01.31.08
Mercato Finally Open?
We're hearing buzz that Mercato has finally opened. You may recall that this is the italian restaurant - located on the corner of NW 9th and Couch in the Pearl District - that was originally said to be opening months and months ago.
A knowledgeable poster over at PortlandFood.org writes:
Plan as far as I know (insider info!) is that they will be open this Thursday for dinner, Friday for lunch and dinner and B-L-D on Saturday. Hours will be 7am-10pm. It's not a 'full-service' joint, but rather you order at the counter and have your food deliver to your table.Menu looks a lot like Lucca's. What's with Portland and the "Rustic Italian"? Is there really *that* much of a demand for it? lol.
They have a small wine list, 8-10 wines. All Italian and interesting. Pasta's, roasted meats, paninis, pizza. A little Northern, little Southern, little Island fare. Everything looks nice. Lots of cheese!
Sounds interesting... if you get the chance to try it this weekend, drop us a note!
UPDATED TO ADD: Mercato actually ended up serving its first dinner on Saturday night, and today (Monday 2/4) will be their first lunch service. We walked past the restaurant this morning and chatted with some employees who were quite nice.
01.31.08
"Slick" Caffé Umbria Gets a Nod from Food Dude
The Pearl's newest coffee shop, Caffé Umbria, is featured on Portland Food and Drink today. The brief review by Food Dude is fairly positive, yet balanced:
If a smooth cup of coffee in a modern, slick environment is your thing, Caffé Umbria may be what you are looking for. For best results, I’d suggest you stay with simple drinks.
If there's one site that we're addicted to, it's PFD. We hadn't ventured into Caffé Umbria yet, simply because several other great coffee shops are so close by. Even a moderate nod of approval from Food Dude is enough to prompt us to try a restaurant or cafe, however, so we're tempted to head to Caffé Umbria to see what we've been missing.
01.29.08
Body Polish for Two, Please
Kanani Pearl is offering some delightful spa packages just in time for Valentine's Day. Take a look... the honey scrub and papaya pineapple polishes sound so nice!
If one of these packages doesn't fit the bill, Kanani Pearl will create a custom experience just for you and your sweetheart.
If you haven't been to Kanani yet, you're missing out. A friend of ours recently went for their Ashiatsu massage therapy and raved about it for days! (Ashiatsu involves the therapist "walking" on your back - great for deep work, but not limited to that.)
Kanani's treatments are getting so popular that owner John Cusack says they've begun offering expanded hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (9 a.m. - 8 p.m), making it easy for Pearl residents to drop by after work for a soothing end to their day.
Kanani Pearl is located at 1111 NW Marshall St. in the Pearl District.
01.29.08
Ten 01 Markets to the Business Class
Ten 01 is ramping up its lunch appeal with a new three-course "Power Lunch" menu that will get you in and out of the restaurant in a timely manner during your work day.
At just $15, this week's lunch menu sounds like a steal:
Choose from a starter of Wild Arugula Salad with peppadew peppers, citrus segments, shaved fennel; Winter Parsnip Soup with chestnuts, pickled shallots, balsamic brown butter; or Sweet Onion-Cauliflower Soup with spicy lamb sausage, golden raisins, almonds, curry oil. Then select a main course of either Sautéed Sea Scallops with fennel puree, shaved brussel sprouts, marcona almonds, Spanish chorizo; Roasted Sweetbriar Farms Pork Loin with housemade pancetta, creamed lentils, chorizo vinaigrette; or Wild Mushroom Risotto, rosemary oil, grana padano, aged balsamic. And to finish, housemade truffles, caramels or gelees.
Or, if you're in the mood for a bit of a liquid lunch, Ten 01 is also offering $4 martinis, manhattans and bloody mary's, and $5 wines by the glass.
“For a lot of professionals, going to lunch is something that they might not have time for on a daily basis,” said co-owner Adam Berger. “Our Power Lunch was created as a way to let those busy professionals enjoy a three-course lunch out of the office, while being able to get back to their next meeting on time.”
The Power Lunch is available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ten 01 is located on the corner of NW 10th and Couch in the Pearl District.
