Eminently sophisticated yet decidedly unconventional, Portland, Oregon has enjoyed unprecedented attention in recent years, garnering kudos for everything from its stellar restaurants to its fervent embrace of “green” environmental practices and visionary urban planning. Oregon’s largest metropolis lies at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, in a fertile valley that’s within a 90-minute drive of rugged Pacific beaches, snowy mountain peaks, and celebrated Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris vineyards. It’s an easy city to explore extensively, with an efficientnetwork of light rail, streetcars, and buses providing access to Portland’s wealth of verdant parks, offbeat outlying neighborhoods, acclaimed brewpubs, and edgy performing and visual arts venues.
5… Cart food: You know you want it
Foodies wax rhapsodic about Portland’s astoundingly varied and accomplished culinary scene. In this food-obsessed city, you can eat extremely well without spending a fortune. The best bargains come from a relatively unexpected source, the humble food cart. In Portland, these squat, low-frills take-away spots line several downtown blocks. You’ll find notable cart colonies at S.W. Alder St. at S.W. 10th Ave., and S.W. Stark St. at S.W. 5th Ave. And they serve everything from Bosnian meatballs to Korean-fusion barbecue tacos.
Across the Willamette River in the hipster-infested Hawthorne neighborhood, a cluster of food carts (S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. and S.E. 12th Ave.) has become ground-zero for cheap, gourmet noshing on the fly. Consider the hand-held savory and sweet crepes served at Perriera Creperie, which also concocts luscious honey-lavender milkshakes. Next door, Potato Champion doles out crisp Belgian-style frites topped with rosemary-truffle ketchup, as well addictive gravy-laden fries also known as the French Canadian delicacy poutine. Across the lot, you can sample everything from oyster po’boys at Bubba Bernie’s BBQ to sublimely delicious cherry turnovers at Whiffies Fried Pie Cart. Worried about finding time to check out this finger-food paradise? Fear not – most of the carts are open from lunchtime until 3 AM.
4… Get booked and caffeinated like a local
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