9 Offbeat Attractions to Experience in Portland
Pok Pok
Chef Andy Ricker’s take on Thai street food hit Portland by storm in 2005 and has continued to expand ever since. Now, 13 years and six locations later, Pok Pok still remains a must-visit eatery that attracts both a huge lunch and dinner rush, especially on the weekends. Dishes are mainly eaten family style, with multiple shared plates arranged for a communal dining experience.
Their signature dish, Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings, is legendary and goes great with one of their signature cocktails or house-made drinking vinegars. It’s not your typical hole in the wall Thai place, but seeing as Ricker’s establishment earned him a James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northwest, you’d do well to take your taste buds on a little culinary adventure.
Portland Art Museum
Ranging from ancient Native American artifacts to contemporary art and photographs, the Portland Art Museum is a cultural epicenter for the city. As one of the oldest museums on the west coast, and in fact the entire United States, it has amassed over 42,000 pieces of art spread across a 112,000 square feet campus.
Rotating exhibits have covered architecture, sculpture, modern art installations and animation, but the museum also has an impressive collection of permanent works featuring artists like Ansel Adams, Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock.
Film buffs should check out the Northwest Film Center as well, which shares a space with the museum, where they hold daily screenings, film festivals, community events and classes.
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Salt & Straw
It might seem impossible to improve on ice cream, but the folks at Salt & Straw have done exactly that. With flavors like Pear and Blue Cheese or Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper, they’ve created unique local favorites out of what might seem like strange culinary combinations.
Whether in a cup or cone, their ice cream has a magical quality that keeps people coming back for more. Intent on introducing the masses to unusual flavor combos, they offer tasting flights of their monthly specialties or your choice of four flavors.
Not in the mood for a scoop? You also have a choice of sundaes, floats and milkshakes or you can take home a pint of your favorite flavor. They even ship right to your door!
