Portland food news and views
Portland! It’s where I live, work, and play. It’s where the food news happens (at least most of it). This category is one of the real constants on Bridgetown Bites and is probably a part of almost every post on this blog.
Eastern Cathay, a Chinese restaurant that operated for around 15 years on NE 82nd Avenue across from the MAX station, is no more. This is now the location for Taste of Szechuan (not to be confused with Taste of Sichuan), and offers a new menu with things like pork wontons with chili oil, smacked cucumber salad, Westlake beef soup, cumin lamb, some offal dishes, and more.
Continue reading “Taste of Szechuan Has Opened in the Old Eastern Cathay Space in Portland”Fremont Garage Update. This is the food cart pod that will go in on NE Fremont Street and 44th Avenue. I walked by the other day and saw a sign on a mostly cleared-out lot, so I reached out to Cameron at DBS Group about it. Here’s his update:
“We will be starting on renovation of the property for the food cart pod and bar this month actually! Our new anticipated opening is early 2026. Our list of interested food cart vendors is growing, and many familiar popular carts/restaurants will be on the list. We are excited to share the line up as we get closer to opening.” 4403 NE Fremont Street, Portland
pFriem in Milwaukie opens April 7. ICYMI, pFriem is opening a tasting room in Milwaukie. It will be located in the former fire station in the historic Milwaukie City Hall building, which is a very exciting development. When I drank alcoholic beer, they were one of my favorites brewers. Here is what you can expect at the new Milwaukie spot (bulleted copy written by pFriem):
On top of that there will be an outdoor patio with the seating area covered in a pergola, upstairs event space, retail space, original art displayed on the walls, a food menu “to complement pFriem’s beer lineup,” and beer and merch for their pFriem club members. 10501 SE Main Street, Milwaukie
The Scout Wine Bar gets some Oregonian love. Glad to see this article by Julie Evensen at The Oregonian about Gresham’s The Scout Wine Bar. It “offers wines by the glass, rotating local beer and cider on tap, and build-your-own charcuterie boards. Food from nearby restaurants is also welcome – the area has options ranging from pho to Italian to Lebanese to gourmet burgers. Diners can bring their entrée of choice to pair with a drink from the bar.”
I have recently spent more time in downtown Gresham and it is a sweet little part of the Portland Metro area. There’s some great food there, a variety of architectural styles (old and new), and I especially love the tiny Japanese garden on Tsuru Island in Main City Park. (Plus Jazzy Bagels is one of the few places you can get egg bagels in the area—if you know others, let us know in the comments.) 25 NE 3rd Street, Gresham
Warsugai will introduce a new concept. Starting out serving “elevated and creative interpretations of classic nostalgic Asian cuisine,” they have now closed (Sunday, March 23 was their last day of service)—but not for good. Instead, on Thursday, April 10 they will introduce “The Chinese Cowboy”:
“We’ll be offering up a reimagined menu of bbq small plates, weekly live music with some of Portland’s best country and honky tonk musicians, pop up events, and your favorite crafted cocktails.” I am definitely intrigued. 727 SE Washington Street, Portland
Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:
Help Support Portland’s Kitchen Table Magazine: “The Future Issue”
Taste of Sichuan Will Re-Open in Beaverton
Sabor del Rio Cafe Will Bring Puerto Rican Food to Marine Drive in Portland
Easter 2025 in Portland
This weekend is the Portland Tacos, Tequilas & Tamales Festival and the Expo Center. We are also in the final days of the Ticket to Dine campaign, which goes through March 31.
This year, both Easter and Orthodox Easter fall on Sunday, April 20, with Holy Week starting Sunday, April 13. It is very uncommon for the two to land on the same day. But regardless of your level of religiosity, Easter can be a sweet time: Brunch, holiday candy, wine, and feeling grateful for spring are All Good Things. After all, Easter’s spring placement has origins in Oestre/Eostre, who is goddess of spring and fertility.
Here is where you can enjoy Easter’s tasty charms in Portland
Continue reading “Easter 2025 in Portland”
A new restaurant called Sabor del Rio Cafe will open in the Sunderland neighborhood out in one of the floating buildings on the Columbia River just west of NE 33rd. I often go up there in the summer to hang out at The Deck, so having yet another option there (Salty’s on the Columbia and The Sextant are also nearby) is also pretty exciting. I am sure the folks who live in the area are also happy to see this new development.
Continue reading “Sabor del Rio Cafe Will Bring Puerto Rican Food to Marine Drive in Portland”
One of Portland’s truly independent food publications is Kitchen Table Magazine. It publishes once or twice a year, and is not to be confused with Kitchen Table Quarterly. They are readying their upcoming issue and are running a crowdfunding campaign to fund it.
Continue reading “Help Support Portland’s Kitchen Table Magazine: “The Future Issue””