Willamette Week Restaurant Guide 2018/2019 by Willamette Week Newspaper

WILLAMETTE WEEK'S

GUIDE TO FOOD + DRINK FREE

Willamette Week

FUBONN TH E KEY TO A S IAN CU I S I N E I S AT

Food from Japan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, America and MORE!

ONE STOP SHOPPING Groceries · Housewares · Gifts · Clothing · Jewelry · Dining · And MORE

Fubonn

An International Marketplace. Enjoy Fubonn’s unique dining options at:

Bún & Phở House 2850 S.E. 82nd Ave. · Portland · 9AM—8PM seven days a week (Restaurant Hours may vary from mall hours)

503-517-8877 · fubonn.com · Follow us: @fubonnpdx

Interested in leasing space at Fubonn Shopping Center? Contact leasing@fubonn.com for more information.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR MASTER KONG 10 SPINOFF OF THE YEAR CANARD 18 OUR LISTINGS BY NEIGHBORHOOD

boise-eliot 26 buckman 28 concordia 36 hosford-abernethy 38 kerns 44 north portland 48 northwest portland 50 inner northeast portland 54 outer northeast portland 59 outer southeast portland 60 richmond 62 southwest portland 65 suburbs 69 sunnyside 71 4

ILLUSTRATED RECIPES OLYMPIA PROVISIONS: THE OP BENEDICT 32 MATT’S BBQ: PINTO BEANS AND HOG SAUCE WITH PEACH MUSTARD SAUCE AND SPICY GARLIC AND QUICK DILL PICKLES 42 HIGGINS: OPEN-FACED PASTRAMI SANDWICH 50 PALEY’S PLACE: WARM CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ CAKES 56 POK POK: MUU PING GRILLED PORK SKEWERS 64 BOTTOMS UP 73 OUR PICKS FOR TOP-NOTCH DRINKS AT THE 50 BEST RESTAURANTS BLUE PLATE SPECIALS 82 (OFFICE CAFES & CAFETERIAS)

INDEX 78

EDITOR Andi Prewitt ART DIRECTOR Kat Topaz COPY EDITOR Matt Buckingham EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mattie John Bamman,

Crystal Contreras, Peter Cottell, Shannon Gormley, Parker Hall, Elise Herron, Nigel Jaquiss, Jim McLaren, Kat Merck, Aaron Mesh, Jordan Michelman, Rachel Monahan, Brian Panganiban, Andi Prewitt, Patricia Sauthoff, Katie Shepherd, Matthew Singer, Michael C. Zusman

COVER PHOTO Martha Holmberg PHOTOGRAPHERS Henry Cromett, Shaun Daley,

Christine Dong, Sam Gehrke, Abby Gordon, Emily Joan Greene, Megan Nanna, Leah Nash, Hilary Sander, Thomas Teal ILLUSTRATOR Minc Work CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kat Topaz DESIGNERS Elise Furlan, Rick Vodicka STRATEGY DIRECTOR Anna Zusman PROMOTIONS MANAGER Maria Margarita Caicedo

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Michael Donhowe,

Kevin Friedman, Rich Hunter, Sharri Regan, Diana Uutela ACCOUNTING MANAGER Kim Engelke MANAGER OF INFORMATION Brian Panganiban CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Spencer Winans ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jane Smith PUBLISHER Mark L. Zusman WILLAMETTE WEEK 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210 Phone 503-243-2122, Fax 503-243-1115

Published by City of Roses Media Company Send comments to: aprewitt@wweek.com

Willamette Week

Editor’s Letter Once, many years ago, I overheard a waiter scold someone for asking for a side of ranch to go with his pizza. It was not all that subtle—and included a mention of the chef taking offense at the request. Though I was young, the meaning of this exchange at a now long-shuttered upscale Italian eatery in Tigard was clear. Consider this my introduction to the real taboos surrounding food. No, not guidelines like “no talking with your mouth full” or “please don’t drape your entire torso across the table to reach the margarine” (in my family, we eloquently asked someone to “shoot the grease”). This was different. From the corner of my eye, as I watched that diner swallow his pizza, and perhaps a little bit of pride, without the assistance of a creamy dressing, I was secretly glad it hadn’t been me who’d made the request for ranch. Using slices of pepperoni to sop up condiment cups brimming with the gooey dip was as natural in my hometown as pouring milk over cereal. That day in Tigard I learned people are willing to call you out for violating an arbitrarily constructed norm. About pizza, of all things. I hadn’t thought about the ranch-shaming incident in years. It came back to mind when I was working on one of my entries for this year’s Restaurant Guide, Ranch PDX (page 58), a pizza joint so enamored with the sauce, it named itself after the dressing instead of the pies. In kitchens across our city right now, it’s no longer surprising that some of the most tongue-stunning flavors in Portland’s food scene are the result of upending conventions. We have a restaurant-dwelling chef who simply follows his whim instead of tradition when creating Korean dishes (page 44). We also boast the bold return of a pan-fusion favorite (page 26) that takes blending culinary styles to a new level by zigzagging from country to country in plates as if they were private jets. But our Spinoff of the Year (page 18) is one that truly speaks to the ethos of rule-breaking. If anyone can pull that off, it’s Portland’s powerhouse chef Gabriel Rucker. By opening Canard, now his third much-buzzedabout project, Rucker has managed to pay homage to those humble, taken-for-granted products from grocery store shelves and drive-thru windows. It’s stuff you wouldn’t expect to garner the attention of a two-time James Beard Award winner, but Rucker seems to be having a flat-out glorious time elevating accessible food. This is the first Restaurant Guide in which I’ve held the role of editor, and I’m excited to be changing things up in Portland’s longest-standing and most-reliable restaurant compendium. Instead of ranking our top 100

selections, as we have in years past, our picks are now organized by neighborhood along with honorable mentions. If you’re like me, the debate about where to go for dinner is often fixed to geography. This directory is crafted to help you find just the right spot wherever you happen to be. Throughout the guide there are also recipes for times when you want to stay in—but eat like you’re going out. Five iconic Portland chefs have given us step-bystep instructions for their quintessential dishes. Finally, we’ve long neglected the kitchens that are really in the trenches of food service: office cafes and cafeterias. Turns out, a lot of hungry people rely on their convenience and daily specials. We scoured the city’s skyscrapers, office parks and hospitals for deals that’ll keep you fed Monday through Friday. This project helped me look back at notable meals I’ve experienced here over the years. I realize many of my favorite feeds didn’t come with fanfare or celebrity chefs. Those that stood out centered on family—the kind of dinners where you scoop out a second helping the first go-round and relatives revisit the same stories because they’re actually good. Those tight bonds reinforced through cooking are what define our Newcomer of the Year, Master Kong (page 10). Amy and Kang Zhu are the sister-and-brother team behind the little restaurant that packs a big punch with food that’s a mashup of cuisine from two distinct regions in China. In a way, it feels as though they’ve allowed us to come inside to experience their family meals, an invitation we’ll gladly accept many times over. So jump in. Allow your expectations to bend a bit. Explore the many surprising offerings coming out of the metro area’s restaurants. And if you see something a little odd—like someone drinking ranch dressing by the ladleful while nibbling on pizza—withhold judgment. Demolishing those sacred cows, one bite at a time, makes Portland's restaurant culture all the more vibrant.

ANDI PREWITT

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

N OH

TO SC AP P O O S E

I BR

M AX YE LLOW LI N E Exp o Cent er/C i t y Cent er/PS U

PIEDMONT/ BUS 4

NORTH PORTLAND BUS 4

5 LOMBA R D

IN T E R STAT E

AL BIN A

ROSA PA R KS WAY

MA RTI N LU THER K I NG JR BLV D

VA NCOUV E R

N O EM FR

20 77 23R D

BUS 15

NORTHWEST 6

LOV EJOY 405

E RN

O BR

G LI SA N

I BR

G R A ND

MI SSIS S IPPI

AL BERTA

BURN S IDE BRIDGE

ISO

N B R

IDG

E B R

IDG

405

12TH

TO B E AVE RTO N/ HI L L S B ORO

MAX BLUE LI N E Hil l sboro/City Cent er/G resham

E N D BR ID G RO SS IS LA

M AX RE D LI N E A irpo rt /C i t y Cent er/B eavert o n 5

HOSFORDHop Fast passÂ® is a bett e r way to pay for yo ur fa re on Tr iMet , Portl and Streetcar and C-TRAN in Va n c ou ver. Pay wit h your pho ne, or pick up a Hop ca rd at h u n dreds of loc al ret ailers. Learn more at myh opcard.com.

BUS 2

SOUTHWEST BUS 8

12 35 54 56 TERWILLIGER

You r ticket to ride!

P l a n you r t rip at trimet .org TO SA LEM

Willamette Week

TO VANC TO VA ON U CO VER U,VWA E R , WA

NT/BOISE /BOISE

A I R PAOIRT R P O RT TO VA TONC VA OU NC V OU ER ,VWA ER , WA

44 72 72 75 75 6 BUSBUS WOODLAWN WOODLAWN

COL COL U M BU M B IA IA

17 8 17 75 75

CONCORDIA CONCORDIA

M AXMRE AXDRE LIDN E LI N E A i r pAi o rt r p/C o rt i t /C y Cent i t y Cent er/Ber/B eavert eavert on on

72 72 75 75 BUSBUS 70 70

205 205

K I L LKILLINGSWORT IN G SWO RT H H

6 BUSBUS VERNON/SABIN VERNON/SABIN

6 8

17 8 17 72 72

FREM FR OENM TONT

TO TROUTDALE TO TROUTDALE 84

OUTER OUTER NORTHEAST NORTHEAST

33R D

15TH

Y Y ND AND S

12 71 12 72 71 72 BUSBUS 75 75

B ROADWAY B ROADWAY 84

G L I SAN G L I SAN

M AXMB AX LUBLUE E LINE LINE 7 H i llsb H i llsb o ro/C o ro/C i t y Cente i t y Cer/Gre nte r/Gre s ham s ham

LAURELHURST/KERNS LAURELHURST/KERNS

B U RNS B U IRNS DE IDE

BUSBUS 12 20 12 20 75 75 19 19

STARK STARK B E L MONT B E L MONT

SUNNYSIDE/BUCKMAN SUNNYSIDE/BUCKMAN 29

82N D

12 TH

2 BUSBUS RICHMOND RICHMOND

82N D

BUSBUS 2 14 2 14 15 15 20 20 70 70

H AWH TAW HORN THORNE E

14 9 14 75 75

205 205

DIVIS DIIO VN ISION

DGE

15 70 70

10 2 10 14 14

CESAR E CH AVEZ BLVD

-ABERNETHY D-ABERNETHY

CESAR E CH AVEZ BLVD

BUSBUS 2 LADDS LADDS

M AXMAX O R ANGE O R ANGE LINE LINE Mi lwaukie/City M ilwaukie/City Center Center 2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

P OWELL P OW ELL

OUTER OUTER SOUTHEAST SOUTHEAST BUSBUS 14 9 14 9 14 15 15 20 20 72 72 73 73

26 TO GRES TO GRES H AMH AM

H O LG HOLG ATE ATE

F ST O ST ER ER

TO CTO LAC CKLAC A MAS K A MAS

M AXMG AX REGERE N LI E NNE LINE C lackam C lackam as, C as, i t yCity Ce nte Cer,nte P SU r, P SU

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Master Kong

Master Kong brings together distinctive Chinese cuisine from the Zhusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home province, southern Guangdong, and the northern port city of Tianjin. BY MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN

PHOTOS: ABBY GORDON

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

12 KANG AND AMY ZHU ARE THE BROTHER-AND-SISTER TEAM BEHIND MASTER KONG.

As the face and spirit of Master Kong, Amy Zhu—she insists her Chinese name is

too difficult to spell and pronounce—patrols the floor from midmorning through the dinner hour, single-handedly taking all the orders, answering menu questions, delivering food to tables and cleaning up once diners have gone. She’s also quick with a smile, and a wisecrack for regulars, proud that customers who came to know her elsewhere have followed her here. Amy’s days are long. Most mornings she arrives by 8:30 and typically doesn’t leave until 11 at night. On Mondays, when Master Kong is closed, there is no respite. She is busy running to the grocery store and doing paperwork.

Though Amy is the one greeting visitors at the homespun restaurant that opened last March, Master Kong is palpably a family affair. The small dining room is in an old house on Southeast Division Street just a few blocks from I-205. Amy’s “much younger” brother, Kang, is in the kitchen creating some of the best Chinese comfort dishes in town. Before Kang came to Portland nearly 10 years ago, he honed his kitchen skills in the port city of Tianjin, and Beijing, where he climbed the ranks to run one of the capital’s hotel restaurants. According to Amy, Kang works even longer hours than she does. Their parents—father Wei, 74, and mother Ye, 67— occasionally lend a hand too, chopping vegetables or making the burritolike jian bing, one of the menu’s highlights. It’s that spirit of all-in dedication and industry that caught

our attention. But what truly won us over was the distinctive and delicious cuisine from the Zhus’ home province, coastal southern Guangdong, and Tianjin. For all of that, the Zhus’ delightful 35-seater is WW’s 2018 Newcomer of the Year. East of 82nd Avenue, stretching to Gresham, is where generations of Portland-area immigrants have pinned their hopes of realizing the American dream of business ownership and prosperity. If you were to tack strings to all their countries of origin on a map, it would look like somebody yarn-bombed most every continent. And many, like the Zhu family, have opened restaurants. When Amy immigrated to America from China in 1997, she immersed herself in the local industry. Her family had run a restaurant back home, so naturally that’s where she found her bearings once here. Zhu spent several years at the Beaverton

Willamette Week

iteration of Chen’s Dynasty (the original was a groundbreaking downtown tribute to Chinese regional cooking in the 1980s), then moved on to Chinese Delicacy in Southeast Portland, where she remained for more than a decade, amassing a loyal following. Her English is strong, but when Zhu arrived, she spoke only Cantonese and Mandarin. She learned the language waiting tables. Though Amy says her brother is the boss at Master Kong, creating the menu was a collaborative effort. They took into account what the competition was serving nearby as well as what they could successfully execute in their diminutive, open kitchen. Amy proudly extols Kang’s stir-fry skills and acumen with seafood, but they decided that approach wouldn’t do much to set their restaurant apart. Same with dim sum. Instead, the pair went with food that wasn’t widely offered, with a focus on congee, jian bing and dumplings. In his late June review, my colleague Mattie John Bamman was especially

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

14 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

enthralled with the steamed buns ($7.50): “Iconic to the Tianjin region [near Beijing] since the 1800s, the goubuli buns were my favorite dish on the menu. An order comes with five buns, each around 2.5 inches in diameter and filled with hot, juicy, gingery pork. The buns, like all the dumplings at Master Kong, are made by hand daily, and their perfection lies greatly in their cloudlike weight.” I’m partial to jian bing ($6.50), which is a scrumptious, non-fast-food creation resembling the much advertised (and much less delicious) Crunchwrap Supreme. I asked Amy to take me through the construction of the street food-style crepe at Master Kong. She patiently obliged. The outer pancake shell starts with red beans and green peas ground in-house and combined with barley and wheat flours. That’s topped with a fried egg and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. Next comes the filling: chopped onion, cilantro and pickled cabbage punctuated with sweet soy and spicy bean paste. And in the middle are crunchy bits of fried wonton skin. Each package is assembled, heated through and folded to order. It’s a knockout. Until Amy laid it out for me, I had no idea that the crispy, full-flavored jian bing were vegetarian. She added that they could also be made with brisket or pork belly, though these special versions are noted on the menu only in Chinese, a fact Amy admits with a laugh. But the secret is out.

Master Kong’s congee ($7.50) also merits a special mention. The savory rice porridge is a traditional Cantonese breakfast food. Congee is a humble dish, but one in which all the subtle details matter. Master Kong gets them right. “The secret is the broth,” Amy told me, which starts with pork and chicken bones simmered until somehow every flavor molecule has been extracted. The congee itself is the perfect texture, not too thick or thin, with threads of ginger offering the occasional zing. From there, any additions, such as salt-cured pork, preserved egg, clam, chicken or fish, are customer’s choice. And don’t neglect the condiments, like sesame or plain chili oil. This congee is bland only if that’s the way you want it. The menu wanders beyond these specialties—to pot stickers and dumplings, noodle soup variations, fried rice and spare parts (tripe, pig ears and chicken feet)—though the listings don’t attempt the phone-booklike compendium (and frequently resulting mediocrity) of bigger places. Indeed, one virtue of Master Kong is its limited scale, which permits the Zhus to make everything fresh and as good as it can be. For delivering peerless Chinese specialties and doing so as an immigrant family epitomizing the values that have always made America great, it is a privilege to welcome Master Kong as our Newcomer of the Year.

GO: MASTER KONG / 8435 SE DIVISION ST. / 971-373-8248 / 9:30 AM-9 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY / $-$$. Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

16 16

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

SPINOFF OF THE YEAR

Canard

The third restaurant by Gabriel Rucker is what you would imagine if fast food got a Michelin-star upgrade. BY MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN

PHOTOS: SAM GEHRKE

Chef-owner Gabriel Rucker is already famous for foie gras profiteroles at Le Pigeon and chicken-fried trout at Little Bird Bistro. With Canard, he went further. Much further by tapping into his obsession with American junk food and pairing that with inspirations from French fine dining and beyond. “I think that’s what is supposed to happen,” says Rucker. “Look at all the influences we have accessible to us right now. When chef Taylor [Daugherty] and I are planning dishes at Canard, we try to do things that have been done before, only do them our way. All a dish has to be is delicious.” Canard took over the space that used to be a gothic clothing boutique on East Burnside Street next door to Le Pigeon in April. The first to publish a review, WW declared Rucker “unleashes the full breadth of his creativity” with the third restaurant under his leadership. The lower prices magnified the effect—most plates cost no more than $20—yet it’s still unadulterated Rucker. And for that vast and uncompromising vision, Canard is WW ’s 2018 Spinoff of the Year. Serving things like clam ceviche nachos and uni Texas toast, Canard embodies the ethos for which our city is famous: a devilish compulsion to push people out of their comfort zones. Yet it’s also determined to offer something for everyone, merging a half-dozen culinary styles—bistro, wine bar, dive, fast-food franchise, bohemian coffee shop, veggie bowl cafe—into one. This attracts a diverse set of adventurous Portlanders. You may sit next to a silver-studded punk discussing the latest Berlin art show one day, a startup CEO explaining why money and power are all that matter to two peach-fuzz employees the next. Almost a mirror image of its adjacent sister restaurant, Canard is little more than a hole in the wall, but it doesn’t feel

that way. By far the liveliest of Rucker’s three businesses, especially late at night when booming bass typically thunders from the Bossanova Ballroom upstairs, multiple areas can still fit most moods with a contortionist’s flexibility. There’s a loungy space in front, a marble-top bar running most the length of the venue and several good old-fashioned tables in back. A canary-yellow-and-navy-blue color theme underlies it all, and a mural-sized patch of vintage intricate-print William Morris wallpaper adds an intercontinental feel. Mirroring its eclectic style, Canard serves racy dishes morning, noon and night—this being the place where Rucker finally found room for breakfast. If Elvis were still alive, the duck stack ($15) would surely do him in. The must-order dish delivers all the satisfaction of American trucker food with an upscale twist. Fluffy pancakes come loaded with both a rich gravy and egg courtesy of the duck, the spice and tang of Tabasco-glazed grilled onions cutting through it all. To turn this into a duck hat trick, there’s the option to add foie gras for $15. The rest of the breakfast menu equally does its part to make you scratch your head and wonder, “Where am I? A cafe in Paris? A White Castle in Ohio?” A goat cheese omelet ($7) appears just a few slots above a breakfast sandwich ($6) blatantly touting a slice of American with Sheridan breakfast sausage on a Hawaiian roll. Drinks span espresso ($3.25), boulevardiers ($11) and a boozy float ($12 on weekends). To be sure, Canard is a direct match with fans of American junk food. But it poses sincere questions for everyone else, too, like, “When’s the last time you had perfectly crisp breakfast potatoes loaded with chorizo and melted manchego?” or “Have you ever tasted the magical marriage of wasabi, egg salad and fried chicken?” Though you can squeeze into Canard for a bumping weekend brunch, weekday lunch provides a quieter respite. In the

Willamette Week

CHEF GABRIEL RUCKER IS SERVING WHAT YOU COULD CALL AMERICAN TRUCKER FOOD WITH AN UPSCALE TWIST.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

SPINOFF OF THE YEAR

Willamette Week

SPINOFF OF THE YEAR

hazy afternoon hours, it’s so cozy you could read a book, with about 20 wines by the glass for company. Sommelier and co-owner Andy Fortgang proves that, at least in its heart, Canard really is a wine bar. Find orange wine from Slovenia, French gamays and dynamic rosés. Fortgang even has the audacity to put Champagnes on the list that cost anywhere from $22 to $23 a glass. They’ve been on the list since opening, so someone must be ordering them. While breakfast and lunch come with plenty of highlights, the dinnertime menus are the most refined—in effect offering a window into the upscale and audacious cuisine at Le Pigeon for a fraction of the price. This is especially true during the early and late-night happy hours, when the steam burger, a guilty-pleasure bite seasoned with Lipton French onion soup mix that’s about the size of a White Castle, is just $3, and the experiment in surrealism—a seven-minute boiled egg with trout roe, bacon, roasted garlic and smoke-infused maple syrup dubbed oeufs en mayonnaise—is $5. Many of Canard’s most memorable dishes have been those seemed doomed to fail, like foie gras dumplings ($20), the early version featured peanut sauce, cubed green apple and crunchy miso-roasted shallots. The nuttiness, bright acidity and umami flavors each came through with clarity. Those ingredients have been switched out for more fall-like fare, including pear relish, roasted chestnut and black truffle. Just make sure to bite into the dumplings the moment they hit the table to capture their supple texture and the foie gras’s truffly vapor. Canard may at times feel like the adventurous eater’s Mount Everest, but Rucker pushes all allegations of absurdity to the side with his unassuming vegetable dishes. The menu descriptions never do them justice. They were reliably our favorite plates every visit. The quinoa bowl ($10) defies the bland versions around town. It begins with a spicycool combination of carrot harissa, cucumber raita and cilantro, but it’s also a study in textures, featuring boiled quinoa, seared avocado and seasonal cubes of golden beet and plum.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

SPINOFF OF THE YEAR

We could eat it every day. Likewise, a late-summer orzo ratatouille ($15) was so nourishing and comforting it made chicken noodle soup seem almost vulgar by comparison. Rather than basic broth, succulent tomato and transportive marjoram formed a baseline, followed by rich grilled portobello mushrooms, Parmesan, aged balsamic drizzles and buttery breadcrumbs. New components keep bubbling up among the silky orzo with each forkful, like chunks of perfectly tender zucchini and eggplant that melt in the mouth. The desserts at Canard are worth the splurge. Nothing contains foie gras so far, but the seasonal Paris Brest ($10) squeezes lacy cream between the same pâte à choux pastry as the profiteroles next door. It’s one of the best desserts in the city right now. Additionally, the soft serve peanut butter fun cones ($6) are a taste of childhood. “I always talk about food being fun, not being this temple of seriousness,” says Rucker. “I want the food at Canard to

make you smile, not think so much.” Canard probably wouldn’t have happened if Rucker weren’t already standing on such a sturdy foundation. The restaurant leans more heavily on nostalgic, classically unsophisticated flavor wallops than either Le Pigeon or Little Bird. It’s exactly as if fast food got a Michelin-star upgrade. Few chefs would hazard such childish playfulness within reach of razor-sharp knives, foie gras and truffles. After a thundering first seven months, Rucker feels blessed. “Canard is the only restaurant we’ve built from scratch,” he says. “We set out with such a lofty goal, and I’m amazed it’s happened. Every day, I walk in with people doing business meetings, moms breastfeeding babies, weed dispensary dudes eating duck stack pancakes. At the end of the day, it’s about making people happy and bringing them together under one roof. If you’re cooking just to pay the bills, you aren’t sharing the experience.”

