Tag: Fresh Love

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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

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    Four Things I Learned This Week (March 10)

    Green Zebra Grocery will close at the end of March. Very sorry to hear of this news, which has been plastered all over food media this week. You can read the official press release on their website (or, via this PDF). I’ll admit: I only shopped at Green Zebra occasionally; their prices were higher than a lot of places around town. I didn’t realize they considered themselves to be a “healthy convenience store,” but in hindsight, that makes sense. The reasons for shutting down, from Lisa Sedlar, Green Zebra’s founder and CEO:

    “We experienced 9 straight quarters of increases to our cost of goods, packaging, fuel, insurance, taxes, freight charges and well, pretty much everything. Combine that with supply chain and staffing shortages and razor thin grocery margins, we just couldn’t overcome all the obstacles. We definitely gave it our all and fought the good fight. We are thankful for the opportunity to have been in service to our community.”

    Get moar zeppole! Last week I mentioned the availability of zeppole from Bella Italian Bakery in Lents; today I am telling you about the availability of zeppole at Sebastiano’s. They are offering these delicious St. Joseph’s Day pastries—“a pate choux pastry with pastry cream and ricotta filling”—via pre-order for pickup Wednesday, March 15 to Saturday, March 18. You can order 4-, 6-, and 12-packs of zeppole at the Sebastiano’s Tock page. Order soon; supplies are limited. 411 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

    Food trucks for Argay? Project under review. Currently occupied by the Taqueriea Queretaro food truck and LadyBug Bikini Espresso Drive Thru, this lot has potential new plans in the works. Permits have been submitted to convert it into a full-blown food truck lot/pod for 10 food trucks, seating, and parking. Some of you may know this intersection from it being in your neighborhood; some may know it as just a little bit east of the turn for Costco; and for some as the location of the Sandy Hot Wings Cafe, which made into a roundup from PoMo last year of the best chicken wings in Portland. Taqueria Queretaro also gets a lot of love. NE 141st Avenue and Sandy Blvd, Portland

    New salad at Fresh Love. I’m a big fan of the prepared food at Fresh Love—salads, soups, bowls, sandwiches. All have been excellent. They have a new salad on the menu that I am eager to try: “We are moving into spring with this crunchy munchy Little Gem salad with blue cheese dressing, hard boiled egg, crispy sour dough croutons, avocado and pickled mustard seeds.”

    Let me tell you about pickled mustard seeds—I first tasted them on an unusual dish back in Astoria at the long-gone Queens Kickshaw. The dish was a cold poached egg with miso butter and pickled mustard seeds. I was a bit dubious at first, but these tangy seeds were a great mix of flavor and texture, and I’ve never forgotten them. Looking forward to trying the ones from Fresh Love in this salad. 7434 NE Fremont Street, Portland

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    Small Bites – NA Drinking, Brunch, Awards, Vegan Milkshakes, and More

    Cast Iron Butter Baked Eggs for the returning brunch service at The Observatory. Photo credit: The Observatory

    After a sort of sleepy December on my part, I’ve been jotting down various Portland food-related tidbits I’ve encountered this week and am pleased to present this Small Bites post, replacing my usual Four Things I Learned This Week column. Enjoy the variety.

    Besaws is opening back up. The Portland Business Journal reports on Eater’s news that Besaw’s and Solo Club will reopen later this month. Sounds like a variety of things have been going on to delay this good news. I’m happy to hear of this reopening—years ago, my family had brunch at Besaw’s (original location) and it was a really good time, so the place has a warm spot in my heart. 1545 NW 21st Avenue, Portland

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