Today is a day of mourning for me. The last two remaining Coffee People locations will shutter permanently today at Portland International Airport. At the top of their game, circa late 1990s, there were about 40 Coffee People stores and Motor Mokas in the Portland area. The owners slid from the top of their game in 1997 when they sold Coffee People to two large chains in 1997 and again in 1998. The final sale was to Starbucks in 2006. The coffee behemoth dismantled all of the Coffee People and Motor Moka locations, save for the final two airport kiosks.
Tag Archives: Portland
yoyogi cocktail
I think I’ve found my favorite cocktail of 2016, and that’s saying a lot because I love cocktails. I first sipped the Yoyogi at Noraneko, a restaurant located in Portland where I live. The restaurant is billed as a ramen shop, but their Japanese appetizers and traditional comfort foods are what dominate the menu. What gets me excited about Noraneko is their bar program. They have an extensive selection of traditional Japanese whiskeys and mixed drinks on the menu. Continue reading yoyogi cocktail
kachka’s short rib borscht
Kachka is having a bit of a moment in Portland. It’s a sweet little Russian restaurant with a chef who’s elevating what I used to consider bland, heavy food. Truth be told, Russian food can be heavy, but to me it’s perfect for the rainy, chilly days we’ve been having for the last few months in the Pacific Northwest. Continue reading kachka’s short rib borscht
tasty n alder’s radicchio salad
If you live in Portland and like food, chances are you’ve dined at one of the restaurants in chef John Gorham’s portfolio of awesomeness. I first learned of Tasty n Sons in Bon Appetit magazine when I lived in the Bay Area. A few years ago when I was visiting in Portland from the Bay Area, I insisted that a group of my friends and I wait in the excruciatingly long weekend brunch line at Tasty n Sons. I really dislike waiting in line for food, and usually draw the line at an hour wait. However, my rule of no waiting for food seems to get thrown out the window when it comes to John Gorham’s restaurants. Continue reading tasty n alder’s radicchio salad
moonstruck strikes again
A couple of months ago I was at an event where I tasted liquid gold. It was in the form of drinking chocolate, from a carton no less. A good quality chocolate milk from a carton, you ask? I was surprised, but in retrospect, I should have expected no less from my favorite Portland chocolate company, Moonstruck. There are a lot more hip, up-and-coming chocolates to be had in Portland these days, but Moonstruck is just good, and has stood the test of time. Continue reading moonstruck strikes again
put the lime in the coconut
What seems like overnight, spring has hit Portland. Cherry blossoms and daffodils are blooming throughout the city and local tulips in vases are strewn throughout my house. One day it’s 73 degrees and sunny and the next it’s overcast and rainy. Yep, spring is here. Continue reading put the lime in the coconut
keeping cozy
Hello! It’s been a while since my last dispatch. A lot has happened: a move from the Bay Area to Portland, unpacking, settling into both a new house and a new pace of life. How’s that for an excuse for not writing? Continue reading keeping cozy
planks and sticks 