Jun 22 2009
Going Back to Hubers
So far, so good. Besides the wet weather we have been enjoying ourselves toodling around the city with an umbrella in hand every evening. Portland really is a very nice town with interesting buildings and interesting shops, but one thing I really find compelling is that the city has virtually everything a larger town would, yet you can walk around Portland in a couple of hours and you can walk across the city in 45 minutes. Plus, it is a great town to walk. It has some uphill and downhill parts, but it’s no San Francisco. Just enough for some exercise, which is good since Laura hasn’t felt like visiting the gym since we arrived.
The first night after we arrived we found ourselves back at Hubers which we remember so well from last trip. I wanted to try something new, but caved when Laura insisted on it just to check if our memories where correct about the wonderful turkey (she is a turkey hound) or whether we were just really hungry the last trip. You know what I mean, when you are ravaged like we were after so much walking, then practically anything seems like the most delicious thing you ever had.
But, our memories were not mistaken, and Hubers lived up to it’s fame with us at least. And I forgot what a cool interior the restaurant has with the old part – the old bar area in back, and the newer part up front. It’s not really new but it’s newer than the 100 year old bar in back. We were seated up front the last time we came, so this time we asked to be seated in the old bar area which was not a problem since it was relatively quiet. Interesting note is that every restaurant seems quieter in Portland – must be the economy.
Laura decided on the traditional turkey dinner of course with a nice Caesar salad to start. I had one of the specials for the evening which was nothing like a traditional turkey or ham fare that Huber is famous for. It was a crab and goat cheese raviolli with a scrumptious tomato garlic/basil sauce. Laura also tried one of the cocktails de jour, a marionberry margarita which she claimed was delicious. I don’t touch anything with an umbrella or any other sort of cocktail decoration, so I have to take her word for it. On the other had she won’t touch anything called “beer” so there is never any fear between us of someone finishing your drink for you!
The turkey was sublime. Rich, moist and accompanied by a healthy serving of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Lucky for me that my lovely wife let me have more than one bite. She, declined to try any of my crab raviolli since it had, errrr… crab, and she being one of the few non-seafood eaters I know. Which, by the way is why I am always on the lookout for good seafood when we go out since it is rarely served at home except for the occasional halibut.
We finished the meal with Hubers famous Spanish Coffee. That is, Hubers famous FLAMING Spanish coffee. The bartender comes out with a platter containing a bottle of 151 proof rum, a shot glass, the coffee glass, and a pot of coffee. He raises the bottle of rum high in the air and pours the shot glass full from way high which is certainly a practiced feat. Then he light the shot glass of rum on fire, puts it in the coffee glass and pours the coffee in on top. Oh yeah, and last comes the whip cream! It’s all a very entertaining act and definitely recommended if you go to Hubers. If you don’t order a Spanish coffee someone in the place will during the time you are there. We saw to others happen before we finished our meal and ordered.
After leaving the restaurant, we walked back up to the hotel deciding not to walk anymore that evening. By the way, we are staying the Vintage Plaza on Broadway. It is a cute little boutique hotel that we were able to get for a steal for the month. The room is tiny, but we are not spending much time there except to watch a little TV in the evening and sleep.
Okay. More later.
