You Can Bank on The Vault

Marshall's Pretzels - The Vault 

I love returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the holidays. In addition to being around my family and friends who I don't get to see often, as a lover of food I also get the opportunity to try new restaurants that pop up over the year. Lucky for me the lovely owners of Elote, opened up a new restaurant this year that serves pretzels! What used to be First National Bank (Tulsa's first ever drive-thru bank) is now home to The Vault. Located on S. Cincinnati between 6th and 7th, this trendy new restaurant and bar adds a modern twist to the bank's original art deco design. The Tom Tom lounge, situated above the restaurant, was like walking into a scene from Mad Men.

My friend, older sister and I sipped on our cocktails and treated ourselves to Marshall's Pretzels - made with Marshall brewery grains, everything salts, cheddar cheese and served with herb butter and dijon mustard - these tiny twists were soft, fluffy and flavorful.

While I didn't have time to treat my taste buds to some of their other tasty selections this time around, rest assured I will be returning to this place the next time I come home. 

Gaumenkitzel: Berkeley, CA

I recently got to spend a week with my sisters, brother in law and nephews in San Francisco (well really Berkeley). The day after Thanksgiving we decided to go on a hike to Muir Woods, but before we left town we stopped by Gaumenkitzel to grab a pretzel.

This little bakery/restaurant had several different types of pretzels.  Naturally I opted for the salty one, but my sister ordered the one with sesame seeds so I got to try both. Now that I have been to Germany I can say that these pretzels were fairly authentic - the bread was a bit tough, minimal salt and served with butter.

I preferred the one with salt as the other one just reminded me of a bagel. I think my sister liked the one with sesame seeds better so win-win.

This Berkeley pretzel was definitely a step up from the other pretzel I had in Berkeley, but it doesn't even begin to compare to some of the tasty treats I have had the pleasure of eating in Portland. .

Gaumenkitzel also had garden gnomes scattered throughout their restaurant. This might have given them an extra cool point.

Some OKC Pretzel Love: RePUBlic

Thanks to my little pretzel blog when I travel home or to other cities, people tend to recommend restaurants to me that serve pretzels. A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days in Norman/Oklahoma City and while I lived there for about 5 years it wasn't until this little trip back that my friend introduced me to the Home-Made Pub Pretzel at Republic. In general they have an amazing menu, from salads and burgers to fish and chips. In fact I actually celebrated here after my college graduation but that was before I started rating pretzels as a hobby...

This pretzel was so good. Not only was it super soft and proportionately salty but it was served with Serrano-honey mustard and beer-cheese fondue sauce. I am partial to salt on my pretzel, but add in a mouthwatering cheese-sauce? You have yourself a winning pretzel every time in my book. (Note: For your Portlanders reading this post, I might remind you that Widmer and Deschutes breweries have amazing cheese-sauces to compliment their pretzels.) 

So if anyone reading this post wants to escape the Portland rain and head to Oklahoma City where the weather is sunny and in the 60's, be sure to pop into Republic (5830 N Classen Blvd) and have yourself a nice cold American beer and Home-Made Pub Pretzel! 

P.S. Boomer Sooner ;) 

Brix Burger + Pretzel Bun

It's funny how what we are looking for is sometimes right in front of us. This past week I was at Brix Tavern in the Pearl, 13th NW Hoyt (a place I have been to several times since I moved to Portland) only to discover that this whole time their Brix Burger consists of house crafted ground short rib on a pretzel bun!

Naturally I ordered it. 

I would have to say that while I prefer salt on my pretzels, the pretzel bun didn't need it. It was exceptionally soft and tasted as if at one point it might have had a little salt, but didn't need it anymore. I think I probably ate more of the bun than the actual burger, but I suppose that wouldn't be surprising to many. 

Brix Burger served on a pretzel bun. Enough said. 

If you're feeling your pretzel craving kick in but want more of a meal, I highly recommend giving this Brix burger a go. 

On a non-pretzel related note I am also quite obsessed with Brix Chips as well. I mean who can pass up verde roasted pork shoulder/baked cheddar in a skillet served with grilled tomato salsa and cilantro cream and tortilla chips on the side? Not me. You can get them for $6.95 during their Happy Hour (everyday 3-6:30 PM, Monday's 3-close, Sun-Thursday 9:30 PM - 12 AM). 

Dr. "L" Riesling is also quite good. 

