EAT | CLYDE COMMON (Portland, US)

There was so much to love about the Ace Hotel. A welcomed reprieve from run of the mill US hotel chains, where the dining options are lacklustre tourist traps to be avoided at all costs. Whilst Clyde Common is right off Ace's lobby, that's as hotel restaurant as this place gets.

Start your day with a hot breakfast, a hit list of staples right through to more decadent offerings to slam down with a coffee. Stop in for a quick snack, biscuits with housemade jam or pull up a spot at the bar and graze on snacks.

The communal tables are perfect to feast at lunch or dinner with a boisterous bunch. Make sure you make the most of Happy Hour from 3-6pm each day. Biscuits for brunch, burgers before basketball... we found ourselves heading back all hours of the day.  

For travellers, locals and anyone who enjoys good food with good friends. Add it to your Portland list along with Ace's basement bar Pepe de Loko.

(503) 228-3333
1014 SW Stark St. Portland, Oregon

Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 9am - 3pm 
Lunch: Monday to Friday, 11:30am - 3pm
Happy Hour: daily, 3pm - 6pm
Dinner: daily, 6pm - 11pm

Facebook | Instagram

EAT | NELSON THE SEAGULL (Gastown, Vancouver)

Often whilst travelling cravings for a no-fuss-could-have-made-this-at-home breakfast kick in. When these urges hit, we scoured Instagram for simpler plates and stumbled across Nelson the Seagull.

Open yet homely, Nelson the Seagull is a bakery, coffee house and cafe and a favourite amongst locals. Avocado on sourdough toast allowed a nice break from the waffle-laden menus of Vancouver. Rare roast beef and a miss mash of breakfast sides was a gamechanger. Great coffee and freshly baked sourdough - you can't go wrong here.

315 Carrall Street, Gastown
Vancouver, V6A 0A7
+1 (604) 681 5776
Instagram 
Open: Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm
Sat - Sun 9am - 5pm

DRINK 🍸 | PEPE LE MOKO (Portland, US)

Nestled underneath Clyde Common is Ace Hotel's basement bar Pepe le Moko. Down the stairs you'll find an intimate spot for a drink or two and late night nibbles. Pull up a seat at the bar or sink into the low banquettes and while away the night over cocktails, oysters and conversation.

Pepe le Moko 
407 SW Tenth Ave, Portland, Oregon
503.546.8537
Open 4pm - 2am
Facebook | Instagram

☕️☕️ | REVOLVER (Gastown, Vancouver)

Fellow coffee lovers will totally nerd out at Revolver. Holy moly, this place is mecca. You'll find a rotating menu featuring world class roasters from North America and afar, plus a gazillion ways to have it brewed and served. Make sure you pop into the store and stock up on hard to find brew equipment and gadgets 

325 Cambie Street, Gastown, Vancouver
Instagram
Mon – Fri 7.30am – 6pm
Sat 9am - 6pm (Sun closed) 

☕️☕️ | STUMPTOWN COFFEE (Portland, US)

Need coffee in Portland? Stumptown Coffee is your the answer. 

1026 SW Stark Street
Portland, OR97205
Mon-Fri 6 am to 7pm
Sat-Sun 7am to 7pm

PIGEON HOLE BAKERS | Hobart, Tasmania

In every city, you’ve gotta find that artisan bakery that all the locals flock to. For Hobart it’s Pigeon Whole Bakers located right next door to Franklin on Argyle Street. Bread, pastries, sweets and mighty fine sambos.

EAT | BARRY (Northcote, VIC)

You'll find the bright and airy Barry on the Northcote high street. The heartbeat of the cafe is a little duller since changing hands recently but still a good spot for easy brunch. 

EAT | THE WINSTON (Hobart, TAS)

It had been a BIG day. Essentially a walking wine tour of Hobart.. glug glug. By the time we got to Winston a cleansing ale, house-smoked meats, loaded fries and tacos were in order.

Opening in 1833 as the Eagle Hawk Inn, The Winston has likely seen many iterations. It is now known for its 12 rotating taps of local and international beer and Texan style BBQ and comfort eats. The charm of pubs gone by in a no-frills relaxed atmosphere. Tick. Definitely one to add to your Hobart craft beer list.

