Quoth Tony,

I try not to let this column slide into hyperbole, so please take this as my god-honest opinion: Everything I've ordered at Alder Pastry and Dessert—if you ignore the coffee—is the best version of that particular thing I've had in Portland.

Read on.

I've been proselytizing for the Southeast Portland coffeeshop/bakery Alder since my first visit, on Mother's Day, when I bought a bunch of fancy pastries in lieu of making brunch and impressed my family with my ability to pronounce "financier." It's open til midnight, has coffee from Ristretto, ridiculously great pastries, and the best gelato I've ever eaten. (I'm not going to add "in the US" to that statement. Because I'm not a douchebag). Gelato and sorbet flavors consumed by me in the past few weeks include: apricot, pistachio, Earl Gray, rhubarb, cassis, caramel, malt, banana, mint chip, strawberry, morello cherry, and muscovado. It's the best. But it's never quite as busy as it should be, and now that it has entered my life I am very afraid of losing it.

In conclusion, go to Alder and eat some gelato.