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!

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

Nuestra Cocina

name
Nuestra Cocina

website
http://www.nuestra-cocina.com

cuisine
upscale mexican (yes i realize this is an oxymoron)

quadrant
SE

where exactly
2135 SE Division St

what's unique
specialty margaritas are served in wine glasses but oh so delicious

what to order
anything with the red mole sauce - spicy and flavorful; for dessert, definitely order the chocolate pound cake with cinnamon ice cream

fun fact
restaurant is designed to have an open kitchen - you can eat at the counter overlooking the kitchen, which i definitely recommend for a fun experience

my short and sweet opinion
great upscale mexican cuisine, which can be hard to find; great atmosphere

pros
menu, nightly specials, margaritas, open kitchen, dessert

cons
they provide complimentary, small, handmade corn tortillas with salsa - very good but they don't give you enough tortillas

Ken's Artisan Pizza

name
Ken's Artisan Pizza

website
http://www.kensartisan.com/pizza

cuisine
Sit-down pizza restaurant

quadrant
SE

where exactly
304 SE 28th Ave (at corner of Pine St.)

what's unique
Ken's also has a bakery located in the NW (Ken's Artisan Bakery)

what to order
any pizza - they are all amazing; make sure to pair with a bottle of red

fun fact
voted #10 restaurant in Portland for 2007 by Portland Monthly magazine

my short and sweet opinion
yum! yum! yum! and great in the summer when all the windows are open

pros
great atmosphere, high quality pizza, variety of wine options, yummy desserts

cons
hmm, it's far from the bakery? (not really a con, it is definitely worth the drive)