It’s another Small Bites Friday—let’s go!
Fire at Caffe and BARba Mingo forces them to close. Terrible news this week: these popular Italian restaurants “sustained major damage” in a fire on early Monday morning. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but the restaurants will be closed indefinitely. “The Mingo family is eternally grateful for your love and support in this most difficult time. Finché c’è vita c’è speranza – As long as there is life there is hope. Grazie mille.” A Gofundme has been set up to raise money for the staff; as of this writing over $32K has been raised. 807 NW 21st Avenue, Portland
FIKA Pastry popup tomorrow. Joe, who runs FIKA Pastry, is doing his first popup featuring his wonderful home baked goods. It’s happening at Curios on Hawthorne from 2pm to 6pm. “There’ll be vintage goods, art, pizza, wine by @portlandwinecompany, and me.” He’s offering guava empanadas, pandan custard cake, key lime bars, and cookies for sale. 3713 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Get to know the Farmhouse Carts. I was doing some research and came across this nice article on the Farmhouse Carts pod featured in the Sunnyside NA Newsletter. It’s titled, “Farmhouse Carts Offer Diverse Culinary Options in a Neighborhood-Friendly Space.” SE 35th Place and SE Division Street, Portland
BLT season starts at Grand Central Bakery. The BLT is one of the truly great American sandwiches. I love that Grand Central Bakery celebrates it. They say this sandwich is “perhaps the most requested, most beloved sandwich we’ve ever made.” Extra-thick slices of in-season tomatoes, crisp Jack Mountain bacon, crunchy lettuce, and Best Foods (aka Hellmann’s) mayo on toasted Como bread. “If you’re ordering this sandwich in Portland, your tomatoes are from Deep Roots Farm … By sourcing hyper-locally, we can ensure the absolute best tomatoes.” You can also get the sandwich without bacon for a vegetarian version. Various locations
Melon Ball. Another seasonal item to celebrate right now is melons. Head to Rubinette Produce in Providore this weekend to check out their melons. “From familiar favorites to new-to-you varieties, we’ll be sampling each and every delicious melon we can get our hands on from some of our local growers including Ejido Osos, Quiet Acre Farm, and Walchli Farms.” 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. 2340 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
Maeve is for sale. I wrote about Maeve back in 2022, a sweet little wine bar in Sellwood. I had noticed their business sale listing on Craigslist at the start of the month, but kept it to myself by request. But Mandy has announced it publicly—she posted about it on Instagram: “We are making the hard decision to sell Maeve. I know that seems crazy given everything we have done over the last few months and how well things are going! But running two bars, taking care of a toddler, and prioritizing health have been a hard balance the last few years.” Read more about the decision to sell, here. 6664 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland
Olle Bole turns 1 and there will be cake. From The Oregonian: “Ole Bolle, Portland’s beloved giant troll sculpture, is celebrating its first birthday from Aug. 11-18 with a week of activities, including movie screenings, crafting, and Danish layer cake from Carina’s Bakery in Southwest Portland. The popular attraction has delighted Portlanders since its highly anticipated opening last year.” 8800 SW Oleson Road, Portland
Block Party at Reeva on Saturday, August 31. Reeva, one of the best food carts in the city, making beautiful pizza, is hosting an end of summer parking lot party. “Join us on AUGUST 31st for a day full of food, music, fun, and community networking/bonding! Mark your calendars, invite all of your friends, and come enjoy the good vibes we are putting on at Reeva.” Vendors, if you want to participate, send them a DM on Instagram. Currently they expect Cake’N It Better, La Oveja Negra (salsa), and Rivera Creations (glass cups) to vend at the party. 7727 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
Ikoi No Kai. I loved that Kathleen at GoodStuffNW highlighted this program, referred to by one person as “the best unknown restaurant in town.” What are they about? From the article: “For 45 years, Ikoi no Kai has been cooking and serving culturally appropriate meals to Portland’s second and third-generation Japanese Americans from the basement of a Southeast Portland church, and providing a safe, welcoming space for the community to gather, laugh and share news over familiar, comforting food.” Visitors are welcome to attend. 1333 SE 28th Avenue, Portland
Variety Showcase is coming up. This annual event from the Culinary Breeding Network returns to Portland for its 10th anniversary. “The 2024 Variety Showcase will have a special emphasis on culinary grains and dry-farmed crops. Come to connect, learn, and taste as well as celebrate the release of two new mild habanero pepper varieties.” This is a community building network and a way to get to know more about how your food is grown. It takes place on Sunday, September 8 from 3pm to 7pm. Tickets are $50 and you can buy them here. The Redd on Salmon, 831 SE Salmon Street, Portland
Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:
Mikiko Mochi Donuts Is Open in Beaverton
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, July 2024
he Dullahan Pizza Pub Opens in Gladstone Street Pizza Space
odo Dumpling Is Coming to NW Portland
A few festivals are this weekend, too:
Kalama Heritage Festival, Friday to Sunday, August 9 to 11, 2024
https://kalama-heritage-festival.perfectgolfevent.com/
Jade International Night Market, Saturday, August 10, 2024, 3pm to 10pm
https://jadedistrict.org/jade-international-night-market-2024
India Festival, Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11am to 8pm
Beaverton City Park, 12500 SW 4th Street, Beaverton
https://www.icaportland.org/
Meg Cotner
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A BLT at Grand Central Bakery wasn’t on my radar. After seeing your post, I stopped by and tried one – quite delicious. Thanks for the info!
Glad you enjoyed! I love BLTs in general, but having it on their Como bread in the summer is particularly nice.