Vivace

name
Vivace

website
???

cuisine
Crepes

quadrant
NW

where exactly
1400 NW 23rd Avenue

what's unique
crepes and coffee in an old victorian house

what to order
crepes, of course

fun fact
free wireless (not that 'fun', but useful)

my short and sweet opinion
great place to do any sort of computer work while enjoying yummy crepes

pros
great atmosphere, cozy, easy parking, patio seating

cons
sometimes crowded, a bit small, no website (at least not that i can find)

Jace Gace

name
Jace Gace

website
http://www.jacegace.com/

cuisine
Waffles

quadrant
SE

where exactly
2045 SE Belmont

what's unique
waffles, beer, & art ... enough said.

what to order
waffles, both savory and sweet, are unusual and tasty

fun fact
according to the website, "jace gace was one hell of a hang glider pilot..."

my short and sweet opinion
go with someone who can appreciate this eclectic space, and share one savory waffle and one sweet waffle

pros
great for a cozy, late morning saturday breakfast indulgence

cons
hours of operation are 8am-3pm everyday - i figured the beer and art would keep them open later

Pizzicato

name
Pizzicato

website
http://www.pizzicatopizza.com/

cuisine
Gourmet Pizza

quadrant
NW (plus several location throughout portland and beyond)

where exactly
NW 23rd & Glisan (visit website for other locations)

what's unique
a lot of their pizzas

what to order
everything is good, but try something other than the typical pepperoni, they do specialty pizza well

fun fact
hmm...don't have one at this time

my short and sweet opinion
great place for a low key date or just to have dinner with friends

pros
multiple locations, large menu, outside seating, good service; they also have beer and wine

cons
a little pricey for pizza, but remember that it is gourmet pizza, and more of a sit-down experience ... definitely worth the cost

Saint Cupcake

name
Saint Cupcake

website
http://saintcupcake.com

cuisine
Cupcake Speciality Shop

quadrant
NW

where exactly
407 NW 17th Ave.

what's unique
nothing other than the fact that this is a cupcake only place and you better be ready to pay a pretty penny for them

what to order
whatever your sweet tooth desires

fun fact
hmmm...cupcakes are fun...enough said

my short and sweet opinion
i have tried a variety of cupcake specialty shops, and this one is definitely at the top of the list - they do both the cake and the frosting just right

pros
yummy cupcakes in both mini and regular sizes; they also have vegan options

cons
it's easy to miss when you are driving by - it is very pink (you would think this would make it easy to find but it's hidden behind the many trees that line NW streets) and it's on the corner of 17th and Flanders

Mint & 820

name
Mint & 820

website
http://www.mintand820.com

cuisine
Northwest Bistro

quadrant
NoPo

where exactly
816 North Russell

what's unique
Mint is the trendy, yet cozy restaurant, while 820 is the adjacent lounge, connect in the middle and each with their own entrances

what to order
one of their many unique cocktail concoctions

fun fact
owner Lucy Brennan released her book "Hip Sips" containing her unique cocktail recipes for wannabe mixologists to try at home

my short and sweet opinion
upscale, swanky ambiance on the east side of portland, but without the swanky, pretentious attitude

pros
variety of unique cocktails, for McMenamins go-ers there is the White Eagle bar next door, parking is easy

cons
can be crowded, especially in the lounge

Paley's Place

name
Paley's Place

website
http://www.paleysplace.net


cuisine
Northwest Bistro

quadrant
NW

where exactly
1204 NW 21st Ave.

what's unique
Paley's is set inside a NW style home that has been converted into a very welcoming epicurean environment

what to order
anything and everything

fun fact
voted #1 restaurant in Portland for 2007 by Portland Monthly magazine

my short and sweet opinion
amazingly fresh ingredients used in combination with each other to create wonderful flavors in every dish

pros
everything

cons
it's spendy, but well worth it; definitely need to make reservations almost any night of the week

Screen Door

name
Screen Door

website
http://www.screendoorrestaurant.com

cuisine
southern comfort food

quadrant
East Burnside

where exactly
2337 E Burnside St.

what's unique
praline covered bacon strips for breakfast - order it!

what to order
praline bacon and anything on the breakfast menu

fun fact
???

my short and sweet opinion
i have only had breakfast here and i highly recommend it for a fabulous weekend brunch

pros
brunch is offered on both saturday and sunday, until 2pm; even though it is crowded (and you will have to wait for a table), they move people through very quickly, so while a large lingering crowd outside the restaurant may discourage you, the wait is

cons
like i said, it is crowded for brunch but the wait isn't too bad and it is definitely worth the wait; other than that, not much else i can think of ... enjoy!