#51 | Portland Donuts

When we were getting ready to visit Portland, we heard of multiple things that we needed to do. Some of the items on that list included coffee, microbreweries, vintage stores and donuts...yep, donuts. Now if you know me personally, you'll know that I'm not a dessert guy (I'd rather eat two savoury meals). But luckily for me, I can get down with a cake or pastry every now and then so I knew this was something that I wouldn't pass on. I was told that there are tons of places to check out but there's always going to be a debate on the PDX staple - Voodoo Doughnut or Blue Star Donuts.

On the same day that we got into the city, we went to hunt down Afuri (which we had eaten in Harajuku in the fall). Right beside Afuri just happened to be Voodoo located beside a walking alley with a variety of restaurants including an old fashioned bar and an oyster restaurant. This place is known for its branding with their suggestive slogans and over-the-top donuts. Voodoo has become so popular and successful that it opened its own location in Disney World. Our friend Matt who we were with mentioned that we had to check out the place for ourselves.

The first thing that came to my mind was "punk". It wasn't only naming their donuts after rap stars and words you probably shouldn't say at a Disney resort, but the staff, decor and interior played well with the loud music and atmosphere. I thought it was really cool and the lineup out the door suggested that others thought the same. Unfortunately for me, that's where this cool factor ended. I ordered the "Voodoo Doll", a raspberry filled yeast donut with chocolate frosting and a pretzel stake to symbolize a pin. It was mediocre and I ate it as quickly as I could just so that we can could continue with our day. The experience was neat but the product isn't something I'd return for.

The day after when we exploring downtown, we decided to take a sugar break at Blue Star Donuts. These guys currently have eight locations in Oregon and three in California. The space was bright, clean and there was lots of natural light from all of the glass windows. The staff were helpful and explained to us all of the favourites that they had available and let us sample a few items as well. I went with a matcha lime donut and Aash chose a buttermilk cake donut. 

I took a bite and realized this is what I've been missing and said "this might be the best donut I've ever eaten" letting an uncontrollable smile take over my face. I've only ever had one donut that could potentially compete with this (Cartems in Vancouver) and because of that, we visited another three times. We tried other favourites from the blueberry cake to the orange olive oil, which resembled a levelled up Hostess powdered mini donut. I just ate supper and am so full, but would love if I could crush another one of these cake donuts.

If I lived in Portland, I would be tempted by this place all the time. It has an atmosphere where you can take a laptop to do some work, drink a tea and pretend contemplating ordering a donut. I'd likely end up Instagramming my donut and not get any work done. At this point it sounds like I'm being petty and complaining, but I really loved hanging out here.

My suggestion is that if you ever visit Portland, check out Voodoo to say that you went and immediately follow it up by walking five minutes to the downtown Blue Star location to get a quick dose of reality to see who really wins this "Voodoo or Blue Star?" debate.

Yours Truly

#38 | Cactus Club Cafe Opening

This past Thursday, Aashna and myself were invited to the Cactus Club's soft opening. The atmosphere is really cool, the restaurant feels warm with its lighting, fire and colours. Its well decorated with the abundance of lights, wine display, televisions and Andy Warhol images.

The restaurant is separated into three areas, the dining area, the bar and a sun room. We sat in all three areas to get a feel for what they were like. The dining area is more intimate being quiet and isolated from the other two areas and would make a good place for socializing and grabbing a meal. The sun room and bar you categorize together. A central bar with televisions is the focal point with table arrangements and a DJ around it. Aash and I even caught ourselves dancing with the bartenders to R&B and hip hop favourites. It's awesome for a late night drink and appetizers.

We spent our couple of hours at the Cactus Club drinking their Liberty School Cabernets and Jameson whiskey along with their tasty appetizers. The service was fantastic, drinks were never empty, food was brought to us in a timely fashion and everyone was happy (that was most important). The laid back environment was what I liked, people were friendly, polite and energetic. If the Cactus Club can continue to offer this environment along with good food and beverages, it will no doubt be a success in Saskatoon. We ate Szechuan chicken lettuce wraps, spicy chicken, kobe style meatballs, beef carpaccio, the BBQ duck clubhouse and a peanut butter chocolate dessert. I highly recommend the BBQ duck clubhouse (if you don't have nut allergies) and the tuna sushi cone was very good for an American styled cuisine.

 I would like to thank Cactus Club Cafe for a great first experience and you can definitely plan on having us back. The restaurant opens tomorrow, check it out and let us know what you think!

Yours Truly

#13 | Dim Sum Sundays

Dim sum is my second favourite thing about Sunday's next to my weekend sweat suits. I don't actually go every weekend, but I do a fair amount. If you have never been, it's Chinese food for breakfast and lunch. Servers bring food around on carts and visit each table asking you what you would like and you are charged per dish. It's served at restaurants like Yip Hongs and Mandarin, I recommend you try both to see what dishes and atmosphere you like more. It's a great thing to do with friends and family, it's one of those the more the merrier situations. In Chinese culture, giving and sharing food is a way of showing love and the more people there are, the more dishes you have the chance to try. The other thing I would recommend to people who have never tried dim sum before is to try and arrive around 11 pm while the food is still hot, but you can still expect to wait for a table.

Yours Truly 

#10 | Taco Tuesday at Las Palapas

Tonight, Aashna and myself went to Las Palapas for their weekly taco Tuesday after I finished work. They have three tacos to choose from for $2.50 each including a chicken, pork and bean option on a corn or wheat tortilla. If you go at a good time, you can eat affordably and enjoy the laid back atmosphere. I really like this place for its service and consistency, I have never left hungry or unhappy.

We went with a side salad, their famous coconut shrimp and an assortment of tacos. It makes a cool date spot or place to get your weekend started off right. For good feel vibes and tasty Mexican food, Las Palapas is for you!

Yours Truly

#08 | Two Gun Quiche House

Saskatoon is booming and I feel lucky enough to experience the city in this state. The Riversdale area has been popping off with new living spaces, businesses and restaurants and has gained a lot of exposure because of it. From avenue A to D, we have seen tons of coffee shops and niche restaurants including the Two Gun Quiche House.

I've been talking about trying this place for some time now. If you've never eaten quiche before, it's an open pastry egg pie with various fillings. Today we tried the spinach and feta quiche and the breakfast quiche with a side salad and their raspberry vinaigrette. Bacon, egg, cheese and green onions surrounded by a crumbly pastry makes a great breakfast in my books. We were glad that we stopped in because of their filling and savoury dishes. I recommend that you guys try it as well!

Yours Truly