Have I given you enough reasons to check out Brix Tavern? If not, let me know  @PDXPretzels and I will give you even more reasons to check them out. 

Oktoberfest: Munich, Germany: Let's Get Loud.

A couple of weeks ago my sister and I met in Munich to begin our German-Prague adventure. We arrived in Munich the day after Oktoberfest started. I had only been in Munich less than an hour and everywhere I looked I saw pretzels and people everywhere wearing their traditional Bavarian garb (Dirndl's and Lederhosen.) Unfortunately, Dirndl's are a bit pricey (some range around 400 euros) especially in Munich, otherwise I would have bought one to wear in a heartbeat.

My sister and I started the morning off right, showing up at our friend Ralf's apartment to find him and his friends eating a traditional Bavarian breakfast: white sausages, a basket full of pretzels, and of course, bier. I couldn't have asked for a better first impression of Munich/Germany and we hadn't even made it to Oktoberfest yet!

Munich's Oktoberfest this year had about 6.5 M visitors (if my math is correct, I think that is close to about 11 times the population of Portland, OR!) needless to say it was quite a site. Even though I was jet-lagged, I was determined to eat my giant pretzel and drink my liter of Oktoberfest beer. Some of the tents hold about 10,000 people (some less) and it was absolutely nuts! Everyone is drinking, dancing on tables, eating copious amount of German food, laughing and just simply enjoying life. This goes on everyday until about 11:00 P.M. - then there are after parties at some other Biergartens on the same grounds as Oktoberfest (we got a chance to check those out too!)

I think one of my favorite moments was being in one of the Oktoberfest tents drinking a beer with my sister and dancing with everyone in the tent to J-Lo's song: Let's Get Loud. It was simply fabulous, and that song is quite popular.

Fortunately I think we ate enough giant pretzels to keep the beer from affecting us...too much. 

Stay tuned for some more posts about all of my German pretzels!

Oktoberfest @Widmer

It's September and in Portland that means the beginning of grey skies, chilly nights and...Oktoberfest celebrations! Last year I had the opportunity to go to Mt. Angel for their Oktoberfest (which had a mighty fine pretzel if I do say so myself) and this year my friends and I decided to hit up Widmer's Oktoberfest. This is Widmer's 8th year since they restarted the event. Why did they cancel it for a brief period? Because it rained every year...so Portland. 

This year they hosted it at the beginning of September and the weather was perfect and naturally the beer and pretzels were flowin'.

This is the second time I have had Widmer's pretzels and they rock. For this event they were offering their perfectly soft (and simply salted) pretzels with or without their Swiss cheese and Drop Top Amber Ale fondue sauce. Do you even have to guess which option I chose? This marks the second time I have eaten their house pretzel with fondue sauce and it is unbelievable. Their Gasthaus Pub on Russell Street has the option to choose between a House pretzel with mustard or their house pretzel with the cheese fondue sauce. Normally priced at $4, and $5, respectively from 2:00 P.M - 5 P.M Monday - Friday you can get it for $3 during their Happy Hour.

Fun fact, home brewing was legalized in Oregon in 1979, and Kurt and Rob Widmer opened up the brewpub in 1984. This history is actually pretty fascinating, so if you're not already an expert on the Widmer brother's story, I recommend reading it for yourselves here.

 While this event was a blast I can't help but think that the real Oktoberfest is way better. Fortunately I will get the chance to compare the two in about 2 days! Tomorrow I head for Munich and when I land on Sunday my sister and I will begin our Germany adventure beginning with THE Oktoberfest.

Stay tuned...

4 twists! Swiss Cheese and Drop Top Amber Ale sauce is delectable.

Shotgun Sub Shop is to die for...

This past Labor Day weekend I fully embraced my inner Portlandian. Not only did I go for a run along the waterfront and sign-up for a yoga-hike through Hiking Yoga (highly recommend) but I also hit up some tasty food-carts. Which brings me to the focal point of this post: Shotgun Sub Shop's pretzel baguette sandwich. Located at SW 10th Avenue, Shotgun Sub Shop is only a couple of weeks old and is a part of the Grilled Cheese Grill family.



Before I dive into the dirty details, I must hand it to Matt Breslow, founder of both Grilled Cheese Grill and Shotgun Sub Shop, as he knows what he is doing. From a branding perspective, the design of the food carts align so well together that regardless of whether they are next to each other, if you see one - chances are you can identify who is behind the other. Also, unlike some food carts, which have so many choices it is slightly overwhelming, the menus at Shotgun Sub Shop (and Grilled Cheese Grill) are simple, clever and fun.

