Afuri

     This week's restaurant of choice is one of my favorite foods; ramen. Located in Old Town Portland, Afuri Ramen + Dumpling is next to the famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Normally, I choose not to venture near Old Town very often, but there are some amazing places to eat. Additionally, it is close to the waterfront and provides a great location for tourists to visit. 

     This location does bring in the down-town-attitude. The restaurant is busy with locals and tourists alike. The tables are communal tables with more private seating along the outer edges. For those who are looking to meet new people, the center communal tables provide a great environment to start a conversation with someone new. The window seats are great for individuals or pairs looking to enjoy their meal in peace. Outside the windows are great views of downtown Portland and the individuals who inhabit downtown. 

     Afuri is a great Japanese restaurant with several locations world-wide. According to their website; 

     "Afuri [named after a mountain in Japan] has long been known for its waters, and
in days past, it was considered a sacred mountain of good harvest, and thousands would journey to Mt. Afuri every year in pilgrimage. We like to think we're bringing sacred Mt. Afuri to the rest of the world. The mountain provides us with a kind of philosophy. It can be a little tricky to translate it literally from Japanes, but let's just call it "Higher". We push higher in everything we do - everything, from pickling to serving - and we intend to reach for excellence as we are AFURI. Mt Afuri remains - straight, honest, steadfast, dependable. That's our aime. One ramen. One staff. Always higher." 

     When you first enter the restaurant seat yourself, on the table are containers with chopsticks, napkins and an ordering explination. On the table are laminated QR codes to scan for the menu. I personally do not mind QR code menus and with COVID have noticed the recent increase in popularity. I do, however, know there could be potential difficulties with this. For this restaurant you do everything from the QR code. Each QR code is specific to where it is located within the restaurant. From the menu you can start a tab, order and pay all from your mobile device. For groups this makes splitting the bill much easier, but for families or groups that want to be on one check this means everyone has to share the one mobile device that it is set up on. 

Yuzo Shoyu

     When we went it was just Roy and I, and we don't mind one of us paying for the bill. I also enjoy when Roy orders for me since he actually knows what I do and don't like. Sitting next to us was a larger family with about four or six individuals. In this situation it meant that one of them essentially had to play waiter. There appeared to be two choices in situations with large groups on one check. One, pass the phone around to everyone, or two everyone reads the menu from their own phone and tells the person ordering what to put in the phone actually ordering. 

     I ordered the yuzo shoyu, a ramen in chicken broth with bamboo shoots, an egg, pork, fride garlic and nori (seaweed). Roy got the yuzu ratan, a slightly spicer ramen made with, chicken broth, bamboo shoots, sesame, peppers and lemon peel. While ours were not, they do offer gluten free and vegan options. 

     Another popular menu item is the gyoza dumplings. We have too many to count at home so we decided not to get some, but the family next to us got a couple servings and I almost immediately regretted not getting some. 

     In terms of accessability, I again did not venture to a restroom to see, but the rest of the restaurant is very friendly to all. In honest, the most difficult part would be other customers. The tables are spaced far enough apart to not only allow for customers to freely wander, but also to allow the staff to quickly navigate around crowds of people. 

      Afuri Ramen is a great place for lunch or early dinner. During evening hours I would not reccomend it just do to location. With that being said, Afuri has a sister restaurant (that I have not been to yet) in southeast Portland. Afuri Izakaya from it's pictures appears to have a much more upscale vibe and would be a much better dinner option, I'll try to make a trip accross the river sometime soon to verify. 

Azuri Ramen + Dumpling at a Glance:

• Simple, easy to chose from menu
• Moderate volume
• Communal tables
• Great accessibility
• Easy to navigate areas, low tables, extra space
• Price: Two ramens, one drink, plus tip $45.00

One Day in Seattle Itinerary

Chihuly 

     For Memorial Day weekend we took Amtrak up to Seattle. The train is becoming a new enjoyment of mine. The train from Portland to Seattle is approximately four hours and if you get the cheapest ticket, it is around $50 to travel round trip. Normally, I spend the train ride catching up on my latest tv drama, however this trip I had forgotten my headphones. Instead of television, I drew possible future home layouts, meal planned and caught up on social media planning. As my aunt says, the train is the perfect time to get work done because you are in an environment where it is hard to do other tasks. 

