Proud Mary’s Ricotta Hotcake Is a Winner!

Inside, the details won me over: the decor mixes “edgy industrial style + cute little touches”—exposed concrete walls paired with wooden tables, small potted plants hanging under metal pendant lights. The cutest part? The door handle is shaped like a coffee handle 😆—opening it feels like “about to brew a custom brunch,” and even my friend stopped to take a photo. Soft jazz plays in the background, servers wear simple white tees, and greet you with a smile: “Want to start with some coffee?” The air is filled with the aroma of pour-over coffee, instantly melting away travel tiredness. ☕️ Coffee Lovers Rejoice! Aussies Really Know Their Coffee As a “coffee fanatic,” I first focused on the coffee section of the menu—so many options it’s hard to choose: pour-over beans include fruity Ethiopian, nutty Colombian, plus Aussie favorites like flat white and magic (coffee with honey and cinnamon). I ordered a Ethiopian pour-over; the barista let me smell the beans first (fresh citrus notes), and when it arrived, the first sip had bright acidity, with a faint jasmine aftertaste—no bitterness at all. Even my friend, who usually frowns at pour-over, said “this is surprisingly smooth.” Later I learned Proud Mary is famous for coffee in Australia, even roasting their own beans—no wonder they make “simple black coffee” so layered. If you don’t like black coffee, try their honey cinnamon latte: the cinnamon isn’t overpowering, and the honey’s sweetness balances the latte’s creaminess—sipping it in winter warms you from the stomach out～ 🥞 Main Dishes Review: Ricotta Hotcake Steals the Show, Potato Rosti Has a Nice Twist We ordered two mains, thinking “brunch is just waffles and eggs Benedict”—but every bite exceeded expectations: 1. Ricotta Hotcake 🥞｜🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Even Sweet Haters Will Finish Half This is by far the “least cloying sweet brunch” I’ve had in Portland! Served as three stacked hotcakes, dusted with powdered sugar and fresh blueberries, with a small bowl of lemon ricotta sauce and maple syrup on the side. The hotcakes are made to order—press them lightly with a fork, and you can feel their fluffiness—but they’re not “dry cake-like”; instead, they’re moist with ricotta, texture like “clouds wrapped in cream,” but never heavy. The lemon ricotta sauce is the star! It’s not a sugary cream sauce, but light ricotta with fresh lemon tang. Spread it on the hotcake, and every bite balances “creaminess + fruitiness.” I usually hate overly sweet food, but I unknowingly ate most of it—even scraping the last bit of sauce from the plate with a fork. My friend laughed and said “you’re totally won over!” 😂 2. Potato Rosti with Smoky Bacon 🥓｜🌟🌟🌟🌟 Crispy-On-the-Outside Potato Rosti, Minor Bacon Letdown This is a must for savory lovers! The potato rosti is thick, golden and crispy on the outside (crunches when you bite down), with fluffy mashed potato inside—you can taste small potato chunks, with a faint buttery aroma. No “frozen and reheated” laziness here. The smoky bacon is generous—thick slices with nice fat marbling, strong smoky flavor. The only minor letdown: the bacon is cold, so it’s a bit greasy to chew. But luckily, the restaurant’s homemade sauces save it: a small bowl of tomato salsa (sweet-tart to cut greasiness) and a dollop of sour cream (balances richness). Dip the potato rosti in the sauce, and the bacon’s greasiness fades—even eating two pieces doesn’t feel heavy. 💡 Final Thought: Must-Try Portland Brunch! Perfect First Meal in the City Proud Mary’s charm isn’t about “flashy creativity,” but “doing basics perfectly well”—layered coffee, non-cloying hotcakes, flavorful potato rosti, and a space that makes you want to linger. If you’re in Portland, whether it’s your first meal after landing or a weekend brunch, this spot is a winner: order the ricotta hotcake, pair it with a pour-over, watch Portland’s street scene through the window, and soak up the perfect mix of “Aussie chill” and “Portland ease”—that’s the beauty of travel, right? #PortlandEats #PortlandBrunch #PortlandTravelGuide #CoffeeDiary #AussieBrunch