Around the World in 82 Dishes Starts October 21

The premiere event from the 82nd Avenue Business Association is, arguably, their Around the World in 82 Dishes food week. With the mission of promoting the variety of food cultures represented on and around 82nd Avenue, it has become over the years a meaningful Portland food event. There are changes to the program this year, which I’ll outline below (read our coverage in 2019, 2021, and 2022, for reference).

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Proposed Fee Increase for Restaurant Inspections Program in Multnomah County

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The dining room at Montelupo, right after they opened this seating inside. Photo credit: Montelupo

I normally don’t talk about something so technical here on Bridgetown Bites, but this topic of fee increases as it applies to restaurants in Portland caught my eye. I got curious about the details, and am sharing them with you.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (October 6)

Yaowarat opens today. What was Lazy Susan in Montavilla is now Yaowarat, which we mentioned here back in July. It is brought to you by Akkapong Earl Ninsom and crew, makers of much deliciousness in Portland. The food is “Thai-Chinese street food both along Bangkok Chinatown (Yaowarat neighborhood) and the restaurants that we fell in love with from travel and grew up eating (during my college time),” according to Ninsom. Surprisingly, Montavilla does not have much in the way of Thai restaurants, so this is a pretty great addition to the neighborhood.

No takeout, no reservations, no phone—yet. They’ll be open Wednesdays to Sundays, 5pm to 10pm, at least to start. Check out the PDX Monthly article on them from earlier this month to get a better picture of the whole shebang. 7937 SE Stark Street, Portland

The Yanick Room is open. Over at Kann, they have put together a private dining room for large parties, 12 guests to 36 guests. The Yanick Room is named after Chef Gourdet’s mom. Access reservations through Resy. 548 SE Ash Street, Portland

What’s next for the Woodsman Tavern space(s). The Oregonian tells us what’s what with these two spaces: the restaurant and market. Los Burros Supremos, a burrito shop, will take over the market space; La Leñadora, “a full-service restaurant with lamb shank birria, sizzling Oregon albacore fajitas and lots of Mexican seafood.” Read more about the plans here. 4537 SE Division Street, Portland

Mattino’s Wines is closing their shop. We wrote about this sweet spot last October, and by the end of their run on October 29, they will have been open for around a year. On Instagram they explain why all is not lost: “We feel excited about our next chapter at 935 SE Hawthorne. We are taking it in a new direction — a wine delivery service, club, and space that hosts gatherings. There’s so much to share about these upcoming changes. Stay tuned.” Best of luck to them in this transition. 935 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Annam VL Is Coming to the Belmont Neighborhood

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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.

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