Small Bites: Nelly's Taqueria, Sausages, The Last Rodeo, and More

Whyte Foxx Burrito at Nelly's Taqueria. — The Whyte Foxx Burrito at Nelly’s Taqueria. Image credit: WhyteFoxx Media.

Nelly’s Taqueria gets hyped. I recently came across this video by WhyteFoxx Media on Nelly’s Taqueria, which is located inside Su Casa Supermercado on Stark and 162nd. The video features some of Portland hip-hop musicians asking for and enjoying the special Whyte Foxx Burrito, created by hip-hop artist Whyte Foxx. DJ94 Prynce, Indo Slim, Smurf Luchiano, and Swiggle Mandela all give it a thumbs up. Note: Nelly’s has a sizable number of vegan items on its menu. 16100 SE Stark Street, Portland

The full stage show of the JBF 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards is available. If you missed the James Beard Awards ceremony last month, you can watch it here.

Bill Oakley launches a new Zenner’s sausage this month. Bill Oakley, of The Simpson’s and fast-food reviewing fame, has partnered with Zenner’s Sausage Company to create a new savory treat: The Bill Oakley’s Signature Summer Dog. “They are a hot dog/Weisswurst mash-up with a fantastic snap and, although any topping works great, I prefer a strong mustard on mine,” says Bill.

There will be a launch party and pop-up at Wellspent Market on Saturday, July 19 from 4pm to 8pm, when they’ll be grilling these dogs for you. 3402 SE Division Street, Portland

Market of Choice’s leader has died. I was sorry to hear about the death of Rick Wright, the company’s CEO, mentor, and friend. MOC posted the following on social media:

“Through his leadership, creativity, and relentless drive, Rick transformed Market of Choice into the uniquely Oregon grocer it is today. We, his team, are deeply grateful for what he built and remain steadfast in our commitment to carry his legacy forward. Rick’s influence extended far beyond our stores—into our communities through philanthropy, into small businesses he championed, and across an industry that will deeply feel the loss of his leadership.”

We send the Market of Choice folks our sincere condolences.

The Last Rodeo has soft opened last weekend. Another project from the Three on a Match folks, this time with Matt’s BBQ Tacos, they opened The Last Rodeo last weekend in Sellwood. It’s an agave-centric bar in a space that was most recently home to Fallow’s Rest Wild (and before that, Relish). It has a wonderful outdoor patio, so they are taking advantage of it. More from them:

“Tasty drinks, incredible BBQ Tacos, all together under one roof (and patio). Our grand opening is later this month but come on by for our soft opening this weekend, Friday-Sunday starting at 11am. We can’t wait for you to see it.” 6637 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland

Kachka Fabrika opens today. I caught the news from Vanessa and Vicki of Food Belly PDX that Kachka Fabrika, a seafood-focused cocktail bar with drinking snacks. It’s located in Kachka’s new vodka-making factory, which is in the old Aimsir Distillery space. Though I’m bummed that I wasn’t invited (so it goes), I was really happy to hear from Vanessa and Vicki, who do such a great job showing off local spots.

They tried salt-baked oysters in adjika butter (a spiced-pepper sauce/paste from Georgia) with fried jonjoli (a pickled flower bud, also from Georgia), topped with rye bread crumbs. Another item on the Zakuski menu that caught my eye with Salad Week in mind is a Little Gems salad with puffed buckwheat, shaved fennel, and fines herbs with a sour cherry vinaigrette. You can also get Kachka’s dumplings there, among many other things, including plenty to drink. 2117 NE Oregon Street Suite 201, Portland

Home, A Bar will close. They announced this week that they will close at the end of July, after a decade in business. They cited “increasing costs for power, gas, city and county permits along with other costs like insurance and a new lease” as the reasons for shuttering. It breaks their hearts to close—very sorry to see them go. 719 SE Morrison Street, Portland

Lovely’s Fifty Fifty is a top-rated pizzeria. Food & Wine magazine rated Lovely’s Fifty Fifty as one of the “10 Must-Visit Pizzerias in the United States” this week: “… painter-turned-chef Sarah Minnick makes hyperlocal and super seasonal pizza and ice cream, a stunning combination in the Pacific Northwest. Think foraged chanterelle and morel mushrooms, and dark greens like kale and spigarello, all scattered with edible flowers, on a whole-grain sourdough crust. Always save room for ice cream, especially during strawberry season in Oregon.”

