Author: Meg Cotner

Bridgetown Bites is edited and published by Meg Cotner in Portland, Oregon. She loves avocados, fresh produce, NA drinks, and cats.
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Mother’s Bistro Launches Bubbie’s Deli Board, a New York Deli in Portland

Pastrami sandwich on Bubbie's Deli Board.
Pastrami sandwich at Mother’s Bistro. Photo credit: Mother’s Bistro.

In honor of their 25th anniversary, Mother’s Bistro has put together a New York deli menu, called Bubbie’s Deli Board, as well as a catering division. As a former New Yorker, when I saw Mother’s chef and owner Lisa Schroeder talking about this new menu, I had to know more. So I reached out and she shared some details with me.

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Berlu Bakery Reopens in Portland

Berlu Bakery reopens and will offer their signature bánh bò nướng.
The pastry that started it all: bánh bò nướng. Photo credit: Carter Hiyama.

That’s right—Berlu Bakery reopens this weekend! As I mentioned in yesterday’s Small Bites, Berlu Bakery is back after a months-long hiatus since last October. Their soft opening is Sunday, June 29. I reached out to Vince Nguyen, the man and James Beard Award-winning chef behind this treasured Vietnamese bakery, and here is what I learned from him via an email exchange.

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Small Bites: Orange Julius, Beer, FIKA, El Mercado, and More

Orange Julius retro.
This is the Orange Julius branding I remember from years past. Photo credit: Retro News Now.

Farewell, Orange Julius. The Oregonian reported that Portland’s last remaining Orange Julius, located in the Lloyd Center, was closing (by now, it’s in the past tense). The franchise’s owner, Bob Slayton, died from cancer on May 19. This Orange Julius had been around for 42 years. I have fond memories of going to the OJ in the mall near me in SoCal during my youth, enjoying one of their drinks along with a pretzel from “Pretzels and Cheese.” Read more about Bob and his business over on The O. 2314 Lloyd Center, Portland

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ZabPinto Thai PDX Has Opened at Cascade Station in Portland

ZabPinto Thai PDX duck larb.
Larb made with duck, which is common in the Isan region.

The other day I received a press release about ZabPinto, and while reading it, a detail caught my eye: There is a new location at Cascade Station, where big box stores reign. I reached out to their PR person and arranged a time to stop by and find out more about this new ZabPinto, called ZabPinto Thai PDX. Here is what I learned.

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