Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, March 2025

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It was a very interesting group of articles that Bridgetown Bites readers enjoyed the most in March 2025. A holiday roundup, news of restaurant openings, and the first look at the Flock Food Hall from this past January all caught your collective eyes.

However, Google launched a core update in mid-March, and Bridgetown Bites unfortunately was affected (I can see the downward line on a graph of engagement in my analytics). I looked back at March 2024’s top 5 review and interestingly enough, the site got hit then, too. So, fool me twice, shame on me—I’ll be making yet another set of adjustments.

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Paqui Modern Mexican Will Open on NE Sandy Blvd in Portland

The former Arrowood space on NE Sandy Blvd that will become Paqui Modern Mexican.
Out with the old, in with the news. This former Arrowood space will become Paqui Modern Mexican. Photo credit: Google Maps.

A new Mexican restaurant called Paqui Modern Mexican will open in the old Arrowood location. It’s still a mystery as to why they closed, but the bottom line is that this storefront is going to have a new tenant in its good-sized property, which extends all the way to the corner of NE Sandy and 59th.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (June 21)

Happy summer! We have crossed the summer solstice and are now officially into summer by the solar calendar (midsummer by the Celtic one). The Oregonian has a listicle of rooftop bars and patios on which to enjoy a meal al fresco.

TANAKA is open in Gresham. This katsu sandwich shop (“Inspired by Osaka. Created in Tokyo. Baked in Portland.”) opened June 14 in the Alta Civic Station building but they have a special through the month of June: “20% off all menu items at TANAKA Gresham from June 14th-30th 2024, Dine-in only, Excludes Retail & Cold Case, Some Exclusions May Apply.” 1493 NW Civic Drive, Gresham

Fundraiser for the Recovery Café Roseway tomorrow. Part of the Recovery Café Network, the Roseway café is hosting a fundraiser for their important work. A Recovery Café is “committed to serving people who have experienced trauma and the results of trauma like homelessness, substance use disorder, addiction, and other mental health challenges.” This fundraiser is Roseway’s first. There, you can enjoy food and drink, live music, and brief program with remarks from Recovery Cafe Network Co-Founder Killian Noe. You can also tour the cafe space: meditation, exercise, and art rooms. Saturday, June 22, 10am to noon . Buy $25 tickets here. 3516 NE 71st Avenue, Portland

Slow Food Portland’s June convivium is next week. I’ve been to a couple of these events and always had a good time. On Wednesday, June 26 the topic will be “Portland’s Farm to Table, the Past and the Future: An Evening with Cory Schreiber.” A James Beard award-winning chef, writer, and teacher, Cory will “share his experiences and insights on the early years of the farm-to-table movement, current trends, and his vision for the future.” Happening at Cookshop. Doors open at 6pm, presentation from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, snacks and beverages available for purchase. More info and (free) ticket link are here. 2625 SE 26th Avenue, Portland

1919 to open in old Sessionable space. A new lounge called 1919 is opening up on Division Street. The idea is that it will be “a public room in which to sit and relax.” Sounds like they want to be a neighborhood local. Work is being done on the interior and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with the place. 1919’s website, at the writing of this piece, is not accessible, but the domain exists. Sessionable closed in July 2023. Keep up with 1919 on their Instagram. 3588 SE Division Street, Portland


Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Lone Wolf Watering Hole Is Coming to South Waterfront
All Your Heart Coffee To Open in South Waterfront
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, May 2024

Food Foray Screening: Food and Culture in East County

Scenes from three episodes of Food Foray, a new television series from MetroEast. Photo credit: MetroEast.

Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to attend a screening of Food Foray, an original docuseries produced by Gresham’s MetroEast Community Media. It was a really fun afternoon of film, food, community, and celebration of food cultures from three continents. I learned that East County (east Portland + Gresham) is the most ethnically diverse region of Oregon and home to many of Multnomah County’s immigrants and refugees, who have brought their beautiful food and flavors with them.

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