     We arrived Friday night, and had intended to unpack and go out again, however when we were walking through Capitol Hill we noticed it was rather quiet. Once we had unloaded and made it to our lodging we were tuckered out from traveling and just called it a night. We did fill our weekend with exploring and site seeing, but the day that was filled was Sunday.

     We woke up around 8:00am Sunday morning to
take an Uber to go to the Chihuly Glass Garden near the space needle. We arrived just before opening and tried to find somewhere to grab a quick bite to eat but were unsuccessful. At 9:00am we entered the museum. We spent roughly 45 minutes walking through the entire museum, with 20 of those minute spent at the end taking photos in the glass house.

    We found a coffee shop, called Vita at KEXP for breakfast and to kill some time before our next agenda item. The space appeared to be a large industrial warehouse used as a multifunctional space. I got a cookie butter latte (which was a sweet as it sounds) and Roy enjoyed an Ethiopian drip coffee. After finishing, we made our way past the International Fountain to the Space Needle

Glass Floor

     At 11:00 am we stepped in line to go up to the top of the Space Needle. The process is rather straight forward. We waited in a line for the elevator to take us to the top. While waiting in line they have a place to have a complimentary photo taken in front of a green screen for you to choose your digital background later online. They give you a ticket with a QR code to scan in various locations to take photos and download at a later time. The elevator takes you to the top observation deck. I will say, the view from on top of the Space Needle is amazing, but the poor crowd control made our experience rushed. Trying to navigate through crowds, take a photo, or even just make your way to the exit was a constant push and shove that took away from the enjoyment of seeing a spectacular view. Taking the stairs down one floor brought us into the revolving glass floor. Similar to the observation deck, it was hard to enjoy the awe of the structure and height because of others. For us, or at least for myself, the experience ending up being more of a "let's get this over with" than it was enjoyment. 

     Once we came back down from the Space Needle, we stayed in the area to find some food and enjoy the Folklife Festival that was happening. After eating some delicious gyros, we began to walk the 30 minute walk down hill towards the Seattle Aquarium. On the way we got lost and wandered through the Olympic Sculpture Park. This was my favorite non-food part of the trip. We hadn't planned to go, but I got distracted, and saw something shiny to explore. Well, not actually, but the idea is the same. 

      We made it to the Seattle Aquarium around 1:30 and headed inside. By this time of day, families were wrapped around the building and rain was just around the corner. With these factors and Memorial Day weekend, the aquarium was full of families. We rushed through the first part to the seals and otter exhibits. Overall, we only spent about 40 minutes here, but you could definitely spend longer. 

     Following the aquarium, we took an Uber back to the Museum of Pop Culture. Of everything, this was my least favorite experience. Admittedly, there was a lot of interesting relics to see, and the Indie Gaming room was a favorite of Roy and I's, but overall, I felt that the museum was incohesive and had poor flow of traffic. We did go when it was raining, and the museum was probably at capacity, if not over capacity, but realistically with the amount of people that was there it was impossible to truly enjoy any of the exhibits. 

The Crab Pot

     We ended our night with Roy's pick of food at The Crab Pot. This is the restaurant located back by the Seattle Aquarium (yes our route was poorly planned), that is known for dumping its bucket of seafood on the table for you to enjoy. Both Roy and I were excited for this and I was particularly excited to enjoy some crab. 

     Other parts of this trip included, a trip to the International District/Chinatown for coffee, tea shopping, and a visit to the Waterfall Garden. An exploration of Capitol Hill and a drive-by tour of Freemont.

