I have a dear friend (who shall remain unnamed) who credits kombucha with curing her lifelong bout with flatulence. Knowing nearly nothing about the fermented elixir, but thankful for its effect on my friendship, I was intrigued when offered a sample at Whole Foods recently. Now, this wasn’t just any sample. It was a sample of what appears to be a new tea trend brewing in town: kombucha on tap. A BRIEF more...

Your guide to Portland’s best happy hour burgers Part 1: Southwest and Northwest Portland Poke your head into one of Portland’s finest dining destinations or swankiest steak houses and you’re almost always guaranteed to see two kinds of people: a businessman in a $1000 suit and a blue collar worker wearing ripped jeans and a dusty trucker hat. It’s this inclusiveness and lack of pretense that more...

Event date: Dec 23, 2009

Event location: Little Green Grocer

Join us Wednesday evening for free refreshments from 5-7 PM. We'll welcome the neighborhood's own caroling group (who depart from Isobel's Clubhouse at 4 PM) for hot chocolate, homemade egg nog, and snacks. And then all brave singers will have a chance to perform their favorite carols in-store thanks to the wonders of the portable karaoke machine. All karaoke singers receive 10% off purchases that evening. If you more...

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat... I really can't tell you how much I love the holidays. Why I love it is easier to explain: twinkle lights and fir trees, dressing up for parties and, of course, food. The list could go on and on, but for the purposes of this article, let's stick with food. There are two types of holiday dining—in or out. I believe that the season deserves a healthy serving of more...

Whether you're planning a traditional family feast or prefer fine dining out on Thanksgiving, you'll want to check out our hot picks for the best in local, fresh fare for DIY dinner at home or delish choices from Portland's fab food scene. Buying seasonal goodies adds life to your recipes, and supporting local businesses makes great sense on a variety of levels. There's something for diners and chefs alike here to more...

Guest post by Sonia Ruiz of Portland Coffeehouse Journal. Did you know that there is no official definition of "micro-roasting"? It loosely means coffee beans that are "roasted to order" or that the roaster is only roasting enough to fill a particular order for a particular customer. Whereas larger roasters will roast huge lots to store in large warehouses and hope that most of it sells, micro-roasters craft more...

Nine neighborhood restaurants are putting their money where your mouth is... well, sort of. On October 21, these participating restaurants will donate 10–20% of your tab to Growing Gardens, a local non-profit that gets at the root of hunger by building organic Home Gardens in urban backyards, creating future veggie eaters and cultivators in its Youth Grow program, and teaching neighbors to cook, preserve and more in its more...

Restaurants Unlimited, Inc (RUI) has closed Palomino Restaurant at 1203 NW Glisan. Palomino opened in July 2008 and closed on August 24. A call has been placed to RUI to learn of any immediate plans for the space, but has not yet been returned. RUI owns a handful of restaurants in the area: Henry's 12th Street Tavern, Kincaid's, Billy Heartbeats, Stanford's, Newport Seafood Grill, Newport Bay and Portland City more...

Event location: Isobel's Clubhouse

Lunchtime Knitting has been canceled, with the rarely-heard statement "it's too hot to knit". Wow, that's hot, especially coming from these dedicated knitters.  Hope to see you next Thursday from 12 - 2 in cooler weather.   more...

In many countries, ladybugs are considered to be good luck. In the Pearl District, the ladybug umbrella sheltering the Lickety Split food cart at the corner of NW 10th and NW Hoyt is a sign of good eats. Owners Shelly O'Grady and Daniel Drumwright recently rolled into the neighborhood with a simple, but delicious and affordable menu of meatball goodness. Yes, meatballs! Vegan or pork, served over polenta or in a panini with more...