GO: CANARD / 734 E BURNSIDE ST. / 971-279-2356 / CANARDPDX.COM 8 AM-MIDNIGHT MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$. Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Willamette Week

BOISE-ELIOT

28 BUCKMAN

CONCORDIA

HOSFORDABERNETHY

NORTHWEST PORTLAND

KERNS

INNER NORTHEAST PORTLAND

OUTER NORTHEAST

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

OUTER SOUTHEAST

SUBURBS

NORTH PORTLAND

Listings

by Neighborhood â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Not by Number

We've organized Portland's best restaurants by neighborhood so you can easily eat your way through the city or just know where to go if you stay put on your side of the river.

RICHMOND

SUNNYSIDE

boise-eliot MATT’S BBQ

4233 N MISSISSIPPI AVE., 503-504-0870 MATTSBBQPDX.COM 11 AM-7 PM DAILY. $-$$.

[NEW POD, WHO DIS] Not all forced evictions are tragedies. Sometimes they’re opportunities. Earlier this year, when Matt’s BBQ got bounced from its original location—a pawn shop’s parking lot on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard—there was little doubt it would resettle quickly, given the cart’s widespread reputation for the best Texas barbecue in town. But landing on the patio at German beer bar Prost!, it felt as if Matt’s was finally where it always belonged. For one thing, the fact that you couldn’t enjoy pitmaster Matt Vicedomini’s impossibly tender brisket ($11) and smoky-hot jalapeño cheddar sausage ($4.50) with a giant boot of rare Kölsch for the first three years he was in business seems like a terrible mistake in retrospect. And now, instead of scarfing down ribs in the front seat of your car during the rainy months, you can eat at a covered picnic table like a civilized adult. It’s a perfect marriage. But truthfully, even if Vicedomini had set up his twin smokers next to a dumpster on Swan Island, Matt’s would still draw a crowd— especially considering the cart is home to one of the craziest meal bargains in town: the Whole Shebang, which gets you samples of everything on the menu, plus sides, for $22. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: It’s easy to overlook the chips and queso ($4, $7). Don’t—if anything here can be considered a hidden gem, it’s that tub of velvety melted cheese.

2225 NE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BLVD. 503-284-3366 OXPDX.COM 5-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 5-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$$$.

[IT HAS THE MEATS] Ox started hot, and it has stayed hot. Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton’s Argentine steak house was the talk of Portland dining when it opened along a somewhat incongruous stretch of MLK in 2012, and the wait for a table hasn’t dropped to under an hour since. It’s not just meat attracting the crowds, either. The smoky bone marrow clam chowder ($17) has drawn equal raves over the

OX PHOTO BY LEAH NASH

years, for good reason. But the octopus and tripe stew with mint aioli ($14) is truly a revelation—rich, spicy, chewy and tender, with a bit of crunch from the fingerling chips that sit atop it. Compared to the appetizers, the beef-based entrees aren’t nearly as creative, but they more than make up for that in flavor. Everything passes through the wood-fire grill that sits as the centerpiece of the main brick-andwood dining room, and all of it, from the rib-eye to the short rib, comes out with a uniformly perfect char. If it all sounds too good to choose from, spring for the $82 Asado Argentino for two, effectively a sample platter containing grilled short rib, skirt steak and sausages. Just don’t be surprised, though, if the thing you leave raving about isn’t the stuff on the proverbial marquee—the sharp, oily chimichurri that accompanies each dish could be lapped up on its own. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: You’re dropping enough dough on dinner, so while you wait, skip the adjacent Whey Bar and run across the street to Billy Ray’s Neighborhood Dive, the tavern that

looks like a countryside barn, and convene with the locals over some tallboys. Be forewarned, though: It’s cash only.

SMALLWARES

25 N FREMONT ST. 503-206-6421 SMALLWARESPDX.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

[COMEBACK KID] We mourned the closure of Smallwares’ original space in 2016, then cheered when a smaller, snackier version opened in the Zipper complex last year. Now the full Smallwares concept is back, and Portland appears ready—the restaurant’s chic neo-industrial dining room has been slammed with customers eager for Johanna Ware’s pan-fusion playground of zoomingly intense flavors. Start with some of the cheap small bites. The perfect caramelized fish sauce oysters ($4)—my favorite dish from the restaurant’s first iteration—are back, providing an unctuous umami bomb of deep, tonal briny flavors. There’s also a Willamette Week

pickled strawberry option if you like your bivalves amped up with acidity. Grilled corn with gochujang sauce ($4) is a mustget, so long as you’re not napkin-averse. It’s got long layers of flavor and tons of texture from that sticky sauce, topped with crunchy fried shallots. The tuna tataki ($11) is deceptively simple and remarkably restrained. Served with a kind of side salad, that’s where all the action is—crunchy cucumbers, fresh cherry tomatoes, a creeping green sambal heat and toasted coconut crackle. The kimchi pancake ($10) also hides a surprise. Under each slice, tossed in soy ginger sauce, lurks tender nibbles of octopus. Besides the oysters, there are other returning favorites, like candied kale ($11) and the pork-and-Sichuan peppercorn chawanmushi ($8). Fusion may be nothing new, but Wares’ unending exploration of different food cultures by mashing them up remains thrilling. JORDAN MICHELMAN. Pro tip: As with all of Ware’s projects, natural wine is part of the focus here. If you’re feeling splashy, look for rare offerings. During our visit, there was an uncommon bottle of Cantina Giardino “T’ara rà” ($70) lurking on the menu, orange-colored with plenty of fruit and grip.

TORO BRAVO

120 NE RUSSELL ST. 503-281-4464 TOROBRAVOPDX.COM 5-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 5-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$-$$$.

[SPANISH SMOOCH] For more than a decade, Toro Bravo has set the standard for Spanish cuisine in Portland. John Gorham made his name here and has since developed a mini-empire that includes Tasty n Sons, Tasty n Alder, Mediterranean Exploration Company and two outposts of both Shalom Y’All and Bless Your Heart Burgers. Somehow, despite having all those plates in the air, Gorham has ensured that his flagship maintains the quality that earned Toro Bravo WW ’s Restaurant of the Year honors in 2007. The only problem with the long list of tapas that Gorham’s protégé, chef Pat Manning, has on the menu is you can’t eat everything. The smallest items, such as the “Northwest Kiss,” a divine pairing of smoked trout, potato cream and chives ($5), offer a distillation of earthy flavors. Larger selections, such as the gran charcuteria board ($22), display Toro Bravo’s wizardry with pork products of dizzying variety. The grassy taste of lamb ($20), tender as a baby’s breath, comes alive with a yogurt harissa sauce, and the briny vibrancy of the sea washes

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

BOISE-ELIOT CONTINUED

across octopus in green romesco ($19), along with fried-to-perfection anchovies paired with fennel and lemon ($12). NIGEL JAQUISS. Pro tip: Even in the Salt & Straw era, cheese ice cream ($8) might sound strange. But this deconstructed version of the simplest of desserts will leave you crying for more.

boise-eliot honorable mentions

Akadi

3601 NE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BLVD. 503-477-7138 AKADIPDX.COM NOON-10 PM DAILY.

Akadi’s dishes will take you to places you’ve probably never been before. Chef-owner Fatou Ouattara, who moved from the Ivory Coast to attend Portland State University, churns out around 40 vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes from countries throughout West Africa. Cassava sticks ($5.95)—made from the yuca-like cassava tuber—are as crowd-pleasing as french fries, particularly when combined with the otherworldly tomato-based dipping sauce. And the national dish of the Ivory Coast, attieke poisson braise ($13.95), has a sweet-tart sauce with a hint of mustard that just might make your eyes roll back into your head. Get it with the deep-fried whole tilapia. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, the goat ($15.95) is a rich tomato stew with the spicy-fruity complexity of dried chilies, plus tender meat.

Interurban

4057 N MISSISSIPPI AVE. 503-284-6669 INTERURBANPDX.COM 4 PM-2:30 AM SUNDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-2:30 AM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

You won’t find many menus that offer both a robust boar burger as well as “Portland’s finest” Olympia Provisions corn dog. Interurban offers up meaty pleasures in many forms, including a surprising take on the classic BLT. Interurban’s version throws a smoky trout into the mix.

Ned Ludd

3925 NE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BLVD. 503-288-6900 NEDLUDDPDX.COM 5-10 PM DAILY. $$$.

The soul of this restaurant is executive chef Rob Baki’s 10,000-year-old cooking

technology—a brick, wood-fired oven. It’s a reminder that getting back to the basics is what’s done best here, both with big meat dishes and smaller appetizers, like the Ludd Board ($24), the contents of which vary with the season but always include housemade charcuterie and cheese from Briar Rose Creamery. If you can rally a crowd, spring for the Family Feast at $60 a person. The chef creates it on the spot.

as the perfect shell for the juicy meat underneath with a lemony tang that hits the back of the throat. Then there’s the wings (six for $10, 12 for $16), which are crispy, juicy and a bit smokier than the larger servings of the bird. The trick to enjoying these is to combine the accompanying sauces—an aji Amarillo chili and earthy, but not-too-spicy, habanero carrot. CRYSTAL CONTRERAS.

XLB

Pro tip: Don’t be cheap, add the sunny egg ($2). The sloppier the better.

4090 N WILLIAMS AVE. 503-841-5373 XLBPDX.COM 11 AM-3 PM AND 5-10 PM DAILY. $.

XLB is home to the city’s best xiao long bao ($11)—those little dough pockets filled with broth and meat. Chef Jasper Shen spent years practicing the deft twist of the wrist required to make the dumplings before opening in 2017. After early inconsistency, they now burst with savory, herbal, warming broth, accented with an on-point vinegar-shallot dipping sauce. Other entrees have been successful from the start, in particular a light-battered five-spice popcorn chicken ($6, $10) that was sweetly clove- and cinnamon-heavy with a slight afterglow of numbing Sichuan pepper.

buckman CHICKEN AND GUNS 1207 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-234-7236 CHICKENANDGUNS.COM 11 AM-1 AM DAILY. $.

[JAMMED BULLET] It would seem Chicken and Guns has been poised on the edge of greatness for a while now. In 2016, it was named Co-Cart of the Year and there were plans to open five brick-and-mortar locations. Uncertainty hangs over the expansion at this point after the cart found itself facing controversy involving food and race, two factors that often come to a boiling point in this city. Apprehensions aside, the staff at the rustic-themed spot in the Cartopia pod were mellow but efficient, turning out a quarter-bird with a side of crunchy potatoes ($9), the “guns,” slathered in Peruvian aji—which added a much-needed swath of green—in only a few minutes. The thin layer of char on the skin acts

KACHKA

960 SE 11TH AVE. 503-235-0059 KACHKAPDX.COM 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 4-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 4-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

[MILLION SHADES OF SOUR CREAM] For many, Kachka is shocking: A place that serves Russian-inspired food has become one of the most famous restaurants in the U.S. Chef-owner Bonnie Morales rose to fame through her talent for and vision of taking her parents’ memories of Soviet Union-era plates and using that nostalgia as a jumping-off point. Plus, there’s lots of vodka, Russian pop hits and sour cream, obviously. In 2018, Kachka relocated several blocks away from the original location and opened Kachinka, a rowdier cousin of sorts, in the Southeast Grand Avenue space. The new Kachka has added reservations, lunch and lots of fresh plates. Its grandiose digs are more appropriate for the seriousness of Morales’ cooking, but the venue retains that look and feel of what it must’ve been like in 1980s Eastern Europe. For first-time visitors, it’s all about knowing how to navigate the menu. Visit for dinner and order the Ruskie Zakuski Experience ($30), a parade of small plates designed for vodka. For more daring dishes, the Herring Under a Fur Coat ($9) is a beautiful tower of layers—potato, pickled herring, carrot, beet, mayo, egg, onion. And you can’t go wrong with the crowd pleasers. The handmade wrappers for the Siberian pelmeni dumplings ($13) melt in your mouth, revealing a juicy beef, pork and veal center; they’re even better if you add the “fancy broth” that’s meaty and buttery ($2). Or there’s the rabbit in a clay pot ($29), which is worth its spendy price tag; the accompanying pan-seared draniki, or Belarusian potato cakes, seem designed to soak up that sensual, sour cream-based sauce. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: For those who don’t want to deal with reservations or the crowds, Kachka’s

Willamette Week

lunch hours are a solid alternative. The menu has several hits—Herring Under a Fur Coat, those dumplings—and it’s the only time to try the full lineup of new stuffed Russian-style crepes, aka blini ($9-$11).

LE PIGEON

738 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-546-8796 LEPIGEON.COM 5-10 PM NIGHTLY. $$$.