Three Day Weekend in Seattle:

• 

  Space Needle

  Arrived Friday at 9:00 pm
• Saturday
• 10:00 Coffee at International District/Chinatowns
• 11:00 Tea Shopping
• 12:00 Visit the Waterfall Garden
• 1:00 Fremont Statue Tour
• 6:00 Dinner back at Capitol Hill
• Sunday
• 9:00 Chihuly Glass Garden Museum
• 10:00 Coffee
• 11:00 Space Needle
• 12:00 Folklife Festival
• 2:00 Seattle Aquarium
• 3:00 Museum of Popculture
• I would switch this with the aquarium in timeline planning.
• 6:00 The Crab Pot
• 8:00 Back to Capitol Hill
• Monday
• 10:00 Breakfast at Glo's
• 1:00 back to the train station to go home. 

Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessen

Onion Bagels

     To be perfectly honest, some of the restaurant and cafe's I drag my husband along to are mostly planned out. Looking at location on google, the menu online and even reviews to decide if the adventure will be worthwhile before I even start my adventure. This, in part has encouraged me to write this series. To create a place where readers can know what a place is like before visit. To have someone else check out the place before. There are lots of reasons why someone might want to know what to expect before. For some it's as simple as knowing the vibe or atmosphere to wear the best clothes for "aesthetic". For some it might be social anxiety or limitations. Whatever the reason, there are many valid points to know what to expect before entering somewhere.

     Now, there are those out there who will tell you "some of my greatest adventures where unplanned!" And I get that! I also have experienced fun memories and wild stories from circumstances that didn't allow for planning, or where plans went sideways. I have also experienced not so great outcomes when plans have gone awry. Fortunately for myself, this restaurant was neither an exciting adventure nor a disastrous misfortune. 

    During our weekly outing, on our way to go watch the new Dr. Strange, we stumbled upon Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessen. It's not that this is a super secret location or a brand new location, it just was one that I had not added to my personal list of food to try. We went at approximately 11:00 am on a Saturday. With my new perspective of trying to view areas from all levels, the first aspect I noticed was just that; levels. 

     According to their website; Kenny and Zuke's is a Jewish Delicatessen with choices ranging from various bagels, sandwiches, and other various treats. Located just a block from Powell's, this shop has an ADA automatic door that places customer's right in front of the counter to order. At the counter there is a glass case showing various sweets. Behind the counter shelves of freshly made bagels, next to those, several servings of salami hanging from the wall. Around the corner is where everything else is made. A grill with two or three working fills the restaurant with various smells of perfect sandwiches. After ordering there are truly three options.

    Option one: walk two steps to go sit at the dining area. Now, I know that I cannot speak for those who might have difficulty with stairs, but this use of two steps did slightly frustrate me. Larger staircases architecturally make sense, however with two steps it is difficult to believe that the two floors could not be on the same plane. If absolutely not, there seems to be no reason those two steps cannot be swapped out for a much more accssible ramp. 

    Option two: go back outside, to re-enter the dining area from the emergency access. With those two steps, the only way to enter the dining area is to exit the front door and go down the sidewalk to re-enter the restaurant from the exit door.

     Option three: take your order to go.

Bagel with Lox

     We ordered two simple bagels for breakfast. For Roy, a bagel with cream cheese, for myself, a bagel with lox cream cheese. Overall, they were good, but if I'm being completely
honest, not worth it. We waited longer to order, and receive our food then it took for us to eat the bagels. Also, my bagel was rather difficult to bite into. Roy's however was soft and easy to bite, but I had to battle mine to eat.

     The location is a great spot, right near Burnside, with big windows to people watch. The menu is simple and friendly to most diets (everything is on bread however). The dining area is spacious and provides lots of space for distancing and navigating. Lastly, it is a great breakfast/brunch place for those looking for time to kill while downtown Portland. 

Kenny and Zuke's at a Glance:

• Simple, easy to chose from menu
• Medium volume
• A shop made for talking
• Difficult accessibility
• Some difficult areas to navigate to get to the seating area
• Time
• Not a place for a quick trip
• Price: Two bagels, plus tip for $14.00 