With names like The Road Runner or The Miss Ellie you can only imagine how much fun it must have been to create. If you don't want one of their specialty sandwiches you can also create your own in about 5 simple steps. Done and done.

Special thanks to Eater PDX for keeping me up-to-speed on the latest food cart offerings and highlighting Shotgun's Sub Shop's pretzel baguette sandwiches - because it was delicious. I decided to create my own, which happened to be
pretty close to The Bullfrog, with the exception of ham and provolone as a substitute for cheddar. I am a lover of turkey sandwiches so  the result of combining two of my favorite foods? Bingo. What's more is pairing the baguette with their Shotgun Mustard - couldn't have been a better choice.

It might not be a pretzel-baguette, but trying the Jalapeno Popper from Grilled Cheese Grill is definitely on my to-do list.

While I haven't been too strict on my rating system, I am not going to put this pretzel baguette in the same category as my pub pretzels...if you chose to disagree feel free by tweeting your opinion to @PDXPretzels.

Hopworks Pint-"O"-Pretzels is OK

It is rare that I dislike the pretzels I eat, but the "Pint-O-Pretzels" at Hopworks on SE Powell definitely didn't blow me away. The house made beer pretzel is served in a Hopworks pint glass, which I will admit is pretty cool, but as far as the actual pretzels go - not so impressed. Think: salt-less bread-sticks. If I were to change one thing to make them better it would be to add more salt. However, in Hopworks' defense my waitress did inform me that over the years a lot of their customers prefer limited salt. Plus, they are pre-salted so the chef's don't have a lot of control apparently...

The only saving grace? Their HUB Lager mustard and cheese sauce. Now that was delicious. The waitress even gave me an extra cheese sauce to take with me and my left over pretzels.

Just because I am not a fan of this Pint-O-Pretzels, doesn't necessarily mean I don't recommend others try it. In fact, I would say that people should probably try it as I am finding out more and more that I might have an excessive affinity for salt, and some are just not salt people. Plus Hopworks is a pretty cool place and one of Portland's first Eco-Brewpubs. I am a fan of their Bike Bar on N. Williams.

If you are still a bit skeptical after reading this post you can always try this pretzel for a dollar cheaper during their Happy Hour (3-6 daily, 9-close Sunday-Thursday and 10-close Friday-Saturday.) If you do, tweet @PDXPretzels and let me know what you think.

Pint-O-Pretzels is OK...saving grace? HUB Lager mustard and cheese dips 

Thirsty Lion makes me Hungry.

I stumbled into Thirsty Lion Pub and Grill in downtown Portland this past weekend and was delighted to receive a pretzel...on the house! Everyone always says that its good to know people in the right places and as a pretzel lover, this phrase has never meant so much to me as it did this weekend.

This is not the first time I have enjoyed Thirsty Lion's Beer Fondue & Oven Baked Soft Pretzel. In fact, I believe this was one of the first pretzels I tried in Portland and also probably the third time I have eaten it.

Thirsty Lion Beer Fondue & Oven Baked Soft Pretzel

So what makes it so good? First off, it is always served hot with the perfect amount of salt and comes with wait for it...pale ale fondue dipping sauce. I am a fan. I think my only slight complaint about the pretzel would be that it is a bit buttery/oily for my taste and some bites become overpowered by the fondue sauce (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just depends on your preference.) Obviously, those factors don't stop me from finishing the whole thing (occasionally with help from friends.)

If you don't live, work or play in downtown Portland often and still want to enjoy what Thirsty Lion has to offer, you're in luck as there is also a Washington Square location.

Special thanks to the manager of Thirsty Lion for making it possible for me to post this pretzel review with pride (because young reviewers get overly excited about getting things free-of-charge) and for my bouncer friend who kept all the crazies out and allowed me to enjoy my pretzel in peace. 

Pretzel? You Melt My Heart.

Getting home from work late might have plenty of downsides, but a couple of weeks ago luck was on my side. I didn't have a lot of food in my apartment, so I stopped down the street looking for  a restaurant and what do you know Melt was still having a Happy Hour. As I was scrolling their happy hour menu, my face lit up as I read: Hot Soft Pretzel. The best part? I have been to Melt several times (I highly recommend their brunch, which lasts until 2:00 P.M.) and just discovered this little treasure on their menu.

