Irving Street Kitchen - Porland - A fusion of Soul into every meal

I find myself in Portland, OR looking for a unique dining experience. Hello Irving Street Kitchen. You fit the bill perfectly!

I walked in with no reservation and was seated at the bar. It was brunch time and the place was moderately busy. I always enjoy going into a restaurant for the first time. Irving Street Kitchen has the perfect balance of a rustic and trendy.

I was doing a lot of walking today, so I decided to skip the appetizers and go straight to the Brunch menu. I love brunch food, and I love Eggs Benedict. The Salmon Gravlax Benedict jumped of the page. A buttermilk biscuit with spinach, lox, and poached eggs all covered in a dill hollandaise. The combination of salmon lox and poached egg is a very nice balance. The dill of the hollandaise took a little getting used to. I think I was ready for that traditional, rich, flavor. The dill hollandaise was lighter on the palette and very tasty.

I also ordered a side of mac'n cheese....very nice. Baked with a light panco/bread sprinkle over the top. Comfort food done right!

I ordered a house tea that kept the palette fresh for the meal. Try the #8 and let me know what you think.

Irving Street Kitchen:

Address -

791 NW 13th Avenue

Portland, OR 97209

Website - www.irvingstreetkitchen.com

Phone - 503 343-9440

Reservations - can be made at OpenTable.com, I did not need them for Sunday brunch, but I would advise it for a group.

Overall Recommendation: delightful! Soul food with a light touch.

Glacier Brewhouse - Downtown Meets Meat

The Glacier Brewhouse is a downtown staple for casual dining. It is a bustling restaurant with good food and great beer! I recently had the opportunity to have a birthday dinner there with friends. We had the corner room reserved, so we were able to avoid some of the noise from the main dining area and bar.

I am a huge fan of the Brewhouse Blonde and the Imperial Blonde. They brew their own, onsite, so definitely give it a pour. I had the Brewhouse Blonde...three times in fact.

Despite it's name, the Glacier Brewhouse is not just about beer. It has a nice lunch menu and a separate dinner menu.

We shared three appetizers and all were very good.

• Calamari - tender strips of buttermilk battered calamari served with a jalepeno-lime aioli. Even the birthday boy (who is like Mikey and hates everything) liked the calamari.
• Sundried Tomato Hummus & Pita - served with the traditional accoutrements, but the hummus has the addition of the Brewhouse IPA blended into it.
• Wood Roated Prime Rib Quesadilla - I personally believe that tortillas are like blankets of food filled love. These were really bringing the love with tender prime rib, pepper jack, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

For the main course, I decided to try the Barbecued Baby Back Ribs. They were finished to perfection and finger licking good. Just the right combination of sweetness with their special blend of Jamaican jerk rub and spicy whiskey barbecue sauce. It was my first time having the ribs....it won't be the last.

Glacier Brewhouse:

Address -

737 W. 5th Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99501

Website - www.glacierbrewhouse.com

Phone - 907 274-2739

Reservations - highly recommended! This is a busy restaurant with a strong following.

Overall Recommendation - great for lunch or dinner. Be sure to try one of their in house beers!

Kinley's Restaurant and Bar - A Midtown Gem

Wednesday evening, and we needed good meal...and soon. I also had a craving to go someplace new, so I jumped on my iPhone Open Table app and discovered that Kinley's had some room available at a 6:30p seating. Perfect! I had heard good things and was very excited.

I had been to the building before when it was a loud dining experience and a different restaurant. I was pleased to see major renovations had been undertaken to reduce the noise and create a more sophisticated dining experience. The bar was beautiful, and the main dining room very nice. Major efforts have been made to create a more intimate feel throughout the large dining room.

We did have to wait about 10 minutes before we met our server, but from that moment forward we were waited on diligently by an attentive staff.

We started with an olive plate and bacon wrapped dates. What a combination! I love olives anyway, but when combined with the savory/sweet combination of the dates I was overwhelmed. Bacon with dates...don't pass it up!

I enjoyed the Caprese salad, but it was large enough I could have shared it with my wife. As a member of the clean plate club, I was, unfortunately, getting pretty full by the end of the salad. Be sure to leave room for the main dish next time!

I had the Filet Mignon. I normally avoid any sort of steak in restaurants because I am spoiled by my own steak grilling skills (if I do say so myself). But, I had a feeling I would enjoy this preparation, I mean hey it was topped with crispy prosciutto and bleu cheese. How could that go wrong. Let's just say that I am glad I had the Filet Mignon!

My wife had the pasta dish. It was also very tasty with great Asparagus Alfredo and sauteed zucchini, winter greens, & roasted garlic.

I could barely move after such a large feast. Again, I need to watch the appetizer and salad courses. I probably would have had a desert otherwise.

Kinley's Restaurant and Bar:

Address -

3230 Seward Highway

Anchorage, AK 99503

Website - www.kinleysrestaurant.com

Phone - 907 644-8953

Reservations - weekdays may not be necessary, but Friday & Saturday night recommended

Overall Recommendation - definitely worth a try, I plan on going back.