Portland food news and views
News and reviews of restaurants in Portland, Oregon.
Some of the most written about places on this blog include:
Portland Mercado [Latin American]
Ben & Esther’s [Jewish/Vegan]
Sizzle Pie [Pizza]
Bee’s Cakes [Cakes and Baked Goods]
Salt & Straw [Ice Cream]
Nepali Kitchen [Nepalese]
Vivienne[Bakery, Wine Bar, Bookstore]
Kachka [Russian]
Chin’s Kitchen [Dongbei Chinese]
Arrowood [New American]
Photo credit: summer Blr via Google
An eagle eye’d Bridgetown Bites reader alerted me to the opening of Yokohama Skyline Eatery that is now open (soft opening phase) in the Yard building there by the Burnside Bridge. This is ramen shop (ramen-ya) offering a small but well-curated menu. The space was formerly home to BKK Thai.
Continue reading “Yokohama Skyline Eatery Opens in NE Portland’s Yard Building”Bakeshop’s pie pre-orders are back. Earlier this fall, Kim at Bakeshop announced they were not going to do Thanksgiving pies, the first time in decades this was the case. Good news, though: Bakeshop is returning with pies and cakes for the holiday season that you can pre-order now. Online pre-orders will close December 18, so get your order in for your seasonal celebrations sooner than later. Some of the things you can expect: burnt Basque cheesecakes; apple pies with choice of either buckwheat streusel or double crust; pecan pies; ham & cheese quiches; Gingerbread People cookies. Order here.
On Christmas Eve day they will also be serving their annual eggnog. There will be some specials that day, too. 5351 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
Citizenwich is coming to Lardo. For 10 years, Lardo has been doing a monthly fundraiser called Chefwich, where they invite local chefs to create a new sandwich and then donate the proceeds from said sandwich to a non-profit of their choosing. In January 2023, Lardo is changing it up and launching their first “variation on a theme”: the Citizenwich. In their words, “What sandwich do YOU want to put on the menu for the month of January?” Yes, that’s right—you get to suggest the sandwich and the nonprofit. Submit your ideas—the sandwich name, a brief description, and the nonprofit you want to donate the proceeds to—on Lardo’s Instagram post about it. Multiple locations, including 1212 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Norah opens today. Norah, from the folks that brought us Mestizo, has their grand opening today: 11:30am to 3pm for lunch and 4pm to 9pm for dinner. They offer “plant-based & pan-Asian cuisine,” with proteins like soy curls, tofu, and tempeh; aside from that, I have to say the Ma Hor caught my eye: fresh pineapple bites, sweet radish, peanut, palm sugar.
The name “Norah” has special meaning to the owners, and it “refers to a traditional dance reserved for celebrations and community gatherings in Southern Thailand where Nan [Chaison] and Prae [Nobnorb] grew up.” 3801 SE Belmont Street, Portland
Have you been to Fortune BBQ Noodle House yet? Earlier this year I wrote about Fortune BBQ Noodle House arriving in Montavilla, and to be honest, it kind of fell off the radar. This week I saw that Gary the Foodie posted a photo shoutout and included this great photo of the roast ducks hanging in the window. The plate of roast duck and pork also looks delicious. I’ve read a bunch of good things about this restaurant, from the food to the staff. This is a reminder that I need to stop by soon. 18 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland
I thought it might be fun to talk about five of the most delicious things I’ve had recently here in Portland. We continue to be fortunate to have so many good things to eat in this town.
Back in May, Saint Simon opened a new location on Brazee and 15th in the Irvington neighborhood, and it has been a total hit. There are often long lines of people waiting to get a cup of their excellent espresso, baked goods from Nuvrei, and a chance to hang out in a comfortable space for a little while. Their outdoor seating is really nice in the warmer months, too. But year-round they have this avocado toast that is just wonderful.
Continue reading “5 Recent Bites – Avocado Toast, Pig Newton, and More”
Excited for all the winners!
It’s that time of year again: the time when local media outlets (and nationwide ones, too, but that’s not the focus here) gather their bests and make lists of various things—including food. Personally, I love lists and it’s fun to see what the different food media sources deem “the best” in any given year. It’s unclear in my mind if I’m going to do that kind of roundup before the close of 2022, so I thought I’d round up what’s out there already.
Continue reading “Roundup: Bests and Awards of 2022”Kann is in the news again, and it’s rated the best (plus, Comedor Lilia and Okta). Esquire Magazine released their Best New Restaurants in America, 2022 list, and Kann tops the chart. Congrats to Gregory Gourdet, his staff, and all involved in making this a place where people love to eat Haitian food. Comedor Lilia, part of the República family, also made the list at number 16, which offers “Pacific Northwest cuisine through the lens of a Mexican-American chef.” Okta, in McMinville, which offers a “multi-course experience inspired by the Pacific Northwest,” made the list, too. There’s a lot of interesting sounding restaurants on the list, so be sure to check out all of the places. 548 SE Ash Street (Kann) and 3159 S Moody Avenue (Comedor Lilia), Portland; 618 NE 3rd Street, McMinnville (Okta)
Brunch at Nico’s Cantina for the World Cup. El Mañanero, a new brunch menu for the 2022 World Cup games season, was crated by Chef Fernanda, and it looks great! It will be served every morning they play the WC games over the next month starting next week. I’m particularly happy to see chilaquiles and champurrado on the menu. 4318 NE Cully Blvd, Portland
Chin’s Kitchen is back open for dine-in. I saw this morning that Chin’s Kitchen, home to great dumplings and Dongbei cuisine, has re-opened—and renovated, as well. I’ll be making a visit soon. 4126 NE Broadway, Portland
Deeply Rooted on NE Fremont will open December 10. This sports bar offering plant-based eats is opening in early December, still in time for some of the later matchups during World Cup. Along with their food and drink, you’ll also find pool tables, darts, a golf sim room and … a 200-inch theater screen for big sporting events. That’s seriously huge. NICE. 4765 NE Fremont Street, Portland
Also: Bridgetown Bites will not be publishing next week, the week of Thanksgiving—I’m giving myself some time off. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
