Small Bites: Strawberry Shortcake Malasada, Pride, Nostrana, and More

Late to the party, but no doubt delicious. It’s Strawberry Shortcake Week this week, and while they are not on the original list, Departure has something to share: their Strawberry Shortcake Malasada. It’s got a strawberry li hung mui filling and Thai basil whip inside the yeasted donut-style pastry. This sounds really good and is gorgeous to behold. 525 SW Morrison Street, 15th Floor, Portland

Uncle Ryan’s BBQ has soft opened. And it’s called Uncle Ryan’s Grill and Skewers. These are the kinds of skewered and grilled meats I remember from street vendors in Flushing, Queens, but here the skewers rotate on their own! It’s very meat-oriented—chicken, pork, lamb, beef, etc—and not very friendly to vegetarians from what I can tell. I mean, they have potato skewers, and corn skewers, and a few seafood options for pescatarians, but that’s about it for now; perhaps that will change in the future.

You can enjoy 20% off for the next two weeks while they are in soft opening mode. This location used to be home to Fujiyama Sushi. 10308 SE Washington Street, Portland

The final days of the Sure Shot Burger cart are upon us. Just two more days, Friday and Saturday, and they’ll run their Down-N-Out special (mustard fried, cheese, grilled & raw onion, spread, lotsa pickles), “and then shut it down for a couple weeks until the restaurant emerges from its bun chrysalis like some kind of totally jacked butterfly.” Read our previous coverage here. 5013 NE 42nd Avenue, Portland

Silk Nife is coming to Felida. This is a community that gets a Vancouver address sometimes, but it’s north of the city limits, according to Google. Anyway, this is the old Los Potrillos space by Vancouver Lake. It is a new restaurant from the Pearl West Restaurant Group, the Jorge Castro-led group behind Margarita Factory, DOSALAS, and DIOSA. A staff member wrote, “It’s not gonna be a Mexican restaurant but something totally different!” Another commenter in the know said it’s “turning into bistro similar in aesthetic as Dos Salas.” 10722 NW Lakeshore Avenue, Vancouver

🌈 It’s Pride Month! Here are some tasty things for the occasion:

• IKEA. They’re bringing back their Pride cake, a cake of many layers in rainbow colors. For each slice purchased through July 31, 2026, IKEA will donate a dollar to Rainbow Railroad. “Rainbow Railroad has helped LGBTQIA+ individuals around the world find safety through emergency relocation, crisis response, and other forms of assistance.” 10280 NE Cascades Pkwy, Portland
• Sugarpine Drive-In. Their Rainbow Brite Parfait is made of layers of vanilla soft serve, rainbow sherbet bites, ube sago, mango, and pandan candied coconut. They’re donating $1 from every Rainbow Brite sold throughout June to Pride Northwest. 1208 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Troutdale
• Voodoo Donuts. Their Pride Bar is back! It’s a raised bar-donut filled with Bavarian cream, dipped in Voonilla (!) frosting, and adorned with a brilliant spectrum of rainbow hearts. Part of the proceeds from the sale will benefit local LGBTQIA+ nonprofits. It will be available through Tuesday, June 30. Multiple locations

Shop Halo Halo has a Pride box all month. Not in the list above because of extra fun formatting I wanted to retain from their original announcement. They are offering their limited-edition Bahaghari Dessert Variety Box, showcasing Filipino flavors and seasonal fruit, together. It includes:

❤️Strawberry Custard Tart
🧡2 Orange Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
💛Mango Swiss Roll Slice
💚Pandan Crème Brûlée
💙Blueberry Calamansi Basque Cheesecake Slice
💜Ube Flan Cake Slice

It will be available for pre-order all month long, with the pre-order window closing the Thursday before pick-up weekend or when they reach order capacity. You can order it here. Online and multiple locations