[RARE BIRD] Le Pigeon’s break from tradition is the often-pinpointed characteristic making it worthy of acclaim. This remains true 12 years after now-celebrity chef Gabriel Rucker opened the diminutive Buckman restaurant in his mid-20s. But Le Pigeon’s ability to conquer the hearts and minds of those most cynical about high-end cuisine is likely to endure as its greatest achievement by letting the food do the talking rather than getting wrapped up in an air of sophistication and self-satisfaction. That laid-back attitude is immediately apparent when you’re seated snugly between strangers at a communal table. The exposed brick, cache of cookware dangling above the open kitchen, and the stereo that plays Tom Petty and Hall & Oates all build an environment that shrugs off formalities. The menu, rife with hearty New American fare filtered through Rucker’s French lens, represents a pivotal point when restaurateurs realized it was possible to decouple culinary acumen from pomp and pretense. Dishes are generally placed in two categories: the more ephemeral, experimental items are listed on the left, and Rucker’s triumphant standbys can be found on the right. Be sure to order from both sides. Some of the temporary specials on a recent visit included hamachi crudo ($26), the fish bursting with acidic sweetness and autumnal warmth courtesy of hazelnuts, a roasted ginger dressing and king oyster mushrooms. Meanwhile, the fajitas ($28), with a melt-in-your-mouth foie gras and avocado terrine that was a dazzling mix of supple textures and smoky flavors, were an elevated nod to the Tex-Mex chain-restaurant standby. On the right is where you’ll find the much-celebrated burger ($17), which is seasoned to perfection and almost dumbfounding in its simplicity. There’s also the beef cheek bourguignon ($35), a fork-tender cut that’s steeped in wine and aromatics for hours in the deep recesses of the East Burnside building. Both are among the few menu items that Rucker has deemed eternal. Rich yet dynamic, decadent yet thoughtful—it’s that kind of skill refined 2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Samurai Blue Sushi & Ramen is back! Stop by to try our new dishes! 3807 N. Mississippi Ave. samuraibluesushi.com 503-284-1020 29

BUCKMAN CONTINUED

over the years solidifying Rucker’s status as a once-in-a-generation talent—something akin to the Beatles or Nirvana. Portland revels in exceptionalism about many frivolous things, but Le Pigeon proves that an exemplary dining experience can simultaneously be one that is relaxed and intimate. PETE COTTELL. Pro tip: Don’t let the accolades and dollar signs scare you—even a commoner can experience excellence via the burger ($17) and a bottle of Coors Banquet ($4), which isn’t much more than you’d spend for a similar setup at nearby hesher hang Sandy Hut.

LUCE

2140 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-236-7195 LUCEPORTLAND.COM 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $$.

[GUIDING LIGHT] Luce is the perfect restaurant for Portland. It gives the appearance of casualness—the décor is a cross between a cafe and a fancy country kitchen—but serves up excellence you’d expect to find at any white-tablecloth establishment. Opened by Navarre’s John Taboda, the Italian fine-dining spot in the Buckman neighborhood offers a rotating menu of delightfully prepared greens, meats, fish and some of the best pasta to be had in the city. The antipastas are budget-friendly at $2 a pop, including a farro and Parmesan pie, akin to a sharp French quiche, and the constantly changing selection of meat and veggie polpettes. The baked trout ($20), which comes eyeballs and all, stuffed with breadcrumbs, lemon zest and a slew of herbs, arrived delicately soft on a recent visit. And a side of leeks ($7) prepared with Parmesan and butter was generally rich and creamy enough to hide the fact that you’re eating your vegetables. But best of all were the fresh pastas cooked to al dente perfection, all available in half portions, which is the perfect excuse not to order one but sample several instead. Among the best: the garganelli with lamb, fennel seed and saffron ($13 half, $26 whole), light with a hint of richness from the meat and spice; it’s a dish that can compete with any of the wonders of Portland dining. RACHEL MONAHAN. Pro tip: The place is open all afternoon. There’s generally no wait then, and the restaurant is willing to prepare a simple cheese pasta for the youngest diners.

LUCE PHOTO BY THOMAS TEAL

NOSTRANA

1401 SE MORRISON ST. 503-234-2427 NOSTRANA.COM 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-11 PM FRIDAY, 5-11 PM SATURDAY, 5-10 PM SUNDAY. $$-$$$.

[TRAD ITALIANO] Housed in an expansive, high-ceilinged building tucked into the corner of a Buckman strip mall, Nostrana is a classic in just about every sense of the word, from the menu to its standing in the Portland food scene. Chef Cathy Whims’ perma-crowded Italian favorite has earned every accolade it’s racked up over the past decade, from the six James Beard nominations to the shout-outs from Blazer players who rarely deign to

dine on the eastside. And it’s done not so much by futzing with tradition, but by doubling down on it. Here is where you’ll get some of the city’s most authentic Neapolitan pies ($10-$21)— soft, wood-fired, perfectly charred and served with scissors so that you can cut it, as is custom—and capellini pasta ($18) drenched in a straightforward tomato, garlic and butter sauce. Wine is serious business, naturally, as the newly opened offshoot Enoteca Nostrana, located in a flashy space next door, illustrates. The sommeliers know their stuff, and don’t presume you do. They will happily walk you through the deep collection, explaining just what “orange wine” is and that rieslings are traditionally dry, not sweet. But as much praise as the refined food, lengthy bottle lists and Thursday-only gnocchi receive, the best item on the menu might be the simplest. It’s the insalata Willamette Week

Nostrana ($12)—a tweaked Caesar that swaps romaine for sharp radicchio and transforms a basic starter salad into something sublime. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: Speaking of that adjacent wine bar, Enoteca Nostrana is a great excuse to arrive a little early and sample the wine list before taking your seat.

OLYMPIA PROVISIONS

107 SE WASHINGTON ST. 503-954-3663 1632 NW THURMAN ST. 503-894-8136 OLYMPIAPROVISIONS.COM 11 AM-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-10 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $-$$$.

[GOLD MEDAL CHARCUTERIE] Elias Cairo has built a meat empire so hearty not even the world’s most powerful athletic organization could bring it down. In case you missed it, the International Olympic Committee forced the original Oregon salumerie, then called “Olympic Provisions,” to change its name four years ago. For a lot of companies, a sudden rebranding would set them back years. But Cairo simply swapped the “c” for an “a” and kept it moving—bringing his famed sausages and pâtés to stores as far away as New York and Japan, publishing a cookbook and continuing to grow the OP imprint in Portland, which now includes two food carts, a pub and a catering service. But to get the full Olympia Provisions experience, your best bet is still to visit one of the original pair of restaurants, both of which are hidden away in rather unbecoming locations—Industrial Southeast and under the Fremont Bridge, respectively—and preferably for brunch. Whichever spot you end up at, start with a charcuterie board, which is organized by region; the chorizo gives the Spanish selection the edge, but there are enough delights on the Italian and French boards to justify ordering any of the three ($19 each). From there, the Benedict piles ham and hollandaise atop English muffins and is served alongside a potato wedge that looks like a slice of lemon cake ($14). Or, if you’re more in the sandwich mood, the capicola Reuben is a meaty-cheesy masterpiece ($13). The best part? It’s all somehow light enough in the stomach that you’ll only fall into a two-hour nap rather than an all-day coma after the meal. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: If you’re not feeling particularly gluttonous, pairing a charcuterie board with one of the cheese boards is worth a trip by itself.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Rock & Rye renaissance

The Rock & Rye is a tasty, uncomplicated drink that is full of history, and Crater Lake Spirits is bottling it for you. Have you heard of a Rock & Rye? Don’t feel bad. Rock & Rye has fallen into relative obscurity and it’s rare to find a cocktail menu that will still serve it—a delicious glass of rye whiskey with a sweet rock candy syrup (hence the “rock” in the name). Good news: Bend-based Crater Lake Spirits is revitalizing the classic drink with their latest release: Crater Lake Rock & Rye. Think of Rock & Rye as an Old Fashioned in a bottle, although the history of the drink is much more colorful. Rock & Rye was one of the most popular drinks of the 19th century; a staple in every bar and saloon in America. The drink predates even the earliest cocktail guides, so no one can say who made the first Rock & Rye cocktail. The concoction was likely developed as a way to make lower-end rye more palatable, and bartenders would get creative by adding flavors such as citrus, dried fruit, ginger, and spices. The cocktail’s popularity continued to grow into the early 20th century and became a part of any well-rounded bar menu of the time. The 1920s saw a downturn for the ubiquity of the Rock & Rye. Many Rock & Rye brands continued to be sold during Prohibition as “medicinal preparations”, and the drink eventually became thought of as a toddy your grandmother made to treat a sore throat or cold. After Prohibition you could still find a good Rock & Rye at most bars, but as bourbon supplanted rye as the preferred American whiskey, the Rock & Rye lost its place at the bar to its more highbrow cousins, the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. With the rise in popularity of vodka during the 50’s and 60’s, the Rock & Rye completely slipped from most back bars and was all but lost to cocktail culture. That is until the craft spirits revolution of today. There is a renaissance of classic cocktails everywhere, and the Rock & Rye is among the revived. Crater Lake Spirits, known for producing distilled spirits with deep historical roots, pulls from the many original Rock & Rye recipes to create a contemporary version of the classic drink. The Crater Lake Rock & Rye combines its local rye whiskey with rock candy, dark cherries, blood orange and bitters. The result is a cocktail that could have easily been ordered at any pre-Prohibition bar. Crater Lake’s modern reboot can be enjoyed right out of the bottle, over ice or maybe with a splash of soda water. The Rock & Rye is a tasty, uncomplicated drink that is full of history and equally at home in the local corner bar, around the campfire or on the tailgate.

Crater Lake Rock & Rye $19.95/750ml, $9.95/375ml Find it on craterlakespirits.com and in any Oregon Liquor Store.

BUCKMAN CONTINUED

RENATA

626 SE MAIN ST., 503-954-2708, RENATAPDX.COM. 5-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 5-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$$.

[BELIEVE THE HYPE] A cursive sign above Renata’s open kitchen reads “Mi Piace,” or “I like it.” That hot glowing neon declaration of approval is a reminder of the early hype that surrounded the Buckman Italian spot’s airy expanse from nearly the moment it opened in 2015. It took the eatery a bit to find its footing amid the demand, but now the talent there is fully realized. The sign now speaks to Nick and Sandra Arnerich’s casually elegant eatery as reaching the status of indisputable institution. The 3,000-square-foot space remains somewhat unwieldy—it’s big and open, and the layout is reminiscent of a brewpub—but the food is made with an obvious, intimate care. Chef Matthew Sigler swaps out the menu routinely, including the impeccable housemade pastas, but you’ll find hits no matter what time of year you come in. On our visit, the spaghetti alla puttanesca—stocked with anchovy, olives and poached albacore—was sharp and salty, and the margherita pizza ($15) was transcendent in its simplicity. But while the basics impress, the flashes of creativity truly stun. To that end, if it’s available, leap at the scallop crudo with nectarine, whose flavors play off each other in surprising and delicious ways. Trust us, you’ll like it. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: There’s a big patio. Use it.

TRIFECTA TAVERN

726 SE 6TH AVE. 503-841-6675 TRIFECTAPDX.COM 5-9 PM MONDAY, 5-10 PM TUESDAY-THURSDAY, 4-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 4-9 PM SUNDAY. $$-$$$.

[BAKER BAR] Sandwiched between a sprawling beer hall and a karaoke bar in the unadorned storefront of a former auto shop, Trifecta can get lost in the clutter of its neighborhood, making it easy to stroll right by Ken Forkish’s third restaurant and not even notice. That’s a shame because the menu offers everything from upscale bar snacks to vibrant vegetable dishes as well as pastas and steak—all of it expertly executed and infinitely comforting. When you first walk in, it almost

The OP Benedict Recipe courtesy of chef Elias Cairo, Olympia Provisions SERVINGS: 4

Hollandaise Reduction

Hollandaise Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 large shallots 6 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 bottle white wine (go cheap; you will reduce this to less than 2 tbsp.) 1 cup Champagne vinegar

1 pound unsalted butter 4 egg yolks 2 tablespoons hollandaise reduction Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons kosher salt 8 eggs 4 English muffins, halved 1 pound thinly sliced sweetheart ham 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 bunch chives, thinly sliced Maldon salt

DIRECTIONS

To make the hollandaise reduction, slice the shallots into thin rounds and add them, along with the thyme, peppercorns, wine and vinegar, to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil the mixture until the liquid has reduced to a total volume of 2 tablespoons, about 40 minutes. Strain the liquid through a doubled layer of cheesecloth, lifting the cloth out of the strainer and squeezing it until all the liquid is extracted. Discard the solids and refrigerate the liquid.

