Small Bites - Closings, Anniversaries, New Menus, Consolidations, Ice Cream, and More

Ensalada Bomba at G-Love. Photo credit: G-Love

A whole raft of tidbits have crossed my desk this week, so welcome to another edition of Small Bites (in place of Friday’s regular Four Things I Learned This Week column). Also: have a great Labor Day Weekend, too!

Best bars and restaurants for wine lovers in PDX. Decanter published a delightful listicle of their favorite spots for wine lovers in our fair city. Included on that list are Davenport, Canard, Coquine, Providore, and more.

MidCity SmashBurger will open a fourth location. Looks like these smashy bois are on their way to Beaverton. They hope to be open starting yesterday, actually, and also they are hiring: “Come see us this Saturday for Lager Fest and our soft opening. Send resumès and info to mcsbjobs@gmail.com.” 6620 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Beaverton

Beef NW bought Carlton Farms. This purchase is causing both celebration and consternation in Oregon’s meat-eating population, depending on who you ask. On the one hand, according to Beef NW, “Carlton Farms is a family-owned producer of all-natural fresh pork, smoked products, sausage, and beef from the Pacific Northwest since 1956 in Carlton, OR.” On the other hand, Beef NW is, according John Wilson, Beef NW’s Managing Partner/Owner of Beef Northwest, “the state’s largest feedlot.” There’s a lot of language about “efficiency” and “progress” in the conversation. Thumbs up or thumbs down? You get to decide.

Snack Fest returns. “The snacks are back” at Snack Fest. Stop in at the Portland Night Market Friday and Saturday, October 14 and 15, 2022. 100 SE Alder Street, Portland

G-LOVE turns three. Congrats to this “reverse steakhouse,” who has made it through the pandemic and continues to thrive. This includes the Ensalada Bomba, one of our “salads we want to try” we mentioned during Salad Week. In that general area of G-Love, it looks like there are conversations going on about a the feasibility of a “1112 sq.ft. addition to a restaurant.” Could it be G-Love? Something else? Only time will tell. 1615 NW 21st Avenue, Portland

And Quaintrelle turns one on Clinton Street. Congrats to Quaintrelle for a great year! You can celebrate with them on the patio on Friday, September 15 from 5pm to 9pm; tickets are $59 (purchase via Eventbrite). That gets you passed canapés (by Chef Ryley) and two drinks tickets (additional beverages available for purchase), photo-booth and entertainment (tip included). 2032 SE Clinton Street, Portland

Tomato Fest returns to Wellspent Market. On Sunday, September 11, 2022 from noon to 4pm, head over to Wellspent Market and enjoy all things tomato. I went last year and it was a good time! “We’re teaming up with our friends at the Culinary Breeding Network to host the Oregon State University Vegetable Program, the Dry Farming Institute, Wild Roots Farm and Gathering Together Farm for an afternoon of tomato tasting, education, and more.” 935 NE Couch Street, Portland

Cloud Pine Tea + Culture’s new fall menu is out. Cloud Pine’s got a new fall menu, featuring tasty things like braised pork belly rice, giant chicken meatballs with black garlic, and vegan dream pot. To drink, look for house green tea (melon seed green) and Korean toasted barley and corn tonic. Keep an eye on their website for more details on the fall menu. 10835 SE Main Street, Milwaukie

Cantonese BBQ spot YāYāPDX has closed. This closure is another bummer. From their Instagram: “Dear friends and family, we have made the heart breaking decision to close YaYa this coming Sunday night (8/28), as this will be our final dinner service. We did not come to this decision lightly. It hurts us deeply that we will no longer be able to provide our customers with our Cantonese BBQ.” Some of the issues they ran up against include pandemic lockdowns, staffing, supply chain shortages, illnesses, and food & transportation costs. Formerly 1451 NE Alberta Street Suite A, Portland

More Mike Bennett art to love + coffee. The creator of sloth “slow” signs and Dinolandia, artist Mike Bennett, will open his own space called Wonderwood. The O has some good details: Wonderwood will be an “immersive space in St. Johns” with changing storylines over the months. Next door will be Wonderwood Springs, “a coffee shop built on a magical spring that gives its drinkers special powers.” Look for them opening Saturday, October 15, 2022. 8810 N Lombard Street and 7410 N Chicago Avenue, respectively

RIP City Food Carts is in the works. On NE 82nd Street at Beech, a new food cart pod is in the works: RIP City Food Carts. I’ve been watching their progress, and they’ve taken a trashed up empty lot that was once home to the sketchy Kings Row Motel, which was closed in 2013. There’s no denying this stretch of 82nd has its problems, but the arrival of a food cart pod is truly a positive thing in the mission to improve 82nd Avenue. Progress is slow in this area—but it’s happening. I count the presence of Taqueria La Mestiza and the arrival of the Rocky Butte Espresso Bar (NE Fremont and 85th Avenue), the continued work at the Beech Street Community Garden (NE Beech Street near 87th Avenue), and further up the Rocky Butte Farmers Market (3619 NE Rocky Butte Rd, Portland) as contributors to positive change in this area of Madison South. 3700 NE Beech Street, Portland

Transit nerding alert. Sure, I drive a car now but for 18 years I lived car-free, including three years in Portland (the Hollywood District is convenient for that). When I was looking for neighborhoods to move to, I considered southern Montavilla, near Division and 82nd. There was a big transit project in the works for that area, a kind of bus rapid transit (BRT), and it’s now just about a reality. Trimet will be celebrating the new frequent Express (FX) bus service along Division Street on Saturday, September 17. You get free rides and there will be local food vendors! It will be split among three “festivals” along the route:

One near OMSI, featuring My People’s Market, 1945 SE Water Avenue
One at PCC Festival Marketplace, PCC Southeast, 2305 SE 82nd Avenue
One at the Gresham Farmers’ Market, 401 NE 2nd Street, Gresham

You can RSVP on Facebook.

Nico’s passionfruit ice cream at Bar Cala. For a limited time only! Stop by Bar Cala for what I can only imagine is super delicious passionfruit ice cream from Nico’s. BTW, Portland Monthly considers Bar Cala to be one of the top 50 bars in Portland. And Nico is opening up a coffee shop! 2703 NE Alberta Street, Portland