Food and Travel

Reader Writes:

Dear Devan,

What would you recommend to do if we visited Seattle or Portland?

Dear Pacific Northwest Traveler,

This is a place I still call home. If you plan to travel to Portland or Seattle, there is a lot to do and a lot to eat. Some suggestions I have is to go during either in spring, summer, or early fall. This will allow you to venture out more without being in the rain. Unless you like the rain, then you can assure there will be lots of it in the fall and winter.

If you're traveling to Portland here are some places I recommend:

1. Multnomah Falls - A perfect sight seeing adventure with a nice hike right up to the waterfall. Its a great place to get some exercise and enjoy nature. Nature is a big part of the Pacific Northwest, so if you like fresh air and lush forests then you'r in the right place.

2. Papa Haydn's- One of Portland's top dessert places, if you're looking to get some late night dessert and go to a very nice elegant neighborhood, then this restaurant on NW 23rd st. in downtown Portland is a perfect place to go.

3. Hotcake House - A Portland original for a hearty breakfast. Its a perfect place to get off to a great morning. I recommend the Chicken Fried Steak, but you can't really go wrong with most of the breakfast items.

4. Portland City Grill - It's a great place to go for late-night happy hour because it has a great view of Portland. On top of Portland's US bank tower, on a clear night you can't ask for a better view of Downtown Portland.

5. Voodoo Donut's - This is a total Portland original, it's been on many Food network shows, and does have delicious donuts. From cereal on your donuts to peanut butter and chocolate, this place is very eclectic.

6. Tillamook Cheese Factory - Locate 1.5 hours away from Portland its where fresh ice cream, cheese, and delicious beef jerky is made. It's located on the Oregon Coast, where you can also visit some nice beaches such as Seaside, Lincoln City, and my favorite Canon Beach.

So now, that if you'd like to go to Seattle from Portland, the drive is about 2.5-3 hours. Seattle is also a very eclectic city with lots to eat and do. Though Seattle and Portland are very similar in appearance both have their own unique characteristics. Some places I highly recommend:

1. Pike Place Market - If you love organic fruits and vegetables, this is a perfect place to go. It's like having a year-round farmers market. This is where you'll see full salmon thrown to be bagged each time someone purchases one. Fresh, is their motto. As you walk down this street there are cheese, wine, and chocolate shops to choose from. If you like Lox and a Bagel, this is perfect place to get one at the Three girls bakery.

2. Salumi - If you want to have some salami sandwiches, check out this hand made salami store. It is founded and started by Mario Battali's father, and if you love some italian cured meat here's a place you need to try.

3. Space Needle - If you've never been to the space needle, this is a tourist haven for pictures. If you'd like a great view of Seattle, you can't go wrong.

4. Trophy Cupcakes - For those cupcake lovers, this is a great cupcake place. It has unique decor and you won't foget their delightful cupcakes. One of the better cupcakes that I've had.

It's hard to describe all to do in the Pacific Northwest in short amount of time, but I hope this gives you some ideas. You can't go wrong going to either of these cities, because the downtowns are fairly small, but definitely great. I may be a little biased, but I always have a special place in my heart for the Pacific Northwest.

Safe Travels and Good Eating,

Sincerely,

Devan

Dear Readers:

Next time you're on the Las Vegas Strip and looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion keep Aureole in mind. It's another one of Charlie Palmer's great restaurants. Located in Mandalay Bay it is a hidden gem if you were to judge a book by it's cover. Inside the restaurant there were high ceilings accented by an impressive wine tower.

If you purchased a bottle of wine, a wine angel puts on a harness and skies to the top to grab your bottle from the tower of wine. With over a couple thousand wines to choose from, you'll be sure to select something you like. All wine menus are digitized so you can select your choice with a stylus and it will be brought right to your table. They have a great wine selection as well as a delicious food menu. All dinners are served as 3-7 full course meals. If you tell them that you are celebrating a special occasion, they will add a special touch to your dinner, and I'd have to say, it was quite unique.

