Original Hotcake and Steak House

case — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:56:08 +0000

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

The Original Hotcake and Steakhouse, located on Southeast Powell Boulevard in Portland is a landmark greasy spoon that has been around for decades. They’ve been serving patrons carbolicious dishes 24-7 for some 50 odd years. It’s cool to see these guys are still dishing it out after all this time.

(Clockwise: 1. What’s a greasy spoon without a board with handwritten Specials? 2. Jam on it. 3. Hotcakes drenched in straweberry sauce.)

The decor certainly looks like it’s been around since the 50′s, but it appears to be well taken care of. A juke box is stationed in the corner near the front entrance and is playing hard rock. A little Metallica before breakfast? The place was buzzing.

Before you order, though, there are rules. You order first, pay, then sit (no saving seats before ordering). Lineup starts at the left. The atmosphere is similar to Bon’s off Broadway. It’s not a place to f*ck around, but still has a family type vibe. We quickly put in our orders and grabbed our seats.

(Clockwise. 1. Hotcakes, dripping with pats of butter. 2. Even the Hotcake has has a Facebook fan page. 3. Chorizo scramble.)

I was here for the original, so ordered two hotcakes. Tre opted for eggs over easy with sausage, hash browns and toast. Our partners in crime ordered a chorizo scramble, two hotcakes drenched in strawberry puree, and two eggs and hotcakes.

The hotcakes were huge and were light and fluffy. Tre’s eggs were decent, and the hash browns were shaved into long, thin strips like Fettuccini — crispy and flavorful. These guys at Hotcake house don’t skimp on the portions.

Not satisfied with the atmosphere, our friend Steve decided to be funny and play DJ with the jukebox to entertain us. His set started of with the always popular La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin. This was by no means a Ricky Martin crowd — and neither were we. It was a good thing we were seated near the entrance in case we needed to make a quick getaway. For some reason, Steve’s other pick, Everybody Dance Now by C+C Music Factory, mysteriously didn’t play.

Our meals were hearty and satisfying. Including tip (no tax), plus two cups of Joe came to $15, a great deal in Portland. The entertainment provided by Steve made our experience all the more memorable. Places like Hotcake House add substance and charm to any city.

Perfect for: Loaded Carbolicious meals 24 hours a day, with do-it-yourself music entertainment.

The Details

1002 Southeast Powell Boulevard, Portland
503.236.7402

Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill

case — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:54:53 +0000

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill is located on Pacific Boulevard in Yaletown. So far, it’s my favourite place for a great burrito. It’s almost always a packed house. During the summer, it becomes a hangout where people flock to enjoy authentic Mexican dishes out on the patio.

(Clockwise: 1. Tortillas 2. Fresh, homemade salsa. 3. Jarritos Mandarin soda.)

The space at Salsa and Agave is small, with just a few tables crammed in and some patio tables scattered outside. The restaurant is nothing fancy and feels like a Mexican version of a diner. However, as soon as you walk in you know you’re going to be served some good sh*t. Immediately after being seated, our waitress placed a small bowl of tortilla chips and homemade salsa on our table while we looked through the menu.

Tre was excited to see Menudo on the menu and promptly ordered it. Menudo is a traditional Mexican spicy soup made with tripe (cow’s stomach) served with onions, cilantro, lime and 3 soft corn tortillas. Menudo is often thought of as a hangover cure, perhaps that’s why it’s only offered on the weekends. Although I’m not too sure many of us would want Menudo after a night of hell. I ordered the Pastor Burrito: pork in red spice sauce, beans, cheese and Pico de Gallo. We also had two Mexican mandarin sodas.

(Clockwise: 1. The infamous Menudo, a hot bowl of beef tripe soup. 2. Freshly steamed tortillas in a basket. 3. Garnished with freshly chopped onions and lime wedges.)

Tre’s bowl of Menudo soup was a fair size and came accompanied with freshly chopped white onions and lime and three soft corn tortillas served in a little basket. The Menudo was delicious! The freshly chopped onions was such a nice compliment to the spicy soup, while the lime juice added the perfect tang. The generous pieces of beef tripe was very tender and I couldn’t stop myself from digging into his soup.

My burrito was huge and was served with a side of fresh avocado sauce and sour cream. It was delicious: the pork spicy sauce was really good, although not spicy enough for me. The avocado sauce was awesome. I’m not sure what was in it, but it was spectacular for an avocado condiment.

(Top to bottom: 1. All sorts of Mexican sodas. 2. A big ass burrito: the Pastor served with fresh avocado sauce and sour cream.)

Our bill including taxes and tips came to under just under $30 bucks. Our stomachs were left full and happy. We’ll definitely be back for more. Our waitress was friendly and strangely fond of the scent from my peach nectar hand sanitizer.

Perfect for: Solid Mexican food at reasonable prices.

The Details

1223 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
604.408.4228
Facebook Fanpage

Noshwell » 4 stars

Original Hotcake and Steak House

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars