Apron Adventures: Apron Adventures in Portland, OR

I just got back from a 9 day trip to the Pacific Northwest, which is now officially my favorite part of the country. I kicked off the journey with a girls trip to Portland, then rented a car and headed up to Seattle for a little work (don't worry, I made time to visit Pike's Market and a few awesome restaurants!). Below are some delicious highlights in case you're heading to the area soon - or just want to have a little food envy :) Enjoy!

Pok Pok
The first thing that pretty much anyone asked when I mentioned I was heading to Portland was if we were going to Pok Pok. You know it! The legendary chicken wings are as awesome as I thought they would be, and I got a cocktail made from their famous drinking vinegars. This is definitely a place where you want to have the waiter help you make selections and then share with the group - the menu can be a little intimidating and you don't want to miss anything good!

Little Bird Bistro
This is the first place we headed in the city - right in the hip Pearl District. Though the inside was super gentle and lively, we opted to sit at one of the few outdoor tables since it was SO NICE out - which is an anomaly to girls from Texas in July. I got the chicken fried trout - which was the whole fish with a light slaw on top. I'm embarrassed to say I ate 80% of it - so good. And, the delightful little dessert plate with 6 little sweet bites was perfect to share.

Tasty n Alder
Go for brunch any day of the week! Great way to avoid the infamous Portland weekend brunch waits and enjoy some AWESOME food. Get the savory bread pudding toad in a hole - you won't regret it :)

Voodoo Doughnut
This was also high on the "must try" in Portland list, but just as infamous as the doughnuts are, the line to get them is too. Luckily we went here on the day we had rented a car, so we went to a different location and didn't have to wait! The maple doughnut is NOT to be missed (with or without the bacon added :) )

My sassy travel companions - Megan, Kristen, Alison, Kway and Lauren (my sissy!)

Accanto
This was a super gentle Italian spot that is anything but meatballs and red sauce. We got some seasonal appetizers (see the pictured halibut and peach dish!) and my waiter convinced me to get the chicken - a half that I ate almost all of! And, when I saw affogato on the menu, I knew I needed it. SO good.

Affogato in action!

Public Domain Coffee
We stayed at The Nines (incidentally a LOVELY hotel, especially if you have a good rate because it can get pricey), and this place was just around the corner. They had amazing pastries sourced from local shops (I had a strawberry barley scone one morning, and a baguette with butter and ham another morning), and the baristas were very thorough and talented. We went here twice!

Stumptown
Another not-top-be missed spot - the line proved it. But, again killer coffee and pastries, and worth a try.

Domaine Serene

Breathtaking views and amazing wine? Yes please! This place had it both. We were smart to hit the wineries on a Friday and they weren't crowded at all! That meant we got to take our time and relax on the grounds and have the tastings come to us. I brought home a Syrah from here that I can't wait to enjoy.

The bride-to-be!

Domaine Drouhin
Just down the road from Domain Serene, our second spot proved to be just as delicious! I scored a pinot noir form here (what the Dundee region of Oregon wine country is known for!) that should be delicious. On our way out of Portland, we stopped at a sweet local market and grabbed some items for a picnic, which we enjoyed on the large outdoor patio here with gorgeous views - local fruit, cheese, Olympic Provisions salumi, crackers, spreads and more? Heaven!

Two sisters enjoying Oregon wine country!

Archery Summit
Ah, the view. 'nuff said :)

Argyle Winery Tasting Room
A coworker tipped me off that while in Portland, if I had the chance to enjoy some bubbles from ARgle, definitely to do it. We actually spotted it on the menu of the sassy bar we visited on our food tour, so we grabbed a bottle to enjoy before dinner one night in the room. On our way out to the wineries we spotted the tasting room and made sure we got back just in time to try a tasting before they closed at 5 (we just got there in time!!). I'm so glad we did, because their Black Brut (a sparkling pinot noir) was so amazing. They don't sell it in TX (they sell the regular bubbles here though!) so we each got a few bottles and plan to enjoy it on Megan's wedding day :)