Category: Four Things

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Four Things I Learned This Week is a regular column published on Fridays, featuring four short entries of brief tidbits on Portland‘s food scene.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (September 22)

Zuckercreme is approaching its next chapter. Brittany over at Zuckercreme in Montavilla posted an update on the business and announced “we’re open through the end of the year as zuck ~currently~ exists.” She continues, “i love everything she has been and will be, and this is not a goodbye! however, a lot is going to happen in these next few months that will determine what the next chapter of zuckercreme is, and that’s where i’m writing to you.” However, she leaves the most important detail toward the end: she’s having a baby in March! Read more about her thoughts on Zuckercreme on Instagram. 414 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

Kaah Market is looking for a new space. Currently located—and there since the beginning—at the Portland Mercado, Kaah Market announced this week that they “have been given a no reason termination of their lease.” The market will close there Wednesday, November 1. They are looking for a new space, so if you have any leads, let them know. Maybe the Republica folks could fold them into their world? I love this little market and wish the Kaah people on the best as they navigate their next steps. 7238 SE Foster Road, Portland

Fig Fest is this weekend! One Green World Nursery, one of the most interesting places to buy plants in Portland, is holding their Fig Fest again. Head there on Saturday and/or Sunday to check out the range of fig trees they sell, taste figs—weather permitting—and enjoy fig-inspired drinks and treats. Maybe even buy some plants. It’s really a great nursery, and worth it for any plant lover to experience the place. 6469 SE 134th Avenue, Portland

The Deck’s closing party is Sunday. You may have seen me talk about The Deck on Instagram—a restaurant serving American food essentially out on the Columbia River. They are seasonal, and are closing up shop after this weekend. Sunday’s the party: “Join us for our season’s grand finale on September 24th! 🌟 Swing by and celebrate with us, and enjoy all-day happy hour specials! 🥂” 2901 NE Marine Drive, Portland

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Four Things I Learned This Week (September 15)

JaCiva’s Bakery is closing. This story blew up across my social media this week, as people are totally bummed about the news of JaCiva’s Bakery closing. The bakery’s message: “It is with a heavy heart that we are announcing JaCiva’s Bakery will be closing its doors. What a pleasure it’s been serving our Portland community for 37 years and we will miss being a part of your celebrations.” They are “are continuing business as supplies last.” Stop in before they close for good. 4733 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Zuckercreme is having a birthday party and it’s corn-themed. Montavilla’s creative cafe and shop, Zuckercreme, is celebrating their second birthday on Sunday, October 1. There will be elotes, corn on hot dogs, popcorn, corn ice cream, corn pastries, corn decor, and more. If you plan to go, they’d like you to RSVP; head here for more info. 414 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

Tomato Fest is tomorrow. For the third year, Wellspent Market is holding a tomato festival in their parking lot. The fabulous BLT will be back, along with info on dry-farmed tomatoes, some cooking demonstrations, tomato swag, and more. Saturday, September 16, 11am to 3pm; more info here. 935 NE Couch Street, Portland

Behind the Corporation Buying Up Portland’s Most Famous ‘Independent’ Restaurants. That’s the name of this article on PDX Eater, which is pretty interesting, on the independent restaurant scene here in Portland; Sortis Holdings, who “has acquired a wide swath of Portland-based businesses”; and the challenges faced by the hospitality business. The part about “chain-ifying” is one I am very familiar with, as this has been a concern in NYC for a number of years. Anyway, the Eater article is worth a read—check it out.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (September 8)

Happy 10th Anniversary, Peter’s Bar & Grill! This month, Peter’s Bar & Grill marks 10 years in business at the corner of NE Fremont and 57th. You can read some reminiscing on Facebook if you have an account, or read it in this screenshot. Honestly, I was surprised to learn that they’ve been open for only 10 years; it feels like so much more than that. My husband and I love eating there—we were there for lunch today, in fact, and the food was as good as ever. I did hear that they are going to change up the menu in a couple of weeks. Hopefully some of my favorites will not disappear into the ether. In any case, congrats, Peter’s! 5701 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Update: looks like food trucks in the Grant Park neighborhood may not happen. Back in January 2022 I wrote about the proposal/project to bring a food truck pod to the old Burger King space there on NE Broadway near 35th Avenue. I drive past there often and wonder each time when things are going to start. Well, it looks like they will not get off the ground—an Early Assistance permit was filed in late August for a “New ±16,869 square foot veterinary hospital.” At first glance this is a bummer—maybe they’d have some carts/trucks in the parking lot? Maybe that’s just weird. Since I do drive past regularly, I’ll keep an eye on it. 3550 Broadway, Portland