 I proudly sat down and ordered the pretzel with pride. The pretzel comes with homemade spicy blackberry mustard dip and is served very hot. Caution yourself as the mustard dip was definitely spicy. Fortunately since I am not a big fan of spicy sauce, the pretzel didn't need a lot of additional flair. It was a simple, well made pretzel with a good balance of salt. I took half of it home with me...but let's just say it didn't remain a left-over for long. Moral of the story? Sometimes hard days at work can end on a fantastic note. You just never know.

This pretzel gets 4 twists...I guess there aren't many pretzels I don't like? 

Breckenridge Pretzel

It has been quite awhile since I have blogged about my pretzel-eating adventures. However, just because I haven't written doesn't mean I haven't eaten them. So there are several pretzel reviews in my queue...

This past fourth of July I was in Breckenridge, CO with my family, so as a pretzel lover I had to find out whether Breckenridge had any pretzels to offer my taste buds. Downstairs at Eric's came to the rescue. I met up with my friend Kate, who I met in Portland last year during our internship, but who has since moved back to CO. Kate was a big inspiration for my pretzel blog as she too has an affinity for soft pretzels, so naturally a pretzel-reunion was right up our alley. 

For $2.50 you can order a soft pretzel with or without salt (if you read this blog frequently, or know me at all, there is probably no doubt which option I chose.) If you are feeling crazy, you can get cheese or mustard for $1 extra. I have no will power, so the addition of the cheese dipping sauce was a given. The pretzel was OK. Not unexpectedly, it tasted like a ball-park pretzel and the cheese sauce was also pretty concession-stand-esque. Between Kate, her friend, my sisters and I it wasn't hard to finish the pretzel, but I would opt for their nachos over their pretzels any day. I honestly can't vouch for their pretzels, but I will say Eric's is a fun place and I definitely recommend checking it out for its environment, friendly staff, and other menu items.

More Portland-focused pretzel reviews to come...

Spotted: Sasquatch Pretzels in SW Portland

While I haven't spotted Bigfoot in Portland...yet, after my recent visit to Sasquatch, I may have just discovered my new favorite pretzel. A family-owned brew-pub located off SW Capitol Highway  has created a delicious, home-made, slightly salted pretzel, drizzled in honey and served with their very own house mustard. While not a huge fan of mustard, I was pleased with the way the mustard dipping sauce complimented the sweet and salty taste of the honey-covered pretzel, and to top it off the soft buttery consistency of the dough just made it that much more delicious.


I was also thoroughly impressed with their grass-fed burger and gluten-free french fries. Their mission to support local sustainable farmers just makes their menu even better, and o so very Portland. It also makes me feel somewhat better about eating a pretzel and a burger...

To top off the experience, our waitress, Emily, and waiter, Alex, were hospitable, friendly, and made our evening that much more enjoyable. For a place that prides themselves on providing a great environment for family and friends to get together and enjoy delicious food and beer, my friends and I can attest that they live up to their promises.

Rest assured I will be going back, and might just have to partake in another pretzel...

Sasquatch Pretzel gets 4 full twists!

Not so Lucky Labrador afterall...

My family was visiting Portland for Memorial Day weekend, and what better way to celebrate this holiday than with a pretzel? While we were shopping on Hawthorne, my sisters and dad and I decided to check out the closest place with a pretzel on their menu. Low and behold we stumbled upon Lucky Labrador Brewing Company. Given we were all hungry, a pretzel sounded like the perfect thing to hold us over until dinner.

Little did we know by pretzel, they actually meant a snack size bowl of hard pretzels...the kind you get out of a bag at a grocery store. FAIL. I am pretty sure for $1.50 I could get a giant size bag of Rold Gold tiny twists, which might even be tastier. 

To top it off, the waiters were slow, unhappy, and to be honest rude. I find myself to be a pretty upbeat person, but as my friend would say these people were "fun sponges" and it definitely confirmed that I will not be going back anytime soon. I suppose if you want a nice, open environment and aren't in any sort of hurry, feel free to check it out, but I can identify at least 12 other places that have better service, food, and most importantly soft Bavarian style pretzels to go with your beer of choice.

Lucky Labrador didn't even come close to a pretzel...fail.

Salt: A pretzels best friend?

Given that salt is sometimes the maker or breaker of how I characterize a good pretzel from a not-so-tasty pretzel, I wanted to share a little article I found from Leanne Ely from SavingDinner.com.

A few weeks ago she wrote an article about how our bodies NEED salt, and that sea-salt is better for you (compared to table salt) as it has less chemicals and is simply fresher. I guess the good news is I don't often see many pretzels topped with table salt. If you are curious how you will get your 500mg of salt a day, perhaps try dipping into one of the many restaurants I have reviewed in Portland for a sea-salted pretzel and add a dash of salt to your day, without the guilt!

Otto & Anitas Schnitzel House

Given my slight obsession with pretzels, it might be surprising (even to me) that at the same time that I began this blog, I also began preparing myself to run the Portland Rock N' Roll Half Marathon. This will be my first half marathon, and while it has been tough sometimes to stay motivated, I have found it a lot easier to indulge in Portland's finest pretzels after a good run. After running a few miles with my friend the other week, we decided to pop into Otto & Anita's in Multnomah Village to try out one of their pretzels.

This little Bavarian restaurant had a delicious pretzel, with both butter (recommend) and spicy-mustard (spicy, naturally) and just the perfect pinch of salt. While I went there specifically in search for a pretzel, one of the waiters informed me that most people seek them out for their famous Dill-Pickle Soup recipe. So if you're in need of a little Bavarian pick-me-up, treat yourself to a nice cup of soup with a side of pretzel at Otto & Anita's.


As for me, let's just hope my exercising mentality continues even after I complete the half marathon, because my pretzel-eating mentality won't be going away anytime soon...

Thanks @BridgePort Ale House for a National Pretzel Day Success!

National Pretzel Day with BridgePort Ale House was a success! Huge thanks to Chef Jun and his staff for creating a delicious pretzel-inspired menu and to all of my friends (and new friends) for supporting my first pretzel event!

Sausage Sando, Pretzel Fudge Brownie, Chicken Schnitzel, Ale Nuts (Pretzel Edition), $3 pints, pipe cleaner pretzels, and a Twitter contest for the chance to win $20 to BridgePort Ale House? Need I say more?

I personally took delight in the Sausage Sando, porky patty with apple, bacon, sage + walnut, red cabbage slaw, smoked cheddar cheese sauce + crisp bacon, all stuffed into a BridgePort bakery pretzel bun. It was simply irresistible.

The pretzel fudge brownie created the perfect ending to a successful night - chocolate brownie with peanut butter pretzel crust in the most mouth-watering frosting.

Check out some of the highlights below:

Just Celebrating National Pretzel Day!

Happy National Pretzel Day!

Happy National Pretzel Day!

Have you ever wondered where the phrase 'tie the knot' comes from? Legend has it that during a couples' wedding, the bride and groom would break a pretzel (like a wishbone) and eat it to symbolize their unity. In celebration of National Pretzel Day I wanted to take the opportunity to not only give you random #PretzelFacts but also provide you with a little background on this savory little snack...

It is believed that pretzels were invented by monks around 610 AD out of left over dough. The "twist" was a result of them trying to resemble a traditional prayer pose. The interconnected sections later helped monks teach (and reward) children about the holy trinity.It wasn't until around 1850 that the first pretzel was made in America, by a Philadelphia baker who was given the recipe by a German "drifter" who later became his apprentice.

There you have it, even pretzels have a fascinating history.

If you're reading this blog post today, I hope you are taking a moment to grab a pretzel at a nearby restaurant/bar and enjoying every last bite. Twitpic a picture of your pretzel to @PDXPretzels too if you get the chance and let's make National #PretzelDay a day to remember!

Sneak Peek: Jun's National Pretzel Day Menu

Portlandians get excited, because Jun Robles has prepared quite a treat for Thursday's National Pretzel Day! Taking a bit of a twist from regular pub pretzels, he has found a way to incorporate this tasty little treat into four delicious meal options, including a must-try Pretzel Fudge Brownie.

Did I mention that if you order from this menu from 6-8 you will get $3 pints on BridgePort beer? Now who is interested?

Check it out below and get those taste buds ready for some fun!

Looking forward to seeing some friendly faces!

Save the Date! Thursday is National Pretzel Day!

For those of you Portlandians who are avidly reading my little blog feel free to join me and my friends at BridgePort Ale House in Portland (Hawthorne location) for a “Tweet-Up” and celebrate National Pretzel Day in style!