Taco time

The BIG boy platter! Designed to share or to be a total glutton. Baby back ribs, buffalo wings, pulled pork, lamb ribs, maui brisket, fries, coleslaw and grilled corn. DANG!

SEE | FARMERS MARKETS (Portland, US)

Strolling to the Portland Farmers Markets in the blistering cold, hoodies on and hands scrambling for warmth in pockets, had me wishing our Portland adventure was in spring. The markets would be brimming with sunflowers, brightly hued vegetables and stall after stall would be abuzz.

Instead, the cold snap which brought snow the following day, had us hopping around to shake off the morning chill. The markets are open all year round. Located in the perfectly American surrounds of Portland's State University with the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Portland Art Museum close by. Whilst the stalls were a little slim, many local food vendors and artisans braved the cold to keep us warm from the inside out.  

Mandy King is the creator of Money Bowl, a food stall dishing up SW Chinese Remedies. A cure for the frozen with hot rice noodle bowls, Sichuan hot pot veggie bowl and sticky rice balls on the menu. 

Easily one of my favourite meals on our Portland trip was Money Bowl's Char Shao rice ball. BBQ pork, dried radish, woods ear mushroom and spices hidden in the centre with a Special tea egg. Only $5.50! 

Get your hands on hot tamales at Salvador Molly's. At the restaurant the Molly's mob delve into South American eats and pop up with steamed tamales. The artichoke and gotija cheese tamale delivered.  

A New Mexico style breakfast burrito was a hit at Enchanted Sun Burritos. Crammed with scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes, NM green chile and Tillamook cheddar cheese in a warm flour tortilla with mandatory bacon or sausage. 

FRANKLIN | Hobart, Tasmania

Oh Franklin. You were all kinds of wonderful. 

2016 Le Temps Retrouve ‘Macabeu’ Roussilon, France (macabeu)

Octopus with new potatoes and turnip escabeche

Chicken liver parfait with pickles and rye

Beetroot with lentils and goat curd

2016 Momento Mori Wines Staring At The Sun
Heathcote, Australia

Spelt grain braised in greens with dried olive 

Braised beef shin with onion cream and salsa verde

Beans, zucchini and ricotta with smoked trevally

2016 Meadowbank ‘Pet’ Nat’ |
Meadowbank, Tasmania (chardonnay, pinot noir)

Half roast chicken, quinoa, radish and yoghurt

2014 La Noue Cabernet De Anjou

Tongola ‘zoe’ with pickles and rye

Plum, sancho and meringue

Artisanal Japanese Sake
Chiyo Shuzo Moromi Nigori
Nara,Japan

EAT | SOBA NOODLES (HAKONE, JAPAN)

Somewhere between Miyanoshita railway station and the Fujiya Hotel, tucked behind a Coke vending machine, is a soda noodle house. Using the little Japanese we could speak we ordered edamame, beers and soba and watched this gorgeous duo work their magic. 

🍦🍦 | PIDA PIPO (Melbourne, Australia)

Lygon Street in Carlton has long been known as Little Italy. A damn good spot to open a damn good gelato joint. Pidapipo is my go to for gelato when in Melbourne.

EAT | TINKER (Northcote, VIC)

EAT | ATTICA (Ripponlea, VIC)

There is fine dining and then there is Attica. Words won't do it justice. The end. 

Cook's Leaves

Aged Santa Claus Melon

ETTNTB

Smashed Avo on Toast

Smoked Pork

An Imperfect History of Ripponlea

Gazza's Vegemite Pie

Baby Corn

Chewy Carrots

Lance Wiffen's Mussel

Black Cucumber

Beef on the Bone

Aromatic Ripponlea Broth

Butter for Wattleseed Bread

Brown Rice Cracker

Salted Red Kangaroo and Bunya Bunya

Marron Quandong and Pearl

Jumbuck, Waxflower Oil and Dessert Oak

Pineapple and Anise Myrtle

Whipped Egg with Sugar Bag

Attica Cheftales

EAT | ONIGIRI (🍙) + PURPLE PEANUTS (Tokyo + Melbourne)

It wasn't until our Tokyo adventure that I understood the sheer importance of this emoticon: 🍙. Light bulb moment! So much happiness... so much packaging. 