As for the food, the Colorado Rack of Lamb was perfectly cooked, and served alongside lamb shoulder braised to perfection and stuffed into an eggplant. The desserts ranged from Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle to Orange Creamsicle Parfait. If you choose to dine here, please have an empty stomach, from appetizer to dessert you're stomach will leave pleased.

So next time you're in Las Vegas and want to decide where to go for some good food as well as a great ambiance, make reservations at Aureole or you can check out their website at www.aureolelv.com

Good Dining,

Sincerely,

Devan

Dear Readers,

If you're looking for some fresh food with a unique ambiance try to come out to one of LA's most historical locations. I'm talking about the Los Angeles Farmers Market located on 3rd and Fairfax. It's a perfect place for a day adventure. It's full of good local foods, including Maggie's for Corned Beef, Bob's for Donuts, and E.B.s for some beer. These are just a few of the places I tried and each place had its own delicious characteristics.

I recently went here again, and its the Market's 75th anniversary. Each month they have special foods as well as live music on the weekends. So, if you're looking for a simple day date this is a great place to go. You can have lunch in the Farmer's market, walk around and if you feel like you've done too much talking there's movie theater nearby at the Grove.

There is truly a unique ambiance to this place. It's the only farmer's market I know that is open everyday and able to maintain large crowds on the weekend. You'll be sure to see a lot of locals coming here in the morning to grab a cup of coffee, read the morning paper, or simply people watch. The food here is prepared with local ingredients however, maintains a international variety. From the Churascaria of Brazil to the Banana Leaves of Singapore, you can really see how Los Angeles is melting-pot of all cultures at the Farmers Market.

If you're in the Los Angeles Area, put this one down in your travel spots. It is a local favorite amongst all the glitz and glamour nearby. If you'd like more information here's the website for the farmer's market. www.farmersmarketla.com .

For all you corned beef lovers, in Late March in honor of St. Patricks Day, there will be a day where vendors are emphasizing corned beef and cabbage. There will be a lot of corned beef and live music through out those weeks.

Enjoy the food,

Sincerely,

Devan

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the weekend edition of Dear Devan. Each weekend I'll recommend a restaurant that I've been to in the past to give you, the reader, a possible choice if you happen to ever be in that area. I spoke with a friend recently, while him and his wife were at this world-class pizza joint in Chicago, Illinois which has inspired my first recommendation.

I'm referring to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. The pizza here is "to die for," This is one of Chicago's original deep-dish pizzerias, but it is unique in comparison to its competitors. I was taken here by my friend that currently resides in Chicago, and he and his wife love this pizza joint as well.

So what's so good about the pizza you ask? The pizzas are deep-dish pizzas, and I'm not the biggest fan of deep-dish because of the density in the pizza allows you to have a single slice and already you'll feel over indulgent. A lot of deep-dish pizzas are pretty thick, and so sometimes you may have a soggy center just do to the overwhelming amount of toppings. However, at Lou Malnati's the pizza dough is baked to perfection, and the combination of topping is not far behind. It has a buttery, flaky, and unique texture I've not eaten anywhere else. All you Chicago folks, probably already know what I'm talking about or you prefer Gino's East or Giordano's. In my opinion, I prefer Lou Malnati's to the other pizzerias because it did answer the "would you come back" question with an overwhelming "YES". The last time I was back in Chicago, I actually took home a whole pizza to share, and even as a to-go and rebaked it was great.

Next time you are in the Chicago area try this pizza joint if you haven't already. I'm sure you'll find lots about it on Yelp, but here is the website in case to save your search. http://www.loumalnatis.com/
For all you "foodies," or if you want a time to plan a great date during the day, Lou Malnati's is one of the featured restaurants at the Taste of Chicago. Happening from June 26th to July 5 at Grant Park in downtown Chicago, which is also the site of President Obama's acceptance speech.

Good eating everyone,

Sincerely,

Devan