DANE KEALOHA

Location: Cadillac Cafe

Presentation: Salted Rim Pint Glass

Garnish: Pimento-stuffed Olives, Pickled Asparagus, Lime Wedge

Flavor: Perfection!

Spice: Mild / Medium

Final Rating: Bloody Wonderful

The Cadillac Cafe has been a staple of the NE Portland brunch scene for over twenty years! It’s the type of place where employees remember your name and it’s likely you might run into your neighbors there enjoying a meal before heading to the farmers market. I had a feeling that they might have a pretty good Bloody Mary to match their delicious breakfast menu, and I was right! The complexity of the flavors in this Bloody Mary are mouth watering and reminded me a bit of the traditional cocktail sauce served with shrimp. It could have been a little more spicy for my taste, however, I’m glad that what spice there was still allowed the incredible flavor to hold center stage. Again, no celery stick garnish, but overall I give this a “Bloody Wonderful” rating!

Location: Tin Shed

Presentation: Traditional Kosher Salted Rim Pint Glass

Garnish: Pimento-stuffed Olive, Pickled Green Bean, Cocktail Onion, Lime Wedge and CELERY STALK! (sans leafy greens though)

Flavor: Adequate

Spice: Mild

Final Rating: Bloody Good

This Pickle Bloody Mary is one of the many different flavor styles available at the Tin Shed (Cajun Bloody review to follow).  Being a pickle fanatic, I actually ordered this one before the Cajun (the clear choice to slake my everlasting thirst for a spicier bloody).  I should have inquired as to why it was named the “Pickle Bloody Mary” instead of assuming it was because they use a bit of pickle juice in the mix.  While this still may be true, I was let down by the lack of actual pickle flavor. As far a regular Bloody Mary is concerned, the flavor was pretty dead on, if not slightly bland.  When you drink from the rim of the glass, or eat the garnish between sips, it brings out the flavor more. Major props for presenting the garnish on an old school hot pink plastic sword toothpick, so Portlandia ironic they might as well have “put a bird on it”.  However, it left me wishing I’d gotten the Cajun (or the Pepper?). It also left me wishing they’d just garnished it with an actual pickle!  Still the quest for a Bloody Mind Blowing or even Bloody Amazing rated Mary continues…

Location: La Petite Provence - Alberta St.

Presentation: Celery Salt & Black Peppered Rim Pint Glass

Garnish: Olive, Asparagus, Garlic Clove, Green Bean, Lemon

Flavor: Strong Tomato Flavor (in a good way)

Spice: Medium

Final Rating: Bloody Good!

This drink had good tomato flavor that was not overpowered by the spice like our previous drink at Paragon. The more elaborate garnish was enjoyable (bloody good looks count for something!) as was the mix of celery salt & black pepper on the rim of the glass. One of the things that keeps this drink from a Bloody Excellent is the amount of ice that began to water it down. Granted, it’s mid-80’s in Portland today so I suppose I’d take a Cold Watered Down Mary over a Hot Mary. 

P.S. My Sunday brunch pairing with this Bloody Mary was a delicious Brie Sausage Scramble served on a freshly baked croissant. C’est Bon!

Location: Paragon

Presentation: Salted Rim Mason Jar

Garnish: Olive, Onion, Green Bean, Lime

Flavor: Somewhat bland

Spice: Very spicy

Final Rating: Bloody Average

Needs more flavor to balance out the spice. Adding some of the salt from the rim into the drink itself helps out. Not bloody awful, but not bloody wonderful either.

Once upon a liquid lunch, four coworkers decided to set out on a journey to explore our bloody, grey, rainy city. Our mission: to find the best Bloody Marys in Portland, Oregon, and share our thick, spicy, pickled, peppery experiences with the world. Follow us, and join in as we find the damn good bloodiest places to enjoy a Bloody Mary in PDX.

Cheers!