Four Things I Learned This Week (April 21)

The Choco Taco is back at Kate’s. Starting yesterday (4/20 ha ha ha ha ha), Kate’s Ice Cream is making Choco Tacos for sale. It’s made with “gluten-free waffle cones shaped into a taco stuffed with our vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate shell and rolled in roasted peanuts.” Vegan all the way. They even have some peanut-free tacos for those who are allergic. They’ll be for sale until Sunday, April 30. 3713 NE Mississippi Avenue, Portland

There’s still a few more days for Pizza Week. Pizza Week returned this year and you can still enjoy the specials in the form of $3 slices and $20 pies through Sunday, April 23. Your options are here. One of my favorite aspects of pizza week are the puns the pizzerias come up with: “Reservoir Hogs,” “I Love You Elote,” “Mushroom: Impossible — Ricotta Protocol,” and “Is it Shawarma in here? (or is it just me?)” are a handful of great names. Various locations in Portland

Flour Market is now open 7 days a week. Flying a little under the radar, Concordia’s Flour Market is a bakery you should check out. I have had some spectacular baked goods there—the kladdkaka made with nuts was seriously addictive in taste and texture; the challah is excellent and is one of my favorite version of this bread in Portland; the dark Rugbrod offers rich flavor, serious heft, and delightful toast. I have plans to stop in for lunch for a sandwich and salad one of these days. So stop by from 8am to 2pm. Read more about Flour Market on the excellent Good Stuff NW blog. 5507 NE 30th Avenue, Portland

Lucky Horseshoe Lounge will reopen. Purchased in spring 2023 by Portland restaurant industry veterans Shan Wickham and Alan Maniscalco (owners of Rally Pizza, and founding team members of Ken’s Artisan Pizza), Lucky Horseshoe Lounge (next to the Clinton Street Theater) reopens as “an approachable Italian-inspired cocktail bar” on Friday, April 28. They will be open Thursday 3pm to 11pm, Friday & Saturday 3pm to 12pm, Sunday & Monday 3pm to 10pm (closed Tuesday and Wednesday). The food menu is available to-go, and diners are welcome to bring food to the Clinton Street Theater next door, which allows for outside food. There are seven picnic tables outside, four of which are under cover. Minors are allowed until 9pm. Hat tip to Frances Dyer for the information. 2524 SE Clinton Street, Portland

Get Your Galette des Rois in Portland in 2023

Photo credit: Petit Provence

Last year around this time I wrote about the Galette des Rois, the traditional French king cake to honor Epiphany aka Three Kings Day (January 6), and where it was available in Portland. In 2022, accessing this delicious cake—sweetened almond cream surrounded by buttery puff pastry—was limited. Happily, there are addition options this year, which I want to highlight.

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Treats for Halloween 2022 in Portland

Who here wants to ride in a watermelon vehicle driven by a pumpkin?

Halloween is almost upon us! And while October 31 is the apex of “spooky season,” it pretty much starts the “sweet season,” with candy for trick-or-treaters, themed baked goods, and pumpkin everywhere. Check out some of the local treats you can claim to make your holiday delicious.

Bee’s Cakes. Bee’s is offering a Halloween pastry box, with items like eyeball cupcakes, “cookies and scream” cake slices, and a vampire-killer brioche buns. Pre-order until Tuesday October 25 at the link on the website. “We will have some of these items in store, but to make sure you get what you want please pre order!“ beescustomcakes.com, 7137 NE Fremont Street, Portland

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Handsome Pizza and Seastar Bakery Are Closing

Inside Handsome/Seastar in those heady pre-pandemic days.

I saw the news that Handsome Pizza and Seastar Bakery are closing and my first reaction was, “no way, this can’t be true.” But it is, and now it’s time to accept it. I enjoyed my times there, eating their pizza, and attending a very interesting and memorable tomato tasting event back in 2018. They will be missed, and the comments on their Instagram post are proof as to how beloved they are in this city for their outstanding pizza and pastry work.

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