Buzz List

WHERE TO DRINK THIS WEEK.

1. JOHN’S MARKETPLACE – HALL

3700 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton, 503-747-2739, johnsmarketplace.com. 11 am-8 pm

Sunday-Wednesday, 11 am-9 pm Thursday-Saturday.

Formerly parched downtown Beaverton has been swimming in beer for the past few years. The area has outlets for two breweries as well as a handful of beer bars. Joining the perennial beerfest is John’s Marketplace, which opened its third location on the edge of Old Town in April. Most everyone is here for a pint paired with the well-charred, quarter-pound smash burgers, including beer nerds sporting branded swag and moms clad in Lululemon with children in tow. Join them under the beer banners in the taproom before perusing the bottle shop for something special to take home.

2. TORO MEXICAN KITCHEN

1355 NW Everett St., Suite 120, 503-673-2724, toropdx.com. 4-10 pm Sunday-Thursday, 4-11 pm Friday-Saturday.

The former Tilt space in the Pearl District is empty no more. Toro, a Mexican eatery operated by the ever-expanding Urban Restaurant Group (Bartini, Brix, Swine), has transformed the dark, industrial-themed space into an airy cantina. The initial food offerings we’ve sampled have all been satisfying—but the delightful surprise was the lengthy cocktail list. Early favorites were the sunny Passionfruit (vodka, passion fruit puree, pineapple juice and a Tajín rim) and Ocean (vodka, lemongrass and basil syrup, cucumber), which is a shade of turquoise so alluring you’ll wish you could swim in it.

3. TOCAYO AT PALOMAR

959 SE Division St., #100, 971-357-8020, barpalomar. com. 2 pm-sunset Saturday-Sunday. 21+.

Palomar is the latest spot to get in on the “restaurant within a restaurant” trend by turning its rooftop bar into a pop-up taqueria. Tocayo, which is the Spanish term for two people who have the same name, is a nod to owner Ricky Gomez and chef Ricky Bella, who combine their love of Cuban cocktail and Mexican drink cultures in this project. Expect plenty of fruit flavors in everything from a mule with roasted coconut water to a frozen guava margarita to a pineapple-infused gin and tonic, so if a south-of-the-border vacation isn’t in the budget this summer—escape with a drink instead.

4. DIRTY PRETTY

Also on the must-try list is hamachi ($15), a few thick slices of raw yellowtail bathed in a punchy green pool distilled from nutritious sea lettuce, jalapeño and green apple, reposing in a scallop shell. Pro tip: Eat the fish, then swill the juice. Speaking of hamachi, look for the meaty fried hamachi collar special ($30) that appears from time to time. The collar is a delicacy that takes some work to pick apart, but the reward is worth the effort and mess. As good as raw hamachi is, the cooked yellowtail is even better: hot, tender, mild and juicy with the best bits hidden away among yielding slivers of cartilage.

To drink, a handful of wine bottles ($30 each) selected by Heavenly Creatures’ boss, Joel Gunderson, are available. Also, all of the beer and other beverage offerings from Fracture can be ordered either electronically or through your server.

There is almost nothing to dislike about Câche Câche save perhaps for the odd band of marauding “influencers.” Typically, distractions such as their lights and self-important obliviousness are irrelevant to a fine meal, but not when there are only about 20 seats total in a tiny space. Presumably, the paid promotion phase will pass as Câche Câche becomes better known. Also, there is additional seating outside and in the adjoining brewpub, so influencers and squally infants alike can be safely avoided.

The last word is that Câche Câche—the French appellation for hide-andseek—is aptly named. There is no phone number or website. The space itself is hard to find until you are actually there. Once having arrived at the correct street address, enter Fracture and keep walking straight back, past the restrooms, through a door behind which the restaurant is located. Alternatively, enter outdoors via the cart pod: Walk past all the carts and look to your left. There is a door there. It is like a speakeasy with food. The game is worthwhile. You’re it.

EAT: Câche Câche, 1015 SE Stark St. 5-10 pm Wednesday-Saturday, 1-8 pm Sunday.

250 NW 13th Ave., 503-841-6406, jankenrestaurant. com. 5-11 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 5 pm-midnight Friday, 4 pm-midnight Saturday, 4-10 pm Sunday. At this stage of Portland’s evolution as a food-loving city, Janken may be just the right tonic. Whether intended or not, the symbolism of the dining room’s striking faux cherry tree in full bloom suggests renewal and an emergence from our extended COVID winter. That opulence extends to the menu, where you’ll find prices ranging from high to silly, but portions tend to be generous. Begin with one or more of the nontraditional maki, like a soft-shell crab roll, then move on to top-grade A5 wagyu you cook yourself on a hot stone. For those truly splurging, there is $229 Imperial Gold osetra roe.

638 E Burnside St., 503-841-5253, dirtyprettypdx.com.

4 pm-1 am Sunday-Thursday, 4 pm-2 am Friday-Saturday.

With the opening of Dirty Pretty, the third bar in the Pink Rabbit and Fools and Horses family, it feels like owner Collin Nicholas and chef Alex Wong have created a brand. Each property has a distinct theme, but the core feeling and elements of flair unite the trio. Cocktails by beverage director Ben Purvis are fun and extravagant. Guava Wars, for instance, drinks like a tropical smoothie, while the Jungle Juice with Jamaican rum and pinot noir tastes like something that could make one act very, very sassy.

5. ZULA

1514 NW 23rd Ave., 503-477-4235, zulapdx.com. 11:30 am-9 pm Wednesday-Sunday.

We now know what Rotigo’s reimagining looks like: Roasted chicken is out and Mediterranean cuisine is the focus. We’re still swooning over the filo and feta roll, served hot with honey drizzle, and the fire-roasted eggplant. But don’t overlook the brightly colored collection of cocktails that will transport you to the coast of Israel. Not only are they named after neighborhoods in Tel Aviv, where Zula owner Tal Tubitski once lived; the concoctions are made with ingredients from the region. The tequila-pomegranate blend of the Levontin, or the Montefiore, made with date-infused rye whiskey, were our first picks.