Von Ebert Brewing

Photo from Von Ebert Brewing

      A football game in one corner, a basketball game behind you, a hockey game in the right, premier leauge playing over the bar, and baseball on a small screen to the left. For lunch this weekend we visited Von Ebert Brewing, a sports pub located in the Pearl District of Portland. Upon first walking in, there is a ramp leading you up to the main floor of the pub. Towards the back wall a bar with a large screen overhead. The first area walking in is high rise tables designed for sports fans to sit or more appropriately stand at to watch their game of choice and enjoy their drinks with some finger food. For anyone wanting to sit and enjoy their food, continue to the left towards the back of the pub. Here you'll find booths along the outer wall and middle. Filling the space between the booths are tables. Keep in mind, when I say "filling the space" I mean it. Past Covid regulations of six feet apart no longer exist in this pub. Be prepared to walk sideways to squeeze by tables and those sitting at tables. While last week I made a slight acknowledgement towards accessability, this pub was the first time I looked at a space from a different perspective. As someone who is able bodied, I admittedly went from "this place has great accessability" when seeing the long ramp leading into the restraunt to "someone in a wheelchair would not be able to navigate this space" in seconds. From  my aunt, I have learned that sometimes a difficult space in a restraunt can be manageable with the willingness to assist from staff, however this pub was short staffed, and as someone who is 150lbs, I had to wiggle and worm through tables both empty and with customers to find a seat. The area at the front is more open and easier to move, but as I stated earlier, the tables are standing tables, coming just above my stomach when standing at 5ft 5in. Again, I appologize for any of my readers out there that would prefer to know the bathroom situation before entering a location. I did not use the restroom during my visit nor did I look for it. I did however, make an attempt to snoop through photos posted on Google reviews. I found what may have been the restroom as a single door hidden just to the left of the bar. 

Top: Brisket, Bottom: Pulled Pork

    Once we found our table, there was a laminated sign instructing us on how to order. Like many restraunts are chosing post-covid, a QR label was included on the sign providing a link to the online menu. Overall, the pub largely sells smoked meats, pizza and finger food. For gluten free options the pizzas can be made with a gluten free crust for an additional charge of two dollars. For vegetarian and vegan options it is the typical selection of salads as well as a vegetarian pizza option. When we went the only options they had for sandwiches were brisket and pork. Originally Roy had wanted the grilled chicken sandwich and I wanted the turkey sandwich but we ended up with brisket and tater tots for Roy and pulled pork with coleslaw and a salad for me. The brisket sandwich was good, but it was missing something to put it over the edge, a sharp cheese, a different sauce, more pickles or something else. Between the lack of toppings and pairing with the tater tots it was a rather underwhelming sandwich. The pulled pork on the other hand was much better, largely due to the coleslaw on top. As mentioned earlier, this restraunts in every aspect holds true to an American Sports Pub. Plenty of sports, beer and mediocre food. 

     For those of you who drink beer, you might find there selection more appealing than I did. I however, know what I like and what I don't like. Now I'm not saying I'm picky, but I am particular. Their selection of beers did not match my particular requirements, but I think for those of you who are IPA fans, you'll definately be able to find a drink here. I did end up finding a sour beer, Recent Yesterdays. Truthfully I made Roy finish mine because it was just a little too sour for me to finish a full bottle.

     Overall, this restraunt is exactly what it offers; a sports pub with a small brewery attatched, American pub food and a good location. I would not recommend this location to those with limitations, families with young children or even most tourists. For Portland locals looking for a bite in the Pearl District, or even on a game night I would recommend this location. 

Von Ebert Brewing at a Glance:

• Simple American pub menu
• High volume
• Sports Pub
• Limited accessability
• Some difficult areas to navigate in the seating area
• Not children friendly
• Limited children's menu, closer to a bar atmospher than pub
• Price: Two entries, one drink, plus tip: $60.00 

Good Coffee

Photo from Good Coffee Website

     Waking to the daily rain drops on the window and the gray skies creating the perfect shade of background to the wood and brick buildings we were heading to, my husband and I dressed for "the gram" and headed to an appropriately named cafe. 

     Located in Slabtown, Good Coffee at 2175 NW Raleigh St, brings the hustle and bustle of city life inside. At first glance a large glass garage door remains closed on the rainy day but opened briefly during our time there to let in the cool crisp May air. We went on a late Sunday morning and were just in time for the other city goers starting their Sunday day as well. The line to order was to the door when we entered, but our wait was only long enough for me to get in two photos and a 10 second video of my husband trying to film me. 

