Last year? Cupcakes. Two years ago? Smoothie places. Before that? Donuts - specifically, Krispy Kreme (Voodoo Doughnuts will always be in fashion, however.)

But the honors this year has to go to the formerly-humble waffle. And no, we’re not talking the frozen Eggo variety.

Waffle places (no, not Waffle House, that classic SE roadside icon) have been popping up all over the place lately, whether it’s the Waffle Window at Bread & Ink on SE Hawthorne, Jace Gace on SE Belmont (where they boast waffles + beer + art), or my favorite, FlavourSpot, in two different locations in NE PDX.

At FlavourSpot, you have your waffle sweet - lemon curd, strawberries with nutella; jam & whipped cream - or savory - ham and gouda, anyone? But you’ll get it made to order, you’ll get to share an outdoor table or two with a roving cast of characters, and you’ll eat your waffle plus tasty filling sandwich style - no knives or forks to be had.

I dragged my daughter up to the shack at N Mississippi and Fremont this morning for a final breakfast before taking her to sleepover camp for a week. Turns out our timing was perfect, as we spotted Dieselboi and his lovely wife waiting for their own waffles when we walked up. The kid hemmed and hawed and finally did a special order - strawberries, no Nutella - and then amused herself taking pictures and/or making friends with various dogs and their owners.

She *thought* she’d gotten the better deal - until she spotted my own sandwich: the MB9. Three strips of bacon, six rounds of canadian bacon, all slathered with maple spread before slapping the waffle sandwich together.

Let’s just say that I ended up with a MB5 1/2 by the time the kid got done scavenging my bacon..!

And we’ve now cast two votes for waffles as the *it* food that’ll turn into a culinary mainstay instead of a ‘can you believe we ate that, eeeEEEEWWW???’ footnote. (Mr. McRib, I am talking to you…!)

Who’s with us here?