Tag: Fresh Love

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Four Things I Learned This Week (May 24)

Help Fresh Love feed anyone. This week I learned about Fresh Love‘s project to help people access good food. They keep a gift card that can be used to pay for meals: “When someone comes in who cannot pay, no questions asked, we use this gift card to cover the cost of the bill.” Staff refills the card but you can, too—meaning, you can add to the card as part of your bill when you purchase something at Fresh Love. I think it’s a wonderful thing to do, and so simple. “Thanks so much for your help and let’s keep paying it forward!” 7434 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Adult ice cream social planned at Cafe Rowan. They announced on Instagram their plans to do an “adult ice cream social” in a couple of weeks. Saturday evenings 7pm to 11pm (more or less). “5 ridiculous sundaes, 5 ridiculous cocktails, 5 ridiculous glasses of wine… its gonna be a ridiculously fun time.” 4437 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd, Portland

Jacqueline is rumored to be moving. A Bridgetown Bites tipster sent me this inside tip: “Jacqueline will be moving into the former La Moule/Bakers place at 25th and Clinton, probably around the September timeframe.” I reached out to Jacqueline early this week for more info; I will share anything that I learn from them. You may remember that La Moule closed last July and Baker’s, a “bar with fun food,” took over that space in November 2023, then closed in early 2024. 2500 SE Clinton Street, Portland

Toki will shutter on Sunday, May 26. Right after Sunday brunch service Toki, a downtown Portland restaurant from the Cho family (Han Oak, Jeju), will close. They announced it on Instagram. And while it’s goodbye Toki, they will continue to hone their work at their other restaurants—both in experimenting with new dishes/concepts and returning to things the work for them: “As a collective team at HAN OAK and JEJU we’ll try some new ideas, bring classics back like the KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN with ‘essence of instant ramen’, the CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME, the HANOKONOMIYAKI, and the BAO! We’ll do our best to keep growing, intentionally.” 580 SW 12th Avenue, Portland

Bonus: As you’ve probably heard, Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week. I was listening to an NPR story about it and the best thing that came out of the entire piece, IMO, is that Red Lobster put together a playlist of AI-generated music called “Cheddar Bay-I.” I love a good pun (and I love those Cheddar Bay Biscuits, ngl). My first experience with Red Lobster was years ago in Beaumont TX, where when I said I didn’t know what a hush puppy was, they gave me a half dozen on the house, “so you can say you’ve had them.” In the Portland metro area, there are Red Lobsters in Gresham, Tigard, and Vancouver, WA; there does not seem to be any Red Lobsters in Portland proper.

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Zaiqa To Open in Old Bambuza Space
Bobacat Teahouse Will Open in Irvington
Good News: PSU’s Library Food Carts Will Remain Open

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Small Bites: Sports Bra, Take Two, Fresh Love, and More

For Small Bites: the interior of the Sports Bra, a sports bar that shows only women's sports.
The Sports Bra, a sports bar that shows only women’s sports, will expand via franchising. Photo credit: The Sports Bra

Well, I’ve been under the weather lately—but am feeling better)—so it’s time for a Small Bites food news update. Here are some of the tidbits that have crossed my internet desk that I thought you might find interesting. Enjoy, and have a good weekend!

Boxer Ramen is closing. They announced it over on their Instagram: “It is with a very heavy heart we announce that after 11 years of serving you our unique brand of Ramen, we sadly will be closing all of our doors for good this upcoming Monday the 29th.” They cite many challenges, including the pandemic and inflation, behind their decision to close. I’m sorry to see them go. 1668 NW 23rd Avenue, 3003 NE Alberta Street, 7847 SW Capitol Highway, Portland; 3205 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton

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Four Things I Learned This Week (January 19)

Sandy Jug to open this month. Over on Instagram, the Sandy Jug Tavern posted, “pushed back a week. hopefully this next weekend.” Sounds like they’ll be open not this weekend but the next, so that would be the weekend of January 26 (if you count Friday evening as part of the weekend). It’s exciting to think they’ll be open soon; I can’t wait to check it out. 7417 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Rescheduled collab between Nico’s and Pip’s. This crazy icy weather has thrown multiple monkey wrenches into multiple businesses this week, so the originally planned collab between Nico’s Ice Cream and Pip’s Original had to be postponed. They are attempting to do it this weekend: “We’ll be blending in Pip’s donuts into our vanilla base, then topping it with nutella, honey, and coconut flakes. We call it the Tropical Reggie Lee!” If you can, head to Nico’s Fremont location on Saturday, January 20 all day (noon to 9pm). 5713 NE Fremont Street, Portland