Jakarta Bistro has opened. This was off my radar but was on Michael Russell’s at The Oregonian. They are an Indonesian restaurant from Geni Baker, and specialize in civet coffee called kopi luwak, as well as fried snacks and rice dishes. They’re in the old Dodo Dumpling space, and opened around May 15. 1902 NW 24th Avenue, Portland

Novel Book Bar is now open Friday nights! That now makes two nights (Friday, Saturday) when Novel Book Bar is open, 7pm to midnight. Bring your book, bring yourself, have a cocktail, swing at the bar, and have a chill evening in Old Town Chinatown. 322 NW Everett Street, Portland

Smith Teamaker has an official PDX presence. There’s a cafe with full service and a retail element. It’s located past security in the newly opened DE gates concourse. You’ll find them there every day from 4am to 7pm. 7000 NE Airport Way, Portland

Masa Empanadas will close their cart. They’ve been at the pod on NE Alberta and 11th Ave, the Alberta cArts. They said, “At the end of June, we will be permanently closing our food truck so we can focus our energy on other areas of our business, including markets, events, catering, and more.” 1027 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Taqueria El Paisano will open on NE 82nd Avenue. I thought I had mentioned this name earlier but searches indicate otherwise; apologies if this is redundant. Taqueria El Paisano will open in the old Pickleback Tavern space (which was previously Misfits) that did not last very long, located near The People’s Courts and Pho Oregon. My understanding is that they are working on the parking lot right now and selling tacos in the evenings on-site. Taqueria El Paisano has a another restaurant at 8680 SW Canyon Road, Suite C in Portland’s West Slope neighborhood.

When I drove by yesterday there was a big sign out that said “Karaoke, Margaritas, Micheladas.” 2530 NE 82nd Avenue, Portland

Leo Boulan opened in the ArborLook Food Carts. This Black-owned business makes cupcakes, including flavors like cookies & cream, red velvet, vanilla, pineapple, key lime, pecan, chocolate, and strawberry. NB: Not all cupcakes are available at all times. The cupcakes are very pretty. 5916 N Greeley Avenue, Portland

Update on 33 Cafe. This is the mysterious cafe in the old Starbucks where Cesar Chavez, NE Broadway, and Sandy Blvd converge. I heard that the owners want to open Saturday, June 20. 1633 NE Cesar E Chavez Blvd, Portland

Strange Bird opens this month. They are looking at Friday, June 12 as their opening day. They’ll be open at 11am that day. Here’s our previous coverage. 2114 SE Clinton Street, Portland

Poblano Pepper on NE Broadway is open. This is the old Taco Pedaler space. They soft opened May 12 and their full menu will be released this month. 2225 NE Broadway, Portland

Nostrana’s L’Orto is back. “What began as a tiny garden has grown into something we cherish deeply: a farm shaped by rows of vegetables, flowers, shared tables, pizza, and the many hands that have brought it to life. Many of your favorite pop-ups will return, and we’ll have new experiences we can’t wait to share. We’ll be announcing this summer’s special gatherings in the coming weeks.”

The garden is back starting tonight from 5:30pm to sunset. Wine tastings are $20 when purchased in advance, (ticket link here) or $25 day-of, but a tasting is not required to join them on Fridays. Tastings include six wines, and here are the wineries you can expect. 1401 SE Morrison Street, Suite 101, Portland

Nuevo Mazatlan will open in West Linn. And apparently right by the Fast Times pizzeria that’s opening up there. It’s from the people behind Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant in King City. 18740 Willamette Dr, West Linn

FIKA at Puff Coffee. Head over to Puff’s SE Stark location to take advantage of the FIKA pop-up: four types of empanadas, three cookies, and key lime bars. Saturday, June 6 from 9am to sold out (and they do go fast). 2816 SE Stark Street, Portland

Culinary Farmers Market launches this weekend. They describe this new Pearl District market as such: “This is a curated Chef’s Market celebrating the connection between Oregon’s best farms and Portland’s top kitchens.” On Sunday, June 7 from 10am to 2pm, there will be berries from Pablo Muñoz Farm, artisan breads from Fokattia, milks from aMylk, Andina & Arden will have a presence, there will be wine, breakfast, bites, and live music by Andina & Arden. NW 13th Avenue between Everett & Glisan, Portland

