The Portland Diaries: 3 Days of Donuts, Dining, and the Duniway Hotel

Before visiting Portland, I had romanticized visions of the “City of Roses,” informed by fleeting word-of-mouth, travel guides, and sure, a few hysterical installments of IFC’s Portlandia. I imagined the mini-me version of San Francisco, populated with bespectacled ladies and bearded gentlemen who appreciate used bookstores and take pride in supporting microbreweries and independent coffee roasters. 

But of course, preconceived notions are meant to be challenged.

First of all, Portland has rapidly transformed into That City Everyone Is Moving To. While New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco continue to be increasingly difficult to afford on an average annual income, Portland is luring Americans of all socioeconomic backgrounds (and proclivities) to its cozy neighborhoods and manageable climate. From Melissa, the cheery restaurant hostess who loves Grey’s Anatomy, and Adrienne, a server who left San Francisco two years ago to escape its insanely demanding housing market, to Justin, an impromptu drinking buddy I met who ditched Pittsburgh for the Pacific Northwestern life – more and more people are migrating to Portland to press that proverbial restart button on their lives.

And, as any urban planner will tell you, an influx of new residents results in an increase in housing developments. This is no more evident than in the Inner Southeast neighborhood of the city where I spent my first night at a friend’s apartment in a newly constructed complex that hovers above adorable retailers and cafes. I couldn’t wait to start exploring in the morning…

FRIDAY

It was already sweltering as I wandered up and down the well-trodden neighborhood of SE Hawthorne Boulevard where I indulged in some Blue Star Donuts (try the traditional glazed and the blueberry lavender cake) and browsed some adorable gifts and purchased a bar of green tea mint soap at Tender Loving Empire. I found breakfast at The Waffle Window in a savory bacon-and-brie waffle with a fried egg on top and a side of orange jam. Back on SE Division Street, lunch was at Bollywood Theater, where I met with Caroline Crawley, the woman who “runs the production."

Inspired by founder Troy MacLarty’s travels to India, the menu follows a philosophy of cooking that involves “fresh ingredients and bright flavors.” The high-ceilinged space takes on the feel of a neighborhood pub, café, and exotic market all housed under one roof that was once the home of an all-natural grocer and, back in 2008, a campaign headquarters for then-Senator Barack Obama.

Bollywood Theater on NE Alberta Street

My meal consisted of Bhel Puri, a bold blend of potatoes, puffed rice, mango, onion, peanuts, spices, and diced veggies. That was followed by Goan-style shrimp in a coconut-lime curry, and Vada Pav, a potato dumping fried in chickpea batter and placed on a roll with chutney. I washed it all down with a glass of strawberry yogurt lassi.

Caroline and I talked about our mutual travels, music festivals, and the rapidly evolving neighborhoods within these eco-friendly city limits, much like where the newest Bollywood Theater stands. Later, as I walked down a residential street, I saw the evidence of this evolution right in front of me. A worn-down, turn-of-the-20th-century apartment building gave way to a modern three-story condo. Signs proclaiming “Love is love” were proudly planted on front lawns. Solar panels covered the roofs of several Craftsman-style homes. And every block seemed to have a rainbow flag fluttering in the wind.

Another effect of this migration is the stepping up of the hospitality industry, especially downtown. The Duniway Hotel is a boutique Hilton property that opened in 2017. I check in and take a disco nap in my King Premier Room to recharge for my Friday night activities. 

Dinner was at Jackrabbit, the hotel’s sole restaurant and bar that seamlessly blends in with the lobby lounge. I ordered the Bacon Chop, a giant hunk of pork topped with roasted apple slices, caramelized onions, peppercorns, and mint. In between bites I took sips of my Coin Toss Cocktail, a concoction of tequila, ginger, lime, yellow chartreuse, and pink grapefruit rosé – all served with crushed ice in a grapefruit bowl.

SATURDAY

I needed fuel for the ambitious hike I planned for today, so I arranged to have brunch at Red Star Tavern at Hotel Monaco. After being greeted by Michael, the bearded host who led me to my booth, and welcomed by my server, the bearded Alex, I began to wonder if all male Portland residents are required to grow facial hair. I took in the neighborhood pub ambiance with its brick walls and maroon leather hi-top chairs before Alex offered me a piece of the tavern’s homemade coffee cake, fluffy with thick crumbs and the right amount of powdered sugar. I then opted for the pastrami hash with a side of roasted potatoes that I dipped in their special-made hollandaise sauce.

A few blocks away I caught the MAX train that took me up to the entrance of the Oregon Zoo where I began my 3-hour-long trek along the 4T Trail Loop, named after the four modes of transportation involved: Train, Trail, Tram, Trolley. From the zoo I walked to Council Crest Park—at 1,073 feet, the highest point in the city—and then enjoyed an easy stroll down to Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), where I boarded the Portland Aerial Tram and glided 3,300 feet downhill to the riverfront. From there, I boarded the trolley (a.k.a. the Portland Streetcar) and rode to the heart of downtown. 

Dinner at Headwaters consisted of octopus carpaccio with nicoise relish, a half-dozen selection of raw oysters, and a halibut filet steamed in a parchment casing with spit-roasted carrots and a buttery house roll. The decor screamed "Russian flair," featuring six concrete pillars that stretched across the dining room and into the bar lounge.

SUNDAY

Brunch was at Imperial, where the walls were papered in fun, kitschy illustrations of pigs, roosters, and dragonflies. Later, as a self-proclaimed bibliophile, I felt obligated to visit the iconic Powell’s City of Books, Portland’s famous independent bookseller, one of the nation’s few of its kind. The storefront is misleading; once I stepped in, I found myself wandering through a number of rooms, mesmerized by rows and rows of the new, used, rare, and out-of-print titles. One hour later, I walked out with a trio of purchases in a signature tote bag. 

After going back to the Duniway to change for the evening, a pre-dinner cocktail was needed. I was guided to the intimate, dark lounge of The Driftwood Room, located inside Hotel deLuxe on SW 15th Avenue. Once inside, I expected to see Don Draper sipping on a Manhattan, cigarette dangling from his fingers. The 1950s vibe was strong, and the drinks were stronger (the Olive Oil Martini did me in).

Dinner followed at Andina in the Pearl District, where I met Peter, the son of founders John and Doris Platt. We sat in the sub level, the restaurant's new extension since opening in 2003, a former site of small antique shops and offices (the rest of the building was once a facility for slaughtering incoming cattle). The Peruvian menu celebrates the history, culture, and cuisines of the Andes, and the proof was in every dish I sampled, from the yuca frita and halibut drizzled with basil crema to the tabor bread with carob butter. 

*This article originally appeared in Bello Mag in Fall 2017.