Small Bites: Lawless BBQ, Alpenrausch, Harlow on the Fly, Sandy Jug, and More

nicos-cantina-dining-room-portland-oregon

I’ll miss you, Nico’s Cantina dining room.

Welcome to another edition of Small Bites. Despite being away from this space, I have collected a number of tidbits elsewhere, and am essentially dropping an info load here to share with you. Enjoy!

Lawless BBQ moves into My-O-My. Monster Smash, which gave us many months of delicious smash burgers (and sandwiches and salads), has bid adieu to My-O-My in the Sumner neighborhood, and Lawless BBQ moved into that patio space in early November. Run by Kevin Koch, this is his second location. Their PR contact reached out and here’s what they are offering:

“The second Lawless Barbecue location’s menu will be distinct from the first, and will develop over time as Koch gets to know his new customers’ preferences. The new menu features smoked chicken wings and smoked ribs with a selection of sauces, and will eventually expand to include brisket and other dishes. Koch plans to tailor his recipes to suit the clientele of the My-O-My, known for its tiki-inspired cocktails and mocktails and inviting mid-century aesthetic.” Personally, I’m hoping for burnt ends, cuz I love burnt ends. 8627 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland

Salt & Pepper has moved into the Rip City Food Cart pod. A Bridgetown Bites tipster pointed me to the fact that the Salt & Pepper Peruvian food cart has moved into the Rip City Food Carts pod at the corner of NE Beech and 82nd Avenue. This is good news; seeing this space get more active is good for the neighborhood. Check them out for their “fantastic ceviche,” and more. 3700 NE 82nd Avenue, Portland

Alpenrausch is open. A new Alpine restaurant from the Olympia Provisions folks—in fact, it’s opening in the former Olympia Provisions Public House space—is open (opening day was November 16). This statement kind of sums up their whole vibe: “We’re all about foraging, crafting meats and cheeses, winemaking, and embracing the Alpine spirit, no matter the weather.” You’ll find things like, of course, sausages, but also spaetzle, fondue, raclette, schnitzel, and more. Check out the menu. I can’t wait to try it. 3384 SE Division, Portland

Dear Sandy is also open (finally!). Back in 2022 I wrote about Dear Sandy, located on Sandy Blvd at 28th Avenue, the northern end of what is a long and popular restaurant row. They opened last weekend and it sounds like their first week was awesome. This is another place I’m looking forward to checking out, mainly for the coffee and the vibe. There’s a nice little video on Instagram that shows you the space, and I can see they have some snacks and baked goods, too. And cocktails! 2800 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

And Flour Bloom is now open. They opened November 16 in the space that used to be home to (at least part of) Stark Vacuums. It’s a visual feast inside, and Eater has the story of the bakery. What really caught my eye was the emphasis on Italian-American cookies and pastries. Having lived where there is a strong Sicilian-American presence, I came to love rainbow cookies, among other treats, and how great is it that they are giving this cookie a PNW twist by using marionberry jam in addition to the traditional raspberry! And another home of the BEC in PDX? Be still, my heart (plus, ketchup plz). Check out the article when you can. 103 NE Grand Avenue, Portland

Kaah Market has a new home. This great Latin American grocery was asked to leave the Mercado a little while back. But the good news is, they have a new space! Right up the street from the Mercado on Foster Road. I wish them only the best in this new location. 6927 SE Foster Road, Portland

Tip from Jet Black Coffee. I was chatting about alternative milks in coffee on my personal Facebook page, and remembered a tip shared by one of the baristas there (they have a location where the old Nico’s Coffee shop was on NE 30th Avenue). He said his favorite is a mix of almond and coconut. While I fight this congestion, I am avoiding dairy. I’ll have to give it a try. 5308 NE 30th Avenue, Portland

Kawa Coffee at Prince Coffee all November. A roaster out of Paris, France called Kawa Coffee will be featured in espresso drinks all month at both Prince Coffee cafes. I’m definitely intrigued. 4523 NE Fremont Street and 915 NW 19th Avenue, Portland

Harlow On The Fly is coming to the Alberta Arts District. Offering a Harlow “greatest hits” menu, Harlow on the Fly is the newest location from the Harlow folks. You’ll be able to enjoy juices, smoothies, or bowls. They’ll be in that big newish building on the northwest corner of NE Alberta and 15th. Opening soon. 1483 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Tokyo Sando has a final date of service. Last day will be December 17th for this truck selling beautiful Japanese-style sandwiches. The owner, Taiki, is heading back to Japan after this. “We haven’t decided We’ll have Tokyo Sando Season 5 next season,” as they say, but I have hope they will return. Only time will tell. 321 SW Harvey Milk Street, Portland

Nico’s Cantina is closing. Another one bites the dust. “We will be closing our doors at the end of this month,” wrote Nico Vergara on Instagram. So head on over before they close their doors on November 30. This space had held some of the pillars of PNW comfort food: brunch, burgers, and tacos. Could pizza be next? They need to find someone to take over their space, so if that’s you, email nicoscantinapdx@gmail.com for more info. 4318 NE Cully Blvd, Portland

BYH Burgers officially adds chicken tenders to the menu. For a while it had been a very popular special, to they decided to just add them to the permanent menu. Order them individually or as a trio (with Ranch). Fries are highly recommended as an accompaniment. 5410 NE 33rd Avenue, Portland and 7910 E Mill Plain Blvd Suite 120, Vancouver

Pine Street Market is for sale. Portland Business Journal reports that the food hall in downtown Portland, Pine Street Market (also first home to BYH Burgers—I still miss the orangeade they used to sell there), is for sale. This feels like a big deal. Despite the paywall, you can still listen to part of the article. 126 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland

Update on the Sandy Jug Tavern. It’s looking good. It’s sporting a new exterior paint job (still in process, I believe), glass blocks where the boarded up windows have been, and via a neighbor who spoke to one of the workers: some of the circular area (the jug portion) will have a banquette, there will be an entrance on the east side, and landscaping is in the plans. It could be open in a little over a month! Their liquor license application says they’ll be open every day from 2pm to 2:30am. 7417 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Portland gets another Chinese BBQ spot. A Bridgetown Bites tipster tells me that The One Chinese BBQ Restaurant has opened up in the old Little Big Burger space on Hawthorne and 20th. From what I can tell, they offer skewers—pork belly, lamb, beef, potato, cabbage, etc—some plated dishes (like stinky tofu), and milk tea. They have an Instagram account but there’s not much there beyond the photos. Mixed minimal reviews on Yelp. 2030 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Do you have a tip? Let us know! You can email us with the details.