In my opinion, her pizza is what “Portland-style pizza” would be if there was such a thing. 4039 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland

Yama Izakaya is opening in Beaverton. I was by the other day and saw in person the location for the Beaverton Yama Izakaya, which is related to the one on SE Clinton. My friend Judith mentioned it to me a little while back and I was happy to have my memory jogged by seeing the Beaverton site. They still seem to be in process, so when they are opening is unclear. I’ll reach out. 4705 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton

Red Hen Bagelry is popping up at Red Sauce Pizza this weekend. On Sunday, July 13 from 8am to noon (or until sold out), Deirdre from Red Hen Bagelry will be selling their bagels, cream cheese, and their new drip coffee, Red Hen Blend, roasted by Elevator Coffee. “It’s a smooth, balanced blend of seasonal Central and South American coffees, with notes of chocolate, caramel, and walnut.” Sounds good to me. 4641 NE Fremont Street, Portland

The Hillsdale Blueberry Pancake Breakfast returns. After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, the annual Blueberry Pancake Breakfast returns. It’s happening Sunday, July 23 from 8:30am to noon in the parking lot in front of Casa Colima restaurant. More details:

“Members of the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association will serve up a full breakfast of freshly prepared blueberry pancakes, eggs, and sausages accompanied by fresh orange juice and hot coffee … Admission for the all-you-can-eat breakfast is $8 for adults and $5 for children. With live music, info tables hosted by local civic organizations, a visit from Portland Fire and Rescue Station #5, cornhole and face painting, this year’s pancake breakfast promises to bring back the Hillsdale neighborhood vibe of family-friendly community fun.”

Read more about it on the Hillsdale News website. 6319 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland

Hollywood Food Carts are in process. Looks like there are plans underway to create a 9-cart food cart pod on NE 41st Avenue called Hollywood Food Carts. The location is across the street from Trader Joe’s. Currently there is a house and parking lot (where the carts would sit) on this property. The idea is the keep the basement and its walls and the first floor framing and existing wood-framed exterior walls; the current second floor would cease to exist (via demolition).

It would be rebuilt as a single-story bar with a vaulted ceiling. There would also be an outdoor patio, restrooms, storage and trash, and efforts to make this an accessible destination is part of the plan. They are early in the process. 1607 NE 41st Avenue, Portland

The Lao Buffet Dinner fundraiser for Legacies of War is July 19. The restaurant Khao Niew along with its owner Ae Sangasy are putting together a fundraiser for Legacies of War, a nonprofit dedicated to removing unexploded bombs (UXOs) from Laos. It’s happening at Khao Niew in Cully on Friday, July 19 from 5pm to 11pm.

Tickets are $45, which gets you an all-you-can-eat Lao dinner buffet, cultural performances and live entertainment, 2 raffle tickets, and access to local vendors. They are trying to avoid ticketing fees, so you can purchase your ticket via Venmo: @‌little323; CashApp: $littleone; or Zelle: little323@gmail.com. 4579 NE Cully Blvd, Portland

Nathan Hart, the Watermelon Man, returns today. As I was driving home yesterday along NE Prescott Street, I saw the signs hanging up for many blocks: Nathan Hart returns today at 11am. I believe he’ll set up again at Prescott and 68th; call him at 503-756-1257 with questions. He brings some of the best watermelons from Hermiston, as well as other summer produce. NE Prescott Street and 68th Avenue, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Stomping Grounds Will Open in Downtown Gresham
Madrina Cocina Mexicana Will Open in Downtown Portland
Chef Agir Restaurant and Bar Opened in Northeast Portland
BEST Coffee Will Open in Portland Food Hall’s Mezzanine