Food isn't food until you've been to Portland

I arrive in Portland 3 hours late due to track repair and freight traffic. Hope tells me this is a good thing because at 3:30 it was raining and at 6:30 it wasn't and she doesn't like the first impression to be rain. I make my way via trimet to the hotel and I quickly learn that Portland is full of pleasantness. I love that in Portland you can download an app that holds your trimet tickets in electronic form so as to not use paper. I get off the MAX and begin walking to the hotel (only a little bit from the hotel) but a bus driver stops and says it isn't far but get on you're toting so much. Portland has heart. 

After a much needed shower I seek out dinner. The restaurant I wanted was just closing so I opt for a place next door. At the Redwood I order a cheese terrine that was magnificent and had a complex set of flavors and ingredients I couldn't quite determine what I was eating (it was also dark so you couldn't really tell by looking at it either). It was delightful though so I was happy. The specials made me wonder what exactly was going on ... It was taco Tuesday so there was a special of a hibiscus margarita and Carne Asada tostadas, also thai curry mussels and an Italian dish I can't recall but I was questioning why the choices seemed so different from each other in style and ethnic flavors .... But hey they can do what they want ... I opt for the taco Tuesday special because ... Well because $12 for a drink and dinner that's why ... 

The Carne Asada was slightly lackluster compared to the Carne Asada of San Francisco but over all the dish was delicious ... The salsa was magnificent.  

I walk back to the holt and get some sleep. 

In the AM I ask Hope about these food trucks I am hearing about ... She tells me they are everywhere but the largest grouping is at 10th and Washington ... I head out via trimet and it takes me to 5th and oak and in front of me are food trucks and I never continue on my way to the other grouping ... Oops! I locate Don Pedro's and opt for Mexican again ... Yeah idk but the tamales were screaming my name .... So I have one and a street taco of the Carne Asada variety ... It is beyond amazing and so simple ... Literally just a the meat, onions and cilantro and it was divine ... 

Then I learn of a few distilleries so I head in that direction ... At my first tasting room I hear of another food truck ... PBJ ... Ok I must go but first another distillery ... Where I acquire a bottle of double barrel bourbon that I can't wait to try but I also want to hold it as a momento so I haven't opened it and don't know if I will 

And then I find the most magnificent food truck ever!!!

The Betty 

The Good morning 

Yes the Betty totally makes the menu cut ... And then some hotel time to digest ;) 

Hope picks me up and we go for drinks in an adorable part of town called Alberta ... Restaurants everywhere and hipster central but much better than NoLibs hipster scene. I have an Oban and we head to Salt and Straw ... Ice cream that is anything but "just ice cream" it has such amazing flavors available you really want one of those 12 scoop friendly's style portions but you'd have to settle for a tasting spoon of most. I opt for my free double scoop of olive oil and pear and bleu cheese thanks to the Chinook app ... I also get to try to strawberry balsamic with black pepper and coffee and bourbon 

And then some more sleep. 

In the morning I head to city center to get my bus but not without heading to grab some foodtruck noshables for the road ... Another tamale and a Kim chi quesadilla from the Korean fusion truck ... This item is amazing!!!!!! 

And because the locals have said voodoo donuts is overrated and to try bluestar instead ... Um ya ... Agreed ... 

Cointreau Creme brûlée ... You can speak you just savor 

Blueberry bourbon basil .... Hollahhh 

And then I am on the road and headed to Seattle ... Portland you win hands down for foodie paradise ... And I will return to eat and to partake of said whiskey library