Ube-Pandan swirl soft serve? Yes, please. A reader commented on our Tumblr about the ube soft serve they tried at GrindWitTryz; “I got to try it yesterday before it hits the menu, but when it does you should go check it out it’s AMAZING.” And it turns out they have a pandan soft serve, too—and you can get it in a swir with the ubel! Sounds like one to try for sure. 4318 NE Cully Blvd, Portland

A third Brix Tavern will open in Hillsboro. A tipster said, “There is a new Brix Tavern in Hillsboro that is opening in 2 weeks.” Checking the website, it looks like it will be in the Reed’s Crossing area. 7865 SE Blanton Street, Hillsboro

Euro Café will open in Vancouver. This is a second business from the folks behind Lux Cafe in Southeast Portland. They’ve been waiting on the city permit process for months (they got the location last July) are hoping to be open by mid-July this year.

Their focus at this location will be Turkish food: Turkish breakfast and Turkish-style coffee, mezze boards, fresh breads, traditional pastries, and sweets. “At Euro Café Vancouver, every visit promises a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a delicious journey through the flavors of Turkey.” 11013 NE Burton Road, Vancouver

Big River Coffee will close. Their last day of service is Sunday, June 7. Their fans are surprised and confused because it seemed like things were moving along just fine—the coffee shop even had announced on June 1 news about their new roaster, Stumptown.

A few comments on social media from staff on Thursday, June 4: “We are so sad with this decision but we just found out from the ownership team.” and “We (the team) are just as shocked. But the ownership team has made their decision. This is very hard for our team. Come support over the weekend please!” 2835 SE 70th Avenue, Hillsboro

Foie gras ban narrowly passed. Julian Balsley at Willamette Week has the story. Peacock was dialed in and Steve Novick joined them. Here are the basics:

“The ordinance prohibits restaurants, retailers and food services in the city from selling or otherwise providing force-fed foie gras or dishes that use it as an ingredient. It does not limit private possession or consumption of force-fed foie gras, nor the sale of foie gras that has been produced without force feeding. Anyone selling the dish will have to provide documentary evidence that it has not been force-fed.”

WW also reports that Councilor Angelita Morillo “argued that press coverage had focused too heavily on the foie gras ordinance instead of more substantive work at the council.” She also said, “It’s already been done in other cities, this is just not a big deal.” Well, obviously it is, because the city council decided to give its attention to it, and it’s clear that people care about the issue.

The ban will take effect in 180 days.

Old Wives’ Tales Hungarian Mushroom Soup has new life. Old Wives’ Tales restaurant operated from 1980 to 2014, and I’ve heard longtime Portlanders mourn the absence of this very popular soup. Thanks to a message from the original restaurant owner’s daughter, it is now being made at Spoons, a woman-owned food truck in Sellwood. They make limited quantities, so ordering ahead is prudent (you can do that here). 7875 SE 13th Avenue, Portland

Mandarin Chicken and Pickleball can be yours. The Burgerville that closed down at SE 92nd and Powell will become a Panda Express (with a drive-thru).

And across the street in the old Chuck E Cheese will be Rose City Pickleball, offering courts on which to play, a retail element, and a cafe, all within a 12,000 square foot space. They hope to open mid-July. 3502 SE 92nd Avenue and 9120 SE Powell Blvd, Portland

Grasslands BBQ gets high praise from The Oregonian. Michael Russell had a lot of great things to say about the barbecue at Grasslands in Hood River. Read the full review to get an idea as to why this place is the best. 403 Portway Avenue #300, Hood River

Fire at El Porvenir restaurant. A Bridgetown Bites tipster emailed us on Wednesday, with this: “I was driving up 82nd earlier this morning and it looks like fire crews were cleaning up at El Porvenir (the restaurant with the $1 taco signs on the corner) on 82nd and Foster. Didn’t look like a total loss but part of the roof was gone.”

