Two weeks of camping has a way of simplifying one's needs. Or, at least, it should. I must admit that I was rather taken with a supply run at REI's flagship store in Seattle. Amazing what we can schlep along with us as essential gear, but gone are the days -- thank goodness! -- of wet wool, freeze-dried food and heavy tents. And remember the taste of water after sloshing around in one of those metal canteens?

I was more than happy to wander back into civilization as we made our way home. If you're planning a trip yourself to the Pacific Northwest, here are two places worth visiting. I'll post more once I get back to San Francisco, but for now, a taste of my travels....

TOP POT DOUGHNUTS

It's only natural that a city obsessive about its coffee would develop a gourmet doughnut chain. Top Pot Doughnut already has three shops scattered in Seattle, and a few more will likely pop up soon. Known for their sleek modern take on the donut stop, Top Pot is a place for lounging as much as dunking.

Their downtown location on 5th Avenue has a spacious mezzanine, outdoor seating and an onsite coffee roasting facility. You'll need to get there early in the day for a taste of their famous pumpkin doughnuts and their much-loved, fast-moving apple fritters.

Top Pot leans toward classic interpretations of cake and old-fashioned doughnuts. I ordered a dozen and managed to take two bites of every single one in the box. I loved the chocolate topped with raspberry icing and the old-fashioned frosted, but the good, ol' jelly doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar won my heart. And yes, the apple fritter deserves all that fuss. Selling out of their "hand-forged" doughnuts isn't a hard thing to do when they taste as good as these.

Top Pot Doughnuts
2124 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 728-1966

VOODOO DOUGHNUT

Just down the skid from my favorite bookstore in the world, Powell's "City of Books" in Portland, is my new favorite doughnut shop. If you're in the neighborhood of Burnside and 3rd Avenue, then be sure to stop in at Voodoo Doughnut for the pure glee and fun of it. Where else could you get a massive 10-inch, chocolate-covered Cock & Balls? Or a Captain Crunch Doughnut? Or the incredibly impressive Maple Bacon Bar? The decor is cheeky-grunge, the hours are 24/7, and the revolving donut display will hypnotize you with its colorful promises.

If you have time, you can get married in their wedding chapel or, like me, just settle for a soothing voodoo doll pierced through the belly with a pretzel stick. I can now assure you that biting off the head of your ex-boss is even more satisfying than sticking it with straight pins.

A special shout-out to their collection of vegan doughnuts. Honestly, the only vegan baked good I've ever recommended. As someone who's always trying to figure out how to slip an egg yolk and/or butter into my recipes, this is not a frivolous compliment.

Voodoo Doughnut
22 SW 3rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 241-4704

I'll be back in San Francisco in a few days. It'd be great to hear from all of you about your own favorite local sources for dunkers and sinkers. Any suggestions?

Disclaimer: this is not an "Official Restaurant Review," it is merely a mention of a place to eat I loved when I was in Portland last. Clyde Common is the name. Ace Hotel is its location. I ate there once for each lunch and dinner a few days apart. And I would go there tomorrow if it were not an eleven hour drive away.

I have a favorite restaurant in NYC. It doesn't seem possible to single one place out on a flat, tiny island teeming with enough restaurants to fit on a small continent. But I do. And I send anyone there who asks me for NYC eating recommendations. My favorite place to eat in my old home town is Prune, a slip of an eatery on first street crammed tight with tables and exceptionally happy waiters. Gabrielle Hamilton is one of the most down-to-earth chefs I have the pleasure of knowing. Her food is not exceptionally innovative. She doesn't wow with new spices or chemical induced textures. There's little on the menu you've never heard of or eaten before, albeit in some other form.

Cauliflower soup.

But Prune's food is brilliant. It's simultaneously inspired and soulful, flavorful and simple, honest and satisfying. There are traditional pairings, and seasonal ideas. But somehow, when Gabrielle puts these proteins and vegs together, something like earthy faerie dust gets thrown in, a dash of whimsy, a pinch of what-the-hell and voila, a Vogue-ing, lip syncing, twink of a beautiful creature is born. Always delicious, often exclamatorily so.

