While perusing Facebook on Sunday night I came across the news that Chameleon Restaurant & Bar will close by end end of the year. I have had a bunch of great meals there and good memories with friends over the years—while enjoying one of best backyards in Portland—and I am very sorry to see them go.
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to see an old friend when he traveled to Oregon to visit his daughter, and we had lunch together at Cloud Pine Tea + Culture, a newish (est. 2021) teahouse-restaurant located in downtown Milwaukie. A mix of seriously good tea, delicious dumplings, and great conversation was a nice break from everything. I’m already looking forward to returning.
If you’re like me, Thanksgiving food is on your mind this week. And while turkey (roasted or deep fried?), cranberry sauce (canned or homemade?), and pie (pumpkin or pecan?) are easy to obsess about, for a change of pace consider the French macaron—and La Fête du Macaron at Pix Patisserie that starts on Thanksgiving day and lasts through the weekend. I’ve had Pix’s macarons and can say with assurance that they are some of the best in Portland.
Thanksgiving is basically just around the corner and in the world of food media, that means it’s time to publish Thanksgiving food and meal roundups. The big kids in town have done a lot of the digital legwork, for which I’m grateful, and you can find their full lists here:
There’s a lot to choose from. I’d summarize the lists as this: Portland Monthly’s list is a small, well-curated list; Eater’s is diverse; EverOut’s is extensive, including meals and baked goods. There is some overlap but they aren’t identical, which is a good thing.
Looking through these lists, there’s plenty of deliciousness, but here are the things that really stand out for me, plus some of my own additions.
The news is out but I wanted to chime in with how thrilled I am that Montelupo Italian Market is going to open its indoor dining room this Friday—plus Monty’s Caffè on Saturday! It’s been over a year since they opened and I am sure they are excited to move forward with dining service for their customers inside their space.