Search results for

In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

Actually, the lobby of the Sapphire Hotel is as far as you’ll get when you visit these days. And for all intents and purposes, it’s far enough. The Sapphire maintains the edge its enjoyed since its inception in the early 1900s. Then a gathering place for the quirky and lightly mannered; cool before cool was cool, it now is the great-grandparent of PDX hip. The candlelit scene keeps the conversation low and the alcohol levels, therapeutic. With cocktails like: You’re Not My Real Dad, Retrosex, Winter Isn’t Coming and Floozie, what could possibly go wrong. The hotel rooms are long gone, but the kitchen still hangs around. The menu maintains a simplicity and charm of another era. An order of the salmon corn cakes with a Sapphire salad will easily sustain, but why stop there. Go for the fully-loaded Sapphire burger, have another pop and regroup for the ginger-vanilla bean creme brûlée. The best thing about the Sapphire is the hang time. It’s out on the bleeding edge of Hawthorne, so once you get out there, you’ll tend to want to linger. The atmosphere encourages it with a sharp wait staff supported by bartenders that roll the dice to delver concoctions you can’t get just anywhere. Happy hour tends to evolve into happy evening, even happy night. I’d say it was a gem, but that would be stating the obvious.

I hesitated to try it at Randy LeBlanc’s Pont Breaux Restaurant while all around me the locals dumped it on everything on their plates. It flirted with me next to the salt and pepper while others got up to dance to the lively Cajun music, but I resisted. In the morning sitting down to my eggs and sausage at the Sonnier’s Bayou Boudin Cabins in Breaux Bridge I wanted to give it a shot. With the color of Tabasco but thicker and with a subtler flavor, it tasted of tomato, paprika, garlic powder/juice and tamarind. Mommy like! By lunch at Poche’s, I went right for the garlic sauce to pour liberally over my fried alligator. On the way out I grabbed two bottles from the store shelf to take home. Now, nearly out of my supply way over in Oregon, I am starting to worry. I won’t even share with my loved ones. I tell you am in deep. This stuff starts out easy, and then you develop a fondness, and finally there are certain foods you can’t even enjoy without it. Now when I order etoufee, jambalaya or even a cheese omelet I lament the lack of garlic sauce on the table. The meal is not complete. Oh the sweet addiction! Some places make their own, some have their branding affixed to the label. Poche’s. www.poches.com has a store with all sorts of Louisiana Cajun goodies and will ship.( the answer to my prayers). Cajun Power Sauce is a manufacturer and you can check it out at www.cajunpowersauce.com

A slip of a restaurant on Burnside, Canard is the least formal of Gabriel Rucker’s restaurants (Le Pigeon, Little Bird) yet is easily the most fun. The burger is justly celebrated by local critics, publications and even local food notables like former Simpsons writer Bill Oakley, all of whom praise Rucker’s take on the White Castle slider, steamed with onions, pickles, and cheese for $6 apiece. More decadent types opt for the “duck stack,” pancakes with duck gravy and foie gras, topped with a duck egg; or the foie gras dumplings. Canard is open all day until midnight. Because of the limited number of seats and lack of reservations, popping in at an off-hour is a smart move.

Sometimes you just want get back to the basic. Pizza. Beer. More Pizza. Look for the giant slice on the side of the building. You’ll find the place no matter what state of mind you’re in. Sizzle Pie is perfectly positioned to help get that hunger monkey off your back. It’s centrally located in Downtown, sells by the NY-sized slice, and tastes extra extra good at 2 AM.

Don’t ask why. It just does. #Believe

Let’s be real here. You’re in Portland. You’ll be up late. Just don’t forget that Sizzle Pie’s got your back...or maybe the monkey does…

Most people recognize Eugene, Oregon as the home of the “Oregon Ducks” because of the sports programs at the University of Oregon. But Eugene is so much more. Take for instance the Inn at the 5th, a luxury boutique hotel built and owned by the Obie Company who developed the 5th Street Public Market next door. The hotel reminds me of the “Little Engine That Could” an endearing 1930’s children’s book teaching the value of hard work and optimism. And the Inn at 5th presents those core values to guests in a stylish and polished package.

On the North Fork of Long Island, Shinn Estate Farmhouse Inn is tucked away on a peaceful vineyard. Rooms are in the estate’s historic 1880s homestead, and guests get to experience life on the vineyard—and taste the final product in the winery’s tasting rooms. There is also a lovely front porch and gazebo for kicking back with a glass of wine. A cozy wood-burning stove in the reception area is an ideal spot on a chilly day. Breakfast here is a slow and civilized affair, starting with hot coffee and finishing with a full farmhouse hot breakfast from chef David Page, made from farm-fresh ingredients. This is the pastoral North Fork at its best, designed for lazy afternoons, sleeping in, and one too many glasses of wine.

The Evergreen Brick Works, a reclaimed quarry in the lush Don Valley, is a showcase for sustainable and green living, as well as for urban design. A community has been established in this once-derelict industrial site and former landfill. Toronto’s largest farmers’ market sets up shop on Saturdays, and spotlights food from all over the province. On Sunday, the market shifts its attention to crafts. A full schedule of activities and diversions make this a perfect weekend escape: There’s a children’s garden (with weekly programming), bike trails and rentals, and a hike that leads to a rewarding view of the city’s skyline.

