What to Order | Danwei Canting

If anyone ever writes a biography about me I sincerely hope it is cleverly structured around ordering. I really consider it one of my greatest strengths -- knowing how ingredients go together, accommodating everyone's needs, and having a true appreciation for (quality) fried food. 

Last week I was able to check out Danwei Canting's brand new happy hour and meet with owner James Kyle and chef Kyo Koo. 

I was really engaged by James' passion for the cuisine and his journey to open Danwei. After more than a decade of working in China and becoming fully immersed in the culture and making it home, he returned to Oregon. If you get a chance, be sure to chat with him and learn the history of different street foods, just how you go about importing the OG orange soda, and how he and Chef Koo studied and adjusted each and every dish on the menu. Seriously, find out about the burger buns!

Beibingyang aka the ORIGINAL Orange Soda!!! I don't even drink soda pop and I GULPED this down! It is so refreshing and not overly sweet. Be sure to ask the staff the story behind this one.

Want something stronger? The green tea cocktail is refreshing and dangerously delicious. Drink responsibly, as this will be a summer favorite.

 The Beijing Peanuts are crispy with a surprisingly light sauce. I was worried these would be super salty, but the balance was superb.

 Crispy tofu! Crispy tofu! Crispy tofu! The sauce was delightfully spicy and the tofu maintained a non-greasy crunch for at least one hours. What?! There was a lot of food and it took us awhile to eat.

The lamb burger is super craveable and has such a complex seasoning story. Also, if lamb is on the menu and it is good, GET IT!

I'm about to make a wildly bold statement: This is one of the best fried chickens in Portland! (I rank it right after Mae and Real M Inn) Again, the seasoning or marinade is so interesting and the crunch is what every southern grandmother dreams of. It wasn't greasy and really held up for the evening of eating.

Danwei Canting

803 SE Stark

Sunday-Thursday11:30am-9pm

Friday + Saturday 11:30am-10pm

Commissary Cafe, Greens and Selfies {What I'm Loving Now}

Commissary Cafe

Commissary Cafe is a relatively new spot in Portland and just so happens to be a few blocks from my apartment.  The coffee is robust, the food tasty and everyone who works there is so kind!  The space is truly inspiring and lust-worthy!  The giant windows and skylights keep everything light and bright, while taking in the beautifully tree-lined street.  The furnishings are simple yet memorable, lending themselves to the beautiful architectural features.  The cafe also houses a very distinct piece of mirror art.  It is a social media darling and some kind of hack is certainly in the works.  I have no doubt about that.  I am already trying to find ways to capture this "feeling" in my own home.  What spaces and shops inspire you?

Spring Meals

Spring has arrived in Portland and I certainly don't hate it!  The days have been sunny, it gets greener every day and the happiness is radiating from everyone's face!  We have also had rather consistent evening rain storms which smell fantastic.  

Another perk of Spring is the light, healthy,  and yummy meals.  Last night I prepared artichokes and warmed up a medley of olives.  It was very easy and felt like such a special treat.  My friend who joined us for dinner had never had artichokes outside of dip.  How do you like your artichokes?  Do you have a favorite Spring meal?

Sunday Selfies

Selfies aren't really my thing.  I would much rather share pictures of my food or environment, not my mug.  I don't mind being in group photos taken by others, or, even orchestrating said shot.  This past Sunday, after lots of cleaning and a light work out I snuggled up with my roommates dog, Athena, while we all chatted.  Snuggles are to Athena, like selfies are to me.  So, this show of affection and quality snuggle time needed to be captured.  Hey, if Athena is willing to go out of her comfort zone to make me happy, I can go out of mine to photograph the milestone!  Do you selfie?

Paris in Portland with Peachbuzzed

I always factor in the restrooms when judging a restaurant.  I think it says a lot about the establishment.  Do the owners care about the little details?  Is hygiene a top priority?  Do they remember patron's needs -- good lighting and dry shampoo-- when hitting the loo?

This past weekend I was able to have lunch at Maurice with my friend Peaches!  The bathroom is absolutely fantastic!  The most charming translations of "Attention" have been painted throughout.  Its bright, fresh and cheery!

Oh, wait!  The food!  Yes, yes!  It was fantastic!!!  Hence, why the exclamation mark count for this review is off the charts.  While this is a new addition to the Portland food scene I had heard a lot of great things. It did not disappoint!  Every last detail was pure perfection.  Not at all pretentious.  But so very inspiring. 

We each started off with drip coffees.  They were tasty and certainly woke me up.  

The cups and silver creamer were a great touch!

I had the Lefse with Gravlax, Creme Fraiche and Caviar.  

It was a bright and fresh dish; not at all fishy.

Peaches had chicken pot pie's fancy, elegant, gourmet cousin.  And a cutie.  Never forget the deliciousness of a cutie.  

We split one of the most delicious pastries I have ever consumed.  Paris status pastry magic!  If a donut married a brioche roll and lived in a house made of eclairs and nutella this is what it would produce.  And it would be called, perfection! 

In addition to the fantastic food and snazzy salle de bain, the service was top notch!  Our server, James, was an absolute delight.  He was funny, knowledgeable and completely tolerated my obsession with the bathroom.  The owner and food artist Kristen kindly answered all of my questions about her food, social media accounts, the bathroom, and, the beautiful plates.  She is truly passionate about Maurice, and it shows in every detail.

One more for posterity's sake!