Onigiri (🍙) are little parcels of rice, stuffed with salty or sour ingredients like umeboshi (plum), tuna, pickles or salmon, and wrapped in nori. 'Wait, so you mean like sushi right?' Oh heck no.. this little guy is a Japanese specialty in its own right. You will find the convenience store fridges heaving with these perfectly wrapped parcels all over Japan.

Each morning we would grab an onigiri or two (forever restrained from grabbing three) for the road. The ultimate snack to tide you over until breakfast. Onigiri fuelled many a hunt for a decent flat white or batch brew through the streets of Tokyo.  

I stumbled across Purple Peanuts on Collins Street during my last trip to Melbourne, conjuring memories of Tokyo. This little Japanese cafe has been going strong since 2011 and championed the brown rice sushi explosion. You'll find a range of traditional eats including Tsuke Don, salmon sashimi marinated in mirin, sake, sesame and soy, and perfectly wrapped 🍙🍙 on the counter.   

EAT | INDUSTRY BEANS (Fitzroy, Melbourne)

From simple bacon and eggs to the cured salmon or kale and kimchi bowl, you can't go wrong with Industry Beans. Each season, Chef Jess Allen takes the latest produce for a spin to uncover a new menu and the Summer iteration did not disappoint. 

Cured Salmon: fennel avocado mousse, kaffir lime jelly, tea-marbled egg and crispy quinoa. 

Kale & Kimchi Bowl: broccoflower, activated charcoal puree, pickled beetroot, avocado, cashew butter, puffed grains, pea dusted poached egg and cured salmon.

EAT | YOUNG LOVE MESS HALL (Northbridge WA)

This venue is now closed.

aperol, lillet blanc and grapefruit soda

 bread and schmaltz butter

crispy cuttlefish with butternut hummus

Japanese succotache with zucchini, eggplant, nori and edamame

 carrots with soft curd and candied fennel

crispy pork with fermented chilli

🍞 🍩🍰 | CHU BAKERY (Mount Lawley, WA)

Glossy Boston cream doughnuts, matcha choux puffs and pillowy chocolate eclairs. Oh Chu Bakery you can truly do no wrong! Inspired after travels through bread-obsessed Tokyo, saw owners Ryan and Seren Chu (self-taught bakers no less!) open up this little corner of pastry heaven opposite Hyde Park. Don't forget to try the open sandwich with avocado, sriracha, whipped feta, and toasted seeds. Grab baked delights and soak up the sun across the road.

EAT | BABAJAN (Carlton North, VIC)

Breakfast through a Middle Eastern lens. There is so much to love about Babajan.

Simit/Turkish bread,Menemen Turkish Baked Eggs, spiced tomato, spinach, pistachio dukkah

Mushrooms, pumpkin toast, date butter, spinach, honey & tahini, sweet dukkah

Sweet pepper & roast tomato ezme with avocado, pea, goat curd & poached eggs, zatar ocean trout

Haloumi pie. I could eat these for days!

🍩🍩 | BLUE STAR DONUTS (Portland, Oregon)

The best way to get to know a city is to get lost in it... or find its best donut store. After chasing the holey grail in Vancouver and finding Cartems, we went on the hunt in Portland.   

Blue Star has been going strong since 2012 and now boasts outposts in LA and Tokyo. The bright hued Blueberry, Bourbon & Basil glaze is mindblowing! Made onsite using fresh blueberries, fresh basil, sugar and a splash of Bulleit bourbon. Now that I'm home wish I'd also had a Hard Apple Cider Fritter. 

There is a bit of hype around Voodoo, another donut joint, but a few different foodie sources said not to bother. 

Blueberry Bourbon Basil

PB&J

Lemon Poppy

Chocolate Almond Ganache

Old Fashioned