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)

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

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

Bay 13

name
Bay 13

website
http://www.bay13restaurant.com

cuisine
seafood, sushi, northwest

quadrant
NW (the pearl district)

where exactly
701 NW 13th Ave.

what's unique
this trendy restaurant used to be a loading dock and offers both a sushi bar and fresh seafood, with a late night sushi sake happy hour

what to order
raw oysters and ceviche

fun fact
the owners of Bay 13 are the same people who own Paragon which is located just a block south

my short and sweet opinion
pearl-esque atmosphere with a great bar that offers yummy specialty cocktails and a welcoming environment

pros
raw oysters are very fresh, as is the ceviche which changes daily

cons
they are on their 3rd chef in a year, which isn't necessarily a good sign but it appears they may have found a good one this time; the cuisine i have indulged in has been fresh and delicious thus far

Blossoming Lotus

name
Blossoming Lotus

website
http://www.blpdx.com

cuisine
Vegan cafe

quadrant
NW (the pearl district)

where exactly
925 NW Davis St.

what's unique
located inside the Yoga Pearl studio

what to order
spicy avocado sandwich

fun fact
there are only 2 Blossoming Lotus locations - Portland & Kauai

my short and sweet opinion
great for lunch on a sunny Portland day

pros
yummy food that's good for you, and conveniently located inside a yoga studio

cons
limited seating, especially since this is a popular place

Ten 01

name
Ten 01

website
http://www.ten-01.com

cuisine
hmm...Northwest maybe?

quadrant
NW (the pearl district)

where exactly
1001 NW Couch St.

what's unique
great happy hour - oysters on the half shell are $1.00 instead of $2.00

what to order
oysters on the half shell, mac 'n' cheese, truffle fries

fun fact
restaurant originally opened to not so hot reviews, but quickly turned around and has been recognized as the restaurant that made the best turnaround and now receives positive reviews

my short and sweet opinion
I have only been here for happy hour but have indulged in quite a variety of dishes that definitely make me want to return for dinner.

pros
happy hour, atmosphere, lounge/bar area, location

cons
hmm...not sure i found any during my happy hour experiences at Ten 01