Oregon Road Trip - Day 2 ~ Photo-log

Back during the spring, it was my family's annual road trip down to Oregon, USA! This time our itinerary was a little different. Since my niece has gotten a bit older, we decided to deviate away from spending all our time shopping in Portland and instead head out west towards the coast to see new places and create new memories!

"By the way," you ask, "where is day 1 of the road trip?" Well, I decided to start with day 2 because nothing particularly interesting happened on day 1 as it was mostly us on the road making our way down south. 

Ok, there were SOME interesting things, like seeing a military tank driving beside you down the highway @_@ We also had a late lunch trying different food carts in downtown Portland.

Now, back to day 2. After having breakfast at our usual haunt, St. Honore Boulangerie, we drove west to Tillamook to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

The cheese factory was a family friendly place with a gift shop, and exhibits explaining the history of their factory and the importance of cheese making to the community. In fact, the ship on display outside was a replica of the exact ship that the cheese-makers sailed on through the Columbia River to distribute cheese to communities around Oregon.

There wasn't much cheese-making action going on that day... The factory workers were just packaging up large blocks of cheddar while we were there in the early afternoon.

I think the most exciting event was sampling all the different kinds of cheddar cheese! There were the common mild, medium, and sharp cheddars, and there were also cheddar cheese curds (very squeaky, but kind of on the salty side) and jalapeno cheddar cheese for trying. As the line-up was quite short, we went around and sampled 3 times LOL...

 Deep Fried Cheese Curds - Battered and fried, served with chipotle ranch sauce

Even though we had more than our fair share of cheese samples, we did order some items from the cafeteria for a late lunch. W really wanted to try their deep fried cheese curds. I found them too salty (just like the ones from the sample line) and dense after frying. W didn't mind though, he ate the majority of them.

 The Tillamooker - Medium cheddar on sourdough, served with a side of tater tots

I went with the classic grilled cheese sandwich. The bread was crunchy and savoury (but very oily due to all the butter) while the cheese was perfectly oozy and stringy after hitting the grill. I think the perfect pair for a grilled cheese sandwich would be a nice cup of tomato soup, not tater tots, but oh well...

 Smooth Sailing - Penne noodles topped with creamy Sharp and Medium Cheddar cheese sauce

To appease my niece and bro-in-law, my sister ordered a mac n' cheese for sharing...except it was penne and cheese =P I didn't like how the cheese sauce was ladled on top of the pasta rather than incorporating them all together... It didn't scream real mac n' cheese to me somehow.

Oregon Hazelnut & Salted Caramel Ice Cream

We couldn't leave without having their ice cream! We were all cheesed out from lunch so having something sweet was a nice way to end the meal. After looking at all their flavours for probably the fourth time, I finally decided on their Oregon Hazelnut and Salted Caramel. So glad I chose this one! There were crunchy hazelnuts embedded in the creamy ice cream and was full of hazelnut aroma! The salted caramel provided a slightly salty contrast to the sweet cream. The texture of the ice cream was also spot on...so thick and creamy! So so good!!

From Tillamook, we made our way up the Oregon Coast Highway to the little resort town of Seaside. With the weather being so nice we, of course, made a couple pit stops along the way to stroll along the beaches and shorelines. I love being by the water, it's so calming and beautiful.

By early evening, we arrived just in time to watch the sun setting down the horizon along the beach and take in the evening light while we walked along the main promenade. Seaside wasn't just a typical small-town ocean-side resort and tourist location.

This was the final landing spot of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in November of 1805. Beginning in St. Louis, Missouri, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lietenant William Clark led a team of volunteers, crossing the western part of the United States to explore and map the newly acquired territory. A little bit of history lesson for you there!

Norma's Seafood & Steak

20 North Columbia Street

Seaside, OR

We randomly chose a place to have dinner since we were not that familiar with the area. A short walk from the promenade was Norma's Seafood & Steak Restaurant. Being in a touristy town, we had to wait a while for our table. Highly recommended to make reservations if you do come to Seaside for dinner.