To make the hollandaise sauce, put the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently melt the butter, without stirring, until it becomes liquid and separates into fat (floating on top) and milk solids and water (settled at the bottom).

Heat a large griddle to medium-high and begin heating a large pot with about 4 inches of water; you’ll want the water simmering when the hollandaise is done. Prepare and assemble your ingredients for the hollandaise and for the final preparation. To serve the best eggs Benedict, you need to have all the pieces hot and ready at the same time.

ILLUSTRATION BY MINC WORK

Willamette Week

While the butter is melting, put the egg yolks in a large flame-resistant bowl along with the hollandaise reduction. Whisk the yolks and reduction until combined. Place the bowl over low heat on the stove and whisk until the yolk mixture is warmed, then start whisking vigorously to aerate the mixture. Keep the bowl over the burner and whisk, whisk, whisk until the mixture starts to hold stiff ribbons.

Skim the foam off the butter. Carefully dip a ladle into the melted butter so that only fat (the clearer top layer) flows into it. Add this clarified butter to the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream, continually whisking, until the mixture becomes very thick and hard to whisk.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

At this point, dip your ladle into the bottom of the butter pan to get some of the milk solids and water. Add this to the yolk mixture, whisking continually, to thin it out. Continue to alternate between clarified butter and milk solids until all the clarified butter has been mixed in and the hollandaise coats the back of a spoon. Work as quickly as possible when making the hollandaise so it does not get too cold. Finish the sauce by whisking in the lemon juice and kosher salt. Keep in a warm spot near your stove until ready to serve. Check that the water you started heating earlier is at a rolling simmer. Crack each egg into a cup or glass to aid in slipping them into the water. Stir the water to create a whirlpool, and quickly slip all of the eggs into the water. Lower the heat so the water is at a gentle simmer, and poach the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Meanwhile, toast the muffins and heat the ham on the griddle. As the eggs are finishing, place two muffin halves on each of four plates and top each half with a portion of hot ham. With a slotted spoon, lift the eggs from the water and place one atop the ham on each muffin half. Ladle ¼ cup of hollandaise sauce over each. Garnish with smoked paprika, chives and Maldon salt. Serve with a wedge of laser potatoes, if you like.

feels as if you’ve stumbled upon a secret tavern where all of the cooks at Ken’s Artisan go after clocking out for the day. Part of that is due to the bakery that shares the space—giant bags of flour are piled high near the front door, and you can catch a glimpse of industrial-sized mixers near the back. Even though the cavernous factory-floor vibe remains, Trifecta is sexy. Ruby-hued booths invite you to linger across from the marble-topped bar, where you can take in the view of the alluring fire powering the kitchen. Speaking of that mighty oven, order at least one item that’s been singed by flames. The toppings on the flatbread ($15) change daily, but that means they’re bound to be fresh. During a late summer visit, the cracker-thin crust covered in Braille-like eruptions of air bubbles popped with seasonal fruits and vegetables like tomato and purplish marinated squash. The spaghettini ($24) also benefited from what appeared to be a blue-ribbon haul from the farmers market. Thin, buttery noodles were tossed with grilled corn, scallion and briny Dungeness crab, and spice from Calabrian chilies simmered in the background. But you really can’t go wrong here with a basic combo like the burger and taters. Trifecta’s two patties come layered in neon pimento cheese nestled inside a tender housemade brioche bun ($16). While the fries are a perfectly satisfying McDonald’s-style skinny cut, the hearty smashed fingerlings ($12) proved to be more addicting with their mix of smoke and salt and earth. Plus, they come with a side of ranch. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on happy hour when you can get pimento cheese on that burger and more for a steal.

TUSK

2448 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-894-8082 TUSKPDX.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, 5-11 PM THURSDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-11 PM SATURDAY, 9 AM-10 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

[HIP CHICKS] My heart sinks a little every time a hummus that’s not Tusk’s crosses my lips. The spreads served in the restaurant’s milk opal dining room have ruined me for those made by anyone else. But the Mediterranean eatery is much more than a chickpea palace—though if that’s all that was served, I’d be perfectly content to eat the swirling beige dip by the bucketful. The

BUCKMAN CONTINUED

second kitchen managed by Ava Gene’s Joshua McFadden and Luke Dirks is also creating beautiful, light dishes built primarily on fresh vegetables, fruits and grains, though protein does play a supporting role. But back to that hummus—there are two options, so try both in the half-and-half ($19) that comes with flatbread. More velvet than silk, and substantial, not airy, the spread is sprinkled with heady spices like tehina, paprika, cumin and coriander. A small mountain of whole chickpeas rises from the center of the dish. You can also get them in oversized fries ($9); the toasted brown Jenga-shaped pieces seasoned with garlic dissolve on the tongue. Though if you’ve had your fill of garbanzo beans with the hummus, the marinated feta cubes ($7) are an equally melty bite, and flaxseed crackers provide a satisfying accompanying crunch. To fulfill any meat cravings, a skewer or two is all it’ll take. Chicken pieces ($6) marinated in yogurt are drizzled in a piney, herbaceous green sauce, while the ground lamb and pork ($6) is earthy and stands up to the paprika. Then again, you might just circle back to the hummus. ANDI PREWITT.

Pro tip: It’s all too easy to rack up a big bill because many of the items aren’t expensive on their own, and you can eventually lose sight of the running tab. Keep in mind that there’s a chef’s choice meal for $60 a person—you’ll probably get away cheaper that way.

buckman honorable mentions

Danwei Canting

803 SE STARK ST. 503-236-6050 DANWEICANTING.COM 11:30 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $.

Beijing-style counter-service spot Danwei Canting serves lovely dumplings ($8) and one of Szechuan province’s most fiery trademarks. La zi ji chicken ($11), aka hot pepper chicken bath, buries delectable nuggets of fried chicken thigh under a firewall of redhot peppers. Though it started out mild when the restaurant opened, Danwei chef Kyo Koo turned up the dish’s heat by chopping up the fiery red chilies amid the scallion- and spice-crusted chicken, releasing the capsaicin that makes for pepper heat and toasting the seeds into warm smokiness.

Maruti

1925 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-236-0714 MARUTI-RESTAURANT.COM 5-9 PM WEDNESDAY-MONDAY. $$.

When you want to show your non-vegan friends how good a dairy- and meat-free meal can be, Maruti is the place. Traditional Indian dishes, some veganized and others always vegan, are spiced to perfection at this Hawthorne haunt. In addition to being delicious, Maruti takes Ayurvedic principles into account to ensure dishes are healthy. Do not miss the vegan mango lassi ($5)!

Marukin Ramen

609 SE ANKENY ST., SUITE A 126 SW 2ND AVE. MARUKINRAMEN.COM 11 AM-9 PM AND 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $.

Every broth ($11-$12) served at Marukin is excellent—spicy, miso, shio, whatever—and each bowl contains a stew of garnish, from deep-green spinach to kikurage mushrooms, bamboo shoots, a molten-centered egg and tender chashu pork. But it’s all about that deep, hazy, porky tonkotsu shoyu bone broth. Light for its style, it remains buttery in its depths, a rich cradle for gently springy noodles. The broth feels impossible in both its delicacy and its depth, digging deep into the marrow of comfort.

Nicholas Restaurant

318 SE GRAND AVE. 503-235-5123 3223 NE BROADWAY 503-445-4700 323 N MAIN AVE., GRESHAM 503-666-3333 NICHOLASRESTAURANT.COM 11 AM-9 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, NOON-9 PM SUNDAY. $$.

With its jaunty table stands ready to accept massive, complimentary rounds of hot-from-the-oven pita as soon as patrons are seated, Nicholas has been consistently delighting fans of Mediterranean food since 1986. Now helming three locations, owners Hilda and Ziad Khouri have modernized their lunch menu with paleo-friendly Lebanese bowls, where rice can be swapped out for salad. We recommend the lamb kebab version ($10.50), with tender chunks of meat nestled in tangy tzatziki, chickpeas and kale.

Pizza Jerk

5028 NE 42ND AVE. 503-284-9333 621 SE MORRISON ST. 971-803-7960 PIZZAJERKPDX.COM 11:30 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. SOUTHEAST LOCATION OPENS AT 11 AM. $$.

Late-night slice seekers should stick to the classics here. The pepperoni ($25)— thin crust, fresh housemade marinara and spicy, locally procured meat—is hard to beat. Others, like the vegetarian Lovely Linda ($28), risk losing flavor atop sometimes-burnt crust. That issue is solved with Jerk’s deep-dish pies ($20-$24), which are satisfying fuel for Sunday Netflix seshes.

Revelry

210 SE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BLVD. 971-339-3693 4-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 4 PM-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $.

At this home to artfully plated Korean drinking snacks with loud hip-hop and a wall of vintage ghetto blasters, meals and cocktails can easily climb to $50 a person. But every Tuesday, it’s home to one of the best deals in Portland. Spicy fried chicken, tossed with crumbled peanut brittle, tastes like See’s Candy in your favorite Chinese takeout—fried, salty, sweet and savory all at once. It usually costs $14. But each Tuesday, you can get a Rainier tallboy and a take-out container brimming with four big chicken pieces for $5.

Taqueria Nueve

727 SE WASHINGTON ST. 503-954-1987 TAQUERIANUEVE.COM 4-10 PM TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 4-9 PM SUNDAY. $.

Save for a seven-year interlude (ended by a successful 2013 Kickstarter resurrection campaign), T9 has been sating Portland’s appetite for authentic street tacos since 2000. Now it draws a mixed crowd of 20-somethings and middle-aged Airbnb guests from nearby Ladd’s Addition for tangy ceviche ($13), wild boar carnitas ($5.50, $15) and the T9 Margarita ($10) with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

MAE PHOTO BY THOMAS TEAL

concordia 36

AUTENTICA

5507 NE 30TH AVE. 503-287-7555 AUTENTICAPORTLAND.COM 5-10 PM TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 10 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM SUNDAY. $$.

[HOLY MOLE] When you think of the word “mole,” your brain most likely translates that to “sauce.” But the oversimplified association downplays everything a mole is or can be. Rarely easy to make, a good one requires hours of preparation, sometimes dozens of ingredients and an endless supply of patience. They speak to history and place. And that’s exactly what you’ll find at Autentica—moles that are molten affection you continue to ache for long after the plates have been cleared. Chef Oswaldo Bibiano serves a version that pays tribute to Guerrero, his home state on Mexico’s Pacific coast. To achieve the right balance, mole Autentica is painstakingly produced with more than 30 components, including nuts, bread, plantain, cinnamon and clove. You can taste the resulting dark chocolate and coffee flavors in a half-chicken ($27) simmered in the hickory-hued liquid. Or to sample two of Bibiano’s moles, there’s the platillo Mexicano ($20),

which offers one enchilada rolled in verde and another in the restaurant’s signature Autentica. Tucked between the two is a bonus chile relleno oozing with queso asadero. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Bibiano has been serving complex flavors in the cozy restaurant on Northeast 30th for 12 years. Even though he’s gone on to launch the always-packed duo of Uno Mas taquerias, the heart of it all—what feels closest to a home-cooked meal thousands of miles away in southeast Mexico—is at Autentica. Each dish has a laudable vibrancy—even the typical starter of crispy tortillas ($7)—adios, chips—arrives with four salsas that veer from fresh and tangy to a rich, smoky tomato. The fish of the day (market price), steelhead on my visit, was flaky, bright and served atop long green beans crisscrossed on the plate like pickup sticks that were astonishingly sweet. It was a preparation of vegetable beaten only by a bowl of white corn ($10) doused in butter, crema and nutty manchego. In all, the menu is a coastline-to-mountain range tour of Bibiano’s birthplace—one we’ve happily been able to enjoy for more than a decade. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: Autentica offers specials every night it’s open, from Taco Tuesday to $6 Margarita Sundays. Santo Domingo, indeed.