01.21.08
Last Chance at Ten 01's James Beard Dinner
Ten 01 is serving their special James Beard menu tonight. We hear there are still a few open reservations if you're interested... click here for an overview of the menu. Call 503-226-3463 for reservations.
01.18.08
Another Bank Robbery in the Pearl
Yowza... Just days after Wells Fargo in the Pearl was robbed, comes word that the U.S. Bank branch on Lovejoy was robbed last night.
We'll share more details as we get them...
01.14.08
ZoomCare Celebrates Grand Opening
ZoomCare, the unique new medical clinic we've been raving about, has been open since Jan. 2 and this Thursday they'll be throwing an official grand opening party for the brand new Pearl location.
Within their first week of opening, we made a same-day appointment. The wait time: nada. We were greeted by the doctor within seconds of walking in the door. For anyone who is horrible about making appointments a month out, like us, this is a godsend. It's also great when you have little time to spare, but need to see a doctor quickly - we'd bet that on most days, you can make it in and out of ZoomCare during your lunch hour and still have time to eat lunch. That's not to say you'll see the doctor for any less amount of time than you typically do - you'll just spend far less time reading Highlights in the waiting room and sitting by yourself in a treatment room. Instead, almost the entire time you're at ZoomCare, you're being seen by the doctor.
Anyways, we could go on and on. Just go check it out. Stop by between 6:30 - 8 p.m. this Thursday night to meet the doctors and their friendly staff. ZoomCare is located at 202 NW 13th Ave.
01.10.08
Bringing "Architectural Elegance" to the Pearl
As the Pearl District has grown beyond its industrial-warehouse roots, it's inevitable that the unique artist lofts and one-of-a-kind living spaces are becoming harder and harder to come by. In fact, let's face it: it can be hard to tell one condo from the next if you don't take the step of putting your own personal touch and style into your home.
Well, a gorgeous new solution to the "cookie cutter" nature of condo design has arrived. Architectural Elegance, which recently opened in the Pearl Design Center, is a boutique-style showroom offering some very unique and high-end hardware. One look at their selection, and you'll want to start replacing the hardware on every kitchen, bath and cabinet surface in your place!
Architectural Elegance features hardware from all over the world, with product lines like Olivari door hardware and Lualdi doors from Italy. This designer's destination even manufactures their own bronze sinks, which are available in various styles and patinas.
Call to make an appointment, or just stop by the showroom, located on the corner of NW 15th and Raleigh in the new Pearl Design Center.
01.08.08
Pearl District Tattoo
Here in the Pearl, we have a bit of everything... boutiques, spas, bookstores, cupcakes, and now - last but not least - we even have our own tattoo shop. Pearl District Tattoo opened mid-December at 1255 NW 9th Ave., retail suite #013, in the Pinnacle building. And like most businesses around here, it's been designed specifically for this unique neighborhood. Stop by to check it out and meet owner Nate Stokes and his talented team. It's exciting to see this portion of the neighborhood develop in recent months - from Fez Studio nearby, to the new Pearl Specialty Market & Spirits around the block, we're finding more reasons to hang out on the Pearl's north end.
01.04.08
Free Tai Chi Resumes in the Pearl
Just in time to help you keep that New Years resolution... Free Tai Chi classes, hosted by Portland Center Stage, resumed this week. The classes are held in the mezzanine of the Armory during the lunch hour (12-1) on Wednesdays and Fridays, from now through March.
Lessons attract between 8-25 people at a time and participants range from college students to retirees. Instructor and Pearl District resident David Vanadia recommends attendees wear comfortable clothes and soft soled shoes (or simply practice in your socks).
No preregistration is required. For more information, call Portland Center Stage at 503-445-3700.
01.04.08
Happy New Year
We're back... thanks for all the sweet emails inquiring if we keeled over. In short: yes, nearly! But doesn't everyone during the holidays?
Lots of catching up to do and some fun news to share, starting with...
Shoe sale! Today through Jan. 13, get 20-70% off selected styles at Imelda's & Louie's Shoes, including some Dansko, Born and Kenneth Cole shoes.
Jeans sale! A major winter sale is happening now at Nolita with prices slashed throughout the store to make room for new stuff!
This month's topfive
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