But why on earth am I waxing poetic about Prune when I began by talking about a new restaurant in Portland, Oregon?

Ace, A Friendly Hotel.

Because the food at Clyde Common is also inspired, whimsical, down-to-earth, laid back, seasonal, exceptionally delicious at times, and it could turn into my favorite restaurant in Portland if I'm not careful. I don't think the chef behind its menu is as brilliant as Gabrielle, but at least he's reaching, standing on the diving board' edge, toes dangling. Most of the cooks in the kitchen understand how to cook, and many know finesse and flourish are important parts of making a dish day after night after day still taste good. I'm as big a fan of consistency as the next diner, but eating in a plated-food factory is not my idea of a great meal.

When I go out to eat I want to be tempted, turned-on, pushed, inspired, and given too many options to choose from. I want to see items that sound intriguing but not too wacky, ones I never would have thought to do myself. Appetizers like, "asparagus with caul fat wrapped egg," "beef tongue, seared scallop, beets and tomato jam," "chicken-fried chicken liver, cucumber salad and citrus mayonaise," "fennel sausage, octopus, fried potatoes and ink."

Words. On a page looking torn from a child's 1950's blue-lined notebook. Typewriter written letters, in all their skewed arty loveliness.

For design is our first visual. Our first amuse bouche. The way she styles her hair, and the strands which refuse to be bound, falling lightly at her collarbone. The way he suavely matches green pinstripes with a shiny blue tie. The way the light in the room greets you, soft from a few dozen candles, and a menu with the restaurant's name in red rubber stamp ink and today's date in black, upper left hand column, in a hurried angle. You're going to get a special meal no one else will get. Unique. Just like you.

Chicken-Fried Chicken Livers.

But there's always the moment. The dish that makes the rest of the menu fall away, West Side Story style. You take a bite and you wish you didn't have to share.

chicken-fried chicken liver, cucumber salad and citrus mayonaise 9.

You moan audibly. You say, "[expletive deleted] yeah!" And then you consider ordering one for dessert. If Clyde Common pleases you in no other way but the way you feel when this exquisitely delicious combination of inspiration, technique, texture and flavor reach your mouth and then your taste buds, so be it. Leave happy.

Or go on to order the "fishboard" of the day, a generous side dish of "roast cauliflower," "seared chicken thighs/pork shank, refried peanuts, frisee salad and pork jus," or "risotto: fennel, finicchiona, walnuts and grano padano."

French Fried Potatoes with Harissa and Creme Fraiche.

Clyde Common is not for the vegetarian in you. It's for the adventurous, slightly silly, open- minded diner. People are pretty but casual. If you sit near the kitchen be prepared for a conversation with the person plating your salads and desserts. Cooks are white-jacketless, heavily tattooed and young enough to look like college drop-outs. Think Zuni Cafe meets Blue Plate.

Unfortunately the desserts are too sweet, boring and sloppily plated. Someone had a good idea but not the skill or follow-through to make it taste good enough to order again. Dessert as afterthought: not my favorite way to end a blush producing meal.

Believe me when I tell you to walk a few blocks into the Pearl District and go to Blue Hour for dessert. Or drive 15 minutes across one of Portland's beautiful bridges to SE for desserts at ClarkLewis. Or plan ahead and stop into Sahagun for sumptuous chocolates... Any of these three options will satisfy any sweet, seasonal craving you might have.

Clyde Common, Domestic & Foreign Cooking
SW 10th and Stark in the Ace Hotel
503.228.3333
Monday - Thursday open 5 until late
Friday - Saturday open 5 until later
Open Sundays starting June 17th
{More photographs here.}

I've been in Portland, Oregon, now for about a week. Initially I was going to come here for a few days before heading up to a wedding in Seattle. I love Portland, and have since the first moment I saw this small city. But soon after I mentioned that, after two long years, I would be heading up to the Pacific Northwest, I received an inquiry asking whether I might be interested in teaching my baking classes in Portland. Yes, I immediately replied, I'd be honored to.

