Portland food news and views
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).
Continue reading “Around the World in 82 Dishes Starts October 21”JaCiva’s Bakery is closing. This story blew up across my social media this week, as people are totally bummed about the news of JaCiva’s Bakery closing. The bakery’s message: “It is with a heavy heart that we are announcing JaCiva’s Bakery will be closing its doors. What a pleasure it’s been serving our Portland community for 37 years and we will miss being a part of your celebrations.” They are “are continuing business as supplies last.” Stop in before they close for good. 4733 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Zuckercreme is having a birthday party and it’s corn-themed. Montavilla’s creative cafe and shop, Zuckercreme, is celebrating their second birthday on Sunday, October 1. There will be elotes, corn on hot dogs, popcorn, corn ice cream, corn pastries, corn decor, and more. If you plan to go, they’d like you to RSVP; head here for more info. 414 SE 81st Avenue, Portland
Tomato Fest is tomorrow. For the third year, Wellspent Market is holding a tomato festival in their parking lot. The fabulous BLT will be back, along with info on dry-farmed tomatoes, some cooking demonstrations, tomato swag, and more. Saturday, September 16, 11am to 3pm; more info here. 935 NE Couch Street, Portland
Behind the Corporation Buying Up Portland’s Most Famous ‘Independent’ Restaurants. That’s the name of this article on PDX Eater, which is pretty interesting, on the independent restaurant scene here in Portland; Sortis Holdings, who “has acquired a wide swath of Portland-based businesses”; and the challenges faced by the hospitality business. The part about “chain-ifying” is one I am very familiar with, as this has been a concern in NYC for a number of years. Anyway, the Eater article is worth a read—check it out.
Ice cream in the old Hemp Bar space? A Bridgetown Bites reader emailed me to ask about what’s going into the old Hemp Bar space in the For Mrs Noble building (did you know it won the 2021 DeMuro Award?) in FoPo. He said, “Looks like someone is painting an ice cream sign next to what was once Hemp Bar.” I did some research and came up with a big ol’ goose egg. Do you know what’s going on there? Comment here or shoot me an email. 6258 SE Foster Road, Portland
Milo’s City Cafe has new owners. Albert Escobar and his wife, Maria Elena Diaz, are the new owners of Milo’s City Cafe, a breakfast/brunch/lunch spot on NE Broadway on the southern edge of Irvington. I mentioned in May what was explained as a “temporary” closure of Milo’s, but as Albert explains in an article in The Oregonian, “the closure was more permanent than advertised.”
More from Albert: “The previous owners, Jeff and Pam (Munden), they just walked away,” Albert said. “I was like, ‘Hey, I thought we were going to be shut down for a month. I know a lot of people here, customers, the neighborhood, are going to be sad.’ In my heart, I didn’t want this to be over.” Read more about it in the O. 1325 NE Broadway, Portland
French bakeries in Portland visual roundup. The Alliance Française of Portland put together a nice Instagram post of their favorite French bakeries in the area. All are great sources of delicious pastries, including the sweet almondy Galette des Rois in January.
The Portland Fermentation Festival is back! Stinkfest returns after a COVID-induced three year hiatus (here’s what went on in 2019) and will take place again at Ecotrust in NW Portland on Thursday October 19, 6pm to 9pm. The general public has two ticket options: $15 for just the fermentation tasting (starts at 7:30pm), and $30 for the tasting plus the keynote (starts around 6pm), this year by Kirsten Shockey, co-founder of The Fermentation School (Kirsten is based in southern Oregon). These prices above are for tickets you buy ahead of the event; they go up to $20 to $35, respectiverly, if you are paying cash at the door. Read more about the festival and buy your tickets via this Eventbrite link. 721 NW 9th Avenue, Portland
Dang that meat is good.
I’ve written about the Middle Eastern Festival before (2019, 2022) and can’t resist writing about it this year, as well. It’s my favorite cultural/food festival in Portland all year long and you better believe I’ll be there on Sunday. As the band Nu Shooz says, “I can’t wait.”
Continue reading “The 44th Annual Middle Eastern Festival Is This Sunday”It’s Bastille Day today! Celebrate this weekend. The Alliance Française de Portland is celebrating the French national holiday with the 21st Annual Bastille Day Festival on Saturday, July 15. “In 1789 the French stormed the Bastille prison, marking the birth of the modern French nation. The storming of the Bastille symbolizes the key values of Liberté, Fraternité, and Egalité, which endure in the hearts of the French people.” Head to Jamison Park in the Pearl between noon and 6pm to celebrate French culture—music, dancing, food and drink, and good time with friends and family. 810 NW 11th Avenue, Portland
Nico’s Cantina now has mocktails. Starting yesterday, Nico’s Cantina has mocktails on their drink list. I tried two of them and they were delicious. Here’s what they have:
I really enjoyed the El Toro and La Isla. These drinks are a tasty option for those of us who do not drink. 4318 NE Cully Blvd, Portland
Indio de Oro Mexican restaurant coming to old Grain & Gristle space. The building on the NW corner of Prescott and NE 15th will get a new tenant in the old Grain & Gristle space, which closed May: Indio de Oro, a new Mexican (not New Mexican) restaurant. Though there’s not many details out there yet, it looks like the people associated with Indio de Oro have also been part of Puerto Mazatlan in Ashland. I’ve reached out for more info. 1473 NE Prescott Street, Portland
More seafood is coming to 82nd Ave. Ocean City Seafood closed during the pandemic; New City Seafood is opening up in its place. An online work request described the restaurant as this: “The restaurant is 5,000 sq ft, and is the type of Chinese Restaurant that holds big events at night like weddings and company parties. During the day, it is a Dim Sum restaurant.” I suspect this will be good news for dim sum fans in Portland. 3016 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland
