The Waiting Room specializes in southern-style American comfort food and oysters in a quaint converted house that feels both homey and modern at the same time. While the dinner looks amazing it is their brunch that is something to behold; it is only served on Sundays from 10am to 3pm so the dining room fills quickly after opening. I had their amazing chicken biscuit sandwich that defied all of my expectations; the chicken was perfectly fried and seasoned so that is was flavorful and extremely filling without being overly greasy nor rich. My partner had the fried oyster hash and their unique frying process allowed for all the smokiness and flavors of the oysters to be fully preserved. We were even lucky enough to meet chef/owner who walked us through our meals and his process for each. The Waiting Room is easily the best brunch in Portland.

Lúc Lác is an experience I will never forget with its on-point cheap and fresh Vietnamese fare and small space that was decorated beautifully. There was a line out the door by 6pm but what was waiting for us on the other side was well worth it, so well worth it that the rules are strictly enforced:

I had the Grilled Pork Bánh mì and it was simply otherworldly. The fresh french baguette was crispy on the outside but pillow soft on the inside, a strangely macabre vestige of France’s colonial days in the region. The pork was perfectly seared and some of the most moist and flavorful I have ever had, all tied together by crisp and farm fresh veggies that gave real dimension to my new favorite sandwich. Be sure to get there during happy hour to enjoy one of their great creative cocktails at a low price.

For one more brunch we went to Besaws, a recently re-opened version of a previously existing restaurant. The space was a simple minimalist agrarian theme with jars of pickled vegetables lining the shelves. The dining tables were full with a long wait when we arrived but my partner and I were easily able to find room at the bar. I had an amazing coffee based cocktail called The Early Bird to start that was the best of both brunch drink worlds; caffeine and booze which was creamy and multidimensional. For food I had the perfectly prepared chicken fried steak and eggs that was both delectable and served in huge portions with a side of the roasted potatoes whose recipe I would kill for.

Finally I cannot talk about the Portland food scene without mentioning their sprawling and flowering food truck district. I do not recall the name of the truck I visited on a horrifically cold Martin Luther King Jr. day but they served the best Iraqi Shawarma that I have ever had. Nothing beats just walking along the rows of top tier food trucks and picking whatever meets your current fancy.

I advise you to immediately visit Portland in order to enjoy the Mecca that is their craft beer and food scene. No other city beats it.

The post The Unmatched Portland Food Scene appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The Master Chef – A master chef is nothing without their recipes. Rifle Paper Co. Citrus Floral Recipe Box is a great way to keep those unforgettable family meals. Retail Price – $34.00USD, www.riflepaperco.com

The Foodie – A taste for fine cuisine and spreads? Uncommon Good’s Wine Jelly’s mix of life greatest luxuries red and white wine with fruit. The handcrafted delectable jellies come in two options. Savour her taste buds with Cabernet & Cracked Pepper and Rosemary Garlic Chablis or please her sweet tooth with Spiced Wine and Burgundy Anise.  Retail Price – $14.00USD. www.uncommongoods.com

The Beverage Enthusiast – Forget about the messy cups and plastic lids. Oxford Eve’s Tea Infuser Glass Tumbler with Bamboo Lid is a beverage drinker’s dream. It’s two in one infusion unit provides an option to enjoy your fruit infused water or drink your afternoon loose leaf tea. Whatever suits her fancy is a sure win for you. Retail Price – $26.95USD. www.amazon.com

The Zen Master – Locate and center her chakras on a Manduka’s Prolite Mat Limited Edition and Yogitoes denim collection towel. Made with high quality, absorbent and eco-friendly material, sweating never felt so good. Retail Price – $98.00USD for Prolite Mat Limited Edition; $64.00USD for Yogitoes Denim Collection Towel. www.manduka.com

The Fitness Queen – A fitness queen knows how to stay on top of her fitness game. The Fitbit Alta not only helps you track your workouts, calories and sleep. It’s also a chic athleisure accessory with interchangeable band options. Retail Price – $169.95USD. www.fitbit.com

Keep Calm –  Wrap up her day with a much needed wellness pack. Lush Cosmetics –  Just for Mom specially curated bath and body gift set will pamper her every need. Retail Price – $59.95USD. www.lushusa.com

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In these travels, the food-voice of the area is often well defined, with small variations here and there on the main dishes, but the commonality of many of the places serving noticeable.  Until I visit New Orleans, I thought very naively that this was how it was in most cities.

I thought wrong.

Many of you had recommendations on where to eat prior to this adventure, listing off the places I had to visit, sending tips through all forms of medium, and helped me build what I thought would be a great road map to follow.  Each suggestion researched and taken into account; I thought it would be a breeze to discover the best.

I had three days in New Orleans, and by the end of the first, my taste buds were already on the roller coaster of a lifetime, unable to define the melting pot of flavors, techniques, styles, backgrounds, and options that had been presented.  From the modern techniques and inspired meals at Carrollton Market to the beyond-craft menu of the drinks offered at Loa Bar in the International House Hotel, and even to the iconic Brennan’s, the food was so exceptionally amazing and wonderful, unique and creative, that it was an eye opener for me.

The mixture of French and Creole cooking, alongside English traditional, Southern comfort, and Caribbean spices, brought together by natives and expats alike in their own, unique styles was amazingly overwhelming.

And as I went on this culinary whirlwind, it was clear that this was not just the standard tourist’s fare often found in popular cities, but the food of the people, the food that represented the city and its melting pot of cultures, ideals, and history.  I could not look around a corner and not see another restaurant, shack, or stand that wasn’t serving something that just enticed and drew me in.  The smells, the sounds, the people, and all their passion behind the food and traditions, be it new or old, made the experience even more a wonder.

But to pick a favorite, to sit back and feel that there was one meal that represented the city best; now that is a challenge.  Many visitors would pick Café du Monde, and others would go for Brennan’s; I feel there are two joints, together, that just represented the forward thinking, tradition following, and rogue atmosphere of New Orleans.  Cochon and its neighbor Cochon Butcher, both dominating the gallery below, stand out as the best representation.

Now, I know some of you might be shifting in your seats, writing me hate mail, or otherwise cursing my name with that bold claim, but hear me out.  Sitting down at the table inside Cochon, looking around, I didn’t see the standard tourists.  Instead, I saw business people, couples, and locals enjoying their lunches and each other’s company.  Right away, you knew this was a local’s joint, and with that, the idea that it serves local food is automatic.  Second, each of the dishes brought out, from the ham knuckles to the desserts, were magnificently prepared, utilizing old techniques and flavors that felt like a melting pot in each of the bites.  And next door at Butcher, where fresh Boudin was made in front of me and served still warm, all at the hands of one of the most skilled butchers I have had the pleasure of speaking with, I couldn’t help but feel that, at that lunch, that meal, I had found New Orleans.

What can I say?  I walked away from this adventure full, thinking of the hours ahead of me in the gym to make up for the copiousness of food and flavors, knowing full well each moment burning it all off was worth it.  I found, in these culinary treats, my New Orleans, my where to eat, my centering point that will always call me back, be my point to start and probably end each trip to the area, and it became this foodie’s dream come true.

To book your trip to New Orleans, visit VisitNewOrleans.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. The opinions and text are all mine.

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