A Wandering Sole

A Taste of South Africa- The Old Biscuit Mill, Cape Town

// August 3rd, 2012 // 7 Comments » // Food, South Africa

I wrote this back on my trip to Cape Town in 2010, however, I never published it until now.

A city full of vibrancy, diversity, stunning landscapes, and a colored history, Cape Town captures many a traveler’s heart. My five-day visit turned into two weeks, and I quickly found myself in love with this beautiful city where Western lifestyle mingles with African culture. Cape Town is a gastronomic adventure, with world-class restaurants, decadent bakeries, and hearty, local cuisine. While I wanted to sample a variety of fare, I asked my local host for some budget-friendly dining options. One of my favorite places she suggested was the Neighbourgoods Market at The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. Not only is it a great place to grab lunch, but the market is also good for people watching and live music. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, that I had to go twice! (more…)

Southeast Asia Recap: Food and Transport

// November 19th, 2011 // 3 Comments » // Bali, Cambodia, Food, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam

Last week, my friend Lauren (aka my southeast Asia travel buddy) and I caught up over lunch. We first traveled abroad together in Africa in 2008 and then in southeast Asia in 2010. We threw out ideas for a future trip (maybe in 2012… see a pattern?) but mostly reminisced about ridiculous times and favorite places. I think for both of us, southeast Asia is a place we would love to return to at some point. So, what’s to love about southeast Asia?…..

The Food

Lauren and I largely stuck to street eats and local food joints. We could purchase pad thai on the streets of Bangkok for as little as $1, have a meal with meat for about $2, or dine in a restaurant on nicer food for less than $5. One of our favorite restaurants we ate at was in Dalat, Vietnam. Our guesthouse recommended it, and the place was packed full of locals.

One of the best meals we had in Dalat, Vietnam

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Bandera: The Cowboy Capital of the World

// November 16th, 2011 // 5 Comments » // America, Food

OST: The best restaurant in town

Between San Antonio and Austin is a nice drive on Highway 16 that goes through small, historic towns. Our favorite of these towns is the self-proclaimed ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’: Bandera. Even more than the name, I think what excited me most is that they have a restaurant that is known for it’s chicken fried steak. And I certainly couldn’t take Stella on a tour of the south without feeding her properly. (more…)

The Danish Hot Dog

// April 19th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // Denmark, Food

Food is an essential piece of the culture puzzle. To know a culture, I think you have to know its food. While a hot dog is probably not something you’d normally write home about, I must say, the Danish hot dog won me over. (more…)

Sole Food: a Visit to Slappy Cakes

// February 23rd, 2010 // 6 Comments » // America, Food, North America, Oregon

Happy slappy pancake deliciousness. It’s National Pancake Day, and what better way to celebrate than to make your mouth water over delicious pancakes!

Slappy Cakes is a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Portland that allows patrons to cook their own pancakes right at the table. The food is organic, fresh, and most of it is grown locally. I first read about Slappy Cakes on Dane Carlson’s Business Opportunities Weblog. I passed on the info to my best friend in Portland, and we decided it was a must-eat. After all, we love breakfast food! I flew out to Portland recently, and the next morning we decided that Slappy Cakes would be perfect for Sunday brunch. The problem? Sunday brunch + Valentine’s Day = An extremely long wait. It’s obviously a very popular breakfast place in Portland, and it’s dining room isn’t very large. So, we rescheduled for Thursday morning, and I have to say it was well worth the wait.

First Impressions:
My friend and I both have design backgrounds, so the first thing we noticed was obviously the interiors. Slappy Cakes has a fresh and natural feel to the place. With a simple palette of finishes and a splash of orange color, it almost reminded me of diner-meets-mountain lodge. The natural wood and warm color is juxtaposed by the metal finishes. There are Ikea accessories dotted throughout, giving it a modern feel. Unlike our Sunday experience, there were only about 4 tables taken when we entered so the place was pretty quiet.

Menu Options:
Slappy Cakes offers standard breakfast and lunch fare. You can order food cooked in the kitchen, but in my opinion, not sampling the cook-your-own-pancakes would be like taking a trip to Disney World and not riding any rides. They have several choices of pancake batters including buttermilk, vegan, and pumpkin, and for $1 each, you can pick as many toppings as you like such as fruits, chocolate, and nuts.

My friend and I both chose the buttermilk batter, but when it came to selecting toppings, it was a tough decision! I had blueberries and bananas while she tried the walnuts. It was mmm delicious. The server oils the griddle for you, so unless you overcook the pancakes, it’s hard to screw it up. By cooking our own food, the build-up to actually eating them made the taste even better. Honestly, the batter was probably pretty standard. But the toppings were fresh and the experience was fun! We also had a side of their potatoes which were simple, but seasoned well.

Why pay to make your own food?
I’ve heard this comment several times. Some don’t understand why you would pay to eat at a restaurant when you have to do the cooking yourself. There are several reasons why I would persuade you to believe otherwise. First, don’t go by yourself. If you’re with friends, there are several of you cooking. Typically this can’t happen at home. We also used our creative freedom, as you can see pictured, which was fun. Second, my kitchen doesn’t exactly have the same atmosphere as Slappy Cakes. (Let’s ignore the fact that I don’t really have a kitchen at the moment). Slappy Cakes has a fresh, inviting atmosphere with friendly servers. Everything is pre-measured for you and ready to throw on the griddle. Third, you don’t have to have all those toppings on hand at home- you can make impulsive decisions and become a pancake chef!

If you’re going to visit Slappy Cakes, I recommend going during the week. It’s more relaxed and you won’t feel rushed to cook, eat, and run. Another thing to note- I’m not sure this is the best place to take your kids. I saw a very well behaved little girl in the restaurant, but I can only imagine if you brought little terrors to the place. Even if you don’t cook your own pancakes, the griddles stay on all the time. So watch out for those tykes that like to get into mischief. I’m no food connoisseur by any means, but if you like pancakes and trying a different type of restaurant experience, Slappy Cakes is sure to please.

Slappy Cakes
4246 SE Belmont St.
Portland, OR 97215

So I went for the bananas and blueberries. What’s your favorite type of pancakes?

More Photos: