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.

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Our first stop was Deschutes Brewery where we had two flights of their best and most popular beers. Some notable favorites include their balanced, chocolaty and extremely creamy flagship Black Butte Porter, the distinct Sweet Tides Saison with pear and earthy notes, and the surprising Gin and Cinn with it’s notes of ginger and cinnamon.

After Deschutes we ventured down the snow-covered streets to Rogue Ales and Distillery where their Cold Brew IPA stood heads and shoulders above the rest of the beers on tap. This balanced IPA featured distinct fresh coffee notes and aromas that awoke the senses while giving smooth over-notes to a slightly bitter IPA base, a creative and balanced beer that was perfect to enjoy on a snowy early afternoon.

Across the street from Rogue was the breath taking 10 Barrel Brewing Co, a pilgrimage I knew I had to take ever since I reviewed their impeccable DUB double India Pale Ale last year.

Their flagship west coast IPA Apocalypse was superb but was overshadowed by the taproom exclusive Pearl IPA and it’s juicy tropical fruit notes. The surprising Saison Trois featured two dueling yeasts in one beer that resulted in a dynamic and challenging saison that defied expectations resulting in a satisfying and refreshing multi-dimensional brew. My favorite however was the Merry Krampus; it stole the show with its spicy base with a smooth malt profile.

The next day we followed a friend’s advice and went to Fat Head’s Brewery, one I was not familiar with before the trip. Their most surprising beer the Gin Barrel Aged Headhunter IPA where juniper notes from the barrel infused an already delicious IPA creating a depth of flavor that I was not expecting in any way. Another standout was the Spooky Tooth Imperial Pumpkin Ale where pumpkin tastes balanced perfectly with brown sugar and other winter spices; it was a perfect slow sipper for such a cold and frozen day.

The Commons Brewery was a great European beer inspired operation with the best Farmhouse and Wild Ales I have ever had. Each iteration was creative and unique yet perfect to style and balanced. I could imagine no beers on earth that would go better with a fresh grilled german sausage.

The best brewery by far was the one we visited last due to a whole hearted recommendation from one of the employees at Commons. Far away from the bustle of the city we found this small and hidden brewery tucked away in the basement below a marketing firm in an average office building. The tiny Upright Brewing was so small it set its few tasting tables between the working fermentors, barrels, and bottling line. The Sideline Saison is 80% triticale saison and 20% barrel aged ale brewed from brettanomyces yeast; it was a floral and sweet brew that drank easy yet revealed different notes in every sip. The Winter IPA is brewed in open containers adding wild yeast to the already multi faceted saison yeast with the balanced hop profile creating an accessible beer that everyone can enjoy. The best beer by far was the Belgium Wild Ales inspired Fantasia. Here orchard yeast is used in whole fruit beer and barrel-aged to perfection; this beer is true winter bliss.

Our trip was one for the record books where brewery after brewery was amazing and beer culture permeated every facet of our experience. If you are a true beer lover be sure you make the pilgrimage to the brew heaven that is Portland Oregon. Be sure to adventure regularly and enjoy the beer while you do it.

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