Opened in 1865 as a restaurant, event space, and wine store, Café Royal quickly became a gathering spot for London’s intelligentsia and glitterati. Over the following 150 years, everyone from Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde to Muhammed Ali and David Bowie was spotted here swapping stories and hosting celebrations. Re-launched in 2012 as a hotel, Café Royal continues to serve as a vibrant hub for guests, thanks to its central location between Mayfair and Soho, a short walk from theaters, shops, and tourist attractions.

Past a stunning lobby (which recently underwent a $6.6 million re-design), the 160 rooms and suites are warm and streamlined, crafted with materials like Carrera marble, English oak, and Portland stone, and outfitted with Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems, sound proofing, rainfall showers, luxury linens, and free Wi-Fi. All rooms come with perks like complimentary John Lobb shoe shines, while the seven super-luxe Signature Suites feature things like Tudor fireplaces, deep-soaking tubs, private screening rooms, dining areas, and butler service. In keeping with the building’s gourmet history, dining and drinking options include the Laurent at Café Royal grill and sushi bar from celebrated chef Laurent Tourondel; the gilded Oscar Wilde Lounge for traditional afternoon tea service; the bright and modern Papillon for all-day dining with British-French flavors; and Green Bar for botanical-based cocktails and fine liquors. Launched in 2018 inside the Laurent restaurant, Ziggy’s bar serves expertly crafted drinks in a space that pays homage to the late David Bowie, who held a “retirement party” for his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego at the Café Royal in 1970. A spacious gym (with LifeFitness equipment, class studios, and a 60-foot lap pool) and the Akasha Spa (with sauna, hammam, and nine rooms for East-meets-West treatments) round out the facilities.

Chef Joshua McFadden is Portland’s “vegetable whisperer.” That’s no small accolade in a town where vegans roam free and farm-to-table is table stakes for most high-end restaurants. Tusk, his Middle Eastern–inflected restaurant on Burnside Street, turns out small plates under the watchful eye of his business partner, chef Sam Smith. Each dish is near reverent of its ingredients, with “Vegetables, Fruits, Grains” literally at the center of the printed dinner menu. Brunch at Tusk is a more eclectic affair, and also one of Portland’s hottest weekend seats. The bright space even makes the wait for a table a pleasant experience and one well worth the time it takes for the chance to taste the creations of one of Portland’s premier chefs.

One of the many excellent coffee roasters in Portland, Coava occupies an industrial-chic space in the Central Eastside that’s more than a spot to duck in for an espresso. The airy 13,000-square-foot operation includes training facilities, an enormous coffee silo in which beans are stored, and, of course, a retail coffee bar from which visitors can watch much of the coffee-roasting process unfold. Though Coava’s beans are proudly served at some of Portland’s best coffee shops, many of the pour-overs at its “brew bar” are available in limited quantities and not served anywhere else.

Ah, The Langham for tea? Excellent choice. You’ve dressed up, of course, and the top-hatted gentleman nods his approval before opening the door to a most glamorous afternoon tea. Tea in the Palm Court is an elegant affair. A jazz pianist provides perfect accompaniment to the clinking champagne glasses and china teacups. The discrete, well-trained staff floats among the tables delivering tray after tray of delectable sandwiches, cakes and scones. A tea sommelier stands at the ready to help you choose the perfect blend. You while away the afternoon piling feathery scones with clotted cream and preserves, sipping tea from Wedgwood cups and enjoying the the relaxed luxury of afternoon tea in Palm Court. Just when you think you can’t eat another bite, the dessert tray arrives bearing sweets almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

This is the best way to explore Portland’s budding dispensary scene. At Serra Modern Druggist’s flagship downtown location, you’ll get a one-on-one walkthrough of edibles, flower, and every other form of cannabis product imaginable. The space screams high-end retail: glass, white oak, marble, white walls, succulents and plenty of branded items. Entry is limited so that customers receive one-on-one service when they enter the store. Snag a set of “feel all the feelings” matches and prepare for a learning session with a knowledgeable docent. The overall effect is calming, as well as a fascinating window into what legalized cannabis stores will look like as they spread to other parts of the United States.

If you can’t say nyet to a convivial meal with all the trimmings, Kachka is the place to toast your fellow comrades. Surprisingly, Kachka isn’t Portland’s only Russian restaurant, but this Slavic stunner is certainly one of the best—not just among the city’s Russian restaurants but all of its dining options. There are hearty classics like beef Stroganoff, though the main draw here is the zakuski, Russian tapas that are ideally paired with many, many shots of vodka. You’ll find pickled items as well as the showstopping Herring under a Fur Coat, a Russian seven-layer dip with herring, potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, mayo, and eggs. Reservations are essential.

Portland’s only southern Thai fried chicken restaurant also happens to be the city’s best fried chicken restaurant, full stop. It helps to have one of Portland’s ambassadors of Thai cuisine, Earl Ninsom—of impossible-to-reserve Langbaan and takeout staple PaaDee—behind the counter-service concept in the cheery, narrow space where diners rub elbows with the cooks. The unique style of preparing the birds, which are rubbed with cumin, white pepper, coriander, and fresh garlic before they’re breaded with rice flour, fried, and served with fresh shallots, results in a crispy, spicy, just-light-enough flavor profile. Pair with the housemade curry and roti, mixing and matching and dipping as you go, for maximum enjoyment.