That “10 Places” bit on social. I’ve seen it mostly on Instagram, but people are sharing the 10 restaurants/small businesses they want to support after the ice recedes enough to get back out into the world. For me, I want to support the following:

  1. Fresh Love, 7434 NE Fremont Street
  2. Thai Seasons, 5824 NE Sandy Blvd
  3. My-O-My + Lawless BBQ in the back (so, a twofer), 8627 NE Sandy Blvd
  4. Sandy-O’s, 10505 NE Sandy Blvd
  5. Extracto, 2921 NE Killingsworth Street
  6. Flour Market, 5507 NE 30th Avenue
  7. Bastion, 6116 SE Milwaukie Avenue
  8. Los Burros Supremos, 4529 SE Division Street
  9. Hollywood Farmers Market, NE Hancock St. between 44th and 45th Avenues
  10. Javi’s Breakfast Cafe, 6236 NE Sandy Blvd

If you have suggestions or favorite place you want to support, drop a comment.

Upcoming relevér popup. I recently came across the Instagram for relevér and have learned that the key element of the work of this popup is “spicy.” Last November their food was influenced by “Korean, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, French and Spanish cuisines.” This time, it’s …. TACO BELL? Yes, it sure looks like it. Whatever the inspiration, there will be food by Chef Han Ly Hwang of Kim Jong Grillin and natural wines by Chef Kyle Christy of Street Disco. Coming soon. 4144A SE 60th Avenue, Portland

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Favorites of 2023: Bakeries, Food Trucks, Restaurants, Bars, Cafes

Truly, one of the most beautiful salads I ate this year. It was a seasonal special of sharp greens, strawberries, daikons, onions, radishes, causa, and a chicha morada lavender vinagreta from Reeva.

Welcome back to another end of year list. Instead of publishing our Four Things column today, I’m giving you a list of my favorite spots of 2023, where I enjoyed happy times eating and drinking. There’s a whole variety of places, some established, some new. This list is in no particular order, aside from alphabetically; in other words, no top pick. Please enjoy!

Cheese and Crack

For my birthday this year we had lunch at Paadee and then headed a couple doors down to Cheese & Crack for their titular sundae. I maintain that they make the best soft serve ice cream in Portland. It is smooth, creamy, and luscious. The toppings on this sundae are classic: chocolate ganache, cinnamon butter cracker crumble, and torched housemade marshmallow fluff. The sundaes really are enough for two, and their seasonal sundaes never cease to impress with their magical toppings combinations. 22 SE 28th Avenue, Portland. cheeseandcrack.com

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Four Things I Learned This Week (June 9)

Some openings of note. Tonight, head to Bar Mame for their opening; The Heist will open tomorrow, June 10; and Arrosto re-opened this week with a new ordering system—the outdoor walk-up window is a thing of the past. As a bi fan of Arrosto (especially their salad), here’s some tips from them I found useful: order inside Providore at the self-service Arrosto kiosk; food is served from 4pm to 7pm; they’ll start out with a simple menu of favorites (though more options are coming); and the Arrosto chicken salad and sandwich can be had at the deli case if you want it for lunch. 3279 SE Hawthorne Blvd (Bar Mame), 4727 SE Woodstock Blvd (The Heist), and 2340 NE Sandy Blvd (Arrosto), Portland

Yelp’s top donuts in Portland. Four donut shops in the Portland area made it on to the Yelp Top 100 list of donut shops around the U.S.:

  • 15—Pip’s Original, 4759 NE Fremont Street, Portland (and in July, 12400 SW Broadway Street, Beaverton)
  • 73—Donut Day, 18955 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy, Aloha
  • 78—Doe Donuts, 4110 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
  • 94—Mikiko Mochi Donuts, 300 NE 28th Avenue, Portland

    2023 James Beard Awards winners. It was great to see Kann (which I recently ate at—the hype is real) and Berlu do well at the 2023 James Beard Awards. Kann won Best New Restaurant, and Vince Nguyen was named Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA). Congrats to both! 548 SE Ash Street (Kann) and 605 SE Belmont Street (Berlu), Portland

    Happy one year anniversary, Fresh Love! Yesterday, Fresh Love celebrated one year in business. This little Roseway spot has become a dependable, lovely place to get delicious food (salad, sandwiches, bowls, smoothies, fresh juices, a few baked goods); pick up some produce and locally made artisan products (edible and not); and see local art. I was in there yesterday and got their seasonal chopped salad, which gets a thumbs up from me. They also stock my favorite Honey Mama’s bar, Tangerine Tahini. I wish them many more years in business! 7434 NE Fremont Street, Portland