Four Things I Learned This Week (January 13)

Preorders from Shop Halo Halo for Lunar New Year are open. Lunar New Year is right around the corner (January 22) and among all the holiday offerings that are showing up, consider the Filipino treats from Shop Halo Halo for your celebration. Mooncakes and variety boxes are available. Orders will be accepted by 5pm, Sunday, January 15 (or when items are sold out).

The variety box includes two of each: taro buns, ube mochi (GF), back sesame mooncakes or two ube mooncakes (vegan), matcha sugar cookies (vegan), lavender calamansi shortbread (vegan). They’ll be setting up a pick-up station at their shop where you can pick-up your pre-orders on your choice of Saturday, January 21 between 10am and 2pm or Sunday, January 22 between 10am and 2pm. Preorder here. 4981 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland

Cooking With Whey book launch party. Claudia Lucero of Portland’s Urban Cheesecraft is celebrating the launch of her newest book, “Cooking With Whey.” It will take place on Thursday, January 19, from 6pm-8pm at Vivienne Culinary Bookstore in the Hollywood District. Your $20 ticket includes the panel discussion and a signed book. Claudia will also make the book’s whey cornbread for you. Get your tickets here. 4128 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

A la carte dining returns to Coquine. After weeks of abiding by a prix fixe menu at Coquine, they are now “offering a more casual option for full service dining titled, ‘A la Carte Coquine’.” It started up this past Wednesday and the hours will be 5pm to 8:30pm
Wednesdays through Saturdays. Here’s what you can expect:

“Featuring a menu of new and classic Coquine dishes, offered with full service dining in the restaurant. Cocktails, beer, zero-proof, options will all be available along with wine by the glass and by the bottle from our list of 450+ selections.”

Reservations are recommended, but if you’re lucky you could get a walk-in space (but really, reservation is best). You can reserve a table via Tock. 6839 SE Belmont Street, Portland

Challenges at Cloudforest. Over on their Instagram it sounds like they are meeting unexpected challenges in 2023: “We ran into a roadblock forcing us to pause our popular hot chocolate, marshmallow, and espresso service. The retail shop will continue to be open Friday-Sunday from 12-5pm offering chocolate bars, pantry items, confections, self-serve Ecuadorian brewed coffee, self-serve silky vegan Ecuadorian drinking chocolate, Ecuadorian vanilla, and packaged cookies. Our apologies for the inconvenience.”

Please consider stopping by and picking something up—their Magic Spread is one of my favorite things I put in my mouth, and their packaged bars are some of the best in Portland. Supporting them with sales helps support them. Their neighbors Mattino’s will also be open and offering tasty sustenance. I wish Cloudforest all the best as they navigate these current choppy seas. 935 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland