Muse cheesecakes make my heart sing and gets me doing a happy dance. I first heard of Muse…read morecheesecakes through instagram. She offers durian cheesecake. Whaaaat? Yep, you heard me right. Durian cheesecake!!!! I am Vietnamese-Cambodian and durian is my jam. I love its pungent goodness in all forms -- pure and un-doctored straight from the prickly shell, ice cream, smoothie, topping on mashed avocado dessert and now.. CHEESECAKE! ohhh my goodness. My heart. I have returned so many times and buying extra slices (possibly buying out her supply for the week...) to share with my family and friends, who have all raved about the cheesecake from here. Durian isn't her only flavor though. She has so many creative flavors and I've noticed she's had comfort flavors from different cultures. To top it off, the owner, Kiana, is a wonderful lady. She is a one woman team and is kicking butt at her game from what I've gathered in the short time I've known her. She could be dead tired, but always has a smile on her face. I almost forgot to rave about her TARO BURGER on a vegan bun. I don't know how frequently she makes them, but if you see it being offered, do yourself a favor and get it. The portion is quite large so be prepared for leftovers. Unfortunately for me, my carnivorous sister gobbled the other portion of my burger right up and didn't even miss her meat. It comes with a vegan mac salad on the side. I am not one to enjoy mac salads usually, I think it's due to the mayo (not a mayo fan), but I actually liked this version. I forgot to take a picture of the burger before it all got inhaled. Sad face.

After drooling over their Instagram, I knew I had to go. To my dismay I arrived at something that…read moredidn't look like it was a cafe or even opened. I wasn't even sure I was at the right place, thought they were still transitioning from one location to another. Until someone who shared the kitchen popped out. I was told that I should order online and come by for pick up, and was strongly urged to do so because these cheesecakes were really good. When I saw that they were doing a contactless store front, I knew I had to go. This was my opportunity to try it. I texted the owner to ask if the flavor I had my eye on was available. I was halfway there before the owner responded that they had one slice of pandan cheesecake left. There are multiple forms of payment with a card reader, and various apps to pay with online which made this a breeze. The owner Kiana, even popped to introduce herself which I thought was so nice! The flavors here aren't your typical strawberry, chocolate, peanut butter cheesecakes, even though she does offer some variation of them. There's pandan, ube, lemongrass, ginger mango, passionfruit, matcha, guava, pineapple raspberry, and I heard she even cooks up something with the pickle brine from the other business that operates in that kitchen. I thought this would be one of those situations where the food won't look like the picture. The pictures are obviously styled, they look stunning. Nope! The food looked just like what was on Instagram. I am a long time lover of cheesecake, dare I say it's my favorite of the cakes. The condensed milk ube mirror glaze was a lot thicker than I thought it would be and held its form. It wasn't runny and goopy. Loved that it wasn't a sticky mess. The crust was very very thick, I've always wanted more crust on other cheesecakes. On the description, it says it's "jasmine scented almond shortbread cookie crust" slightly saltier than most crusts I've had, but still very enjoyable. I've only had the traditional graham cracker crust and I'm afraid this almond shortbread crust has ruined all other cheesecake crusts for me. I have been disappointed at a lot of places using pandan, because the flavor just wasn't there, not Muse cheesecakes though. Pandan was present indeed. I would have loved if it was a little stronger, but I think that would have overpowered the cheesecake. Each component of the cheesecake are so different and complex on its own. They come together in delicious harmony to make this beautiful slice. I grew up with a lot of Vietnamese food and pandan has a very special place in my stomach.. heart! I've never seen jasmine used outside of tea and condensed milk outside of Vietnamese iced coffee. Kiana definitely has a way with these ingredients and she's a cheesecake goddess! I really can't wait to try the calamansi, Ube, and whatever else is getting cooked up in this delicious kitchen.

Stopped in to hear the free jazz concert that is given on some weekends. The musicians were…read morefabulous. The place gets pretty packed because who doesn't want a good pastry and coffee while listening to fantastic jazz. We were able to try the vanilla cream, puff and the cheesecake. I wish we didn't split the vanilla cream puff it was that good just have for yourself. The bakery is decorated really pretty and bright colors makes you feel like if you're in a Candyland. Stop by and try their desserts. They were so good. I forgot to take a picture.

My date and I stopped here on NYE for a sweet treat. He got a snickerdoodle cookie. I got a variety…read moreof their gluten free vegan cookies to include chocolate chip (fire!!), lavender (dry) and sprinkles (haven't tried yet). Overall a cute shop and would come back again.

OMG!! How have I lived in Portland for five years, and not tried this place before?!…read more Wife and I walked by on Valentine's Day and went in for pie and coffee! I had the GF chocolate with hazelnuts which was amazing and the individual size pie was just enough. Latte was delicious too! My wife had the meyer lemon meringue and hasn't stopped talking about it! It was so good! Staff were super friendly! We'll be back and I would highly recommend!

Wanted dessert after having lunch around the corner…read more Personal Pie ~ wanted a little more depth in the crust. Fillings were good but not enough to balance the thick crust. Way too small for the price. Then the tip request is always annoying when the counter service has an annoyed attitude. No cute vibe inside and loud from the kitchen. A couple mini picnic tables for two that are grungy outside.

I have been looking for a food cart place like this and now I have found it. There is a welcoming…read moreatmosphere throughout the venue. Plenty of places to sit for solo diners to large-ish groups. Much of the seating is covered, and heated when the weather calls for it, and everything is kept clean. But people likely come here for the food, and this place doesn't dissapoint. There is a huge variety, from waffles, to Thai, to Sushi, Fish & chips, Mexican and so much more. There is even a bar in the back. I have to give a shout out to Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches. My partner had the chicken and waffle sandwich, and they were pretty happy about it. I had the Kid size PB & Bananas with honey, and OMG it was nummy. I took home half because it was a large serving. The waffles were perfect: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. If you enjoy food cart dining, (or just haven't found a place you like), I encourage you to try this elevated cart dining experience. *I would caution people with mobility issues to not use the entrance at the corner, and use one of the other entrances instead.

This place is actually a food truck marketplace with over 20 different vendors serving many…read moredifferent cuisines including American, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Mediterranean, TexMex, and Japanese. All food trucks small stalls, serving only to go orders. Prices varied, some had decent prices, under $8 for appetizers and under $15 for main dishes, but some were also expensive. When we arrived at the location, we found street parking across the street. At the entrance there's a cafe store that is actually in a front quarter of a plane. There were plenty of sitting space with benches and table. At the back there was a bar as well, with all gender bathrooms adjacent to it. The location was popular with both tourists and local, as I saw many co-workers groups were out here for lunch. We got burgers and lobster rolls from two different truck. Food was good. Loved the sliders from Slide Hustle. But they take time to prepare the orders. We have to wait about 15 minutes to get our items. Despite the slowness I'd still recommend this for the food truck festival like experience.

Cartopia is the epitome of Portland. If you wanna feel that hipster, tattooed, weird Portland…read morevibe... Cartopia has your back! No judgement... I'm the weirdo that is tatted and pierced like the rest of us! First cart we noticed was beer and BBQ... smelled amazing. We saw a little bit of everything. Fries, pizza, Pad Thai, Gyro, and tacos. It has a decent variety if you're taking a couple friends. We unfortunately came on an extra cool and rainy day. It's nice if you're snuggled up to a fire pit but the other tables not near fire are pretty chilly and you're probably going to get rained on. NOTE: There are NO BATHROOMS here. They have the Honey Buckets in the back corner which felt kinda gross with two food carts right next door. How exactly do they empty the Honey Buckets that close to food? Hmmm. No reason to let that impact the overall 5-star rating... maybe better planning next time? We'll likely go back if we're in the neighborhood. It was decent.

We really enjoyed the nice warm fire pits. Also the Portland craft sodas are awesome! They are part…read moreof the pizza joint which was also really good! I highly recommend the pizza spot and the potato fries truck. Service was great at both places. This place is great for groups and it felt peaceful. I would definitely come back

We're talking soft serve? There's no hard way to recommend a good soft serve. It's a tiny little…read moreplace that I wish had more space. The soft serve here is simple vanilla and then they work some type of Vodoo magic on it and it becomes some random incredible flavor. Props to their creativity. It's the right balance of unique and simple. Ice cream lovers will be stoked on this spot. Allegedly there is cheese and crackers and stuff here too? Idk give that a try too. I scream? Yeah normally Ice Cream about really tasty stuff. This is that. (4.5 Stars)

Best Sunday in Portland, and best soft serve in Portland. Rad little shop, sup nice and fast…read more Cheese and crack Sunday is best all time, but don't sleep on the rotating specials either!!

