On the road again: Portland, day 3

Today was one of those work travel days that started quite early and will run quite late, with work pelting me like a hurricane. So, is it any surprise that during a break in the action we popped into Voodoo Doughnut, each got one of these


and ate it? Yes, that is the famous Maple Bacon Donut!

And, before you can ask, yes, it tastes good, damn good, bacon-y good.

Dinner tonight was a late meal (8:45 seating, which then started half an hour late) at the wonderful Beast. At this warm restaurant, you sit at one of two long tables and so end up discussing your meal with those around you, as you would at home. The small staff prepares the food right in front of you, dancing or swaying much of the time to rock songs they like (tonight, an 80's mix). The menu is fixed, and they don't do substitutions; you show up and eat what they serve.

I love it.

Tonight's highlight was a small foie bon-bon on a personal charcuterie plate, but the pheasant pot pie was also amazing. In fact, every single dish was at least good and often downright delicioius.

Beast is another must-eat place when you're in Portland.

On the road again: Portland, day 3

I know I write a lot about food when I travel, but it's not just because I love great food; I also can't write about my work meetings. They're confidential. So, you'll have to know that I am attending tons of interesting and good meetings but just can't discuss them.

Tonight, we ate at Beast, where Chef Naomi Pomeroy and Sous Chef Mika Paredes develop a menu and serve it to you--with "Substitutions politely declined," something you see at multiple restaurants here. Our menu tonight included six marvelous courses; I even enjoyed the beet salad, though not as much as the foie gras bon-bon, which was heavenly.

One wall of Beast is essentially a chalkboard, which included the following bits:

Unleash the Beast

Never eat more than you can lift. Miss Piggy

and my favorite

Vegetables are interesting but lack a sense of purpose when unaccompanied by a good piece of meat.

I highly recommend this place and intend to return to it on future trips.

For late-night and early-morning fuel, and because we hadn't been there yet, we also stopped on the way back to the hotel at the justly popular Voodoo Doughnut. These folks make some of the best doughnuts I've ever tasted, and we picked up entirely too many. (Of course, I could argue that one is too many.) You definitely need to run by here if you're in Portland.

For reasons too complex to explain, I have a 6:00 a.m. phone meeting, something that brings terror to my heart, so off I go to other work and then to grab a little sleep.