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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Small Bites: Kismet in Vancouver, Boriken, Raclette, and More

Eggnog donut. Photo credit: Mikiko Mochi Donuts.

Kismet in Vancouver is open. They opened to the public yesterday, December 11. Operated by Eric Gallanter and Kim Sinclair, they offer a three-course prix fixe menu with things like crab cakes, risotto, gravlax, scallops, duck breast, and beef tenderloin (see photos of their menu on Google). 909 Main Street, Vancouver

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The Back Patio Is Open in Portland

Looking toward at The Back Patio.

After two and a half years of work, preparation, and wrangling with City of Portland’s various processes, The Back Patio in Cully is open. Located in a former cannabis shop on Cully Blvd, this little local spot offers snacks, wine, beer, and NA drinks in what they call a “shabby chic” dining room; as well as an arcade, food trucks, and yes—a back patio. I sat down with owners Mike and Jennifer Usselman to learn more.

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Rotisserie Chickens: Another Stumptown Savings Taste Test in Portland

Pieces of rotisserie chicken for our taste test for Stumptown Savings.
All the chicken for our taste test.

I had the opportunity to participate in a taste test for rotisserie chickens, led by Bryan Vance of Stumptown Savings. I joined a handful of local food writers on Tuesday, November 18 to taste a total of nine chickens from eight stores. Bryan has published our results over on Stumptown Savings (subscription required to read—it’s free to subscribe), but I thought I’d share some additional thoughts on this very fun gathering.

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Taste of Sichuan Has Re-Opened in Beaverton

Fu Qi Beef, a cold appetizer at Taste of Sichuan.
Fu Qi (or Chi) Beef, the first item on the Wild Side menu: Thinly sliced marinated beef in a chili sauce with flakes of beef tendon. Photo credit: Taste of Sichuan.

Back in March of this year we published an article called Taste of Sichuan Will Re-Open in Beaverton. Originally the plan sounded like they’d re-open in April, but delays happened. In the end, they re-opened on Sunday, November 2. Co-owner Dietmar Schimmel and I agreed to chat about Taste of Sichuan after they re-opened, and here is part of our conversation.

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Christmas, Solstice, and More Light in Portland 2025

This year’s Christmas Tree downtown.

“Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer, fun for all that children call their favorite time of year,” so the song goes. This year we thought we’d do a roundup of things to do and eat around the time the light starts to return—the Winter Solstice, of course, but also Christmas, and Hanukkah (here is this year’s roundup specific to the Festival of Lights). Here’s our hodgepodge roundup for this time of year. 

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