{ PORTLAND TRIP : Day 1 } 

we had a loooong flight (delayed layover due to snowstorm in denver !! O_O) during which we frequently nourished ourselves with fruits & potato chips. when we landed in sunny crisp weather in portland, OR, we craved something soothing and comforting, so we headed out for a vietnamese place that was on our way to our airbnb place from the airport. we decided on hanoi kitchen based on location, menu and reviews, and it was perfect!

we were so famished (well, i was) that we started off with vietnamese honey glazed wings - which were amazingly tasty and crunchy and juicy all at the same time. and i ordered something i never see back in NYC, bun bo gio cua, a spicy beef noodle soup with beef and crab patties (!!). and m got his usual favorite, pho. but man on man, i couldn't believe how good my dish was. it came out before the pho so we both delved into it, the spicy, umami broth, with tons of fresh veggies, and super round but elastic noodles were all so amazing. the beef in both dishes were even beefier than other beef. -_-

i wonder if it's because most portland restaurants and eateries use local beef, but it was much more intensely flavored and fresher than any other places.

and holy cow were these big - we were beyond stuffed. we forgot how big west coast portions are and definitely over-ordered, even with our starved bellies. the bowls were probably about 12" in diameter!