Category: Products

The Products category features edible products of interest to the blog.

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Eat Unsweetened Chocolate in Portland

One of my favorite unsweetened chocolate bars, with fun art on the packaging. Photo credit: Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé  

I like to eat unsweetened chocolate bars and I like it. Yes, that’s the 100% cacao product with no sugar added—not even alternatives like coconut sugar, allulose, monk fruit, or stevia. You are probably thinking, “What is wrong with this gurl?!?”

I know this might be a hard sell for some of you reading this—and I know it’s a controversial take, esoteric at best—but I am here to encourage you to take a chance on it. In exchange, you get a payoff of deep cacao flavor, complex tasting notes, and a new chocolate experience.

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King Cakes in Portland in 2025

Slices of gallete des rois at the Alliance Français in Portland, Oregon.
Galette des rois—whole—and sliced—at the Alliance Française in Portland.

It’s almost time for king cakes! King cake season usually starts on January 6—Epiphany—and continues in some cases until Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday. There are three main kinds of king cakes you can find in Portland: the northern French galette des rois, NOLA-style king cakes, and rosca de reyes, which is popular in Mexican and other Latin American countries.

Here’s our roundup on where access these delicious king cakes in Portland in 2025.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (November 29)

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! We had a very chill holiday and made turkey chili along with traditional sides. And welcome to the official start of the holiday season! Remember: shopping local is good; and The Benson Hotel unveils its gingerbread masterpiece on Tuesday, December 3.

FIKA pops up Friday to Sunday. Head to the Stark Street Holiday Sale today, tomorrow, and Sunday to check out the work of 10 local artists, one jeweler, and delicious baked goods by FIKA, AKA the wonderful local bakerJoe Futschik. I’m particularly fond of his empanadas because of their irresistible flaky pasty. 11am to 6pm each day. 2809 SE Stark Street, Portland

The best cheddar in the world comes from Oregon. The World Cheese Awards 2024 happened earlier this month and the Tillamook Maker’s Reserve 2014 Extra Sharp White Cheddar cheese won the Trophy for Best Cheddar Cheese. Cheeses from 47 countries competed for the award. Over at Allrecipes, they include this tidbit:

“Tillamook was awarded two bronze accolades for its Tillamook Farmers’ Collection English Style Sweet Cheddar (another of my favorites) and Tillamook Farmers’ Collection Hickory Smoked Extra Sharp White Cheddar. The hickory-smoked Cheddar also won “Best USA Cheese Any Variety” in the International Cheese and Dairy Awards (ICDA) competition earlier this year. “

Lone Star Burger Bar will open next to Podnah’s BBQ. On Tuesday evening, a tipster emailed me with “I checked out the Lone Star Burger pop up yesterday at La Taq and was told they will be converting La Taq full time into a burger spot by mid-December. The burgers were great and were thick pub style.” I inquired with La Taq about these changes, but received no response.

But no worries—Michael Russell at The Oregonian is on it. Burgers are moving in but the bar remains, and they are looking to adjust their cocktails to be compatible with “more of a steakhouse vibe.” They will re-open as Lone Star Burger bar on Wednesday, December 4. 1625 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

Super Joy Coffee Lab is under new management. Topher Ou posted on the Super Joy Instagram that he has moved on from the company he founded:

“Superjoy is now under new management, and I am no longer involved in its operations. This decision was mutual and made with deep respect and love for the business. While stepping away wasn’t easy, I’m extremely proud of what Superjoy has grown to represent and the many lives it has touched. I sincerely wish this community cornerstone all the best in the future and truly hope it continues to thrive.”

He is still passionate about coffee and will continue to roast and experiment with techniques and creativity. As he says, this is not goodbye, but the start of a new chapter. Best of luck to Topher on his new path. 1401 SW Yamhill Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Face Plant Wants To Take Down McDonald’s
Win Big: Shop Small This Holiday Season

Additionally, over on Benable, I created a couple of lists this week: Signature Foods of Oregon and Underground Portland: Bars, Tunnels and More.

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Portland’s East Side Dining Guide Is Here

Poc-chuc at Ki'ikibaa, which you can find in the East Side Dining Guide.
Poc-chuc at Ki’ikibaa, which is included in the East Side Dining Guide.

I’m happy to write here about the East Side Dining Guide (full disclosure: I work on the committee that has put the East Side Dining Guide together). A project of the 82nd Avenue Business Association, it’s a guide and map that focuses on the restaurants, bars, cafes, and food carts along 82nd Avenue: from Cully in the north to Brentwood-Darlington in the south.

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