Back on the road (Portland cafes)

En route, Portland-Healdsburg, Feb. 14, 2011—

ANOTHER DAY ON HIGHWAY 5. As now our custom, breakfast at Ken's: a croissant and a caffelatte. Ken's is my favorite Portland bakery for bread and many pastries, but right afterward we stopped down at the Pearl Bakery for a number of gibassiers, one of L's favorite things in the world; and, why not, a cappuccino to go: I'll need caffein today! Oh, and look, nice ham-and-cheese sandwiches in the case: let's get one of those for the road.

Then, halfway home, in Ashland, a stop at the hippy supermarket where we can make up a little box of salad to have later somewhere — "Caesar" for me: romaine, croutons, some kind of dressing; and some of those vinaigrette artichoke hearts on the side.

Ashland also represents the only good coffee I know between home and Portland, so we took a nice single-origin Nicaragua cappuccino in a comfortable armchair, then resumed the road.

Finally home at ten o'clock, all we wanted was a cup of tea and one of those gibassiers. I've gained five pounds on this trip, thanks to all those cakes, and a few Martinis. Time to hit the fast again, and fast.

• Ken's Artisan Bakery, 338 Northwest 21st Ave., Portland; (503) 248-2202
• Pearl Bakery, 102 NW 9th Ave., Portland; (503) 827-0910
• Noble Coffee Roasting, 281 Fourth Street, Ashland; (541) 488-3288

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A few words on Portland coffee this trip: First, three of my granddaughters are baristas, a word never again to be italicized here. They work at one of the best cafés, Extracto; I'm very happy to have a cappuccino and a pastry here. Or maybe a mocha. Or a macchiato.
But there are other places; depends on where you are. Downtown, I liked Courier very much: these folks are serious about their work, but good-humored and friendly as well. Over near Ken's, Sterling has a walkup stall next to Trader Joe's: this is about as good as it gets, but you have to take your ristretto all'italiana, standing up. No iPhone lounging here!
 

Figgy thing (left); cappuccino at Extracto

• Extracto, 2921 Northeast Killingsworth St., Portland; (503) 281-1764
• Courier Coffee, 923 Southwest Oak St., Portland; (503) 274-7887
• Sterling Coffee Roasters, 2120 NW Glisan St., Portland