 Norma's Clam Chowder

Since the evening became quite chilly, we started off with a bowl of clam chowder to warm our tummies. This one was pretty good! It was thick and creamy with small chunks of soft potatoes and lots of clam bits inside the soup.

 Pork Chops - 10 oz. porterhouse cut, bone-in, broiled and served medium to medium-well with no sugar added applesauce

Going family style, we ordered a bunch of entrees to share between the 6 of us. We had grilled bone-in pork chops with a side of coleslaw. It was supposed to come with applesauce as the condiment but they had forgotten it when they brought out the pork chops. However, even with the applesauce, we found the pork chops bland and overcooked...

Fish & Chips Combo - Cod, Albacore, Salmon, Halibut

This was a bevy of fish and chips! Covering up all the fries were 2 pieces each of cod, Albacore tuna, salmon, and halibut. I found the batter a bit thick but the fish was fried up nicely. I liked the white fish (the cod and halibut) more than the tuna and salmon pieces as it was a little more juicier and the meat softer. This combo also came with coleslaw and tartare sauce for dipping.

We also had the Captain's Platter, consisting of salmon, prawns, halibut, calamari, scallops, oysters, and razor clams cooked in a buttery garlic sauce, and a Seafood Fettuccine to round out the meal. I just forgot to document these dishes with photos... The pasta was typical and average but the seafood medley was delicious!

Although the drive back to Portland was long and arduous (1.5 hours back in pitch black darkness @_@), it was worth checking out a new place with incredible views and interesting history.

Ramen Butcher

223 East Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC

Back in early February, Ramen Butcher had their soft opening and offered a promotional $5 soft-opening ramen deal! Due to work and logistical matters, I wasn't able to partake in this awesome offer during that time...boo!! With all that hype going on through social media and the interwebs, I convinced W to go to the grand opening straight after work. The shop opened at 5pm but we (and a dozen other people) arrived early to line-up and be the first to slurp up their noodles on grand opening day.

The design of the interior was more modern and sparse than the other ramen joints around town. The RAMEN sign hung above the bar area was made out of nails and it matched the contemporary, industrial look of the restaurant.

The menu was also a little different. The names were colour-coded to describe the type of tonkotsu (pork) broth it represented. 

Red = tonkotsu broth with a spicy garlic paste 
Green = tonkotsu broth with a fresh basil paste and Parmesan cheese
Black = tonkotsu broth with roasted black garlic oil
Orange = tonkotsu broth with rich miso marinated ground pork

There is also a chicken broth version and a vegetable-based broth for the herbivores.

Okonomi Gyoza

The rice bowls and fried chicken karaage were not available at the time of the grand opening so we gave their Okonomi Gyoza a try first. Although the dumpling skin was thin and smooth, it was not pan fried enough to give it a crispy exterior. The filling inside was juicy and seasoned just right though. The okonomi toppings (green onions, bonito flakes, mayo and tangy okomoni sauce) brought an otherwise regular gyoza another life. Gyoza sauce/vinegar definitely not needed for this dumpling!

Black ($8.95) - Tonkotsu broth with roasted garlic oil. Freshly made noodles with aburi pork chashu and a medium boiled perfectly marinated egg 

The Black ramen was my choice. The pork broth was quite good, but I found the addition of roasted garlic oil made the soup too salty. Also, Ramen Butcher uses thin ramen noodles which is not my favourite type of noodle. Nearing the end, my noodles became too soft from sitting in the hot broth.

Classic ($10.95) - Signature tonkotsu broth simmered to perfection.

W decided to go with the classic to gauge Ramen Butcher's quality. He also added an Ajitama (medium boiled, lightly marinated egg) to his bowl. The classic tonkotsu broth was not as salty as my Black version so that was good. However, W was not that impressed with the ramen. He too, like me, did not like the thin ramen noodles, and he found the egg a tad overcooked and not as flavourful as Marutama Ramen. 

