Four Things I Learned This Week (August 20)

Need a custom vegan cake? Ben & Esther’s, Portland’s own vegetarian (soon to be vegan, I believe) bagel shop, can make your vegan cake dreams come true. In their own words: “Need a custom vegan cake for your next event? We got you! Shoot us an email at info@benandesthers.com and let us know what you’re thinkin’!”

Blind Ox Fremont is closing. According to their Facebook page, they are closing their Fremont location due to “failed lease negotiations.” People are super bummed. Join them for a last hurrah at this location (their N Interstate location remains open) on Saturday 8/29 and Sunday 8/29 for $2 pints, $8 growler fills, 50% off packaged beer.

Delta dashes indoor dining hopes for Pip’s. The folks at Pip’s posted on their Instagram, “Our dining room is closed and we are offering to-go only. This will be our business model for the foreseeable future. It is frustrating, it’s not how we hoped things would go, but it is the reality.” We respect their decision and are grateful that they have made it through the COVID-19 pandemic so far! Their donuts and chai remain excellent, so go get some to-go.

Bee’s is still wholesale but you can find her stuff all over the place. Rebecca of Bee’s Cakes reminds us that they are still a wholesale bakery, but with definite plans to open as a cafe in the future (interior renovations continue). Meanwhile you can find her pastries at a lot of spots around town, including Sullivan Gulch’s Steeplejack,  Roseway’s Rosebridge Coffee, and Parkrose Heights vegan coffee house Jet Black Coffee Company.

Rocky Butte Espresso Bar: an Update

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Photo credit: Rocky Butte Coffee Roasters

I stopped by the Rocky Butte Espresso Bar earlier this week and thought I’d share an update on what’s up with them these days. First, my latte with a touch of cardamom syrup (from Portland’s own Holy Kakow) was very good, and it was great to chat with James Helms, one of Rocky Butte’s owners (Parkrose’s Bryan Atkinson is another owner) and barista extraordinaire. We love having them out here in our little corner of Portland (Sumner-Roseway-Madison South), which I continue to enjoy more and more the longer I live here.

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First Tastes: Nepali Kitchen in Northeast Portland

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Despite its failings, there are some gems on Nextdoor when it comes to food. I’ve found direct-access to top-notch sources of Indonesian food, epic Lasagna Bolognese, Texas-style tortillas and plenty of local food recommendations, including the subject of this blog post, Nepali Kitchen. They’ve opened in what seems to be a house on the corner of NE Fremont and 49th Ave (across the street from Stanich’s), with a lovely little courtyard established in the front yard. And the food is excellent.

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Rocky Butte Espresso Bar is Open

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Photo credit: Rocky Butte Coffee Roasters

Today the Rocky Butte Espresso Bar opened up for business in a space on the corner of NE Fremont and 85th Avenue. There’s not much in the way of cafe action out here east of 82nd Ave, so their arrival is a much-welcomed development. We first learned about the new spot from James Helms, one of the owners of Rocky Butte Coffee Roasters, over on Nextdoor, and the response by the community was heartening and impressive. I can attest to the fact that their coffee is delicious, and having had a cup today when I stopped by reminded me of just how tasty it is.

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Top 5 Posts On Bridgetown Bites, September 2019

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It’s always interesting to see what posts do well on this little blog site each month. Below are the top five posts from September. As always, thanks for reading!

5. Red Sauce Pizza Moving to Fremont and NE 47th Avenue

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Yesterday afternoon I opened up Instagram and saw the news: Red Sauce Pizza is moving! I never thought I’d see the day, since they are such a presence on that strip of 42nd Avenue. They’ll be moving into a space on NE Fremont and 47th Avenue, which can only be the location of the now-shuttered Anchor End (and before that, Thrive). Anchor End closed in early August 2019.

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