Apparently the fire started outside the building. The fire department said there were no injuries reported, which is good. The restaurant is temporarily closed and has been heartbreaking to the owners and their family; I hope they can recover. 5703 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland

Update: Goodies Snack Shop closes Sunday, June 21. Not June 30, as they had originally planned. And they are running a June Closeout Sale:

• Spend $25, Get 15% off through Sunday, June 14.
• Spend $25, Get 25% off Tuesday, June 16 to Sunday, June 21 (Final Week).

They’ll also be adding extra markdowns, special finds, and discovery baskets throughout the month. 139 NW Davis Street, Portland

Goodbye to The Sedgwick, hello to Proof Cocktails. The Sedgwick in Vancouver closed on May 8 and Proof Cocktails and Lounge will open in its place. They are assuming the liquor license so that should help their process. They’re looking at a couple months before opening. Andrew Charles Meyers, Carla-Marie Christine Meyers, and Nicholas Rasmussen are behind this new restaurant and lounge. 801 Washington Street, Vancouver

Thunderbird North is coming. This is a second bar under the Thunderbird name from the Lightning Bar Collective folks, opening in the old The Uncanny space, which closed last month. When they do open they’ll be there every day from noon to 2:30am. Between the outdoor seating (120) and indoor (49), it will accommodate a good number of guests. 3560 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland

Glimpse Coffee Cart’s first pop-up is in a week. They’ll be popping up on Saturday, June 13 at Bar Carlo during the Foster Summer Soiree. Glimpse offers Asian-inspired coffee and matcha drinks. They’re just starting out, and would love to see you. Stop by from noon to 6pm on the 13th. 6433 SE Foster Road, Portland

Niños Birrieria has left Steeplejack’s Union on Hawthore pod. They want to focus on their NE Prescott/Upright Beer Station location and their new Wilsonville spot, which will open soon. 3757 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Makin’ Groceries celebrates one year this weekend. There were definitely naysayers (hi, Reddit), but Makin’ Groceries prevailed. Stop by tomorrow from 6pm until late for a buffet, cocktails, live music, a raffle, and an art table. Everyone is invited—$20 suggested donation for food and a raffle ticket, but no one will be turned away. 7137 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Say When’s grand opening is tomorrow. On Saturday, June 6 from 4pm to 2am, head to Say When to help them celebrate their official opening (they’ve been in soft opening mode for a little while). There will be  food, drinks, pool, pinball, and music from Open Courts and Danny Corn. 305 NW 21st Avenue, Portland

Deals at TANAKA. Every Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 9pm at TANAKA’s downtown location you can get $5 Bites & Taps until Saturday, June 27. This includes:

• Takoyaki.
• Katsu Nuggets with your favorite sauce.
• Potato Korokke.
• Panko Fried Shrimp.
• Spicy Tanaka Fries tossed in a garlic togarashi seasoning.
• Sapporo drafts are just $3.

Plus, all weekend long, theirkatsu sandos are BOGO 50% off. 678 SW 12th Avenue, Portland

A late entry: Nana’s Exquisite Confections is moving. Congratulations, Florence! She’s moving her bakery from its current location on NE 82nd Avenue to a location a half dozen or so blocks south, still on NE 82nd but on the southeast corner with NE Thompson Street. The last day she’ll be at her current space is tomorrow, June 6; She hopes to be open in July 2026. Online orders will still be accepted during the transition. 3137 NE 82nd Avenue to 2236 NE 82nd Avenue, Portland

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Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

A Robot Arm Offers Colorful Macarons at Shifting Realities in Portland
Bon Temps Poulet Will Open at Gorges Beer Co. in Portland
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, May 2026
National Donut Day 2026 Is Friday in Portland

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Updated June 5, 2026 to remove the term rijsttafel, add a ticketing link for Nostrana, and add the news from Nana’s Exquisite Confections.