Small Bites: Pinolo Gelato, Nam Tao Huu, No Sabo, and More

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The superb Pinolo Gelato.

Pinolo Gelato celebrates 10 years. These guys make some of the best gelato in Portland. It was started by Sandro Paolini, who is originally from Pisa in Italy. He moved to the PNW a while back, but his path eventually led him back to Pisa to learn how to make gelato from his friends and mentors there, Ilaria and Omar of @ioegelato.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (March 21) in Portland Food

East Glisan Pizza Lounge is taking a break. First there were rumors, then there was a statement from the East Glisan Pizza folks: “Starting Monday, March 17, we’re taking some space to look at the business with new eyes—to take what we’ve learned over the past 11 years & rebuild with structure & culture in place that we & our crew deserve. We look forward to a healthy relationship with a business we’re excited about, even outside of the times we get to see you.” Keep up with them on their social channels for updates. 8001 NE Glisan Street, Portland

Javelina is moving again. Javelina and Inɨ́sha will be moving from the old Lil’ Dame space, their most recent home on NE 30th Avenue, to the old Yonder space on NE 42nd Avenue. This will put them next to door to NAYA’s munk-yeʔlan sax̣ali, (pronounced “moonk-YEH-lǔn SAH-hah-lee”) AKA Munk-yelan Saxali office in Cully. Their last day of service on NE 90th Avenue is Saturday, March 29; they’ll then take a two week break and relaunch on Thursday, April 17.

The positives of moving? “With the extra space we can expand our hours and menus. Also, our indoor seating almost triples and we now have a full bar where we can really allow our beverage program to flourish.” Why they moved? “We had some unforeseen challenges within that space that we couldn’t see getting through. Also, it was too small, we couldn’t accommodate everyone that came in and quickly realized we needed more room to pursue our goals of being a restaurant, gathering place and community hub for our guests.” 4636 NE 42nd Avenue, Portland

Beekie’s PDX has opened in Parkrose. This truck that seems new to the area is currently in the Grocery Outlet parking lot, according to a Bridgetown Bites tipster. One thing indicated on the truck is that they serve “vegan soul food.” They have a Facebook page and Instagram account, and from what I can tell there, vegan offerings include burgers and tacos; they definitely serve meat, too. 10721 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Kim Jong Grillin has left the Happy Valley Town Center. Tuesday was his last day there. Hopefully the future is bright for him and will bring good things his way. 15934 SE Happy Valley Town Center, Happy Valley

Bonus: Pronto Gelato is open again! They re-opened on Thursday after some time away. Find them Thursdays through Sundays, 3pm to 8pm.


Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Paqui Modern Mexican Will Open on NE Sandy Blvd in Portland
Hey Cricket Fans! Sticky Wicket Will Open in North Portland
Schilling Cider House Will Re-Open on SE Division in Portland
Food Loop Northwest Will Open in NW Portland’s Cordage Building

I also want to with you all a happy spring! The spring equinox was Thursday, March 20, and it looks like we have some nice mild weather ahead of us, despite the rain today. And remember: Ticket To Dine continues all month!

Four Things I Learned This Week (December 6)

Monty’s Red Sauce. A new restaurant from the Montelupo folks is going to open in Sellwood-Westmoreland called Monty’s Red Sauce. Presumably it will be an Italian red sauce joint. The location was previously home to Rue Cler Marketplace, and before that it was Laurelwood’s SE pub location. You can see a reel of the space as it is now, on Instagram. 6716 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland

East Glisan Pizza Lounge’s eggnog has arrived. Each year the folks at East Glisan Pizza Lounge offer house-made eggnog for the holidays. They will serve it as a flight, in a cocktail, or with cookies; you can also buy some to take home. There are three flavors: traditional, butterscotch, and Morganthaler (tequila and sherry). 8001 NE Glisan Street, Portland

Crush is closing. The closure of this LGBTQ+ bar in SE Portland was big news this week. They’ve been around for 25 years; New Year’s Eve will be their final night in business. Read more about it at Willamette Week. 1400 SE Morrison Street, Portland

Bialy Bird returns to Wellspent Market. Head to this wonderful little independent market tomorrow morning (Saturday, December 7) from 10am to 1pm to enjoy Bialy Bird’s celebrated sweet and savory bialys. Flavors include chanterelle and black garlic; cacio e pepe; apricot-honey-feta; and za’atar + olive oil. There will be breakfast sandwiches and mimosas, too. 3402 SE Division Street, Portland


Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Side Eye, a New Bar, Will Open in NW Portland
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, November 2024
A New Restaurant From Chookiat Saenguraiporn Is Coming To the Pearl
Better Days Cafe Is Open
Plus, my latest Benable list is all about the best in Portland products.

It’s a big weekend for holiday season festivals, too! The Mt. Angel–Silverton Hazelnut Festival from Friday to Sunday; the German Christmas Market tomorrow; and the Portland ScanFair on Saturday and Sunday. More details in our Portland Area Cultural + Food Festivals & Events list. And while it’s not a festival per se, if you stop in at Fressen Artisan Bakery (7075 NE Glisan Street) tomorrow morning, you’ll probably run into Krampus.

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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Thanksgiving 2021 in Portland

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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:

Where to Get Thanksgiving Dine-In and Takeout in Portland [Portland Monthly]
Where to Order Thanksgiving Dinner in Portland for 2021 [Eater]
Your Guide to Thanksgiving 2021 Food in Portland [EverOut/Portland Mercury]

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.

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