Portland Burger Week; The Hop and Vine

Hop and Vine is a little tap room/bottle shop on North Killingsworth. It's the kind of neighborhood place that's popular with the locals and kind of happened upon by everyone else. It's gorgeous, with a sunny back patio and a draft list to write home about, but what's really up is this burger week contribution. If this is any indication of their everyday burger making prowess, this is not the place to sleep on. I'm talking to you everyone who does not live in North Portland.

Burger: This venison burger was cooked so rare it practically walked into my mouth. And I loved it. The thick slab of pork confit, the zucchini pickles, the fresh frisse and house made focaccia were all so well thought out. Given the savory weight of the confit and the buttery, rich, rare-as-rare-can-be venison, Hop and Vine constructed a complete burger that was pleasantly smaller that what you would normally see outside of burger week. I walked out with a spring in my step, rather than a 10 lb dumbbell in my colon. Thank you Hop and Vine, it's like you predicted the havoc we all intend to wreak on our bodies this week and you planned accordingly.

Portland Burger Week is an annual event that showcases some of Portland's favorite burgers. Participating bars, restaurants and cafes offer specially crafted burgers for $5 each. You can see a full list of Burger Week offerings here