Lang Baan has been on our to-eat-at list for a loooong time. I mean, it was named Restaurant of the Year in 2014! Reservations are very hard to come by, and we had mostly given up.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2017 challenge. Here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat the World challenge.

But then Becky got a text message from a friend, who had a friend who couldn’t make her reservation. It took her about 3 seconds to recover from shock and say we’d take it. So it is thanks to that friend-of-a-friend and Becky’s dad (who graciously agreed to last-minute childcare) that we were able to make this happen.

This is some of the best thai food you’ll ever eat this side of Thailand (if you can get a reservation). There were 12 courses, and unfortunately for you, dear reader, we completely forgot that we were supposed to take photos. We were so engaged in putting these amazing things in our mouths that we forgot about the entire rest of the world for a while.

We should also mention that Langbaan is kind of hidden. You actually go in the front door of another restaurant, then the host guides you back behind the bar, down a hall, pulls a meat grinder to open a bookcase door, and there is where you will eat. All of this sounds silly, but it contributes to a really unique experience, which is what we’re all about.

Super highly recommended. It’s spendy, and you have to plan ahead, but totally worth it.

Lang Baan has been on our to-eat-at list for a loooong time. I mean, it was named Restaurant of the Year in 2014! Reservations are very hard to come by, and we had mostly given up.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2017 challenge. Here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat the World challenge.

But then Becky got a text message from a friend, who had a friend who couldn’t make her reservation. It took her about 3 seconds to recover from shock and say we’d take it. So it is thanks to that friend-of-a-friend and Becky’s dad (who graciously agreed to last-minute childcare) that we were able to make this happen.

This is some of the best thai food you’ll ever eat this side of Thailand (if you can get a reservation). There were 12 courses, and unfortunately for you, dear reader, we completely forgot that we were supposed to take photos. We were so engaged in putting these amazing things in our mouths that we forgot about the entire rest of the world for a while.

We should also mention that Langbaan is kind of hidden. You actually go in the front door of another restaurant, then the host guides you back behind the bar, down a hall, pulls a meat grinder to open a bookcase door, and there is where you will eat. All of this sounds silly, but it contributes to a really unique experience, which is what we’re all about.

Super highly recommended. It’s spendy, and you have to plan ahead, but totally worth it.

Der Rheinlander is a Portland institution. After more than 50 years in business, they’re closing their doors in early 2017. Becky gasped when she found out I had never been, and vowed to make sure I experienced it while I could.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2016 challenge; here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat the World challenge; the full list for that is here.

What we look for in a place that’s going on our eat-the-world page is authenticity and quality. Having actually been to the Rheinland, we knew what to look for – tall, light German beers, pretzels, and sausage. The Rheinlander delivered in spades. I drank my German pilsner out of a boot, and the dining hall is decorated to make you feel like you’re eating outside in a village square.

The food was well done also. We had two gripes: the fondue (which is a Swiss invention) and the Sound of Music soundtrack played by wandering accordion players (the Von Trapps were Austrian, but the accordions fit perfectly). We weren’t super fond of some of the sausages, but not because they were badly done, they just weren’t for us.

If you have the chance, make a stop here while you still can. It’s worth it.

We were pretty hungry after walking through the Japanese Garden, and there was a fantastic old restaurant not too far away. How can we turn down such an opportunity?

This is part of our 100 Things in 2016 challenge; here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat the World challenge; the full list for that is here.

Tara Thai has been open for 30 years now, and it’s easy to see why. The atmosphere is really comfortable, and their food is truly good. The staff there was very friendly, telling Lucy stories of their childhood, directing us to the sticky rice, and offering tips on the best combinations to put together into a single bite.

We loved it. If we lived in the neighborhood, we’d probably be here weekly.

We were pretty hungry after walking through the Japanese Garden, and there was a fantastic old restaurant not too far away. How can we turn down such an opportunity?

This is part of our 100 Things in 2016 challenge; here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat the World challenge; the full list for that is here.

Tara Thai has been open for 30 years now, and it’s easy to see why. The atmosphere is really comfortable, and their food is truly good. The staff there was very friendly, telling Lucy stories of their childhood, directing us to the sticky rice, and offering tips on the best combinations to put together into a single bite.

We loved it. If we lived in the neighborhood, we’d probably be here weekly.

Every year we put a few restaurants on our list, and every year we are delighted by what we discover. But this particular pop-up restaurant is truly something special.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2016 challenge. Here’s the full list. It’s also part of our Eat The World challenge; check out the whole thing.

Mae is a loving tribute to southern food, to grandma’s house. Every dish oozes with care, charm, and home. Everything is served family style at big tables, so it’s likely you’ll make some friends. June breezes wafting through the open garage door. Perfectly brewed sweet (but not cloying) tea. Fried chicken.

We definitely got the feeling that it deserved a permanent home, rather than the back room of the Old Salt Marketplace. And it turns out we were right: we just noticed Mae being featured in Portland Monthly’s Best Restaurants 2016! Seriously, if you’re reading this, you will love this place. Snap up some tickets if you ever get the chance, you won’t regret it. This is truly exceptional food.