 Pastries

     The seating was almost gone and the noise in the coffee shop reflected the amount of people enjoying their time. At the counter is a glass case just below the ordering station filled with pastries and sweets. We had already eaten breakfast, so we didn't enjoy any of the breakfast items they had out. With that being said, there is a good selection, and each piece was on the larger side providing a good item to enjoy with your beverage. We were able to find a few seats available, depending on how close you would like to be to others. In the front area of the cafe, it is wide and open to allow for customers to congregate before ordering. Just off camera to the left is bench seating with two or three tables and a handful of chairs. As you go further back into the cafe, the tables and seating become more congested, navigating through this can pose for complications for anyone with mobility issues or children.  

     On warmer days, and less rainy days, the coffee shop opens its garage door to the sidewalk, or patio as they might call it. This patio area is more open and accessible and still leaves lots of room for foot traffic to walk by without invading customers space. I’ll admit I did not see, nor did I look for bathrooms so I cannot say how accessible the restrooms are or what amenities they might have. The coffee shop is located in a communal building and I noticed an interior hallway, I would assume restrooms are through there. If my assumption is correct customers would essentially have to leave the coffee shop to find them. Overall, Good Coffee creates a "slow down and enjoy life" atmosphere. This is a coffee shop that customers want to enjoy their time and experience at. Both indoors and outdoors create spaces for individuals to enjoy their order, spend time with others and take a pause on life. Some coffee shops are made to grab and go, this one is made to sit and enjoy. 

Horchata and Matcha

     We both ordered the two most common items on the menu, an Horchata Latte and Matcha Lavender latte. Both were sweet and well made, albeit, not the best I've ever had, but I do recommend. Overall, the menu is a simple menu, covering coffee shop basics with a selection of teas. They have a seasonal menu with four or five items, but I can’t say how often they update their seasonal menu. Additionally, alternative milks are offered for the drinks they serve. I got my horchata with cow milk, but I do think an alternative milk of a little thicker consistency would give the drink the level up it needs.

     As far as pricing is concerned, most drinks on their menu range from around four dollars for a standard coffee, four dollars for tea, and six dollars for a specialty drink, with an additional charge for alternative milks. The pastries that were out for display during my visit averaged about five dollars a piece, however, size wise, they were about twice the size of what you might buy at Starbucks. On a whole the price is comparable with other coffee shops in downtown Portland. 

    Slabtown is one of my favorite parts of Portland as it meshes Portland Indie and Industrial atmospheres together. Good Coffee is a fitting reflection of the neighborhood it is in, and I would say it is worth the adventure on a sunny day to stop by the coffee shop, sit outside and admire the industrial-chic architecture. 

Good Coffee at a Glance:

• Simple, easy to chose from menu
• Medium volume
• A coffee shop made for talking
• Moderate accessibility
• Some difficult areas to navigate in the seating area
• Price: Two drinks, plus tip for $15.00 

New Mini Series Coming!

Hello internet readers!

     A quick update here. I am beginning a new mini series on Portland living. The goal is to try a new restraunt and cafe, here in Portland every week. Hopefully documenting and publishing this goal on the internet will keep me more accountable. 

     Additionally, I hope to not only experience new cafes and restraunts, but I also hope to provide a first hand look for others that might be interested. With some of my background, I hope to inform readers of the most popular items on the menu and what I had. I am not a food critique so I will not be critiquing these locations, but rather provide a review of my experience. I have also connected with the author of Wandering Wheelchair, to hopefully provide an acknowledgement to accessability. I would like to note that I recognize my perspective is from an able bodied individual, but I hope to provide some insight to how others might be able to enjoy and navigate spaces within Portland. With that being said, if anyone has experienced differently than what I am noticing I would love to open up a discussion in the comments for more to know.

     Along with accessability, I hope to also review other factors such as, diets. As someone who was once a vegetarian for almost five years, I recognize the frustration of being told there are vegetarian or vegan options available, only to find that the options are the same salads that you have to ask for no meat on. For reviews outside my scope, my husband will help me research and determine if the menu might be Halal. For any of my readers out there that eat Kosher or other diets, please leave a comment on what you look for or what you require and I will do my best to keep those in mind as well!

