3244 SE Belmont St, Portland, 97214
The Pied Cow definitely has its quirky charms: it's a big old Victorian house right on Belmont with seating in three parlors (how quaint!); it also has a magical outdoor seating area that's perfect for lounging on warm summer nights; it's open late on the weekends, which is especially great for the under-21 crowd; it's dog-friendly (they even have menu items for your dog!); great desserts, including a $50 sundae (for sharing, of course) and an amazing chocolate velvet cheesecake; it serves beer and wine in addition to decent coffee drinks; they've got hookahs.
On the down side, the service is pretty unreliable. It's taken me 20 minutes before just to get a server's attention to order something. Definitely not someplace to stop into on your way to a movie. Aside from desserts, I can't recommend their food, either, unfortunately. The spicy refried bean dip was downright disgusting, the hummus plate merely so-so.
In short, if you're not in a hurry, not particularly hungry, and you're just looking for a lovely outdoor spot to hang out with friends (including your furry ones) for a cup of coffee or tea or for dessert, I recommend this spot. But really: don't be in a hurry.
Showing posts with label coffee house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee house. Show all posts
15 June 2012
09 November 2008
Common Grounds
4321 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, 97215
I spent quite a bit of time at Common Grounds this week and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite coffee houses in P-town.
So far I've eaten toasted bagels, a cup of chicken dumpling soup, and a tuna melt here. The bagels were quite satisfactory, the cream cheese lovely and rich. The soup was just okay. The tuna melt was surprising and delicious: in addition to the usual mayo and onions, the tuna salad also contained bits of Granny Smith apple. Oooh!
The espresso drinks have not wowed me, but the house coffee is freakin' amazing. Two cups and I'm as jittery as all get-out. Refills on a 16 oz. are only 65 cents.
I also like that the staff is genuine and seem to really enjoy working there.
But what I like best about this place is that it was designed to invite people to spend many hours there. They offer chess and a great selection of magazines. There are couches and stools at the window in addition to tables. There are plenty of places to plug in computers. The music is mellow and kept at just the right volume. And you can spend half the day there without getting kicked out or asked to buy something else, as I learned from personal experience.
And the bathroom smells like pumpkin spice!
Common Grounds, I think I love you.
I spent quite a bit of time at Common Grounds this week and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite coffee houses in P-town.
So far I've eaten toasted bagels, a cup of chicken dumpling soup, and a tuna melt here. The bagels were quite satisfactory, the cream cheese lovely and rich. The soup was just okay. The tuna melt was surprising and delicious: in addition to the usual mayo and onions, the tuna salad also contained bits of Granny Smith apple. Oooh!
The espresso drinks have not wowed me, but the house coffee is freakin' amazing. Two cups and I'm as jittery as all get-out. Refills on a 16 oz. are only 65 cents.
I also like that the staff is genuine and seem to really enjoy working there.
But what I like best about this place is that it was designed to invite people to spend many hours there. They offer chess and a great selection of magazines. There are couches and stools at the window in addition to tables. There are plenty of places to plug in computers. The music is mellow and kept at just the right volume. And you can spend half the day there without getting kicked out or asked to buy something else, as I learned from personal experience.
And the bathroom smells like pumpkin spice!
Common Grounds, I think I love you.
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