We went downtown first to find Nong’s Khao Man Gai and I was amazed at the sheer number of food trucks that were in a block radius. There was literally a line of food trucks on every side with every kind of food imaginable: dumplings, gyros, curry, noodles, pizza, tacos, BBQ, and more. I was momentarily distracted from my goal but I remained steadfast.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai
Before eating at Nong’s, I was a little skeptical about how good some boiled chicken and rice could be. I ordered the signature dish, khao man gai, at the food truck and got a cute little brown bag with the chicken and rice packaged together, some winter melon soup, and a ginger soybean sauce.
Oh my gosh. Everything about the meal was incredibly comforting and satisfying. The sauce is rich and tangy. The soup is light and perfectly seasoned. The chicken is juicy and the rice is surprisingly flavorful. I was in bliss as I finished everything. This is a dish I could eat every day and I met some people that did!
Powell’s City of Books
This place was impressive. Powell’s has 4 stories, 9 color coded areas, dozens of sections and subsections, a cafe, and a rare books room. They sell new and used books, board games, and all kinds of cool knick knacks. Powell’s is supposedly the world’s largest used and new bookstore and I believe it. It’s definitely a place you can lose yourself and get lost in.
Salt and Straw
When you’re in the Alberta district, check out one of the locations of famous ice cream shop Salt and Straw. Salt and Straw uses locally sourced ingredients and is known for their inventive flavors. The sea salt and caramel and pear and blue cheese flavors were delicious but everything I sampled was good. Get a tasting flight of 4 flavors if you’re indecisive and can never have enough ice cream like me.
International Rose Test Garden
The rose garden was my favorite place in Portland. I love roses and it was cool to see hundreds of different varieties in one spot. All the roses were beautiful and the smell of thousands of roses was heavenly. Not only were the different colors interesting to see but the roses had cute names like “Rock & Roll” and “Walking on Sunshine.” There were lots of quiet places to sit and relax throughout the garden. I could have stayed here all day.
