About Us

We are four friends that have known each other since college. We enjoy going out in Portland for drinks in the afternoon and thought we would document our findings on the web for others to use.



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Sunday, April 13, 2014

Pai men miyake

www.miyakerestaurants.com/pai-men-miyake

Pai Men Miyake is a restaurant that you need to visit.  The focus of the restaurant is on ramen with broths rich in pork, chicken, beef & vegetables. We started with the pork buns.  The pork comes from the Miyake farm.  Its so much more flavorful than pork you get at the local store.  The cube of pork that comes with a pork bun is huge (golf ball size).  Try some of the pork without the bun so you can really taste the pork. The pork buns are delicious and I would image a great late night snack. We had the Paitan ramen and the Kimchee Beef ramen.  The Paitan ramen is pork belly in a chicken and pork broth.  The Kimchee Beef ramen was, as expected, spicy.  The chunk of beef was so tender that it easily pulled apart with chop sticks.
The beer menu has a least a dozen local selections.  The wine menu was limited with 3 reds and 3 whites.  But the options were satisfactory.  The service varied.  One day we went the service was excellent.  The next time we could not get a second beer from our server.
We really liked the atmosphere. The décor, the music.  With all the steaming in the kitchen the place can get quite warm so be prepared.  Speaking of warm, in the warmer months there are tables outside. 
In summary, delicious Japanese food, beautifully presented.



Brussels sprouts in a fish sauce vinaigrette

Shrimp gyoza
Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff: 3
Drinks: 4
Mount Gay rum: Yes
Food: 5
Parking: 4

Sunday, April 6, 2014

MJ's Wine Bar

www.onecitywines.com
Between all of us we have been to MJ's almost a dozen times.  MJ's has a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. There is a wide wooden bar, long narrow table ideal for a large group, smaller tables and leather furniture. The wine selection must be the best in town. And, they are always changing the selection to reflect the season. They don't have the "standard" wines you'll find at other bars and restaurants but rather new and interesting wines. They may have a wine from a region you like but from a winery you have never heard of. If your not a big wine drinker you can describe what you like and they will make the recommendation so you get something you'll enjoy. Needless to say, the service is top notch. The menu includes nuts, olives and cheeses. The food selection is also routinely changed to reflect the season. If your not sure which cheese plate would go best with what your drinking ask because they will help you make the right decision.
Did I mention the outdoor seating in the summer!

Beer taps in the foreground, wine in the background.

The music selection.


Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff: 5
Drinks: 5
Mount Gay rum: No
Food: 4
Parking: 3

Otto's Pizza

http://ottoportland.com/
We have been to both Congress Street locations. Pizza from both location have been equally satisfying. Otto's mashed potato pizza with bacon and scallion is as good as it sounds. We were told its their best selling pie. The location at the top of Forrest Avenue is interesting. There are three doors. The door on the right and left leads to small dining areas each with a bar. The inside is clean and neat. The middle door looks like it's dedicated to walkup and selling slices. The best part is they are open until 2am on Friday and Saturday night. They have a few outdoor tables. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Beer selection was decent. There were 5 choices including Rising Tide's Zephyr. They also had Uinta Hop Notch IPA which we highly recommend. Wine selection was basic.
You can't go wrong with Otto's.

From left to right: 3 cheese Tortellini, Marguerite and the Mashed Potato

View of upper Forrest Ave from the bar


Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff: 5
Drinks: 3
Mount Gay rum: No
Food: 4
Parking: 3