Oregon Coast} Bruce’s Candy Kitchen

What are your plans for Spring Break?  Are you headed out of town, maybe somewhere tropical?

If you are like us and you are sticking pretty close to home we want to spend the next few weeks giving you some fun ideas of place to go in and around Portland during the break.

How about an overnight trip or a day trip to the coast?

One not to be missed Oregon Coast stop is Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, just an hour and a half drive from Portland.  Bruce’s Candy Kitchen has been around since 1963 and no trip to the beach would be complete for our family without a visit to Bruce’s!

Bruce’s Candy Kitchen is candy heaven!  They have the feel of an old fashion candy shop and an amazing selection!  There is even candy on their front doors!!

If you are lucky you will be able to watch them make their salt water taffy during your visit.

If you miss it be sure and pick yourself out a nice selection of their amazing, house made taffy!

If taffy isn’t your thing, no worries, there is plenty of other sweets to tempt that sweet tooth!

And if you just can’t decide, you can always try my personal favorite – white chocolate covered gummi bears – polar bears!!

No matter what your candy of choice we can pretty much guarantee you won’t leave empty handed.

Enjoy a sweet treat at Bruce’s Candy Kitchen at Cannon Beach!

Best Breakfast}Jam on Hawthorne

Our breakfast adventures continue!  We headed over to the Hawthorne area of southeast Portland.

Jam on Hawthorne located at 2239 SE Hawthorne Blvd.  They are closed on Monday but open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to  3p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

You’ll notice the sign on the door – Jam Cafe and Art House   Here’s the art!

Jam is a smaller cafe but large on flavor and menu selection!  I had done a little research and heard that their lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote were to die for so I had to give them a try!

The reviews were right – they were delicious!  I had them with blueberry compote and maple syrup – a great combination!  Jim had an egg scramble which was good too.

 Jam on Hawthorne was a delightful corner cafe and we’ll definitely be back – maybe we’ll try lunch next time!

Out to Lunch: The Daily Cafe

We are taking a little break from our weekly breakfast adventures to go out to lunch!

Since Monday was a holiday and the girls were off school it was the perfect opportunity for my neighbor and I to take our daughters to lunch.  We also had a fun shopping trip to Cargo which I shared with you earlier this week.

For lunch we went to The Daily Cafe in the Pearl.  The Daily Cafe  has three locations – the Pearl at 902 SW 13th Ave., Rejuvenation at 1100 SE Grand Ave. and one on South Waterfront at 3355 NW Bond Ave.

The Daily Cafe has a wonderful selection of salads, soups and sandwiches featuring local, fresh and organic ingredients and a nice selection of daily specials.   You order at the counter and your food is delivered to your table.  Service is friendly and fast.

The Daily Cafe has a casual, relaxed atmosphere and a reasonably priced menu.  Lunch prices vary from $5.00-$7.00.

We had heard they made a pretty great burger so two of us gave it a try.  It was delicious and the french fries were cooked just the way I like them – crisp!

Hannah, our grilled cheese connoisseur, gave their grilled cheese on a brioche bread two thumbs up!

I opted for one of their daily specials, a pork tenderloin sandwich with caramelized onions and delicious aioli.

They have an impressive dessert case and we couldn’t pass up a piece of lemon butter lemon cake – yum!

The Daily Cafe is located in the heart of the Pearl at 13th and Kearney and is open for lunch and  breakfast seven days a week.  I think we will be back to give breakfast a try!  They are also open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday.

Best Breakfast}Gravy

We headed over to N. Mississippi this last week for our weekly breakfast adventure.

Located at 3957 N. Mississippi Avenue, Gravy, has a nice neighborly, laid back kind of feeling. 

Not only do they use fresh local and organic ingredients but they have also decorated with some fun, funky, cartoon like local art.

Portions are large at Gravy so just embrace it.  My husband opted for their ground on the premises, fresh, corn beef hash and I had an egg scramble.  Not to be missed are their amazing, cooked to perfection hash browns.  I don’t eat potatoes unless they are crisp so I enjoyed picking off the top layer of the potatoes – yum.

My egg scramble had a little too much spinach in it for my liking but I loved the sundried tomatoes they added for their Greek scramble.  Our favorite thing to do while we wait for our order is to watch other people’s food arrive at their table.  I don’t even like oatmeal but I must admit their Creme Brulee Oatmeal looked divine.  Crispy and crunchy on the outside thanks to a nice layer of sugar, it also has a layer of fresh fruit hiding on the bottom.  The french toast also looked out of this world.  A reason to go back!  I am sure their biscuits and gravy are to die for too – they are named for it after all!

Remember to go hungry or plan on sharing because the portions are large.  We arrived at 8:30 a.m. amd were seated right away but by the time we left close to 9:30 a.m. there was a bit of a wait.

Gravy’s is open 7 days a week from 8 – 3 p.m. and also serves lunch.

Moonstruck Chocolates

What began in 1993 in Portland Oregon as “an idea to handcraft superior chocolates, chocolates that would not only taste exquisite but would look exceptional” soon  became Moonstruck Chocolates.  With five locations in the Portland area Moonstruck Chocolates still handcrafts each piece of decadent chocolate with the best ingredients and the fresh flavors of the Northwest.

You can find Moonstruck Chocolate Cafes at 2 downtown locations, one on NW 23rd, Lake Oswego Village, Beaverton Town Square and St. Johns.

You can sip a gourmet beverage or indulge in an amazingly decadent dessert or just enjoy a piece of chocolate. 

This time of year there are plenty of pretty valentine gift ideas to choose from too!  For those of you not lucky enough to leave nearby you can order your favorite chocolate online just by visiting their website.

So if you are looking for a lovely valentine for that special someone head on over to the closest Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe – there is plenty to choose from and they will even give you a free sample!

