Exploring Food and Movies

           Friday my sister and I went to Escape From New York Pizza. It is on NW 23rd. It is a small place. It has a very low key casual feel. There are New York City decorations. Lots of Statues of Liberties. The name is a reference to a movie called Escape From New York. I have not seen the movie but I couldn't see anything related to any movie besides the statues. There was also a lot of stickers. You get a choice of 4 or 5 pizzas. It is mostly by the slice. They are New York style so they are big. The service was ok. Maybe they take the New York part seriously and act like the unfriendly servers in NYC. Or maybe it's just part of working at a pizza place. The pizza was good but not amazing. I would go back though. Monday: Hud (1963)      This is a slightly more modern western set in the 60s. Hud lives on a ranch with his father, his nephew and their housekeeper. Hud is a womanizing alcoholic. He was driven to this after his brother di...

        Khun Pic's Bahn Thai is on SE Belmont. You can't see it from the street because the gate leading into the property is completely covered in plants and trees. Once you step through the gate you walk into an outdoor garden. The restaurant is in an old victorian house. It is heavily decorated in the outside dining area. There are potted plants and fountains everywhere. There are dangling lights and lanterns on the fence. There are also frames and painting on the fence between the planters. Each table is a different outdoor table set. Nothing really matches. The plates, silverware, tablecloths, and glasses are all random. There are more Thai decoration inside the restaurant. But there is still a victorian feel. Especially with the classical music playing. The whole place is run by a couple. The wife cooks and the husband serves. They are only open 4 days a week and only for 3 hours. Because it is only the two of them you have to expect a long wait. Or at least th...

        Last Monday we had lunch at Nong's Khao Man Gai. It is a Thai food place. We went to the SW Ankeny location. The inside is very colorful. There are red paper lanterns and streamers hanging from the ceilings. The tables have bold and colorful table clothes. It also has a industrial feel. Like most Portland restaurants this space clearly used to be something else like a loading dock. The menu items are mostly simple chicken and rice dishes. But they are so good with not a lot to them. I got the most popular dish. It is just chicken on rice with some broths to dip the chicken in. My sister's pork dish was marinated in Coca Cola. I had some bites and it was good. The food is very healthy. They were also playing some Asian pop music which gave it a cool vibe. I would go back. There is a peanut chicken and rice dish that looks good. Monday: Nightmare Alley (1947)         Stanton starts out helping a psychic with her show in a circus. He wants...

      This week I went to Blue Star Donuts. I went to the SW Gaines location. The inside is very sleek and modern. The service was really friendly. I went later in the afternoon so there was only 4 kinds left. I got the maple bacon one. It was good. There was a lemony flavor to it. I wouldn't say no to going back. But I still like Voodoo donuts better. Monday: Random Harvest (1942)       A WWI vet suffers from amnesia and is kept at a mental asylum. One day he escapes and meets an actress named Paula. She takes care of him. They fall in love, get married, and have a baby. Then on a trip to town he gets hit by a cart. He regains his memory. He is Charles, a wealthy business man. But having regained his memory he no longer remembers his wife or the life they had. To Charles the last 3 years are a blank. Paula gets a job as his secretary in hopes that having her around will jog his memory of the time he had with her. She never gives up hope. This is a reall...