BEAST

5425 NE 30TH AVE. 503-841-6968 BEASTPDX.COM 6 AND 8:45 PM SEATINGS WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY; 10 AM, 11:30 AM AND 1 PM BRUNCH SEATINGS, 7 PM DINNER SUNDAY. $$$$.

[TAMER BEAST] No description of Beast would be complete without a quick history lesson. In 1999, chef Naomi Pomeroy and her silver-tongued former spouse founded Ripe, a supper club of dubious legality that initially operated out of their home. Ripe and Pomeroy rocketed to local and eventually national fame; the couple opened more restaurants; then the whole thing crashed and burned. From the ashes, Beast arose Phoenix-like in 2007. An iconic photo of Pomeroy standing seductively in a field, a dispatched hog flung over her shoulder, would become emblematic of her star power and resilience. A James Beard Award, TV food competitions and still greater notoriety followed. Beast and Pomeroy were known for their set menu, communal seating and edgy vibe, with “substitutions politely declined” becoming a trendsetting menu mantra. For years, an open seat was as rare as Portland sunshine in November. Today, the communal seating remains as does a set menu ($125, including gratuity, for six courses, $50 for wine pairings), though the meaty focus of the original has given way to more contemWillamette Week

porary tastes and cost considerations. On a recent visit, the beast that appeared tableside tended to be the swimming kind, like a delicate poached sole fillet wrapped around a mousseline of minced scallop and shrimp. Land animals were limited to a beef ragu-filled pasta and a slice of ham in a prosaic cheese course before dessert. There were a few empty chairs, too. Though Beast may have lost its edge, it is still an iconic meal understandably on most newcomers’ must-try lists. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: Unlike a lot of celebrity chefs, Pomeroy still puts in stove time at Beast. Call ahead to make sure she’ll be around when you visit.

EXPATRIATE

5424 NE 30TH AVE. 503-867-5309 EXPATRIATEPDX.COM 5 PM-MIDNIGHT DAILY. $$$.

[ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK] Cocktails are king at Expatriate, but the food certainly isn’t far from regicide. And with menu names calling out culinary superstars James Beard and David Chang, it damn well better be great grub. Pan-Asian in décor and flavor, Expatriate does bring to mind the expat bar scene in places like Bangkok and Hong Kong: dark, lots of wood, beautiful people and a little too pricey for the locals. A pair of pork buns that say Momo-fuk-u to David Chang ($13) are the perfect savory accompaniment to a cocktail list that skews sweet without being syrupy. The Chinese broccoli ($12) is accompanied by toast and an Italian-style ragout that’s a little weird at first, but pairs nicely by mixing soft and crunchy. Don’t be fooled by the “drinking snacks” label on the menu. One item from each section is more than enough to stuff two diners, and you’re still likely to end up with leftovers. PATRICIA SAUTHOFF. Pro tip: The drinks cost more than most of the food here, making this first and foremost a cocktail joint. If you’re not exactly sure what you want, go for the Diplomatic Pouch, a reverse bartender’s choice in which you’ll be asked what kind of booze you like and the perfect tipple for your tongue will be custom-made (price varies).

MAE

2930 NE KILLINGSWORTH ST. MAEPDX.COM 6 AND 8:30 PM SEATINGS MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS. $$.

[CAROLINA IN MY MIND] Every dish comes with a story at Mae, a pop-up held

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

inside Dame on Mondays and Tuesdays when the Northeast Killingsworth Street restaurant is closed. Chef Maya Lovelace hand-delivers each family-style bowl and platter to tables, pausing to share a sugary, Southern-tinged tale about the food and its origins. Named in honor of her grandmother, Mae is less of a supper club and more like a church picnic on a wilty afternoon below the Mason-Dixon Line. Dishes are passed in a circle and then again and again for seconds and thirds. Every single person in attendance hangs on Lovelace’s prose that’s as downhome and charming as her cooking. The cornbread arrives first but doesn’t bear much resemblance to the neatly cut golden squares you’re probably used to. Mae’s version is straight out of southern Appalachia, where there’s no flour or sugar in the recipe. Though breadstick-shaped, it’s just as pillowy as you’d hope and served with sorghum butter, maple syrupy and seductive. While kale and baby spinach may be posh salad greens, Lovelace prefers the no-frills iceberg variety. And eaten on a sweltering day in her home state of North Carolina, the reasoning makes sense: “It’s juicy, crispy and refreshing,” she explains. Really, though, you could coat grass clippings in Mae’s buttermilk vinaigrette—an herbaceous, peppery classed-up take on ranch. But before we got too highfalutin about the dressing, the next dish’s use of crumbled potato chip garnish brought us back down to Lovelace’s roots. Her tangy pimento mac and cheese was nearly gone after just one lap around the table. By the time the fried chicken was about to be served, I wondered if any of us would have room until eyes widened with excitement as a heaping pile of deep brown meat got closer. The limbs are buttermilk brined and varnished in three fats, creating perfectly crisp skin and flesh so impossibly juicy, I could’ve sworn my great aunt Mabel—who perfected fried chicken by feeding railroaders at a whistle stop in Nebraska—had been reincarnated as Lovelace. When the dinner came to a close, my tablemates tiptoed around the divvying-up of leftovers. This is not the time for Southern politeness. Claim your chicken leg quickly or risk leaving empty-handed. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: Lovelace recently got a permit to proceed with construction on what will be a permanent home for her food. Until Yonder opens, sign up for Mae’s email alerts and be ready to pounce. Tickets sell out in less than an hour.

HEAT YOU CAN HANDLE!

Korean-style Bibimbap and a Mexican-style Guajillo—we make hot sauces that won’t melt your face oﬀ so you can pour Hoss Soss on all your favorite foods.

{MADE IN OREGON} {AWARD-WINNING} Find us online www.hosssoss.com or in a store near you. New Seasons | World Market | Market of Choice

CONCORDIA CONTINUED

concordia honorable mentions

DarSalam

2921 NE ALBERTA ST. 503-206-6148 DARSALAM LAZURDI, 320 SW ALDER ST. 503-444-7813 DARSALAMPORTLAND.COM 11 AM-9 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

Some of the best hummus in town is found at DarSalam. This family-run Iraqi restaurant with two locations serves deliciously spiced traditional dishes. In addition to the usual Middle Eastern staples of mezza platters ($16-$19), shish kebab ($21) and more, DarSalam does an Iraqi-style onion dolma ($16) stuffed with rice, sun-dried tomato and pomegranate that shouldn’t be missed.

hosfordabernethy AVIV

1125 SE DIVISION ST. 503-206-6280 AVIVPDX.COM 11 AM-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-10 PM. $-$$.

[GONZO FOR GARBANZO] When Aviv opened last spring, it felt like a revelation. Portland’s vegan options are plentiful, but they mostly range from synthetic junk food to superfluously healthy salads and grain bowls. But at this Israeli vegan spot, soy curls aren’t a meat substitute, they’re a juicy vehicle for herby shawarma. The cashew labneh ($7) is impossibly silky, and while the sharp tofu “egg” in the shakshuka ($14) is obviously nothing like an actual egg, the hearty tomato stew base stands on its own. The food at Aviv isn’t “veganized.” Everything tastes rich, and nothing feels like a substitution. Aviv’s sense of whimsy is evident in everything from the serene nature footage that silently plays on a screen in the restaurant to the slushielike Gimmel cocktail ($9), a variation of a gimlet that’s named after the Hebrew symbol for charity. A year and a half after Aviv’s

BRODER PHOTO BY MEGAN NANNA

opening, the menu has grown to include more experimental dishes, like deepfried mushroom “calamari” ($13) and jackfruit brisket ($14). But the relatively straightforward stuff, shawarma and falafel plates ($15 each) for instance, are still the most satisfying. There’s a long list of incredibly creamy hummus to choose from, but the cilantro and chili zhoug ($7) is hard to beat. Fried in tahini and aromatic za’atar, the side of cauliflower ($6) is one of the most delicious things on the menu, and it’s emblematic of what Aviv does best— vegetables served as utterly decadent flavor bombs. SHANNON GORMLEY. Pro tip: Aviv’s brunch menu is slightly cheaper than dinner, and for some strange reason, there’s never a wait. At only $8, the filling shawarma bowl is packed with fatty, salty goodness that’s ideal for hangovers—soy curls and fries smothered in tahini and hummus.

BRODER CAFE

2508 SE CLINTON ST. 503-736-3333, 2240 N INTERSTATE AVE., SUITE 160 503-282-5555, 8800 SW OLESON ROAD 971-373-8762 BRODERPDX.COM 8 AM-3 PM DAILY. $$.

[NORDIC TRACK] Like a little Scandinavian farmhouse holding firm against the big, bad city, Peter Bro’s original location of Broder continues to churn out a fresh array of brunch staples even as the chef expands his mini-empire across the state. On recent visit, I sat next to a father and son who’d driven back from a camping trip to chow down on salad, potatoes and salmon. That decision seemed so logical it was inevitable: When you’ve been out glorying in Oregon’s fjords, wouldn’t you want a breakfast to match?

Willamette Week

The pillar of the menu is the Broder Bord ($15), which offers a small sampling of nearly everything you’d want to try on the menu: cheeses, a pickled egg, granola with yogurt and gravlax, a cured salmon that is essentially the Nordic version of lox. You’ll want one of the boards to share. But don’t miss out on Lost Eggs ($13), a breakfast casserole where two poached eggs are piled high with ham, spinach, cream and a sprinkle of panko and parm to form a crust on top. That’s my favorite thing here, but there’s hardly a wrong fork to take on the Broder trail. This is basically Santa’s Breakfast Workshop—everything sweet, savory and filled with light. AARON MESH. Pro Tip: Nobody has ever complained after ordering the aebleskiver ($7/$10), Danish pancakes in the shape of doughnut holes. Add a round to any order.

CASTAGNA

1752 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-231-7373 CASTAGNARESTAURANT.COM 5:30-9 PM WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, 5:30-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$$$.

[MARATHON MEAL] Castagna is a survivor. As fine dining has withered in Portland, Castagna has soldiered on. Under visionary owner Monique Siu, it morphed a decade ago from a Mediterranean/Italian focus to cuisine variously referred to as “modernist,” “naturalist” or—inaccurately—molecular gastronomy. It’s initial stoveside protagonist was Matt Lightner, a wunderkind who left for the bright lights of New York City. His successor, Justin Woodward, has maintained the highest standards. The chef’s tasting menu ($165, $85 for wine pairings), a three-hour, 13-pluscourse odyssey, begins as it has for Woodward’s entire seven-year run: with one-bite snacks. The beet chip-topped beef tartare is a staple. On a late summer night, seasonal cubes of compressed watermelon were served among other delights. At the end of the meal, a disk of thin, barely sweetened dark chocolate filled with housemade nocino explodes on the tongue. Between openers and mignardise, a gradually crescendoing processional of plates and bowls, boards and ramekins unfolds. The first few courses invoke the sea. One might see geoduck, halibut, crab and albacore, always presented in creative ways involving painstaking technique, enhanced with a kaleidoscopic array of herbs and other plant parts and potions. The same attention to eye-popping presentation continues with the next

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

HOSFORD-ABERNETHY CONTINUED

phase of red meat-centric courses, right through to the desserts. But Woodward understands that ornamentation must, without fail, be in service of flavor. Recently, an intense two-bite segment of Thai chili-spiked sour sausage hammered home the point. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: Because fine dining is a tough sell with frugal locals, Castagna is often an easy last-minute reservation, even on weekends. For lighter eaters, there is a seven-course menu ($100, $65 for wine pairings).

HOLDFAST

2131 SE 11TH AVE. 503-504-9448 HOLDFASTDINING.COM 5:30 AND 7 PM SEATINGS THURSDAY; 5:30, 7 AND 8:30 PM SEATINGS FRIDAY-SUNDAY. $$$$.