Jun Robles, head chef at BridgePort Ale House, will be creating a special happy hour menu with a “twist” - those who order from the menu between 6-8PM will be receiving happy hour pricing on beer!  For those who like to Tweet, there will be a Twitter competition for a chance to win a $20 gift card to the Ale House! Start following @BPAlehouse and @PDXPretzels now to get a head start on your competition...

If you haven't yet experienced Jun Robles' cuisine you are in for a real treat. He is quite the chef and puts passion and precision into each of item of his menu. He was recently featured on EaterPDX and Portland Monthly getting well-deserved credit for his tasty Asian-American inspired creations.

Details:

Date: April 26, 2012

Location: BridgePort Ale House; 3652 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR

Time: 6-8PM

OR 

Check out the event on Facebook and invite your friends here.

BridgePort Brew Pub

Today I must brag about BRIDGEPORT BREWPUB located in the NW district, on 1313 NW Marshall. The atmosphere here is pretty awesome, calm, lots of room and a great place to catch up with a friend or grab something to eat by yourself and watch a game. They start opening outdoor seating starting in May, so highly recommend checking it out then for sure. Now to the pretzels! Not one, but three pretzels (which is great for larger groups, but sadly I think even in splitting these with my friend, I had more than one and half of this plate o' pretzels.)

The porter cheddar spread is seen on the left, delicious!

The pretzels come with two dipping sauces, a kingpin honey mustard (which is a bit spicy) and the porter cheddar spread (highly recommend!) I washed my pretzel(s) down with one of their Summer Squeeze Bright Ales and I must say it was a pretty great combination. 

BridgePort BrewPub Pretzels are four twists, I would eat them any day.

Prost! Pretzels!

 For those looking for little German style pub, look no further than Prost! This quaint little Portland brew pub, located in the Mississippi district (4237 N Mississippi Ave), is a fun place to go with friends, and for pretzels! In fact, while I recognize most Portlanders probably don't obsess over these salty little carbs as much as I do, mostly every Portlander can attest that Prost! pretzels are a must have - even if you're too full from 'bier'.

The spicy mustard is really spicy (somewhat like wasabi), and instead of putting salt all over the pretzel they actually have it on the side so each bite can have as much (or as little) salt as your taste-buds desire. I definitely recommend going to Prost! if not for the pretzels, for the atmosphere.

4 Twists for Prost! 

The PERFECT pretzel found in...Pretzel M&M's

Crunchy. Salty. Sweet - need I say more? I think the pretzels within this little bag of M&M's might be the best tasting pretzels I have ever tried (and if you read my blog you know I have had my share of pretzels just within the last few months). Granted, these are not made it Portland, but I found them in Portland (at a Portland Target) surely that counts, right? I highly recommend grabbing a bag of these little guys next time you are out and about - you won't regret it!

Four Full Twists? 

April Fools! Although you can't go wrong with pretzel M&M's these are obviously not even close to being the best tasting pretzels...however, I think the "joke" is really on me though because the Target guy totally called me out for taking a picture of a bag of M&M's...he said "I sometimes also do nerdy things" wow - low point?

@RockBottomPDX Pretzel's you make the rockin' world go round...

Last night a few of my friends and I headed to Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery in Portland,  located at 206 SW Morrison, for the Annual Firefighter Bachelor Auction, which helps raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. While I can't say that I bid on a fireman, I am here to say that I discovered pretzels on the menu while at this crazy, but worthwhile event.  They had not 1, but 2 delicious pretzels with garlic-salt that came with the most delicious jalapeno cheese dipping sauce I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. To top it off...these pretzels were GINORMOUS (not sure that is even a word?)

Luckily, I had some friends by my side to help me eat them. I definitely recommend these pretzels and will definitely be going back. I would also say that if you are willing to spend some money for a date with a Portland Firefighter, while also supporting a good cause, look no further than the Firefighter Bachelor Auction in Portland every year. 

@RockBottomPDX gets full twists in my book (the cheese sauce was a nice touch)

Portland (Timbers) Pretzels

Exhibit A

I attended a Timbers game a couple of weekends ago, and let's just say I took one for the team by trying the Portland Timbers Pretzels.

Timbers Game!

I guess without too much surprise these pretzels were what you might expect, concession-stand quality. I thought I was going to pass out with the amount of salt on that poor little pretzel (see Exhibit A). To make matters worse, it was cold, it didn't even get to bask in the heat-lamp long enough! I enjoyed watching the Portland Timbers play, but when it comes to their pretzels, they might need to start thinking local...

