Every year when Halloween rolls around, I’m reminded how Portland lacks a solid lineup of themed bars. But then, seemingly overnight, an old Victorian house on North Mississippi (previously home to a short-lived sandwich shop) got all dressed up in black and neon red and took the name Psychic. Luckily for us, the new getup […]
Eat and Drink Guide Spring 2019
Posted inFood and Drink
Welcome to Spring, Food Lovers!
It’s spring, and your belly is empty. Never fear: The Mercury’s spring Eat & Drink guide is here to alleviate that horribly unnecessary situation! It’s our goal to not only inform you of what you should be eating, but also to encourage you to swerve off your well-trodden path to explore all sorts of new, […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Bullard: Fine Hotel Dining for the Barbecue Lover
Saying that Bullard is the best hotel restaurant in Portland could be seen as damning it with faint praise—but it’s not meant to be. It’s to say that we’ve come a long way from the days of bland plates meant to mollify the palates of travelling businessmen. Bullard, the long-awaited first restaurant from Chef Doug […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Climate Change: Tropical Tastes at Three New Bars
I try to be a glass-half-full kind of person. By which I mean, when someone complains about something, I tell them to take a sip of my cocktail and shut the hell up. Yes, it’s still cool outside, and no one has yet devised a little hat for the tip of your nose, but within […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Overwrought and Flashy, Pink Rabbit Delivers
Writing about Pink Rabbit, the new Pearl District bar (and the city’s second—to my knowledge—cocktail outfit named for lyrics by indie dad-rock band the National) feels more like art criticism than food writing. It’s not just the neon “Employees Must Wash Hands” signage—the whole place is designed within an inch of its flashy, gorgeous life […]
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Little Conejo: A Mexican Treasure in Vancouver
I’ve always had a soft spot for downtown Vancouver. Seriously, if you haven’t been up there, it’s great. There’s a big farmers market on Saturdays, Esther Short Park is a treasure, and they just put serious money into making its waterfront on the Columbia 10 times cooler than ours. The only downside? Until recently, the […]
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Seven Days, 14 Incredible Asian Soups
Hold on to your spoons, because THIS IS THE LIST. Below are 14 Asian soups to eat over the course of one week—two soups a day for the best seven days of your life. Swim in chili-laced broth! Slurp one thousand noodles! Let your fingers swell ever-so-slightly due to high sodium intake! Or just use […]
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Boozylicious: I Don’t Think You’re Ready for This Jell-O
We all have those friends who get a few drinks in them and start making proclamations, stating their own undercooked thoughts as fact. But some claims are too thought-provoking to ignore. Like my friend Tommy’s theory, announced in a crowded kitchen that “sorry, but you can’t get drunk on just Jell-O shots.” Cut to Scooter […]
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Local Wine Clubs Give You Variety Without Squeezing You Dry
There comes a point when you’re faced with grabbing the same $7 bottle of wine—you know, that one with the naked lady petting her cat at Trader Joe’s?—and wondering if there’s more out there. Exploring new styles, varietals, and regions of wine is daunting, but we’ve found five local monthly clubs that curate a world […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Getting Funky, Savory, and Sweet with Orange Wine
The secret to good advertising, common wisdom tells us, is to create a problem people didn’t know they had and then solve it for them. Until recently, I existed in a world where wine came in three shades: red, white, and rosé. I didn’t know I was missing out on a new variety until I […]
Posted inFood and Drink
The Herbivore’s (Ramen) Dilemma
One Woman’s Search for the Best Vegan Ramen in Portland
One woman’s search for the best vegan ramen in Portland.
Posted inFood and Drink
Restaurant Deep Cuts: Portland’s Best Surprises on the Menu
I have a deep abiding respect for the Japanese concept of shokunin: picking one thing and mastering it. It’s the antithesis of the fickle”be all things to all people” model, but if famed sushi master Jiro Ono has taught us anything, it’s that specialization is key to success. But sometimes, a gustatory hit lurks on […]