Small Bites: Pho DaLat, Speedboat Coffee, Tamales and Other Portland Food News

Pho DaLat turns ten. If you drive east on Sandy past 205 into Parkrose, no doubt you’ve seen this Vietnamese restaurant on the south side of NE Sandy Blvd and NE 103rd. They’ve been around for ten years, though I always had the impression it was longer than that. They are celebrating their 10th anniversary all throughout December by giving you 10% off your bill. 10232 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Head to the Black Lodge this weekend at Dot’s Cafe. The Clinton Street Theater is showing “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and nearby Dot’s Cafe is turning the cafe into the Black Lodge: “This weekend to celebrate Laura Palmer herself, Sheryl Lee, coming to the block, we are going to transform ourselves into the Black Lodge for the weekend. Come have a beer with all your favorite characters, like The Arm and that weird Venus statue and maybe a few more surprises.” Look for Extracto Coffee, a well as food and drink specials. 2521 SE Clinton Street, Portland

Phở Gabo is suing the city of Portland. Eddie Dong, owner of Phở Gabo, has “filed a lawsuit seeking up to $2.4 million from the city of Portland,” according to The Oregonian. The lawsuit has to do with the closing of Phở Gabo due to odor regulations, which have been changed and will go into effect in 2025. Dong claims he was targeted in part due to his “race or national original” and “the types of food Pho Gabo served.” 7330 NE Fremont Street, Portland

The Kroger/Albertsons merger is dunzo. Good news: Kroger and Albertsons won’t be merging. Bad news—for Kroger, at least—Albertsons is suing them. The best news: grocery shoppers don’t have to deal with what looked very much like a monopoly coming. Despite this, you can still use our supermarket alternatives list for your diverse grocery shopping needs. Various locations.

Hummus Vitality is returning. A Bridgetown Bites tipster emailed me with the news that Hummus Vitality will return to that little shopping center they started out in. “It looks like Hummus Vitality is moving to another spot next to the new Indian restaurant within the 141st and Sandy strip.” They closed over the summer with the message, “We’ve moved to 3223 NE Broadway St. as Nicholas Restaurant.” Their website now says, “We’ll be back, we’re switching locations.” I’ve reached out to Ziad, the owner, for more info. 13852 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Also in that same shopping center: Venture Inn has sold and has a new owner. Howie is his name, owning a neighborhood watering hole is his game. I noticed back in July that Venture Inn was for sale. Glad to know they didn’t have to close. 13900 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Speedboat Coffee has reopened in their new location. Now on SE Foster and 59th, Speedboat Coffee has their new space up and running. I stopped in yesterday, which was their opening day, and they made me a very good latte and tasty breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, and avocado on a croissant (I substituted avocado for the ham). It was warm, the cheese was melty, and had a little mayo on it.

And don’t sleep on the baklava—I tried a little sample and loved it. The taste of real butter in it was a treat, and it’s not overly sweet or overly juicy, as some baklava can be. They were passing around samples of a new flavor they are trying out: peanut butter and chocolate baklava. It was crazy delicious. 5927 SE Foster Road, Portland

The Montelupo empire—dispatches from the comment section. A Bridgetown Bites commenter posted this and I thought it would be helpful to repost some of it here:

Confirmed with the people in the Monty’s Red Sauce space, which is currently open, that it’ll be an American-Italian, family-friendly menu. More Geno’s than A Cena, the other Italian restaurants nearby on SE 13th.
The market shelves of house-brand pastas and Italian imports, and the take-and-bake and drinks/desserts refrigerator cases that were in the Focacceria have already moved to the Monty’s space.

Read the rest of the comment, here.

It’s almost time to make the tamales. Making tamales for Christmas is a longstanding tradition in Mexican culture. Three Sisters Nixtamal offers local, fresh nixtamalized masa so you can make your own. “It’s Tamale Making Time! Put your order in for our organic fresh nixtamal masa through our online store or by text/call 503-616-0853. And we have fresh tortillas, hominy for pozole, tortilla warmers, presses, aprons & so much more! Open M-F 9 to 1 plus Saturday December 21st 9 to 3!” 7475 SE 72nd Avenue, Portland

Terra Mae at Cascada is open. I must be behind the times because I didn’t realize Cascada was going to have a restaurant as part of its scene. I was mostly aware of the spa side of things. Anyway, Terra Mae, their restaurant is open. Here’s their pitch:

“At Terra Mae, we bring people together through the art of food and cocktails, blending the rich cultures of Portugal and Japan. Our inspiration lies in the rustic charm of the Portuguese countryside meeting the sleek sophistication of modern Japan, creating a unique culinary experience. The atmosphere encourages guests to reflect on their own personal journey, fostering a deeper connection to the earth, food, and one another.” And their menu. 1150 NE Alberta Street, Portland

“We Are What We Eat” screens Sunday, January 12, 2025. Via Mio’s Delectables, who makes incredibly beautiful pastries, I learned that Alice Waters of celebrated Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse will be in Portland in January. This will be during a screening of the film “We Are What We Eat” at the OHSU auditorium. Tickets are $15 to $25. 3286 SW Research Drive, Portland

Dumplings, dumplings, dumplings. Over on the Southeast Examiner site, they have a review of Hungry Dumpling, which opened relatively recently on SE Hawthorne. Eater recently posted their dumpling roundup map. And I found myself at The Oregonian’s Dumpling Week website this week. I guess dumplings are on my brain rn. Various locations.

Culmination Brewing Company staff shift. Steven Shomler posted about his time bartending at Culmination Brewing—an effort to save the business. And now, he is moving on, leaving the place “in good hands.”

“Those of you who are fans of Culmination can rest assured that the brewery we love is in good hands – Daniel Hughes is one of the best Head Brewers in the state and Culmination crew member Jacq Lanczki is going to be taking the helm. If you want to catch Steven before he leaves, head there Saturday December 14 from noon to 9pm “for those who want to come say goodbye.” 2117 NE Oregon Street, Portland

Get your Christmas stollen at Fressen Artisan Bakery. I was just by there the other day to catch a glimpse of Krampus and have one of their Krampus coffees, and was reminded just how great a bakery it is. Right now you can pre-order their other Christmastime treats: Stollen, Bouche de noel and Christmas cookies. Get your orders in by Friday, December 20, pick up on Monday and Tuesday, December 23 and 24. 7075 NE Glisan Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Restaurants Opening and Closing in Portland: Tréla and Quaintrelle
Morty’s Cafe Will Open in Former RX COFFEE Location in Portland
Another Restaurant Closure in Portland: Bang Bang
What’s Up With Arrowood in Portland?
Over on Benable, I put together a list of places to eat east of 205: Eating East Portland: Restaurants, Cafes, and Bakeries