Portland food news and views
If you can believe it, there’s only three weeks until The Benson Hotel will unveil its 2024 gingerbread masterpiece. More than simply a “gingerbread house,” it’s an annual epic piece of edible art, and more proof that the holiday season is upon us.
Continue reading “Meet the Benson Hotel’s 2024 Gingerbread Masterpiece on December 3”The 52nd Annual Gingerbread Masterpiece at The Benson Hotel. At 6pm on Wednesday night, The Benson Hotel revealed their annual gingerbread house—a giant replica of Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle—at a free event for kids (of all ages). It featured, of course, the amazing gingerbread castle, along with holiday music, children’s crafts, cookies, beverages, and a special appearance by Santa. Check it out in their lobby—it will be up until Saturday, December 30. 309 SW Broadway, Portland
Wonderwood Springs has re-opened. You can stop by this cafe, now run by Mike Bennett and continuing to feature his cartoon art, in the St Johns neighborhood. The cafe closed for a while as the business transferred ownership (and some former employees were dismayed by the process), but now it’s back. I visited them in their previous incarnation and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed in the food options. Happily, it looks like the food aspect of the cafe has evolved: Pastry Chef Victoria Ascencio is making a variety of things in-house, and there are new savory options on the menu. Look for pastries, breakfast sandwiches, popcorn, hot dogs, pretzels, cheese plates and more. They are open Wednesdays to Sundays from 8am to 10pm. 8811 N Lombard Street, Portland
A Franz Bakery outlet store is closing. Reported on Facebook about the closing: “The Franz Bakery Outlet Store at 14510 SE Stark Street ([open]since 1980) [is closing]. Other locations will remain open. Last day for this store will be December 6th.” 14510 SE Stark Street, Portland
New holiday drink menu at My-O-My drops tomorrow. Glad to see more seasonal drinks being developed at this great east Portland bar. One of the new drinks is the Frosted Candy Cane Slushie, which happens to be non-alcoholic. It’s made with coconut milk, white chocolate, milk chocolate, and peppermint. If you want to make it boozy, they recommend adding Rumplemintz. I can’t wait to see the rest of their festive holiday cocktail menu! 8627 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
The Woodsman Tavern is back. That’s right, after three years on hiatus, this beloved spot is back. They are now open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 4 to 10pm; Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11pm; happy hour is 4 to 6pm each day. Look for cask ales, stiff cocktails, a raw bar, a wedge salad and a serious burger, among other things. 4537 SE Division Street, Portland
Find Your Gingerbread Dreams at The Benson Portland. On Wednesday, December 1 they unveiled the 2021 Gingerbread Masterpiece—a 4-foot by 8-foot Christmas village, complete with a 3-foot, 45-pound lit up iced tree in the center—on the event’s 50th anniversary. And even if you missed the official reveal, you can still visit the gingerbread house—it will be on display in the hotel lobby through December 26. 309 SW Broadway, Portland
Adios, Stacked Sandwich Shop. Another one bites the pandemic dust: “After struggling through the past 2 years of the pandemic, we looked at the rising labor cost, food cost, meat prices, and supply chain issues; and have decided to go out on our terms on a high note!” Stacked Sandwich Shop will close on Sunday, December 19. More details via PoMo. 1643 SE 3rd Avenue, Portland
Christmas treats at Sebastiano’s. Head on over to the Sebastiano’s Tock page to see what they have in store for the Christmas season via special order. One thing that caught my eye is the Cassata al Forno (not to be confused with Cassata Siciliana)—“a Sicilian cake filled with ricotta cream, orange zest, and chocolate chips.” Yes, it sounds kind of like a cannoli, which Sebastiano’s also does very, very well. 411 SE 81st Avenue, Portland
Bonus: head to the Fremont Holiday Fest this afternoon. The Fremont Holiday Fest starts at 4pm and goes to 7pm. Hang out on Fremont Street from NE 42nd to NE 46th Avenues, get a selfie with Santa and Mrs. Claus, do some shopping, and enjoy hot cocoa and snacks while listening to live music. You can also pick up a wreath. Sounds like a great time!
