Date night at Soho and Salt & Straw

I love some good Sushi! Soho on the south waterfront has some really unique and tasty sushi rolls. We've been there a few times and Shane's sister gave me a Groupon for this place for my birthday so we went back. 

Veggie Tempura

Hitch Hiker roll. Salmon, cream cheese, avocado, caramelized onions, crab

Scarface roll---crab, shrimp tempura and cucumber on the inside, crab, spicy tuna and asparagus and spicy may on the outside. YUM!

Then we decided we needed some dessert, even though we were full from so much sushi! I've been wanting to try Salt & Straw over on NW Alberta. I've heard so many good things about it, not only that it is super tasty and has unique flavors, but that it used only organic ingredients that are mostly local. 

 The employees were so Portlandia. Obviously.

I got chocolate with gooey brownies, topped with 'finishing salt'.

 I've had salt on my frozen yogurt before and liked it, so I thought 'finishing salt' would be a similar thing. I asked, just to be sure. I couldn't really believe the answer I got. I asked the employee above with the red beard "What exactly is finishing salt? It is just salt?". His reply? "It's salt that we picked over in the field on Mississippi Ave". "Excuse me?" I asked, thinking that I heard something wrong. Nope, he repeated the exact same thing. So I ordered it as a topping anyway, and yes, it was just salt, but quite thick and hearty salt, even thicker than sea salt. Is anybody confused here? I don't really think you can 'pick' salt. It is a naturally occurring element. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't occur in a field in North Portland. WTF?

Yum...we didn't try this but you could order it with ice cream

Shane with his sundae

Me with my finishing salt and a sock bun in my hair

Salt & Straw was packed! I wish I had taken a picture of the crowd. The line was out the door and people were milling around inside the store eating their ice cream cones, sundaes, drinking coffee and socializing. This place sure is popular. I bet it's out of control during Last Thursday, the street fair that goes on on NE Alberta once a month. I would love to go back and try some of their unique flavors, like Pear & Blue Cheese or Salted Caramel Cupcake. They have rotating flavors and special flavors all the time. They serve Stumptown coffee and I heard they sometimes have a Stumptown ice cream flavor. Our date night was fun and I am so glad that Portland has such great food:)