ECITWC 2: BOOZE AND FOOD

BOOTED & SUITED

So for this little excursion to Portland, my fine friend and I decided that we would not gorge ourselves in one fell swoop and not get besotted in one watering hole.  We decided - quite wisely - to stuff our faces with an assortment of appetizers and went one by one to a different bar, lounge, tavern, whiskey house, saloon.

FIRST STOP:  TEARDROP LOUNGE

Drinks = Delicious and expertly mixed.  For example:  

White Flag

softly acidic, cascading toward a gentle bitterness Tanqueray ginCombier Pamplemousse rose liqueur Fernet Brancalemonagave nectar  

Overall Verdict:  Meh.

The drinks were magnificent (we had two a piece) and the bartender was cool and knowledgeable but the atmosphere was crap.  It made no sense.  As one yelper put it:  "The vibe was... meh. I know they are trying to go for a modern feel, but there was way too much cement and gray for it to be stylish. The layout makes it really hard to walk anywhere and it's a pretty cramped and non-intimate space, especially on Saturday nights."


Here, here!




SECOND STOP:  CLYDE COMMON
Drinks = Delicious and expertly mixed.  For example:

Strega Sour: 9.

Gin, Strega, lemon juice, egg whites, tea-infused honey syrup

Overall Verdict:  Fantastic.  Both of the truffled popcorn and the fideo, sausage, calamari, scallop, squid in squid ink appetizers (holla...) were delicious and satisfying.

THIRD STOP:  ANDINA - a peruvian establishment.
We almost walked out because it looked like there was a wait and it was slightly chaotic.  However - on second thought everyone looked happy and eager to be there - customers and wait staff alike.  We decided to stay and thank goodness we did...holy freaking goodness:

CARAPULCRA CON PUERCO

Cascade Natural pork loin stuffed with Fontal cheese, pan-roasted to order atop wild boar-potato carapulcra,

seasoned with ají panca, peanuts and Moonstruck Fortunato No. 4 Peruvian chocolate, served with a red wine-poached pear 24.

OVERALL - Portland is awesome.  I would say visit it as part of an overall trip to the Pacific Northwest.  Due Seattle, St. Helens and Portland during a long weekend and you are good to go.