eat here: palio dessert & espresso house

Ted brought me to Palio a couple of months ago for the first time, and I fell in love with their selection of cakes. They pair quite well with homework, I must say.  It was the first time I saw a proper case of cakes since I left London, where I very frequently would order a slice of cake with my tea.  There are few more sweet, simple things such as tea and cake.  And just look at how pretty they are!

I haven't tried any of their more savory options yet (because when a giant slice of cake is offered, it's hard to say no to that), but they passed my chai test (I am obsessed with chai) and the ambiance is calm and casual, perfect for studying or a mellow coffee date.  The location is tucked away in a very Portland neighborhood, and the first time I drove there on my own, I got a little lost.  It's like the secret garden of cake or something... and I'm okay with that.

I'm now on day 7 of the Whole 30 (where sugar is a no-no), and aside from my almost nightly dreams of pizza, I've been daydreaming about digging into one of their pretty slices of cake.