And so here I am, for two luxurious, long weeks. I could not be happier. Fourteen days to explore, eat, nibble, adventure, photograph, visit, suntan, bake, go to farmers' markets, stain my fingers with berry juices, talk to farmers,berry picking, make new friends, re-acquaint, stroll, drive, and just take it all in.

Some highlights of my trip so far:

A perfectly executed, seasonal, eclectic dinner at 23 Hoyt, in Northwest.
Late night tapas at Toro Bravo. Find yourself there? Get the grilled onions.
Pecan pie made with real leaf lard at Podnah's. (I'll be going back for the ribs, mark my word.)
An inspired fennel and golden raisin scone at Bakery Bar.
Perhaps some of the most amazing nectarines of my entire life at the Saturday Portland Farmers' market.
Marionberries.
Blueberries from Sauvie Island, picked by me.
Refreshing, smooth & sweet cold-steeped iced coffee at Random Order Coffee House. Their baked goods are also amazing. I have now eaten the bacon-green onion muffin twice.
Stumptown coffee.
Three spot-on, seasonal fresh fruit desserts at Blue Hour. (Jenny Raines, who was a pastry person at Chez Panisse for many years, is the pastry chef there now.)
The best French bread outside of France at Fleur de Lis Bakery in Northeast.
Succulent tacos (my favorite is their carnitas), bright agua frescas and fresh chips at Por Que No? on the hip and hopping N. Mississippi street.

With two classes and one week left I am hoping to get jumped up on some of the best tasting caffeine in North America, eat and explore what may be my future home. I love the nooks and crannies of Portland: the self-supporting neighborhoods, the community driven mentality of businesses, the effusive Portlanders who want to make sure I taste and see and go to their favorite spots. I love the trees that make wide arcs of shade, the various bridges connecting west to east, and the feeling you get when you're here. Like opening a business and buying a house are not just possibilities, but realities for someone like me.

I love living in Northern California, don't get me wrong. But Portland might well be in my future. So it's important that I sniff my way around, pay attention to the details, and have fun while I'm snooping.

Vineyards outside of Portland

When spending 72 hours in a food mecca like Portland, it's necessary to plan carefully and choose your dining mates wisely. If you do so, or if you follow my suggestions below, you will be able to both eat well and enjoy the food sights of this Pacific Northwest food town.

Thursday, 7:00 pm

My trip started off on a perfect note when I had dinner with some of my favorite Portland bloggers: the fashionable urban homesteaders Patrick and Holly of Letter from Hen Waller and the adorable Jocelyn and her "sweets" from Brownie Points. After some back and forth via e-mail, we all decided on Navarre; a small tapas and wine restaurant near 28th and East Burnside.

Walking into Navarre, you know that this is a different type of restaurant. Shelves are full of preserved tomatoes, pickles, and other canned items. One wall is adorned with dried chili peppers with a rope pulley system to allow the chef to pull down supply whenever it is needed. And this is not all for decoration. The chef is a member of the 47th Avenue CSA -- the same CSA that Holly and Patrick belong to -- and he uses these seasonal items in his dishes and cans items that he can't use right away.

All of this focus on seasonality and local products would be for naught if the food wasn't good, but it's great. When fellow Bay Area Bites author Shuna went to Navarre, she wrote: "At the top of its game Navarre's individual dishes are rich in flavor and history, transporting you from one ancient Mediterranean culture to another, but magically meld well on a share plate."

It's a comfortable, fun restaurant to meet friends and I was lucky to have gone there.

Friday, 1:30 pm

When I had Friday afternoon free to myself, I decided to check out Wildwood Restaurant. Wildwood is consistently listed on "Best of" lists about Portland, and I was excited to check it out. Chef Cory Schreiber uses his menu to show off the best of Pacific Northwest ingredients, and uses food from local farms, dairies, and wineries to make up his varied and delicious menu.

I started my lunch with a cream of asparagus soup. "I can give you half a bowl if you'd like," my server gently suggested. Such a nice way to say "you may have ordered too much food for one person, how about if we make it a little less." I was thrilled with the suggestion, and when the soup arrived it was the perfect amount. Served with a dollop of mushroom duxelles in the middle, it was perfectly flavored with the duxelles mixed in to add an additional dimension.

