produce row

The Pale Rider (Terminal Gravity IPA & Blanton's Single Barrel)

Portlanders (and non-Portlanders, no segregation here)! Have you been to Produce Row? Criminy, my tastebuds and stomach are still recovering from the gluttony of Tuesday night.

Now there are two things you must know about me -- while I have a few grails that I hold holy (try saying that three times fast... Oh, it's easier than I thought, nevermind) two of the toppers on that list are good food and good drinks.

Produce Row apparently has a similar epicurean faith.

You should also know that while I do love me some sweets, savoury will always win out in the end. So will whiskey.

So when Maria (and her Christopher) (and later, Phillip  and Cara) said we could go anywhere I wanted to celebrate my birthday I had little thinking to do (part of the beauty of living in Portland - little thinking when trying to find good food/drinks because the foodies have taken over the city!). I'd been to PR once before with Dean, Robin, Shamoo and Dani, but you know the old saying: first the worst, second the best.... Except this is n good here because the first time was the best, the second was best-er.

Oh god, what's going to happen the third time I go there? My English professors and Creative Writing degree will weep, that's what. 

Anyway, we decided on some family-style feasting so Maria ordered this pizza situation and a Frito Pie (Fritos, Chili and cheese baked in some other heavenly fat? Yes please), Chris got a pulled pork  (which, being fairly Latin, he kept pronouncing "case-a-diLLa" which I found to be genuinely awesome) and I, being in the mood for some sinfully rich comfort food on an 85 degree evening decided on gouda macaroni & cheese with bacon. Have some. 

My Maria also insisted to both me and the server that under no circumstance was I to pay for anything and to bring me whatever I wanted to I landed on one of their beer & whiskey pairings (did you hear that correctly? BEER & WHISKEY PAIRINGS... Heaven is a place on earth). The first time I'd gone I went with The Redford which is Laurelwood Free Range Red Ale & a shot of Woodford Reserve (see, I get where they got the "red" and "ford" here, but I still prefer a good mental reference to The Sundance Kid). This time? Oh brace yourself because this time I opted for The Pale Rider (see photo above).

Ooh, happy little whiskey girl.

Peanut butter-honey-bacon-waffle-ice cream devil thing

In all, we ate too much, drank just enough and had a wonderful night of friendship around the great mini-feast of September 2011.

And a good time was had by all.