for a beer East Cobb. Dr. Newton provides care cocktail, as Metrovino also has a strong for all painful conditions including back and neck complaints. He will thoroughly list of locally distilled and internationally evaluate you and tailor the treatment renowned spirits and local beers. regimen to your unique pain issues. Every city has a few hidden gems that shouldn’t be missed and Serving patients in the Atlanta metro area including East Cobb, Marietta, on North Williams is one of them. Go Roswell, Sandy Springs, and surrounding areas. for brunch and don’t be shy when Erin’s 1121 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 400 | Marietta Sweet Biscuits make it to the table. We sure 770-771-6300 | www.naSpinePain.com weren’t.

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Liquid Love While other cities simply hum with activity, Portland buzzes, one way or the Much like the artisan tea other. No doubt the palpable pulse around he crafts, Steven Smith town has much to do with their love of libations, and an unquenchable thirst for has an undeniable draw, manifesting their creative juices into one his demeanor excited but passionate pour after the other. When it calm, like he knows some- comes to both the art and the appreciation of brewing a beloved beverage, few places, thing incredible is about to if any, can compete. happen in each cup. The brewery scene — 47 in Port- land city limits, 61 in the entire metro and ample as they are cool and crafty, area — outnumbers any other city in the coffeehouses here promise to please, with world. That’s music to any beer lover’s many shops also hosting private cuppings, ears, and having heard so much about the Happy Hour espresso tastings and guided many buildings repurposed into pubs and tastings. breweries by the McMenamin brothers, Tea, on the other hand, has rarely I insisted on peeking into at least one of stirred an equal amount of emotion for me. them. Fun and wildly whimsical, I’m con- One would think that after nearly 30 years vinced these venues are so popular because and two previous ventures in the tea busi- the notion of Willy Wonka popping out ness, Steven Smith, who founded Stash Tea from behind the bar can’t be entirely dis- Company and then Tazo, might feel the missed. My friend and I opted instead to same. Not so. Smith is perhaps more moti- hop atop stationary bikes and pedal elec- vated, dare I say obsessed, than ever about Find Out Why Many of Atlanta’s tricity back into Hopworks BikeBar with tea, and his brick-and-mortar tea atelier in Best Golfers Choose Lanier Golf Club! every ounce of oomph we could muster in the northwest quarter of the city is a treat sandals. Then, much like the locals, we not to be missed. Though Smith’s silver One of Enjoy authentic Italian cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere with a friendly staff swapped our bike seats for bar stools. hair might shed light on his 60-something North Hanging above us were 40 bicycle age, it belies the youthful, almost conta- Atlanta’s frames, in front of us was a chalkboard gious enthusiasm he showed toward the full of craft beer on draft, and behind us sachets of tea lining a table in his tasting Premier were beer bottles on the wall, as if someone room at Steven Smith Teamaker. Much public had stayed too long and decided to start like the artisan tea he crafts, Smith has an golf clubs. counting backwards from 100. As the city’s undeniable draw, his demeanor excited but first eco-brewpubs, BikeBar and its sister calm, like he knows something incredible Competitive Rates with a Great Golfing Experience. property serve is about to happen in each cup. handcrafted organic beer, and proved to be Hues of bright yellow, rustic orange n Formally private golf course, now open to the public. n n 18 hole championship course designed by joe lee. n much more our speed. Much like cycling and deep reds emanated from porcelain n Full service driving range with lessons & club repair available. n though, conquering the local liquid land- cups as we joined Smith in tasting a flight Open seven days a week. Private Outings Available. scape requires a good amount of pacing. of his small-batch brand of boutique, ultra Coffee in Portland is part hobby, part premium teas, each of which is numbered, Expanded wine program including winemaker’s dinners and special tasting events habit. I wish I could say the same for myself named and artfully packaged with fun Lanier Golf Club Open Tuesday -Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Sunday Noon - 9 p.m. — I’m all habit, and happiness began each descriptions. Favorites from our flight Take GA 400 to exit 14 (GA20). For more info and rates www.miaitaliano.com or facebook.com/MiaRistoranteItaliano day with a cup of caffeine at one of the tasting were the Big Hibiscus, touted as Go east to the traffic light at call 770-887-6114 Nuckolls Rd. Turn left and follow 2300 Bethelview Rd., Suite 104, Cumming • 770-887-3000 hometown havens like Stumptown Coffee “the cabernet of hibiscus teas,” and the to dead end. Turn right onto Buford Dam Rd. or check out our website at Club entrance is 1/2 mile on the right. www.laniergolfclub.com Green Corners Shopping Center • Bethelview Rd. and Highway 20 Roasters and World Cup Coffee. As artsy Fez, which teams rare green teas from

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China, spearmint grown in Oregon and turned to shades of farmer chic at Urban lemon myrtle from Australia. Farmer, the onsite restaurant, where cow- For brew off the beaten path, drive hide and mason jars go together like the out to the Willamette Valley, home to Saké pantry and pickled veggies. As a modern One, the world’s only American owned steakhouse, sticks to the and operated sakery. After an extensive Oregon farm-to-fork philosophy with a tour and a food pairing with both tradi- range of meat options, including a beef tional and fruit-infused sake in the tasting called Cascade Red, said to be the first new room, my attention turned, as is common breed of cattle introduced to the United in this area, to wine. Oregon’s famed Wil- States in 47 years. lamette Valley is renowned for producing Steering myself beyond butcher blocks some of the world’s best Pinot Noir and, and baristas was tough, but a long run on with more than 225 wineries and tasting the tranquil trails through Hoyt Arbo- rooms nearby, sipping and swirling is stan- retum about 3 miles from downtown was dard practice. long overdue and well worth the wait. I wound through lush singletrack and Green Scene wide-open spaces, stopping occasionally Besides perfecting their crafts, Portlanders to admire the view. Seems I just can’t get love preserving their environment. Living enough of this city. up to its eco-friendly reputation, the city is currently in the top five for LEED-cer- After nearly a week, I learned a number of tified, or sustainable, buildings including things about Portland — it’s been dubbed hotels. The Nines, which opened in 2008, The World’s Best Street Food, Best Beer is among them. City in the World, Top Sustainable U.S. A member of the Luxury Collection Metros, Best Running City in America by of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Nines Runner’s World, and ranked #1 on Travel is one of only a handful of properties of + Leisure’s list of Best Cities for Summer any type worldwide to rank as a LEED Travel. What I didn’t know until I was Silver-Certified hotel, and yet, it is decid- ensconced by glossy covers, tattered paper- edly without the slightest bit of bohemian backs and aging out-of-print editions, is vibe. On the contrary, located atop the that it is also home to the world’s largest landmark Meier & Frank department independent bookstore. Filling an entire store, once one of the largest retail outlets city block, Powell’s City of Books has 122 west of the Mississippi and now listed on major subject areas and more than a mil- the National Register of Historic Places, lion books, all conveniently categorized this 331-room boutique hotel is aptly into nine color-coded rooms. bedecked with both art and fashion. Pro- I looked at the map unfolded in my viding a peek into the property’s retail past hand. My friend had wandered off to the are three life-size gown sculptures made cookbook section and I simply stood there, from mesh and recycled screen doors as wondering where to start. Truth is, regard- well as an eye-catching rendering of Clark less of where you are and what you’re doing Gable from his days as a tie salesman at in Portland, you’ll find nirvana in almost the Meier & Frank flagship store in the every direction. Pick a passion and go. PN 1920s. The hotel’s palette of punchy colors and unmistakable tint of Tiffany blue For More Information throughout the corridors and guestrooms www.travelportland.com

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