My first time with an Impossible Burger was a pleasant stroll through the uncanny valley.
Over the weekend we decided to take advantage of the sunny day with mild temperatures and head to McMenamins Edgefield out in Troutdale. After an easy bus ride we did a fair amount of exploring of the grounds, and decided to get something to eat at the Black Rabbit Bar. And what did I see on the menu? The Impossible Burger. I had been wanting to try it for some time, and this seemed like as good as any an opportunity to do so.
Each week we will bring you a roundup of public food events in the Portland metro area. It’s not every single event that’s going on, but the ones in particular that catch our eye. Want to submit an event? Fill out this form. Listings curated by Meg Cotner.
Welcome to another edition of First Tastes, were we showcase good eats at new-to-us spots in Portland. This city is full of delicious food and lots of places to check out, so no doubt this column will run for some time.
Avocado Toast | Radio Room. I’ll start with this because I have been critical of avocado toast for many years as “too precious” and/or “twee.” However, the time was right for me to give it a try, and I’m here to tell you—glad I did. At that moment in time, I wasn’t super hungry and this dish seemed light yet substantial, and it was hard to resist the siren song of the avocado that morning.
Toasted multigrain bread was spread with soft, ripe avocado topped with caramelized onions and a poached egg; nutritional yeast is sprinkled on top. I liked that the eggs had runny yolks and were not overcooked. The avocado tasted fresh with no off flavors. Overall a really satisfying breakfast. Radio Room, 1101 NE Alberta Street, Portland
I’m back with one of my favorite things on Bridgetown Bites—First Tastes, where I roundup recent initial tastes at new-to-me places in Portland.
Moroccan Lamb Meatballs | Suzette Creperie. Originally we planned on chowing down on tacos from Tight Tacos, but the truck was closed because of the hot weather. So, we wandered down SE Belmont in search of something tasty, and found ourselves at Suzette Creperie. I couldn’t resist ordering these little lamb meatballs, served with a “spicy tomato sauce” (chunky, yes; spicy, no) and topped with a sunny-side up fried egg. It was served with a small piece of toasted baguette, too.
Portland is full of delicious food, so here are some first impressions on the latest tasty things I’ve eaten recently in town.
Dahi Papri Chaat | Bollywood Theatre. I ate lunch there a while back and really enjoyed the meal, but the dish that has really stuck with me is their Dahi Papri Chaat. It starts with a base of housemade garbanzo bean flour crackers, then topped with small dark chickpeas, little cubes of potatoes, yogurt, cilantro, tamarind chutney, all dusted with chili powder and topped with sev, a kind of crunchy noodle made from chickpea flour paste. I had something like this at Dosa Hutt in Flushing a few years ago, and have been hoping to encounter a similar dish since. It’s quite saucy and very flavorful; a true flavor bomb. I love the contrasts of cooling yogurt and spicy chili powder, earthy chickpeas and tart chutney. I could eat this every day. 2039 NE Alberta Street, Portland.Bollywood Theater website
