Best caramel in Portland

One of the many reasons to live in Portland is the enjoyment of food and drink. Sure, the Chinese food sucks, but when something takes off, it really takes off. Chocolate is big here and yesterday I hit Sahagun with some friends. It's a tiny space just off Burnside on NW 16th. The owner makes a variety of bittersweet chocolates with nuts, berries, coffee, pumpkin seeds and other ingredients. She also sells boutique candy bars. The highlight for me was the caramel. It is a salty caramel in a bittersweet cup topped with a hazelnut. If you get them fresh, the caramel oozes out of the top, so you have to eat it carefully. You could pop the whole thing in your mouth but that would be a waste. Eating one of these is like drinking Patron or Basil Hayden. It's meant to be savored.

The only downside is that I cannot run out and bike off all those calories. One reason not to be psyched about Portland is the winter weather.