No Twists for The Timbers Pretzels

You have a pretzel blog?

Today I wanted to take a moment to capture the reaction people have when I try to spread the word about Portland Pretzels. It goes a little something like this:

Me: (at the right moment/out of the blue in a new setting) "You should follow my pretzel blog"

Them: "Huh? You have a pretzel...blog?" (silence) "Does Portland even have pretzels?"

Me: "Yes, a lot of places actually and I review them"

Them: "weird" (laughter) "what is the website...do you just talk about how much salt it has?"

....Hooked! The next thing I know they are reading my blog and/or trying to follow it. Although I don't expect any other reaction, it never gets old at how predictable (and confused) people's reactions are. Fortunately for me I live in Portland now, so 'weird' is definitely not something that drives people away.

My next post will be a pretzel review, don't you fret!
-Holly 

Buffalo Wild...Pretzels.

Those who know me well (and those who probably just met me) know how much I love wings..especially from Buffalo Wild Wings. So it is probably not surprising how excited I was once I realized they also had pretzels! BWW doesn't just serve you one, but three at a time. Obviously I recognize that they don't intend for one person to eat all of them...so no I didn't eat all three (although it was tempting). The bread was perfect with just the right amount of salt. In terms of dipping sauce, I preferred the cheese to the hot mustard that might as well been wasabi, but then again I am more sensitive to spicy than some. So for those Portlanders who are in need of some pretzels and wings in their life, the SW Morrison BWW location is definitely a must try.

BWW Pretzels get "three twists"

Wetzels Pretzels

Wetzel's Original Pretzel gets "Three Twists" 

Although Wetzel's Pretzels isn't just in Portland, I figured if I eat in Portland it counts, right? I have decided to do some pretzel posts about some "main stream" places dedicated to pretzels - namely, Wetzel's Pretzels and Auntie Anne's, and others as they come (aka while I am at Target, because let's face it Target has everything). First up, Wetzel's Pretzels, although I technically tried my first Wetzel Pretzel at the Bridgeport location, they also have one at Lloyd Center in Portland - and for those U of O fans, there is one located in Eugene, OR too. Greatest things about chains is that you can count on the food to taste the same no matter the location.

For consistency sake, I tried the original pretzel and I must say it was delicious. I think the salt topped it off (as it tends to do) and even though it was a bit buttery/greasy, I wouldn't expect anything else. If you're doing some shopping at Bridgeport or on your way to a movie it is conveniently placed to tempt your taste buds. 

OctoberFeast - Not So "Premier"

OctoberFeast Pretzels get "no twists"

I was visiting my sisters this past weekend in California, so naturally we tried to find the "best" pretzel in Berkeley. For the record, Berkeley might be known for a lot of things, but pretzels aren't one of them. The first option  (and most touted bakery), Gaumenkitzel, was closed on Mondays, so we went with the second option: OctoberFeast Bakery.

While it seemed to be a cute little bakery, claiming to be the "premier Bavarian bakery on the West Coast" with all different types of Bavarian breads, it quickly became a not so exciting experience. The only pretzels they had...were the ones on display. The best she could do was suggest I try the croissant as it tasted "sort of like a pretzel" while she was right in that it had a bit of  a pretzel-like taste, it wasn't the same and the croissant was not great enough to want it again. I am not even sure extra salt and cheese-sauce on the side would make me change my mind on this one.

Deschutes Pretzels, are De-lish.

Deschutes get a "four full twists

Occupying a former auto body shop, Portland's Deschutes Brewery, located in the Pearl District (210 NW 11th), has a lot of appeal - and so do their pretzels. I won't lie, this isn't my first time to Deschutes, as I had the privileged of going here the first time this summer with a friend, but for consistency sake I thought I should go again to ensure I got my pretzel rating right. Their Brewery pretzel is served with a delicious "creamy white cheese and Black Butte Porter stone ground mustard" and although it is a bit pricey (compared to some pretzels at $7.50) the dipping sauce combined with the buttery, salty croissant like pretzel is simply irresistible. Deschutes is not just a Portland pub, as they have locations in several states in the U.S (primarily west coast and mid-west, although sadly not in Oklahoma). So for my family in California and Texas, if you're reading this post - make a date night at Deschutes!