Annam VL Is Coming to the Belmont Neighborhood

soup-ha-vl-portland-oregon

An example of Chicken Pho Phở Gà (shredded chicken with rice noodles in chicken broth) from Hà VL, sister to the new Annam VL.

You may know that Hà VL and Rose VL are some of the most beloved Vietnamese restaurants in Portland. Hà VL was nominated for a James Beard award in 2020 in the Outstanding Restaurant category (keep track of their soups on the Hà VL Daily Soups page; Rose VL is well-known for its cao lầu. So it’s very exciting to tell you that they are opening a third restaurant in Portland, called Annam VL, in the Belmont neighborhood this fall.

Continue reading “Annam VL Is Coming to the Belmont Neighborhood”

Xiao Ye Opens in the Hollywood District This Week

The three-quarters bar area at Xiao Ye. Photo credit: Xiao Ye

Back in March, I wrote about Xiao Ye, opening up in the old Beauty for the Beast space on Sandy Blvd and NE 38th Place. Their vision is to offer “First Generation American Food” and a recent article in the Oregonian (and this Instagram post) indicates they are ready to open—this week, in fact.

Continue reading “Xiao Ye Opens in the Hollywood District This Week”

The Phoenix Rises Again: Reo’s Ribs Will Re-Open

reos-ribs-after-fire-construction-hollywood-district-portland-oregon

It still looks pretty much the same since 2017.

You heard that right: Reo’s Ribs is reopening, sometime in September 2023, according to their Facebook page. The business, which focuses on barbecue and soul food, has endured much over the years in the way of fire, so I’m really impressed to see that they are making a go of it again.

Continue reading “The Phoenix Rises Again: Reo’s Ribs Will Re-Open”

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!

Goodbye, Frog & Snail

Photo credit: Frog & Snail

Last week I saw the news on Instagram: Frog & Snail, one of the best places for French-style crepes (including Breton-style buckwheat crepes) in Portland, closed abruptly. The reason behind that is that the owner, Chad Bernard, died on August 15 in what seems to be a sudden event. My heart goes out to his friends and family on his untimely passing.

Continue reading “Goodbye, Frog & Snail”