Rumor mill: The Sandy Jug. Over on Facebook I ran across a comment about a potential future for The Sandy Jug, Portland’s most uniquely-shaped former strip club building. It’s for lease right now and the comment in question goes like this: “Some local bar owners are thinking about buying and fixing it up! Stay tuned!” Intriguing, to say the least. 7417 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

PoMo’s “Top 50 Restaurants” list is here. At the end of August, PoMo dropped their 2023 list of the top 50 restos in Portland, as they see to be true. They’ve divided it into five quadrants: North, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest. It’s a fun read and there are a bunch of places I’d like to check out, like Davenport, Thom, G-Love, Akadi (I went to the old location a while back), Berlu, Fermenter, Kaede, Luce, Rangoon Bistro, and Toki. And it was nice to see places on there that I really enjoy, though there are too many to list here, though I’ll make an exception for Oma’s Hideaway, my go-to place to take out-of-town guests, and truly one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. Anyway, check out the list!

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Four Things I Learned This Week (August 25)

Ice cream in the old Hemp Bar space? A Bridgetown Bites reader emailed me to ask about what’s going into the old Hemp Bar space in the For Mrs Noble building (did you know it won the 2021 DeMuro Award?) in FoPo. He said, “Looks like someone is painting an ice cream sign next to what was once Hemp Bar.” I did some research and came up with a big ol’ goose egg. Do you know what’s going on there? Comment here or shoot me an email. 6258 SE Foster Road, Portland

Milo’s City Cafe has new owners. Albert Escobar and his wife, Maria Elena Diaz, are the new owners of Milo’s City Cafe, a breakfast/brunch/lunch spot on NE Broadway on the southern edge of Irvington. I mentioned in May what was explained as a “temporary” closure of Milo’s, but as Albert explains in an article in The Oregonian, “the closure was more permanent than advertised.”

More from Albert: “The previous owners, Jeff and Pam (Munden), they just walked away,” Albert said. “I was like, ‘Hey, I thought we were going to be shut down for a month. I know a lot of people here, customers, the neighborhood, are going to be sad.’ In my heart, I didn’t want this to be over.” Read more about it in the O. 1325 NE Broadway, Portland

French bakeries in Portland visual roundup. The Alliance Française of Portland put together a nice Instagram post of their favorite French bakeries in the area. All are great sources of delicious pastries, including the sweet almondy Galette des Rois in January.

The Portland Fermentation Festival is back! Stinkfest returns after a COVID-induced three year hiatus (here’s what went on in 2019) and will take place again at Ecotrust in NW Portland on Thursday October 19, 6pm to 9pm. The general public has two ticket options: $15 for just the fermentation tasting (starts at 7:30pm), and $30 for the tasting plus the keynote (starts around 6pm), this year by Kirsten Shockey, co-founder of The Fermentation School (Kirsten is based in southern Oregon). These prices above are for tickets you buy ahead of the event; they go up to $20 to $35, respectiverly, if you are paying cash at the door. Read more about the festival and buy your tickets via this Eventbrite link. 721 NW 9th Avenue, Portland

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Four Thing I Learned This Week (August 4)

Montelupo expandes to Sellwood. Now we have two great Italian businesses expanding “down south” to Sellwood! First Sebastiano’s, now Montelupo. According to reporting in The O, they “will expand with a new market for Italian pantry goods, focaccia sandwiches and Roman-style pizza, opening as soon as August.” Looks like it will be in the old Baes Chicken location. 1613 SE Bybee Blvd, Portland

Speaking of Sebastiano’s—Apertivo returns! Dan and Elise share that they have decided to bring back Apertivo this year, on Fridays during August. It’s dubbed “Hot Arancini Nights.” On Fridays from 4pm-7pm they are frying up deliciousness in the Seb’s Party Wagon, including sfinci donuts with blood orange curd. “We’ll also have some light salads featuring farm-fresh, peak season tomatoes, hand-pulled mozzarella, fresh focaccia, olives, and of course our fun drink program with Sebastiano Spritz, Sicilian wine by the glass, and non-alcoholic options.” It’s only in August, so stop on by soon. 411 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

Woodsman Tavern will close. The final day of service will be Sunday, August 20 … in their current incarnation. Apparently they will return and are “developing a new concept to share with you soon enough.” I’ll miss their wedge salad and roast chicken. 4537 SE Division Street, Portland

Spanish olive oil cake special at Reeva. This terrific cart in Roseway makes delicious pizza and salads and their Spanish olive oil cake looks absolutely fantastic. 7727 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland