My Mom and I had breakfast at Gracie’s last weekend, which I don’t know if we’ve ever done, and it inspired me to cheer them again.

Yes, I’m well aware they’re our restaurant here at Hotel deLuxe. So would you have me not recommend their great food due to the simple, unavoidable case of proximity? That wouldn’t be fair to you.

So I’ve extolled the virtues of their dinner menu (get the scallops, they’re my absolute fave) and now I can recommend, unabashedly, the Gracie’s breakfast. So if you’re tired of bagels at home or your Tasty Puffs, how about some German pancakes? Or maybe the best Benedict you’ve ever had?

Kiss, kiss,
Emily

It’s coming up on green beer time. And in Portland, the biggest green beer game in town is Kell’s. A nice old-school Irish bar every other day of the year, with music and darts and whatnot, it becomes the St. Patrick’s Day mecca from March 13-17. They need an entire week to do it.

There’s food, dancing, music, drinks of course and all kinds of Irish-inspired frivolity to be had. As for music, they’ve got people performing all day in the pub or the tent behind, as well as dancers. Not sure how Everclear fits but they’re even playing on Sun. night.

And then on St. Paddy’s Day itself the bar opens at 7 a.m. That’s a commitment. So my advice is to pace yourself. Take your time. Have some bangers and mash. Listen to some music. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.

Erin go bragh,
Keith

(photo courtesy of Grundlepuck on Flickr)

I see the bumper stickers more and more around town asking me to help keep Portland weird. Alright then. Here’s a starter kit:

•    Voodoo Donuts on SW 3rd or NE Davis – It’s time you try your first ever “Memphis Mafia.”
•    McMenamins – I think they were the first geniuses to combine beer and movies. The Kennedy School may just be the weirdest place in town.
•    Glowing Greens – Haven’t we been counting the days till glow-in-the-dark, pirate-themed mini-golf?
•    Lucky Lab – Beer’s never weird, but drinking it with your dog is kind of. You can do that at any of their places.
•    Cat’s Meow – This place is all cats all the time. OK…

And that’s just the tip of the weirdberg. Don’t even get me started on the naked cyclists…

Later,
Keith

Everywhere I go I hear people virtually complaining about how many great new restaurants keep popping up in Portland. This is a dilemma? I say, bring ’em on!

The other night a friend told me to get ready and that he was taking me to a mystery spot. When we arrived at Por qué No? on SE Hawthorne he said I could now stop complaining that the best tacos were served from the “roach coaches.” And I have.

Por qué No? has nine varieties of tacos (including calamari and porque tinga, my favorite), mucho grande salads, inventive vegetarian choices, the best guacamole I’ve ever tasted and housemade tortilla chips. And after a couple of pint-sized margaritas I wobbled out one happy señorita.

They also have a location on N Mississippi. Visit one or both, but visit Por qué No? you must.

Hasta la vista,
Emily