[HOSTS WITH THE MOST] Will Preisch and Joel Stocks have worked together through bad times and good. The worst was at the Bent Brick, which sought to showcase Preisch’s wizardry with natural ingredients and modernist technique, but it was too much, too fast and flopped notoriously. After a healing hiatus, the two have charted a slow, steady ascent at Holdfast in its third, now-permanent location. Holdfast 3.0 is an unqualified success, consistently offering thoughtful and delicious culinary compositions in a welcoming and intimate—but steadfastly utilitarian—space. Each meal is a set nine-course affair that includes alcoholic or nonalcoholic pairings and tip for $140. Diners occupy comfortable stools arrayed around a U-shaped counter or park at a lone table. But the bar is where you want to be, because behind it, Preisch and Stocks put the final touches on each dish, describe and then serve, remaining available to answer the inevitable questions. The co-chefs are ingredient obsessives and still head to the coast every other week on foraging missions. Each menu item is simply a list of key components, and most courses offer one or more of them in various forms. On a recent visit, “octopus, fennel, green olive” was an amazing-to-behold plate that included six variations on fennel—powder, frond, flower, pickled stem, diced bulb and jam; two takes on Castelvetrano olive; and baby octopus quick-seared as diners ogled in anticipation. Although dishes rotate frequently with the seasons, there are stalwarts on the menu: the sweet steamed brown bread (and butter) that arrives as a side dish midmeal and the oddly compelling savoryto-sweet transition course: a cornbread madeleine brushed with butter, topped

JACQUELINE PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DONG

with strips of lardo, a shower of Parmesan and a square of honeycomb. The tiny shell-shaped cakes have been served at every meal, which Preisch and Stocks have serially numbered. The count is approaching 700. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: Immediately next door to Holdfast is Deadshot, a bar Preisch and Stocks also mastermind. Think bar food and cocktails embellished with a little intellect, wit and whimsy.

JACQUELINE

2039 SE CLINTON ST. 503-327-8637 JACQUELINEPDX.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY. $$-$$$.

[MOTHER OF PEARL] Jacqueline is the neighborhood seafood restaurant every Portland neighborhood wishes it had. A Mediterranean blue door opens to an always-bustling dining room full of quirky design, from the hand-painted sea life to the attention-getting portrait of Bill Murray as the oceanographer in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. Chef-owner Derek Hanson’s menus are equally free-wheeling and change daily. They’re always defined by what’s freshest— whether Oregon albacore or marigolds. Jacqueline offers inventive, produce-driven plates, like addictive fried squash blossoms stuffed with sheep’s milk ricotta ($8) or several varieties of local tomatoes paired with burrata and bright pickled chilies ($8). The raw and cooked seafood preparations tend toward whimsy. A recent dish of salmon cured with dill and green coriander ($12) actually felt like a deepsea exploration, topped with otherworldly sea beans and mouse melons. And make sure to order the Oregon dayboat albacore ($18) whenever it’s on the menu

for some of the freshest tuna around. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: There’s only one place to begin at Jacqueline: the insane, heroic, magnanimous dollar-oyster happy hour, available 5-7 pm Monday-Saturday. You’ll find several local varieties all served with housemade sauces, from mignonette to green Tabasco.

NIMBLEFISH

1524 SE 20TH AVE. 503-719-4064 NIMBLEFISHPDX.COM 5-10 PM DAILY. $$$.

[TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP] National attention is coveted by any Portland restaurant, though it’s no guarantee of greatness. But at Nimblefish—which nabbed the No. 6 spot on Bon Appétit’s list of the best new restaurants of the year—I am so very happy to report that the hype is well-deserved. For chef and owner Cody Auger, whose former restaurants Hokusei and Fukami were some of our favorites, Nimblefish is a personal, intimate expression of Japanese Edomae sensibility through a Pacific Northwest lens. Crowds have ebbed and flowed during the first year of business, but ever since the Bon Appétit shout-out the place is constantly packed. After several months politely declining omakase (chef’s choice), Auger and his team now offer multicourse tasting menus for $65 or $90. But surfing the nightly specials can be just as rewarding as you might find perfect nigiri of meichi dai (naked face sea bream), tairagai (Fukuoka pen shell clam), tachiuo (beltfish) or kamasu (barracuda). Much has been made of the chef’s exhaustive rice preparation—Auger uses a traditional cyprus bowl called a hangiri to mix it—but the chef’s focus Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

HOSFORD-ABERNETHY CONTINUED

on delicate aging and artistry, deftly transforming lesser-known pieces of fish into things of beauty, is what truly deserves commendation. It echoes the charcuterie-and-offal boom that helped define the last generation of great Portland chefs. There are also more familiar bites, like tuna, salmon and scallop, ranging from $5 to $11. All of it’s executed exquisitely, from the subtle, perfect tamago ($2) to indulgent, satisfying hand rolls ($3-$6.50). A restaurant that sources from the top Japanese fish markets and works with fresh catches off the Oregon and Washington coasts is cause enough for celebration—a true pan-Pacific mashup of ingredients and cultures, presented with zero artifice in a chill setting. The end result is a sushi restaurant that could only be here, in Portland. JORDAN MICHELMAN. Pro tip: If you’re dining alone, or are short on time, Auger and company have mastered the fine art of chirashi ($28). Meaning “scattered” in Japanese, this is a bowl of sashimi cuts of the day. Discover the pleasure of digging for those final bites of fish and hidden bits of roe in the rice.

hosford-abernethy honorable mentions

Abyssinian Kitchen 2625 SE 21ST AVE. 503-894-8349 ABYSSINIANKITCHEN.COM 5-9 PM TUESDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

Tucked away just outside of Ladd’s Addition, Abyssinian Kitchen has some of the tangiest injera we’ve encountered, perfect for sopping up the steady berbere heat of the doro wat chicken stew ($16). Get a beyaynetu combo sampler ($17) to explore AK’s veggie dishes, including spicy red lentils and collard greens.

La Moule

2500 SE CLINTON ST. 971-339-2822 LAMOULEPDX.COM 5 PM-MIDNIGHT MONDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-2 PM AND 5 PM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY-SUNDAY.

What started as a simple moules-frites joint and cozy cocktail bar has expanded its offerings to match wits with St. Jack, La Moule’s upscale westside sibling. Split some mussels ($21) and a killer bacon-brie burger ($15) and close out dinner with a cinnamon-sugar-dredged “churro” waffle ($7) with dulce de leche squiggled on top.

Pinto Beans and Hog Sauce Recipes courtesy of chef Matt Vicedomini, Matt’s BBQ

Hog Sauce INGREDIENTS

1 quart apple cider vinegar 1 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 lemon, cut in half, wrapped in cheesecloth DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients and bring to boil for 20 minutes. Remove lemons, cool and then serve.

Pinto Beans INGREDIENTS

2 cups pinto beans soaked overnight in brine of 7 grams salt and 2 quarts water ½ pound chopped brisket (from Matt’s BBQ, preferably) 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano ¼ cup hog sauce 2 to 4 tablespoons masa DIRECTIONS

Drain and rinse beans. Fill stockpot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil at high heat, then simmer. Once beans are cooked through, add the chopped brisket and additional ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes and thicken with masa until desired consistency.

Willamette Week

Quick Pickles and Peach Mustard Barbecue Sauce

2 long cucumbers, sliced 1 quart white vinegar ½ quart water 1 cup white sugar ¼ cup salt 1 dried chile de arbol, stems removed, broken into pieces 1 head garlic, smashed 1 bunch dill, stems and all DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients (except cucumbers) and bring to a boil. Pour over cucumbers, cool and put in refrigerator at least 24 hours before serving.

2425 SE 26TH AVE. 503-236-5005 LAPANZACAFE.COM 11 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-9 PM MONDAY-TUESDAY, 11 AM-9 PM WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-9 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

The official state question of New Mexico is, “Red or green?” At La Panza Cafe, there’s no wrong answer when it comes to your chili preference. The red is rich and creamy and goes oh so good with honey and sopapillas ($10.25) while the green is straight from N.M. La Panza does enchiladas ($14.25) with blue corn and the posole is popping.

Spicy Garlic and Dill Quick Pickles INGREDIENTS

La Panza Cafe

Lardo

Peach Mustard Barbecue Sauce INGREDIENTS

1 quart mustard 1 cup peach jelly 2 cups pickle liquid (from pickle recipe) 1½ cups brown sugar ½ cup water 1/8 cup salt DIRECTIONS

Whisk together ingredients. Serve.

1212 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-234-7786WW 1205 SW WASHINGTON ST. 503-241-2490 LARDOSANDWICHES.COM 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $.

With so many types of meat stuffed between two slices of bread, indecision at Lardo is inevitable. We’ll call it for you—go for the banh mi ($11). It’s what owner-chef Rick Gencarelli wanted to make the first day he fired up the grill in his food cart before growing into a brick-and-mortar. Inspired by his love of Vietnamese street food, the sandwich is a spin on the classic with its pork-pickled vegetable essence. Don’t forget Lardo’s fries ($5-$10). Gencarelli uses Kennebec potatoes (the same kind as In-N-Out) soaked overnight, blanched, fried with herbs and then topped with Parm.

Nuestra Cocina

2135 SE DIVISION ST. 503-232-2135 NUESTRACOCINA.COM 5-10 PM TUESDAY-SATURDAY. $$-$$$.

Despite the steady flow of high-end Mexican food pushing into other ’hoods, perfectly acidic margaritas and some of the most consistently excellent corn tortillas in town help Southeast Division’s Nuestra Cocina maintain its all-star status. Eat elevated interpretations of taquitos ($9), gorditas ($12) and sopes ($8), or simply settle in for one of the best chicken and mole plates ($20) in town.

ILLUSTRATION BY MINC WORK

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

HOSFORD-ABERNETHY CONTINUED

OK Omens

1758 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-231-9939 OKOMENS.COM 5 PM-MIDNIGHT NIGHTLY. $$.

OK Omens is the delightful casual sibling to Castagna, with a menu full of sharable, value-priced gems. The oozy cheddar-filled beignets ($8) have justifiably received a lot of love, but even better are the chunks of caramel-dark Little T bread and brie butter ($5). The torito ($12) is an amply portioned Caesar-ish salad with tangy cilantro dressing, corn-nut bits instead of croutons, and cotija cheese subbing for the traditional Parmesan. And it’s the vegetable dishes here that are the highlight. During a late-summer visit, some standouts included the tender green beans and grilled squash ($12) with chimichurri pesto and the roasted carrots with black garlic hoisin ($10).

Scottie’s Pizza Parlor

2128 SE DIVISION ST. 971-544-7878 SCOTTIESPIZZAPARLOR.COM 11:30 AM-9 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, NOON-8 PM SUNDAY. $.

There’s salvation to be found in this holein-the-wall pizzeria. The pies ($19-$29) baked quickly in a super-heated electric oven will save your stomach from bland franchise pies since the speed and temperature help ingredients hang onto their flavors—earthy mushrooms, springy herbs and milky mozzarella. Pizzaiolos shape regionally sourced, naturally leavened wheat dough into 18-inch disks, making each slice as light as a cloud. You can also feed your soul through Scottie’s Pay It Forward program that helps others eat even if they can’t afford to.

Stacked Sandwich Shop 1643 SE 3RD AVE. 971-279-2731 STACKEDSANDWICHSHOP.COM 10 AM-7 PM DAILY. $.

These are the kinds of sandwiches you race through and then are disappointed because the experience ended so quickly. Chef-owner Gabe Pascuzzi designs food based on childhood memories—i.e., grilled cheese—and riffs on fine dining. These variations include a Reuben ($12) with turkey that’s brined for five days, dried overnight and smoked for up to five hours or an oxtail French dip ($13.50) and rosemary jus. Still have room? The shop also offers fries ($15) loaded with cheese, bacon, scallions, pickled onions, jalapeño and more of that oxtail.

kerns DAVENPORT

2215 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-236-8747 DAVENPORTPDX.COM 5-9 PM TUESDAY-THURSDAY, 5-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$$.

[LOVE SEAT] The plates here don’t have fancy names, and each comes out with minimal adornment. It’s a straightforward style echoed by the streamlined dining room, where you are forced to direct your focus on the subtle and beautifully tended-to ingredients that arrive at your table at a perfect tempo so you always have something to enjoy, but also enough time to really enjoy it. Chef Kevin Gibson, who mastered the art of simplicity in fine dining at Evoe and Castagna, continues to execute dishes expertly at Davenport, like the opah ceviche ($16) swimming in coconut milk with sweet yellow and purple grape tomatoes. The slightly charred lamb ($18) melts in your mouth, its smoke enhanced by the tang of a fresh tzatziki. And a pork and apricot ($14) plate could satisfy anyone seeking out fatty, salty indulgence. The care shown to meat dishes extends to the vegetables, which are lovingly cooked to bring out their best flavors and textures. A plate of velvety beets served on a bed of ricotta with orange zest ($12) could almost double as dessert. And a salad of radicchio, apples and walnuts with a crust of baked cheese ($12) evoked memories of digging into crisp coleslaw at a summer barbecue. KATIE SHEPHERD. Pro tip: Davenport’s plates are meant to be shared, so order two or three dishes for each person at the table, striking a balance between heartier meat dishes toward the bottom of the menu and lighter fare near the top.