     For my final overall note on the places I visit, I will also try to best describe the atmosphere, dress code, price and any other details that are worth mentioning. 

     Can't wait to start this journey and for you all to join me. I'm also looking forward to any places my readers might reccomend! 

First post coming next week!

Welcome to 2020 Too!

      Hello readers, friends and family and everyone else in the world. Returning from my internet sabbatical I am here again to continue telling stories. There’s a lot to unpack in this post, so sit down, grab a hot cup of coffee or tea and settle in. Let’s catch you up on the final leg of 2021 as we round into what started to be the second year of 2020… 2022. Following up on my last post we left off with the season finale of our wedding! Shortly following we celebrated the holidays.

     For Halloween we dug through the black hole in our closet to throw together costumes, feel free to name our costume in the comments! I jumped on the opportunity to return to my favorite activity, dancing! We spent our Halloween night at Dance with Joy Studios scoping out a potential venue location and learning some new moves. Dance with Joy Studios is one of my favorite locations, not because I love the owner, but because they cater to every level of dancer. While it was a small covid friendly crowd Halloween night, there were beginner and advance dancers sharing the floor and teaching each other. This is why dancing has become one of my favorite activities. Many locations in Portland mirror this atmosphere of accepting and learning. I’m definitely looking forward to the return of pre-covid dance days. 

     Our next adventure took us to Salt Lake City for Thanksgiving. After Hawaii, Roy and I were both eager to get back into a plane. Flying in on Thanksgiving morning Roy and I jumped right into family activities. For Roy it was getting to meet the family, in person, for the first time. For myself, it was catching up on the latest family shenanigans and events. Roy fit right in with the family, thankfully since I left him to fend for himself for almost two hours while I ran off with my cousins. You know what they say, sometimes the best way to learn to swim is to jump right in, I threw Roy into the deep end and shouted “Good luck” as I watched him figuratively sink under water. Luckily my uncle saved him from drowning and now they are what you could call “besties”.  

     Being Roy’s first time in Salt Lake we spent the next day showing him the sights and giving him a tour of my life. Showing him my beginning. Starting with where my parents met, their love story and my first house. Roy and I have this joke that he is secretly a Saudi prince. Of course he always denies it, but showing him the difference between an American neighborhood he almost admitted he had a mansion back home. The key word here being almost. Following the tour of Salt Lake we finished the day with a visit to my great grandma’s house. There Roy learned the family game of Oh Hell… story has it, he’s still practicing for the rematch. 

     Salt Lake was a short trip, being over Thanksgiving weekend, and the fact that we now had two brand new additions to the family to come back home to. On November 8th we officially brought home our two fur babies, Arakan and Squid. From that day on we would be known as the SlayitzFamily. Keep an eye out for that social media handle on Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube… okay, enough plugging, back to the important part - the kittens. Squid is our baby girl and Arakan is her brother. These two tabby’s took no time adjusting to there new home and now are the true owners to the apartment. There favorite toy being plastic springs my parents bought for them. 

     For Christmas, I took Roy on his first trip to The “Real” West, Pendleton. A quick flight there and we had left the city for good old cowboy country. Of course, most of the time was spent with family celebrating the spirit of an American Christmas, but Roy and I did take an hour to drive around the whole town. Shortly following Christmas, Roy and I took our next trip up to Seattle for New Years. 

     In Seattle we spent our first day with my best friend Calies and her boyfriend. After brunch we made our way to the Selfie Museum and the gum wall. Of course we ended our day with watching the New Years Fireworks from my aunt’s condo. 

     Now jumping into 2022, we are already at March! Well… almost April now. My final updates include a last minute trip to Pendleton for my birthday and a new job closer to home. For now Roy is still at home with the kittens, the kittens are almost full grown now, and I have hopes to restart my online presence. Be sure to find us on social media (links below) and leave a comment for what you want to hear next! 

My instagram

Slayitz Family Instagram

My Tik Tok

Slayitz Family Tik Tok