Meg Cotner

June 9, 2022June 9, 2022

Where to Get a Big Salad in Portland

hercules-salad-garden-monsters-portland-oregon

A big salad from Garden Monsters—The Hercules with chicken

Over the years, I’ve heard people ask, “So where can I get a big salad in Portland?” If they are a New York transplant, they are probably thinking of those chopped salad and panini spots that were (are?) ubiquitous in Midtown Manhattan. Or the kind of “Big Salad” referred to in Seinfeld. But really—sometimes you just want a big salad, no matter where you come from.

Here are some places where you can get the classic “Big Salad”—but instead of a bowl of “big lettuce, carrots, tomatoes like volleyballs,” a la Seinfeld, you can get a mix of diverse ingredients that will be delicious and satisfying—enough for a whole meal (sometimes two, if you play your lettuce cards right—Romaine stands up better overnight compared to mesclun greens).

Canteen

Photo credit: Yelp

Self-described at a “world famous organic juice and smoothie bar,” the food here I would say is nutrient dense, healthy, and fresh—the kind of place I like to go when I need to nourish myself. They offer two substantial salads at their SE Stark location:

Walnut Taco Salad: mixed greens, carrot, red cabbage, avocado-curry sauce, walnut taco crumble, pico de gallo, cashew nacho spread, avocado, green onions.
Quinoa Confetti: quinoa, curried cashews, currants, apple, celery, mint, cilantro, lime, balsamic vinaigrette. (Add a bed of balsamic dressed greens for $2.)

I usually get a smoothie with my salad (The Orange One is a fave). I love eating here. Definitely put it on your list of tasty healthy crunchy food spots.

2816 SE Stark Street, Portland. http://www.canteenpdx.com/

June 7, 2022June 5, 2022

Achieving Peak Salad Enjoyment Through Your CSA Share and Farmers Market

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and farmers markets are in full spring-vegetable mode right now, and it’s a perfect time for salad-making. So how do you put together a salad from your box items and the plethora of options at the farmers market? There are ways to work it to your advantage and we are here to show you how.

June 6, 2022June 6, 2022

Welcome to Portland Salad Week

Welcome to the inaugural Portland Salad Week! We are happy to dedicate this week on Bridgetown Bites to celebrating salad in its many forms, highlighting some of the delicious salads you can eat in Portland, ways to make your own salad at home with Portland ingredients, and what’s tasty to kids and adults alike. As we’ve come to understand through this project, salad is a wonderful vehicle for creativity; there are many out there with tasty and memorable flavors, texture, and ingredients.

June 3, 2022June 2, 2022

Four Things I Learned This Week (June 3)

Happy anniversary, Sebastiano’s! I their newsletter, Dan and Elise of Sebastiano’s talked about the early days of the business and all the things that they managed during quite a jarring couple of years. They ended it with an announcement of a party, happening today and tomorrow, June 3 & 4, from 11am to 7pm. It will be the official grand opening of their summer Apertivo pop-up (menu starting at 3pm) in their new Spritz Garden.

Also: “Pro Tip: Our friends Mel & Greg of Suzor Wines are going to be hanging out and pouring their 2020 releases “Tales of the Sun” and “Infinite Emotions” (Pinot & Pinot/Gamay blend) with us on Friday night beginning at 5:00 pm. Their wine is delicious – come grab a glass” 411 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

GRANA pop-up at Montelupo. On Monday, June 6, stop by Montelupo starting at 5pm for the GRANA pop-up. Run by Chris Flanagan, he makes “made-to-order pizza” that is “folded in four, finished with a signature aioli and grana padano, and served in a wrapper.” Check out the different kinds of pizzas he’ll fold for you on the GRANA website.

Along with these pizzas there will be a limited menu of starters, pastas, and desserts available from the Montelupo kitchen. As far as those offerings go, I gotta say this looks amazing: “Burrata—pancetta jam, local spring greens, rhubarb vinaigrette.” I also have to stop in for the Hazelnut Coffee Soda: house-made hazelnut syrup, Push X Pull espresso, orange bitters, and soda water served over ice. Dang! 344 NE 28th Avenue, Portland

Cully Farmers Market opened Thursday. Glad to see them back for the season—they’ll be open for business on Thursdays from 4pm to 8pm until October. You can find them in the Los Pepitos Locos parking lot. NE 42nd and Alberta, Portland

Tokyo Sando wants to access a brick & mortar space. On their Instagram, they posted, “Thank you for keeping us busy, And sorry for selling out almost everyday. We just need a bigger space kitchen. Please message us if you know any kitchen space or restaurant space. So we can make more sandos for everyone who love Our sandos❤️ Arigato!!!” If you know of a space for them, send them a message. I’d love to see them expand.

Bonus: It’s Salad Week next week on Bridgetown Bites! Judith and I look forward to sharing our love of salad in Portland with you. We hope you’ll join us for that!

June 2, 2022June 2, 2022

Nico’s Cantina Coming to Cully?

Recently on the Nico’s Ice Cream Instagram, Nico posted a photo of himself in front of the old Dick’s Primal Burgers space at 4318 NE Cully Blvd, looking very happy and satisfied. The handle @nicoscantina was in there, too. So does that mean Nico is expanding his delicious ice cream empire to a delicious non-ice-cream restaurant/cantina?

That’s a good guess. The Nico’s Cantina Instagram says “A place to gather. Opening August 2022.” Sounds good to me—that space on Cully Blvd is great, with a lovely patio out back, and the neighborhood deserves to have something excellent in that space. I am confident Nico could bring that to Cully. We’ll keep an eye on it here and hopefully bring you more good news.