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    Soen

    4.8 (17 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 3:00 pm

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bingsoo
    Alea A.

    So refreshing & light! Unassuming bingsoo offerings inside Courier Coffee. Large serving perfect for sharing. Parking is typical Downtown parking (street parking or parking structure). Service wasn't memorable but not negative. Would go back to try another flavored bingsoo.

    Hojicha Kokuto Kinako w/ 2 Mochi!
    Michele L.

    Soen was on my must-try list while I'm visiting Portland! We visited on July fourth weekend and it was blazing hot this weekend. It got really crowded for this small shop. I'm assuming it's because of the weather that got this place popping this weekend, but maybe it'll be less crowded on cooler days. They have a large counter with workers making drinks, desserts, and food in the back, and a smaller seating area in the front of the shop, less than five tables. They have a few other seats outside, but not enough for the crowd today. I came to Soen to try their Kakigori dessert, specifically their Hojicha Kokuto Kinako. I'm a sucker for both Hojicha and Kinako so the combination a both was an absolute must for me! We also added mochi to Kakigori. It's like a little treasure hunt as you eat because they hide it in the shaved ice. One thing I would recommend they do is add menus somewhere for people waiting in line to look at. We weren't able to take a look at the menu until we were at the ordering counter, and some people in front of us had the same issue, which caused a long wait just to put our order in. The pressure of not holding up the line made me feel like I had to place my order fast, so being able to look at a menu beforehand would help immensely. That and they have a small number of staffs, and they're just really busy today so the wait for our dessert took a long time. We were eventually able to grab a seat before our order came. We ordered a small size, but I honestly wouldn't have mind a larger size because it was just so good! It made for the perfect dessert that's not too sweet nor too heavy! The Hojicha flavored ice was delicious and really evident, so they probably added a good amount of powder or syrup to the shaved ice. They sprinkled a good amount of Kinako powder on top of the cream so it sorta melted and blended in with the cream. Every bite was plenty flavorful. All-in-all, loved this spot and would definitely recommend. I think they're fairly new, so hopefully they're more efficient the next time I come visit Portland again. I would love to try some of their other flavors, sweets, or even small bites next time.

    Wasabi Tuna
    Ploy N.

    Delightful Kakigori and Makis. We loved botht the Wasabi Tuna and Tamago Makis that were filled with delicious fresh ingredients. These made for a nice and light meal. Their current seasonal Kakigori is the Blueberry Coconut. The fresh berries pureé was so tasty on the finely shaven ice. The fresh whipped cream tied everything together perfectly as well. Their ambience couldn't be cozier, tucked within Courier coffee you can get stuffs from both spot!

    Fall Kakigori
    Miki M.

    This Japanese cafe is tucked away inside the cozy and kitschy Courier Coffee and it's adorable! There's only a small handful of tables so it led to a relaxing atmosphere. We ordered a couple of drinks from the coffee side and some food and shaved ice from Soen. We ordered a Tuna Mayo Norimaki and the autumn seasonal Kakigori (shaved ice). They are known for simple but authentic Japanese food and that really comes through in their flavors. The norimaki was yummy, the wasabi oil in it tasted fresh and paired well with the tuna inside. But the highlight of the meal was the Kakigori. The pumpkin and sweet potato purees on top had a natural sweetness to it. I love how finely shaved the ice was, the texture of the ice with the purees and toppings were such a great pairing. Highly, highly recommend!

    Ume-taku Norimaki + Buckwheat Tea
    Dana S.

    Soen/Courier Coffee is a small Japanese café. It's one café and one counter for ordering, so there is no functional distinction between Soen and Courier Coffee, I think the coffee menu and small baked goods selection is from Courier Coffee and the rest (norimaki, kakigori, and tea) is Soen. Kakigori is available seasonally - I was lucky that I visited during the last week of kakigori for the year. It's a pretty small space, a few tables tables inside and a few outside on the sidewalk. There's not much room for standing, but the staff will bring your food to your table so you don't have to stand around waiting after you order. The staff members were very nice! I got there 45 minutes before closing. They were out of most of the norimaki but had one ume-taku norimaki left, so that was what I ordered, along with an apple cinnamon kakigori and buckwheat tea. I really enjoyed the norimaki even though it wasn't my first choice. The pickled plum and radish gave it a big pop of flavour and the inari added some nice sweetness. Perfect interplay of sweet, savoury, and vegetal flavours. The kakigori looked huge but since kakigori is mostly ice it wasn't heavy or hard to finish. The apple cinnamon flavour came with a creamy sweet potato sauce, a shot of hojicha, and of course baked apples. It was a really interesting and unique combination of flavours. Very good. The tea was a nice warming accompaniment to my meal. I think for the high quality the prices were fair.

    Matcha strawberry kakigori
    Cynthia L.

    Small kakigori counter that shares its space with courier coffee. Close to powells bookstore but tucked away on the corner such that it is still quiet/peaceful. They do sell savory nori rolls as well if you're looking for some food items aside from sweets. Limited tables and seating, but very friendly service. Coffee and baked goods from courier coffee also pair well and a good hit.

