First Tastes: Northport (Review)

The other day—actually, it was on my birthday—I stopped in at Northport in the Kenton neighborhood in North Portland. I was eager to check it out, as I’d been following the progress of the restaurant for many months. An early July media tasting had to be postponed, so I caught up with them a couple weeks later, for a nice solo lunch.

Note: This meal was comped but opinions are my own.

Northport is located on the northwest corner of Denver Ave and Schofield Street, the same location that Swift & Union occupied for nine years. They describe Northport’s food as “classic American fare with a fresh, Northwest twist.” There is also a Latin influence in the menu, thanks to Chef Harol Mendieta—crab cakes and fried chicken sandwiches, along with ceviche and pork belly with mole sauce. And the smash burger—a style prevalent in Portland—has Xnipec on it, a spicy sauce you’d find in the Yucatan.

As for the name, “Northport,” it has to do with the fact that the restaurant is located in North Portland, so it’s a portmanteau of these two words. And as for that mystery imagery of apartments that appeared on the first iteration of the website? A holding image from the domain company. So that solves that mystery.

One detail I learned while I was there is that the owners would love to open other locations of the restaurant in different quadrants of Portland. While Northport is in North Portland, think “Eastport,” “Southport,” and “Westport” in the east, south, and west corners of the city.

The Northport Origin Story

I spoke with owner Davide Bricca on the phone a while back and he was kind enough to chat with me before my meal, too, along with owner Robbie Ostler. I asked Davide what it was about the location that appealed to him. “I live in the neighborhood, about a mile away from here” he replied. “And I had been going to Swift & Union for quite a number of years.”

He continues, “I often thought that if this location was mine I would open a restaurant here—and then it became available! I want to invest in the neighborhood. My wife and are dedicated to this neighborhood and want to see it come back, post-pandemic.”

Thoughts on Sourcing and Ingredients

They are proud to use Pacific Northwest ingredients, though they are also aware how important it is to balance sourcing with cost. “The Willamette Valley—including the Fruit Loop—has so much variety when it comes produce, and we want to source as locally as possible,” explains Davide. “We do our best to shop at the farmers markets for the produce we use, including in cocktails.”

But, Davide continues with a realistic tone, “However—we could go 100% local, but who could afford it?” This is no doubt a conflict many restaurant owners in Portland struggle with.

What I Ate

I at relatively lightly for lunch, and chose to try the pork belly bites, ceviche, and wedge salad.

Pork Belly Bites

The pork belly was beautifully plated in a thick layer of mole sauce (surrounded by a green herb oil), topped with thin strips of crispy sweet potato and microgreens; there was no crema fresca as noted in the menu’s description. It was very tender and almost melted in your mouth.

As I started eating it, initially I thought,”Wow, this rich—I’d like some acid [citrus] with it.” But after a short time I started to appreciate the complexity of the mole sauce with the pork—hints of chocolate and sweetness started to rise up against the background earthiness. It was complex and enjoyable; spice levels to me were minimal.

I also liked the crispy edges of the pork belly in contrast with the soft interior. I’d get this again. Note: It is quite filling.

Ceviche Costero (GF)

This dish was a thick, round stacked portion made of small chunks of salmon, diced charred avocado, slices of apricots, cucumber, red onions, and accompanied by a blue corn tostada. It arrived sitting in the Leche de Tigre marinade made with lime juice, apricot, and dots of what I think were chili oil (they were a little spicy) As you may know, in ceviche the fish (or seafood) is “cooked” or “cured” in Leche de Tigre, a sour, citrusy marinade (herbs and aromatics can also be involved), and this version was very much along those lines.

I love very sour things, so this was right up my alley. However, I did detect some faint notes of bitterness, but it added depth to the marinade.

It’s hard to go wrong with a combination of salmon and avocado, and everything was very fresh. I would eat this again. And although the tostada could serve as a base on which to hold the ceviche, I found that it was too neutral tasting for my taste, so I set it aside after a few bites and continued to eat the ceviche with a fork.

Wedge Salad (GF)

It is almost impossible for me to not order a wedge salad when it is on a menu. This version was made with Little Gem lettuce, housemade blue cheese dressing, cherry tomato, red onion, smokey BBQ sauce, and spiced pumpkin seeds.

The addition of barbecue sauce at first caused me to do a bit of a side-eye. Also, no bacon? But it worked—and everything came together to be very tasty. The combination of creamy dressing, fresh lettuce, savory barbecue sauce, onion and little cherry tomatoes was fun to eat.

Above all, though, was the texture of the lettuce, which was incredible. It was so fresh, so crisp, and a joy to bite into. I could not believe how much I enjoyed it. If I could change anything, I’d add a tad more dressing to the salad, as well as more pumpkin seeds. I would definitely eat this again, if only to crunch on that lettuce.

It’s important to note that because of the lack of bacon, this is a vegetarian wedge salad. The spiced pumpkin seeds seem to be a replacement for the bacon. You can add grilled chicken, steak, salmon, or crab to the salad, if you like (same goes for the other two salads on the menu).

Drinks: Mocktail and Iced Tea

My Candy Crush mocktail was refreshing and contained a mix of flavors I like a lot: strawberry, basil, lemon, and pineapple. These flavors go together really well. I was a bit concerned that the drink would be too sweet, but I should not have wasted my time with that. The ingredients were fast friends making for a pleasantly fruity and herbal drink.

I also ordered an iced tea—really a crapshoot, since I’ve been at the end of an unfortunate wave of old iced tea (you know, that kind of jarring sweet, fruity funk?) at restaurants here in Portland. Thankfully, it was freshly made and tasted great.

The Space

It’s a comfortable room to be in, with a mix of tables and booths/banquettes, which have been upholstered (previously they had wooden backs). When I asked Davide to describe the space, he said, “It’s specifically Pacific Northwest—very comfortable and not stuffy at all. Lots of windows, lots of light, with plants to keep it airy, open, and fresh.”

The color palate is dark blue, gold, black, and subtle leather brown. Personally, my favorite color combination is blue and brown, so I felt very at home in the dining room.

They also added tile and refinished the bar. Love this photo of the bar from photographer Audrey Kuhn.

They also want the vibe to be neighborly. “All ages, including kids are welcome,” explained Davide. “There are lots of families in North Portland and we want them to feel welcome.”

Final Thoughts

Northport is a very nice addition to the Kenton area. The food menu is one page (as is the drinks menu) and with the variety I’d call it “small but well-curated.” I’d love to return to try some things at dinner time, especially the burger. It’s great to see options for omnivores, vegetarians, and those who eat gluten-free; on the drink menu, having cocktails and mocktails makes for options aplenty for everyone at the table.

See you next time, Northport!

Northport 
8103 N Denver Avenue, Portland
northportpdx.com | Instagram

Updated July 25, 2024.