Category: Portland

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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.

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Goodbye Bar Dune, Hello Charliebird

charleibird-logo
The Charliebird Logo

A Bridgetown Bites tipster send me this yesterday: “I just walked by Bar Dune on E Burnside, who’s been closed for some time. On the door there’s a handwritten sign that says ‘USPS, please deliver mail to Sizzle Pie-Charliebird.'” At first I thought this was a project from Sizzle Pie but my updated guess is that they are doing a solid for Charliebird (638 E Burnside Street) and receiving their mail, for whatever reason.

Charliebird appears to be a new restaurant from Collin Nicholas, a local “bar veteran” according to Eater, so no doubt the cocktail program will be very good. Last spring, Eater also said this about Nicholas, “The current owner and manager of the electrifying Pearl District cocktail bar Pink Rabbit, he also helped open the Hoxton Hotel’s three bars, developed the cocktail program at G-Love’s opening, and managed operations for Bamboo Sushi.”

Filed state records indicate his “fearless partner, ” realtor Lauren Hasson, is on record for being behind this new spot. The two of them will no doubt bring something beautiful to the old Bar Dune space. I really enjoyed my time at Bar Dune and am sorry to see it has shuttered. As for Charliebird (Named after Charlie Parker? That’s the first thing that comes to mind), not much is online about it and their Instagram is in the first baby steps of a holding pattern. I’ll keep an eye on it.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (February 10)

New menu at Cloud Pine Tea + Culture. This lovely little tea house in Milwaukie put out a new menu last week and it looks delicious. Particularly appealing are the Giant Chicken, Orange Peel, and Shiitake Mushroom Meatballs; Flatbread with Curried Beef; and Steamed BBQ Pork Buns. They also have a seasonal drink menu (I’ll take the Treasure Tea) and some snacks. The full menu is on their website, but you can also find it on Facebook and Instagram. 10835 SE Main Street, Milwaukie

Handmade noodle alert. The Hazelwood Neighborhood Association tells us that an “amazing” new Chinese restaurant has opened up in the neighborhood called Remember Spirits & Restaurant. It occupies the former Cleary’s Sports Bar space. And apparently they serve handmade noodles, and dishes are made from scratch. Certainly intriguing. 12429 NE Glisan Street, Portland

Pho Le Nguyen is opening in Parkrose. A new Vietnamese restaurant is going to open in the old Catalina’s Mexican restaurant space on NE Sandy Blvd (not too far from O’Dear and the Parkrose Marketplace). They’ve been working in there, signage is up, and we eagerly wait to see what they offer (besides the obvious pho). It makes me happy to see that space occupied. 10902 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Altropino? State records indicates something called Altropino is connected to the Grand Stark Hotel and Olympia Provisions (they are considered the “licensee” for Altropino). While doing a little research on this, I learned that the Grand Stark Deli has closed (old news, yes; I loved their space and avocado toast) and when it comes to looking up dining options at the hotel, you get this message: “Stay tuned for more information on a new dining concept at Hotel Grand Stark.”

Could that be a new eatery from the masters of sustainably-sourced cured meats and sausages? Does “altropino” mean “the other pine” or “to the Tropino”? Time has been my nemesis this week, but I’ll look into it some more. Of course, shoot me an email if you know any details. 509 SE Grand Avenue, Portland

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Early Assistance Phase: NW Portland Food Cart Pod

The current parking lot adjacent to the shuttered Meriwether’s Restaurant in NW Portland. Photo credit: Google

Looks like someone wants to see if a property in NW Portland can transition to a food cart pod. The location includes a parking lot and a bar/restaurant—that used to house the popular Meriwether’s Restaurant & Skyline Farm, which has been closed for several years.

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