    Mary E.

    Im extremely happy I was able to visit Soen on my trip last week, it almost didn't happen. I've been seeing photos of the kakigori's for some time now and knew it was something I needed to try. Parking was a bit of a challenge but after a few tries we finally found a spot. The coffee shop itself is somewhat on the smaller side inside but there are a few tables outside. I wish I would have gotten there earlier because most of the food had sold out by then. I arrived an hour before closing so it makes sense. Next time though! I was lucky enough though to finally get the Kakigori. And wow wow wow. Yes.... So delicious so worth it. So many different flavors that pair so well with another. And a beautiful presentation. The girl I who makes them is truly talented. I also ordered a mocha latte and loved that they used good quality chocolate, not like other places that use syrupy sugary stuff. Overall I had a great experience and will be back next year.

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    Charlie T.

    This place has some really good shaved ice! It's a small counter located in Courier Coffee. They also have small snacks to eat. We got the Hojicha Kokuto Kinaco shaved ice, and it was pretty good. I liked the hojicha flavor and the combo with sweet adzuki beans. It's a pleasant dessert that's not too heavy. It's definitely worth a try.

    Tuna roll, tamagotchi roll. We already ate half of each!
    David D.

    Sushi rolls were big, fresh and delicious. Kaki gori was soft, sweet, refreshing and satisfying. We spent $28 and shared the 2 big rolls and the huge kaki gori. What you see in the pic is half of each roll. we had already eaten the other half! Nice place with good service, delicious food, and fair prices.

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    1 year ago

    A really fun place to grab quality unique Japanese treats made from scratch. I enjoyed chatting with the owner who is very sweet.

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    MUSE Cheesecakes - Mini cheesecake

    MUSE Cheesecakes

    5.0(10 reviews)
    1.5 miBuckman, Belmont, Southeast Portland

    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.

    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.

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    Hawthorne Asylum - Nice that the full bar is finally open!

    Hawthorne Asylum

    4.5(206 reviews)
    1.4 miCentral Eastside, Buckman, Southeast Portland
    $$

    I had heard that Portland is famous for its food cart scene, so while I was visiting, I knew I had…read moreto experience it for myself. I decided to visit Hawthorne Asylum, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The atmosphere reminded me of a night market, except with permanent food carts. It has a fun, lively vibe, and there are so many different food options that there's something for everyone. It's a great place to come with friends or family since everyone can choose something different. There's also a bar in the middle of the food cart pod. We didn't get a chance to try it because we had already ordered boba tea from another vendor, but it looked like a great place to relax and enjoy a drink. I'll definitely check it out the next time I'm back. Overall, Hawthorne Asylum is a fun spot with a great atmosphere and an excellent variety of food. It's well worth a visit if you're exploring Portland.

    A visit to Portland is not complete without a visit to some food carts! This was our first time to…read morethis spot in particular and I loved how many options there were, with the large community tables in the center! They had the World Cup game playing too so this was the perfect spot to hang out. They also had bathrooms which is a bonus! There was a good variety of different types of food, so it was nice that we could all pick different things. Big fan of the vareniki from Pelmeni Pelmeni in the middle section! I appreciated that the vendors used beepers too so you could still wander off and order other things while you wait.

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    Hawthorne Asylum
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    Lauretta Jean's - Strawberry Shortcake pie

    Lauretta Jean's

    4.3(825 reviews)
    2.8 miClinton, Richmond, Southeast Portland
    $$

    This cute restaurant is a must-try for any Portland local or tourist! Lauretta Jean's pies are…read moredelectable, and they have an impressive selection to choose from. I particularly recommend their chocolate, strawberry shortcake, and key lime pies. S'mores is also a solid choice. All of their pies have a great crust: flakey, thick, and excellent when dipped in coffee. I wasn't fond of the whiskey peach because it had a strong whiskey flavor, but this pie would be great for whiskey-lovers. Although the prices are pretty high, the pies are so good, and they are definitely worth trying! All of the workers are very friendly and helpful, and the restaurant has plenty of seating. It can be hard to find free parking nearby, so I recommend parking in an adjacent neighborhood if you can find a spot.

    We love coming here to get our pie! The Boysenberry Chiffon Pie was absolutely delicious--creamy,…read morefluffy, and light, with big, juicy boysenberries tucked into the filling. It's like a little slice of pink paradise! The Blueberry Victoria was also really good, with a delicious lemony twist that added a bright, refreshing flavor. We also bought a couple of whole pies to take home. The crust has a perfectly crisp bottom, while the fruit filling is thick and jam-like rather than watery. It's sweet but not overly sweet, with that wonderful homemade taste. Definitely one of the best pies I've ever had in Oregon! The pies are a little pricey, but the quality and flavor make them well worth it.

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    Exterior & line

    Soen - japanese - Updated September 2026

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