The lunch continued with a very good trout dish served with roasted root vegetables, and I left my lunch happy and perfectly sated.

Friday, 6:00 pm

My Friday evening with long-time friends Jeff and Molly began at Mint in North Portland just off Interstate Avenue. Mint is a fashionable bar that takes its cocktails seriously, and it was nice to enjoy a drink and some company there. The best of our drink lot was the Ad Lib, described as "Crater Lake Vodka muddled with cilantro and lemon lime juice, served up in a sugared martini glass". The cilantro added a surprising flavor to the cocktail that was enjoyed by all.

Friday, 8:00 pm

Ken's Artisan Pizza was the highlight of my trip, hands down. Ken's serves the kind of pizzas I dream about. When Monday pizza nights became wildly popular at Ken's Bakery on 21st Ave, the folks at Ken's decided to spin off a pizza restaurant and they have done so with great success. The pizza is thin with a blistered, burned (in a good way) crust, and is topped with delicious, carefully chosen ingredients. Between three of us, we shared a mushroom pizza with several varieties of mushrooms and a margherita pizza topped with a large pile of fresh arugula.

Friday, 10:00 pm

Our evening finished at Noble Rot, a small wine bar that serves dessert and has an ample dessert wine list. While Jeff and Molly shared dessert, I tucked into a delicious glass of port, and we wound down our evening.

A young market shopper.

Saturday, 10:00 am

A good friend laughs about choosing her retirement home with her husband based on the proximity of an excellent farmers' market. The Portland PSU Farmers' Market makes me want to move to Portland as soon as possible. It has the vibe, it has the variety, and it has the community flavor that I am constantly seeking in my farmers' market exploration. In addition to the presence of stellar farmers and vendors, the market features one of my absolute favorite prepared food vendors anywhere: Tastebud Farm with their wood-fired oven that they bring to the market. My breakfast this trip was a pita filled with delicious garbanzo beans, lamb, and other goodies.

Saturday, 2:00 pm

Saturday afternoon we took a ride in the country to Erath Winery and Sokol Blosser Winery. It was an amazing day to check out wineries with large billowy clouds adding a magnificent touch to landscape photos. As we drove past nut orchards and fields of mustard, it was a great time to take in the beauty of this countryside.

Fiddlehead ferns at the market.

Sunday, 12:00 noon

On Sunday, we explored the North Mississippi avenue area, with a leisurely lunch at the friendly Mississippi Station, a restaurant with great fries and a nice beer selection, and then a trip to The Meadow: a store that sells chocolate, wine, flowers, salt and pepper. I immediately gravitated to the salt area and spent a good twenty minutes exploring the world of salt. The owner and employees are very knowledgable about the ins and outs of finishing salts, and I left with some fun selections.

Sunday, 3:00 pm

Even though we were late to get to the airport, Molly insisted that we stop at Grand Central Bakery where she ran into to buy me a large, springy and delicious ciabatta to take home. I thoroughly enjoyed it when I arrived home with a chunk of Rogue Creamery cheddar cheese while I reflected on how great 72 hours can be.

Locations and Links

Navarre
10 NE 28th Ave
Portland
(503) 232-3555

Wildwood
1221 NW 21st Avenue
Portland
(503) 248-9663

Mint
816 North Russell
Portland
(503) 284-5518

Ken's Artisan Pizza
304 SE 28th
Portland
(503) 517-9951

Noble Rot
2724 SE Ankeny
Portland
(503) 233-1999

Portland PSU Farmers' Market
8:30 am - 2:00 pm on the campus of PSU
in the South Park Blocks between SW Mongtomery and Harrison

Erath Winery
9410 NE Worden Hill Road
Dundee
(503) 538-3318

Sokol Blosser Winery
5000 Sokol Blosser Lane
Dundee
(503) 864-2282

Mississippi Station
3943 N. Mississippi Avenue
Portland
(503) 517-5751

The Meadow
3731 N. Mississippi Avenue
Portland
(503) 288-4633

Grand Central Bakery
Several locations in Portland
(503) 232-0575