John Street Cafe (Grade A)

* Date November 2010
* Address  8338 North Lombard, Portland Oregon
* Phone Number 503-247-1066
* Hours:  Wed-Fri 7AM to 2:30PM; Sat 7:30 to NOON; Sunday 7:30AM to 2:30PM
* Comments of Decor:  very nice open space with REAL ART WORK on the walls!
* The Food Was:  Outstanding all around, not a giant menu, but everything is will prepared and nicely presented -- and of special note is the pancake with the figs in it -- I forget the name they gave it but it is the BEST pancake I've had. Go there an try it.. you will be glad you did.
* You Ought to Try The pancake with the figs in it
* The Service Was -- friendly and a bit laid back --not exactly professional but not annoyingly so
* * Of special note the art on the walls is appreciated
* We will go back? It is a little out of the way--but certainly if we are in the neighborhood during the limited hours they are open we would certainly stop
* Link

Besaw's Cafe (Grade B+)

* Date:  October 2010
* Address 2301 NW Savier Street, Portland, Oregon
* Phone Number  503-228-2619
* Hours:  Monday 7 am to 3PM;  Tuesday to Friday 7AM to 10 PM;  Sat AM to 10 PM;  Sunday 8AM to 3PM
* Comments on Decor:  crowded, indoor and outdoor seating--but it it is cool out the outdoor heaters don't do a good job. Pleasant..like going into an old but nicely renovated  'couch stop' eatery-- a place where you might expect to find rooms for rent upstairs and hearty fare served to the traveling public.. It feels like a fixture--and I am told it is one of the older eateries 
* The Food Was; just fine--in a city with so may outstanding breakfast places being JUST FINE is an accomplishment in itself. They have a nice variety to choose form on the menu--and the coffee was really good. 
* You Ought to Try -- no stand outs --good our bad -- all around satisfying
* The Service Was-- a little slow, but totally professional,
* * Of special note --a piece of Portland History so that makes it special
* We will go back? I bet we will
* Link

The Blue Pig (Grade B-)

* Date September 2010
* Address  5026 SE Division, Portland Oregon
* Phone Number 231-2775
* Hours M-F 8 to 3 & Sat & Sun 8-4

* Comments of Decor Nice open feel, not overcrowded. Enter one room and see the kitchen in action --to the next room where there are tables and chair --one wall is a bench seat --with tables that can be scooted along to make them tables for 2, or 4, or 6, etc. Colorful art adorns the walls --all  of it is for sale--it is done by local artists and we were told it changes regularly.  Lots of condiments on the table.

* The Food Was A LOT!  The servings are really big --we split our breakfast and nearly couldn't eat what was served as half size portions. We had make it you self scrambles and they were excellent--the potatoes were perfectly done--crispy but not overcooked.  We also split-at the table--a side order of their 'NY Cheese-Cake Pancakes with Blueberries" WoW --They Are Nice...but here is the down side--and it is not small downside in this town of coffee hounds--the coffee was weak and cold.   You can't have breakfast without good coffee, no matter how good the food is. 
* You Ought to Try --If you like pancakes you will be real happy with the NY Cheese Cake Blueberry Pancakes. Otherwise order something that includes the breakfast potatoes, you will be happy you did.
* The Service Was Very Nice, informal and efficient--just the way we like it
* * Of special note -- beware the tepid coffee
* We will go back?  We probably will but if the coffee is not improved that will be the end of our visits
* Link

Detour Cafe ( B+)

* Date  September 2010
* Address 30 35 SE Division, Portland, Oregon
* Phone Number  503 - 234-7499
* Hours 8 AM to 4 PM

* Comments of Decor  --small place, comfortable, counter at front window for singles, a few booths for two and a few tables for four --  the tables are all a bit small. Inviting Colors, serve your own coffee, very nice selection of  reading material on back wall.
* The Food Was --very good, fresh nicely prepared, served on square white dishes.
* You Ought to Try --THE DON EGG SANDWICH -- Two eggs, scrambled and baked, with portabella mushrooms, onions and feta. This is topped with Italian sausage, avocado, tomato and basil.  This is a very nice sandwich.   Or the Frittata -- and the skillet -- you get to choose the ingredients from a nice list of goodies --also The French Toast is tasty--made with cardamom bread, dipped in custard and toasted.
 * The Service Was Very Nice
* * Of special note  -- this is a sweet place with much better than average food, we are delighted to have fond it
* We will go back? We certainly will
* Link

Heathman (Sunday BRUNCH) - grade D munis

-- Review of SUNDAY BRUNCH --
* Date August 2010
* Address 1001 SW Broadway, Portland Oregon
* Phone Number 800-551-0011
* Hours - call to find out
* Comments of Decor -- casual elegance-- white table cloths, visible kitchen - big windows on the street
* The Food Was -- a big disappointment  --The crab cakes were bad-- they made with very OLD, mushy fish--with lots of filler -- no crab to be found.  The eggs were poached nicely--but the awful crabcakes dominated the plate. The child's bunny pancake was cute -- but it was a small single pancake that left our 7 year old hungry.  The omelet was so-so -- and we probably could have gotten a similar one at Denny's for a third the price.  The toast was cold.  Yes we got separate little jars of jam and fresh butter -- nice touch -- but not sufficient to make this an interesting meal. 
* You Ought to Try -- going somewhere else
* The Service Was -- nice
* Of special note -- for 3 people --two adults and a child-- we paid $50 for a substandard meal.
* We will go back? nope
* Link

The City State Diner

* Date of  last visit -- July 2010
* Address  128 NE 28th St, Portland, Oregon
* Phone Number (503) 517-0347
* Hours 8AM to 10 PM Daily

* Comments of Decor --simple, light open, almost diner like --nothing fancy and nothing annoying
* The Food Was  -- dry-- overcooked not too flavorful


* You Ought to Try -- dinner instead of breakfast --
* The Service Was  -- very friendly -- make you want to like the place
* Of special note -- we went there for dinner a week or two ago--and we like the dinner very much-- so we went back for breakfast--The coffee was good, but the consensus in our group was breakfast was only so-so. But we liked the folks so much we will probably go back at least one more time and see if the have an upward trending on the learning curve -- and we would go back for dinner, which was much better than the breakfast 
* We will go back?  -- for dinner for sure -- maybe we will give them another try for breakfast.
* Link

Sweetness Bakery & Cafe ( Grade B)

* Date July 2010
* Address  3524 SE 52nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon
* Phone Number: (503) 788-2177
* Hours  Opens at 7AM daily and closes after lunch --around 3 to 4PM

* Comments of Decor - really fun-- with all vintage mismatched kitchen tables and chairs (I love that)--and a bakery counter where you place your order. At first it looks like just a nice - funky bakery--but, oh, look they have a breakfast and a lunch menu too.   
* The Food Was -- very good -- the baked goods were all delicious, the Curry Scramble came with nicly roasted potato slices and fresh fruit and a muffin. They could have but enough curry into the scramble so it could live up to ist dname.  It was tast --but where was the curry?  EXCELLENT COFFEE!
* You Ought to Try the coffe is as good as it gets.. and the bakery items were delicious.  The Scramble was fine--but could have been amped up a little more
* The Service Was -- very friendly
* * Of special note  -- the bakery goods --just stop and pick some up if you are in the area and don't have time to stop for a meal
* We will go back? sure will
* Link