I'm typically not a pie person, but Lauretta Jean's completely changed my mind!! Every pie I've…read moretried here has been so DELICIOUSSS and perfectly balanced without being overly sweet. You can really taste the quality in the buttery crusts . The key like pie especially deserves the hype! One thing I really love about this place is that they're always rotating seasonal and occasional flavors, so there's usually something new worth trying. The fruit pies taste fresh instead of sugary, and even the cream pies feel balanced and light. It's the kind of dessert spot where you end up thinking about your next slice before you've even finished the current one The shop itself is cozy but be prepared because it gets bust even in the evening. There's usually a line and seating can be limited, but honestly it makes sense considering how loved this place is. Definitely one of the best dessert spots in Portland.

I'm from LA--I would literally come back just for this. Pies are out of this world. Service is…read morecool, very Portland. Ambience is chill, you can even eat on the sidewalk, they have a picnic tables. Blueberry Victorian is to die for.

This place is dangerous - you've been warned…read more TOFFEE The butter toffee is dynamite. I'll be sharing bags of this to my besties over the holiday season. It tastes like it was made with love so I'll be sharing the bag. PEANUT BRITTLE I'm obsessed with the peanut brittle, but it does have corn syrup in it, so small doses for me. It's crunchy, salty, and sweet. It's everything. But, I don't think my friends will eat it unless I take it out of the bag. I'd rather not share than to deceive. I do appreciate that the ingredients are on the bag though and have no buyers remorse. COOKIES I really like their cookies and appreciate the complementary cookie I received. My favorite is the white chocolate nutter butter. Also the 2oz chocolate chip; it was buttery, crispy and chewy in all the right places. I'm not a big chocolate fan but I like chocolate. This was perfect for me, but awakened my inner Cookie Monster. I love that they have 4oz and 2oz cookies. 2oz is a solid choice for me but the kids enjoy bigger cookies. Bottom line: I think you're gonna like this place if you haven't been here already.

We randomly found this place as we were looking for a sweet treat to ends our lunch with. The place…read moreis nice and small. It looks like they make everything in the back and seems to be a small mom and pop operation. They had a variety of cookies and other small treats to choose from. I decided to go with the Oreo cookie and smores one. Both were delightful. The cookies had a nice soft chewiness to them and were the perfect way to end our lunch.

Such a beautiful space. I love the furniture especially the lounge chair and couch with the…read moregorgeous table. What a great spot to enjoy a fantastic coffee. I love espresso tonics and not many places have them, so when I saw this option on the menu I had to get it. It was amazing. Just a beautifully complex and refreshing drink. Service was good enough; the staff was very friendly.

This place is so cute! I'm in love with the interior. With vibrant evergreen pops of color anchored…read moreby wood tables, a ceiling of coffee bean sacks, a book installation wall and photo wall. It's the kind of coffee shop I wish existed when I lived in SE Portland years ago. There's plenty of seating inside. It's a nice space to meet up with a friend or to have a coffee meeting. Street parking in this area can be tricky at times, but I was able to find a spot just around the corner. The service is friendly enough, and fast. I didn't try any of their food, but they had some really yummy looking pastries and croissant sandwiches. The hibiscus refresher tea was, indeed, refreshing. And all of the matchas and coffee drinks sounded delicious. Can't wait to try those when I return.

This was a highly recommended spot, we got there around 8:20PM ish on a Saturday night. I believe…read morethey don't have a parking lot but street parking was easy to find. The wait was expectedly long, a little over an hour. I loved the semi spooky vibes of the place. We got the affogato, black current tea, cobbler, and the ginger cake w/ warm caramel sauce. Everything was 10/10. We got a fun surprise at the end with the moving tables.

Such a hidden gem for dessert or cafe drinks with unique options for sweets!…read more We decided to come after dinner for our last night in Portland and ordered the ginger cake to share, since it seems they are quite popular for that. The ginger flavor is definitely there, but well balanced with the whipped cream it is served with. For a weeknight, I was surprised that there was a waitlist. There were about 3 parties ahead, but we got seated within 10 minutes of waiting. The inside is dark and uniquely decorated in a Halloween-esque fashion, but they still had their Christmas decor up in January. Street parking in the neighborhood was easy to find!