Overall, I found the hype amped up our hopes and expectations which then caused some disappointment after trying their ramen. By no means the ramen at Ramen Butcher was not good but after having many bowls of ramen all over Metro Vancouver (and worldwide!), we have developed our own personal preferences when it comes to ramen!

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room [Seattle, WA]

1124 Pike Street
Seattle, WA

"In 1971 Starbucks opened in Pike Place Market and began a journey that has taken our coffee around the world. Now we are honored to share with you this one-of-a-kind roastery just nine blocks away from our original store."

For any Starbucks Coffee fanatic, a visit to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room is a must, especially if you live around the Pacific Northwest.

W and I took a small road trip to Seattle with the purpose of experiencing the Roastery and trying out their exclusive Reserve coffee beans. We were pretty wowed when we arrived at the store! The architecture retained its heritage appearance and the design of the store had a modern, west-coast feel while also exuding an industrial vibe.

One part of the space had all their exclusive wares and products for sale. Because of its exclusiveness and quality, the prices were significantly higher than your regular Starbucks products.

Inside, it was very spacious and clean. Although the place was bustling with people and the baristas were running around preparing coffee for customers, for both W and I, we felt a sense of warmth and calmness! We just fell in love with the place! Everywhere, there was something interesting to look at. We just marveled at all the details and features that the designers put in there!

At the main coffee bar, there were 5 differently-shaped canisters that held the day's freshly roasted Reserve beans. You could sample a tasting menu of various beans brewed using different methods such as the coffee press, the pour-over, or using their Clover machine. You can also order their Roastery exclusive coffee drinks, classic espresso beverages, as well as cold brewed coffee. It's definitely a new experience for me, sitting at the coffee bar, sipping on a coffee, and watching the baristas work their magic with all those machines and gadgets. If you're there long enough, you could even catch the moment the roasted beans are transported through the copper pipes, from the roasting plant at the back to the canisters at the main bar!

Taking up some major square footage, the roastery room is open-air so you can watch the process from beginning to end. On the lower level is the micro roaster, a small-sized machine that allows extra control and roasting precision of its beans. On the upper level is their small-batch roaster which roasts their Reserve beans for shipping worldwide. In between the two roasters is a huge, tall copper cask. Inside is where the freshly roasted beans go to rest afterwards.

Off on one side are the storage silos, where the raw green coffee is housed, waiting for their time to be roasted.

There is another smaller coffee bar on the lower level as well. A Coffee Master mans this coffee experience bar as its purpose is to engage the customers, experiment and discuss all things coffee. This is also where siphon coffee is served. Looks so cool right?! It's like they're conducting science experiments!

W and I decided to sit at the main bar so we could take in all the sights and sounds happening right in the middle. We opted for the brew comparison flight where we could try one Reserve coffee brewed using the pour-over method and the Clover brewer. We picked Starbucks' Pantheon blend coffee, a Reserve coffee bean that is exclusive to this Seattle Roastery. Can't find it anywhere else!

Now, I am by no means a coffee connoisseur. As long as it is well-balanced, I am A-ok! I liked the taste of the Pantheon blend using the pour-over method. It was lighter, smoother and its flavours were not as overwhelming. The Clover brewed one, on the other hand, had a stronger, more robust flavour and I thought it was a tad on the sour/citrus side.  

The next day, W and I dropped by for breakfast and more coffee. We just had to go one more time! This time, I had their latte and W tried their cold brew coffee. I think the main reason why W wanted the cold brew was that he wanted to have the re-usable plastic cup as a souvenir LOL! 

We also ordered two of their breakfast sandwiches and a chocolate croissant. I don't know if it was my emotional attachment to the place or what but I thought the latte tasted better than the ones I've had back at the Starbucks at home. W and I were quite sad to leave. For sure, we are going to go back in the near future!