Hi friends! I’m so excited to be writing today’s post. Just a few hours ago, I got off the plane at LAX from Portland. I was in Portland for the past few days, and it was such a blast. I can’t wait to be back soon! I have a full blown Portland travel guide coming soon, but after going through all of the photos we had, I realized I had way more than enough photos to do a whole post on just the food we ate! I’ll be breaking up the Portland content into two pieces: travel guide (where to visit, play, and Instagram) and food guide (this one!) with all my foodie recommendations.
I’ve never really done any dedicated food posts, so please let me know if this is something y’all enjoy or not! My travel guide posts are always a big hit, so I figured I’d try something new. I always love seeing photos when y’all stop by my recommendations when you’re in the area, so keep them coming! At the same time, please let me know if you’d like me to stick with my typical fashion/lifestyle posts.
Il Solito is connected to the hotel we stayed at, The Kimpton Vintage Hotel in Downtown Portland. We swung by for brunch after our trip over to the Columbia River area, and everything was delicious. We went for the avocado toast, breakfast sandwich, and the chicken parm sandwich. The breakfast sandwich was my personal favorite! Y’all know how much I love brunch, so this was a must have.
Another sweet spot in Downtown! This might have been one of my favorites from the whole trip. Rosa Rosa is downstairs at the Dossier Hotel. Everything on the menu was amazing, and we got to try out a bunch! We ordered the bruschetta, chicken kabobs, lamb meatballs, broccolini, and the carbonara. Their lunch menu is an Italian and Mediterranean fusion, while their dinner menu is just Italian.
If you stop by, you have to try the lamb meatballs. I can’t stop raving about them! I’m usually not a big fan of lamb, but these were absolutely delicious. They make them with a cherry sauce, and it’s so so good. The staff was also so kind- highly recommend!
So y’all know how I love my fried chicken… Honestly fried chicken might be my all time favorite food. If it wasn’t for health reasons, I could probably eat it for every meal. I was so excited to try Basilix, and it certainly did not disappoint. The restaurant has such an interesting vibe, and the food was incomparable. Our favorites were the fried chicken sandwich (staple, of course) and the Dan Dan fries were amazing. The best way I can describe the fries is if french fries and pad thai had a baby. So yummy!
We also ordered the fried chicken salad. The way they prepare it here is so interesting- they add in yakisoba noodles, which really breaks up the heaviness in the chicken. Absolutely delicious, I’m already craving it!
Who doesn’t love a good donut? We stopped by here after Rosa Rosa for a little afternoon snack, and everything was absolutely incredible. The entire shop is decorated like New Orleans, and I found it so darling! We just visited New Orleans a little over a year ago, and my favorite food we had while we were there was the beignets. When I saw that this place had them, I knew I had to try them!
We also had the s’mores donut, and a few other flavors. Everything was delicious! Don’t forget to order your New Orleans style cafe au lait while you’re there!
Italian food- a universal favorite! Gilda’s was so amazing, y’all. We had so much food, we were barely able to walk out of the restaurant after dinner. The staff was also so kind, and I love the overall vibe of the place. It just feels like you’re hanging out in your grandma’s living room!
Some of my favorites: the Chilean sea bass (HIGHLY recommend,) the meatballs were absolutely amazing, and the pear walnut tart. SO good!
My very first Cuban food experience certainly did not disappoint! We started with the hot chocolate when we got to Pambiche, and it was so delicious, y’all. The whole trip, the weather was cold and rainy, so it felt amazing to have some warm rich hot chocolate to warm us up. The empanadas were amazing- the chicken was my favorite!
For our entrees, we decided to go with the server’s recommendations: the Plato Cubano, Pan de Lechon, and we happened to see this shrimp dish from our neighbor that we both had to try. To finish off, we got the domino cake and the tres leches. Everything was like a dance party in your mouth. Highly highly recommend! If you’ve never had Cuban food before, here’s your chance.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to snap a good pic at Voodoo, but Voodoo’s super famous in Portland! The have every donut flavor under the sun, and they’re all great. I’m boring, and went with the Raised Glazed, but Akash got the ‘Dirty’ donut and loved it.
Ok, I’m starving now! Everything you had looks incredible! I could just travel for the food and drinks. I’ve never been to Portland, and your post makes me want to visit asap!