Best Breakfast} Bijou Cafe

The hunt continues….

This week we headed back downtown to the Bijou Cafe.  Jim was at a conference all day so it was just us two girls.

The Bijou Cafe is located at 132 SW Third Avenue and is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Breakfast is served all day.  Their specialities are Oyster Hash and their omelets although we tried neither.

We opted for some carb loading and went for their oatmeal pancakes which were huge, filling and oh so yummy!  My daughter chose the brioche french toast which she said was like eating cake – yum!!

I loved the fresh look of the blue and white checked tablecloths and the light coming in through the windows made for a nice cheery place to enjoy breakfast.

We arrived at 9 a.m. and were shown right to a table.  There was a bit of a line when we left about 45 minutes later. Service was friendly and fast.

I was eyeing the omelets as they were delivered to the neighboring tables so I think another trip to the Bijou Cafe is in order so that we can give one a try!

We’d love to hear about your favorite breakfast place in the Portland metro area!

Two Tarts Bakery

Two Tarts Bakery got their start in the Spring of 2007 at the Portland and Beaverton Farmer’s Market where two cookie loving sisters began selling their wares.   Their bite size cookies are no more than 2 inches in diameter,  the perfect size for popping in your mouth!  

Just over a year later they opened a retail establishment in the NW 23rd area of Portland at  2309 Kearney St., 503-312-9522.  They are closed on Monday but open Tuesday – Saturday 10:30 - 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The cookie menu changes on a regular basis rotating through 50 different recipes!

The day we visited we enjoyed a yummy lemon crumb bar, a L’il Mama which was like a homemade oreo,

…a S’mores cookie made with a yummy gingersnap, filled with homemade marshmellow and tipped in chocolate,

and a cream filled peanut butter sandwich cookie!  Yum!!  They were all lovely and delish!

The finishing details on the cookies are wonderful whether it be a  sprinkling of sea salt or  a drizzle of chocolate.

They don’t just pay attention to details with the baking at Two Tarts Bakery.  They have a special area set up for their bite size visitors too.

Not only do the cookies come in bite size but so do their little, tiny cute hot chocolate mugs!!

A baker’s dozen ($7.50) makes a perfect gift and they will even tie it up with a pretty bow for you.

So if you need some sweet treats for your sweetheart pay a visit to Two Tarts Bakery – you won’t be disappointed!

Best Breakfast } Screen Door

Our second week of searching for Portland’s best breakfast took us to Screen Door located at SE 24th and Burnside.  Screen Door is a “Celebration of Southern Cuisine.” 

Screen Door is open for dinner seven days a week but only open for brunch on the weekend.

They don’t open until 9 a.m. as they technically serve brunch not breakfast.  When we arrived at 9 a.m. this is what greeted us – a line half way around the block.  I took this as a good sign.

By the time the doors opened and the first seating was full we were in the lobby area.  I asked a couple of regulars what the trick was and they said in order to make the first seating you need to arrive no later than 8:15 a.m.

We waited for almost an hour but I had brought a book so I didn’t mind.  It gave us plenty of time to look over the menu too.   In addition to their regular menu  they have daily specials which feature local and organic.

They are known for their biscuits and gravy and other Southern fare such as grits but we opted for just a plain biscuit which was buttery and flaky, just like a biscuit should be.

Jim ordered the egg scramble and I had a wonderful Praline Bacon Waffle – yummm!!  It was amazing!!

Probably their most famous item on the menu though is the fried chicken and sweet potato waffle.  We didn’t order it but couldn’t resist taking a photo.  The photo is not great because I had to go up to a complete stranger’s table and ask to take a photo of their food so I was in a hurry.  They were very gracious and didn’t think I was too crazy. 

Three large fried chicken breasts on a waffle – amazing!!

Service was friendly and prompt and once we were seated we had our food within 15 minutes.

The Screen Door serves a great breakfast and it is definitely worth the wait!  It is going to be a top contender for the Best Breakfast in Portland I think!  I can’t wait to try it for dinner.

Bliss Bakery } Valentine’s Day

Bliss Bakery is excited for Valentine’s Day.  This one in particular marks their official 1 year anniversary!  To celebrate they are offering you two very exclusive gifts for your sweet heart.  Option 1 is a 4 pack of cupcakes in a box, tied with ribbon.  A card, rose and balloon are included all for $20!  For $5 more you can have it delivered too!

Option 2 is a cupcake a week to your sweetie for only $110.  Remind your love that they are your valentine for more than just one day in February.  What makes this even better is that your monthly cupcakes will never be the same.  Bliss bakes cupcakes for every season!  The week leading up to Valentine’s come in and see all their adorable love themed cakes and treats.

4708 NW Bethany Blvd Portland

Bliss Bakery } Storytime

Bliss Bake Shop is best known for their delicious cupcakes, made entirely from scratch!  Located in the Bethany Village Shopping Center on the west-side Bliss was established one year ago by Sarah and Jennifer.  Aside from cupcakes that are not only yummy to eat, but to look at as well; Bliss offers several other services to the community.  Among them, story-time!  I had the opportunity of attending story-time recently and was incredibly impressed by the amount of thought and care that went into it.  Our friendly storyteller didn’t just choose a random book off the shelf.  She thoughtfully chose a picture book about the great Martin Luther King Jr. The craft she prepared carefully reflected Martin Luther King Jr.’s message that what matters is what is found on the inside of a person.  As a mom I enjoyed more than quality time and a cupcake with my toddler, I left feeling a little more hopeful in what mankind is capable of.

Come enjoy storytime for yourself every Wednesday from 10-10:30 am @ Bliss Bakery located at 4708 NW Bethany Blvd Portland.

Also, watch for Wednesday’s feature about Bliss for Valentine’s Day!

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