HAN OAK

511 NE 24TH AVE. 971-255-0032 HANOAKPDX.COM 5:30-9:30 PM FRIDAY-MONDAY. $$$.

[HOME COOKING] You never know what you’ll find behind a nondescript door in the rear of a parking lot. In the case of Han Oak, it’s the best modern Korean food in Portland, replete with a majestic courtyard. With experience in big-time New York City restaurants, chef-owner Peter Cho is originally from Beaverton, and he and his family literally live at

Han Oak. This unique arrangement results in a hip, all-ages-welcome setting, with communal seating and a soundtrack ranging from Hall & Oates to Chance the Rapper. Han Oak offers a long list of á la carte noodle bowls, dumplings and ssams. But instead of serving straightup, traditional Korean food, Cho tends to follow his whims, resulting in idiosyncratic dishes inspired by cuisine from the east Asian peninsula. Every meal should begin with several banchan or tiny plates, like feisty kimchi ($6) that Cho’s own mom makes. Additional established highlights are the Korean fried chicken (three pieces for $12), soondae blood cake ($13) and the pork and chive dumplings (four for $12). A recent hand-pulled noodle preparation shows Cho at his best. The dish uses three items he used to order for lunch separately and then combine at Xi’an Famous Foods in New York. At Han Oak, fresh, smooth and chewy biang biang mian noodles ($16) reveal excellent technique. Cooling basil and mint complement rippling chili oil spice. And then there’s that juicy twice-cooked pork belly. After nearly three years, Han Oak continues to be an incredibly intimate experience—an experimental restaurant that has found its groove. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: In addition to à la carte dining, Han Oak offers a prix fixe menu with 11 items at $55 per person.

KEN’S ARTISAN PIZZA

304 SE 28TH AVE 503-517-9951 KENSARTISAN.COM 5-9:30 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 5-10 PM FRIDAY, 4-10 PM SATURDAY, 4-9 PM SUNDAY. $$.

[DOUGHBOY] Every menu at Ken’s Artisan Pizza lets you know the tables and bar were fashioned out of Doug fir salvaged from Portland’s former “Million Dollar Playground,” the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park. That fun fact should prime you for the thrills of the sometimes unexpected flavor combinations coming out of dough master Ken Forkish’s Le Panyol oven. While it’s easy to go straight for the pies with their charred and chewy crusts, start with seasonal vegetables ($12) that also get a turn in the wood-fired dome for a quick singe before they’re lightly dressed. For those who prefer pizzas plain with cheese, the handmade ($15) is about as close as you’ll get, but the fennel seeds add a surprise to the

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

KERNS CONTINUED

familiar mozzarella and tomato sauce creation. The fresh corn ($15) made us ask: Is this even pizza? The combination of sweet kernels, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapeños evoked the dry American Southwest more than the southern coast of Italy. But it was the mushroom ($18) that won the day as the most satisfying slice, combining delicately fried leeks with the sharp bite of pecorino and thyme. The only place where Ken’s disappointed was dessert, where a butterscotch pie ($9) hit one overly sweet note. A seasonal peach cobbler topped with blackberry swirl ice cream ($9) was more balanced. KATIE SHEPHERD. Pro tip: The restaurant fills quickly and waits can be brutally long for a table. There are typically open seats at the bar for one or two, and the person slinging drinks will be more than happy to recommend a glass of wine to go with an offbeat pizza.

LANGBAAN

6 SE 28TH AVE. 971-344-2564 LANGBAANPDX.COM 6 AND 8:45 PM THURSDAY-SATURDAY, 5:30 AND 8:15 PM SUNDAY. $$$$.

[LONG WAIT] It may sit behind a bookshelf inside another restaurant, but Langaan is far from Portland’s best-kept secret. Reservations get scooped up six months in advance, though pros know to check the website often for last-minute cancellations. Each month the restaurant offers a multicourse tasting menu that focuses on the flavors of a different part of Thailand. Whether it be coastal seafood or coconut-heavy dishes from the rainforest, Langbaan won’t just feed you. The extraordinary culinary team will teach you by elaborating on the flavors, construction and history of the dishes. That attention to detail and ability to take traditional Thai cuisine to the top of its game is why they’ve won accolades in Portland and beyond. Early courses include snacks, soups and salads packed with flavor, and though small in size, run the risk of filling you up before the mains arrive. The restaurant offers an extensive wine list, a few paired cocktails and some beers that complement the flavors of the food. Be sure to keep just enough room for pastry chef Maya Erickson’s exquisite and unique dessert bites. Though they may be the least-traditional part of the menu, each one utilizes Thai ingredients and demonstrates how a little creativity and a lot of talent can put the perfect bow on an already delightful meal.

LANGBAAN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DONG

PATRICIA SAUTHOFF. Pro tip: Langbaan seats guests in the order they arrive, but there’s not a lot of space to wait. Check in early for your choice of tables and grab a drink. Once inside, snag a seat at the counter if you can in order to watch the gourmet assembly line and hear the chefs explain their creations themselves.

LAURELHURST MARKET 3155 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-206-3097 LAURELHURSTMARKET.COM 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $$$.

[CATTLE CALL] Under chef Ben Bettinger, Laurelhurst Market produces meals with the craftsmanship of a Swiss watchmaker. Because the kitchen is adjacent to one of the city’s finest butcher shops, the meat is consistently superb. The menu is simple and straightforward—except there’s nothing simple about the food. The grilled radicchio Caesar ($11) harmoniously blends garlic and anchovies with the balance of a skilled tightrope walker that challenges similar versions at Ken’s Artisan Pizza and Nostrana for the title of the eastside’s best. The harvest salad ($11) is a symphony of raw, grilled and pickled vegetables, bound together with romesco sauce and a subtle citrus vinaigrette. The steak and greens ($27) features bavette, a tender, marbled cut Laurelhurst helped rescue from obscurity, paired with a rich, tangy romesco and a heaping portion of seasonal greens tossed in lemon. The smoked and grilled pork chop ($30) comes with corn and wild mushrooms, a sublime combination that underlines a great strength—as good as the meat is, the vegetable pairings may be better. Bettinger is

also a deft hand with fish. The selection changes daily but is often a member of the salmon family or a pan-seared halibut, which came on a recent night with pureed squash, roasted cauliflower, carrots and salsa verde ($33). Desserts are few but impeccable. The cornmeal pound cake with maple whipped cream ($11) is sprinkled with blueberries in a happy marriage of contrasting tastes and textures. NIGEL JAQUISS. Pro tip: It can be tough to snag a table most nights, but seats at the bar—a snug world of its own—are often available. Hold onto your receipt from dinner and get 10 percent off a purchase at the butcher shop. And every day, from 11 am to 5 pm, that same butcher shop produces sandwiches as substantial as they are delicious. The Italian sub ($6.25 half, $10.95 whole) can cure East Coasters’ homesickness.

kerns honorable mentions

Dove Vivi

2727 NE GLISAN ST. 503-239-4444 DOVEVIVIPIZZA.COM 4-10 PM NIGHTLY. $$.

Dove Vivi’s signature cornmeal crust traveled up the coast from L.A., but if someone told you this is how they do pizza in Appalachia, it’d be easy to believe, particularly given the dining room’s twee-rustic décor. The pies ($25.75 whole) arrive in a skillet—each variation has its own buttery essence. And those distinct crusts pair especially well with the veggie options, which include sweet corn, roasted eggplant and marinated bell peppers.

Willamette Week

Navarre

10 NE 28TH AVE. 503-232-3555 NAVARREPORTLAND.COM 4:30-10:30 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9:30 AM11:30 PM SATURDAY, 9:30 AM-10:30 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

Owner John Taboada calls it à la carte dining. In the Spanish province of Navarre, plates that can be combined to make a meal are known as tapas. Either way, the small bites here end up tasting bigger than the portions. The pan-European menu offers everything from cod cakes ($11) salted in-house and dried overnight to preserve the fish’s flakiness to duck confit with spiced plum coulis ($14). Enjoy with a wine from Navarre’s lengthy list, like a softly fruity rioja ($8).

Güero

200 NE 28TH AVE. 503-887-9258 GUEROPDX.COM 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $.

The new Kerns restaurant from ridiculously beloved torta cart Güero is pretty much a poster child for how to do everything right. Güero still serves those mammoth carnitas and pollo pibil tortas ($11 each), which come on telera bread slathered with lime-chili mayo and laden with fresh avocado, lettuce and pink pickled onions. The bright space distills the cart’s sunny essence with very little fat, and a mezcal-happy cocktail list makes the place buzz. The owners have also thrown in some new dishes, and the best is their desayuno torta ($11) in a hoagie-style bolillo bun with eggs and a fried cheese slice bolstering beef slow-braised to a salty perfection.

The People’s Pig

3004 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-233-8941 3217 N WILLIAMS AVE. 503-282-2800 PEOPLESPIG.COM 11 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $.

Two years after he took over the former Tropicana soul-food shack, pitmaster Cliff Allen’s pork loin has slipped a bit from its original earnest perfections. But the porchetta sandwich is superb. Made with a combo of roast pork loin and pork belly and massaged with a fennel-garlic rub, the meat is both pepper-spicy and deeply herbal.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Sammich

2137 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-477-4393 SAMMICHRESTAURANTS.COM 11 AM-9 PM DAILY.

Sammich is all about the house giardiniera. That spicy, pickled mix of chilies, pepper, celery and carrots is the flavor of Chicago, adding crunch, spice and acid to everything from the Cubbie Cubano ($12) to the Italian beef ($12). The jus— pronounced “juice,” in open defiance of the French—is deep, rich, fresh daily and well-seasoned, a balance difficult to achieve and especially to maintain.

Screen Door

2337 E BURNSIDE ST. 503-542-0880 SCREENDOORRESTAURANT.COM 8 AM-2 PM AND 5:30-9 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 8 AM-2 PM AND 5:30-10 PM FRIDAY, 9 AM-2:30 PM AND 5:30-10 PM SATURDAY, 9 AM-2:30 PM AND 5:30-9 PM SUNDAY. $$.

It’s unclear if Screen Door originated Portland’s brunch-line culture, but it’s certainly become synonymous with it. Everyone accepts the hour-plus wait for a table, because they know a mountainous plate of the city’s best chicken and waffles ($12.50$16) is at the other end. And yes, that’s what everyone orders. But if you just need to be different, the Cathead Biscuit Sandwich ($14) slaps that same fried chicken between two gravy-slathered pieces of bread that greatly overestimates the size of the average feline’s dome.

Stammtisch

401 NE 28TH AVE. 503-206-7983 STAMMTISCHPDX.COM 3 PM-1:30 AM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-1:30 AM FRIDAY, 11 AM-1:30 AM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

Boasting some of the finest German beer selections in the city, owner Dan Hart not only maintains a steady flow of rare imports at Stammtisch, he also oversees a restaurant serving the city’s best German food. Inside the subdued beer hall with dark wood accents and wrought-iron chandeliers, you’ll find the always-popular jägerschnitzel ($18) arriving at bar tops and tables, chewy seared pork loin coated in a zesty brown gravy and scattering of earthy mushrooms. Or tuck into something less popular, like the schupfnudeln ($15), doughy dumplings and tender duck confit—a rich meat that’s balanced by a bit of end-of-summer brightness found in heirloom tomato and crunchy corn.

KERNS CONTINUED

Stoopid Burger

STOOPID BURGER 2329 NE GLISAN ST. 503-477-5779 11 AM-9 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, 11 AM-7 PM SUNDAY. $-$$.

The burgers from this food cart turned brick-and-mortar will render you dazed, meat-drunk and dumbfounded. Not just stupid, but Stoopid. While the eponymous Stoopid Burger ($15.75), stacked with beef, cheddar, bacon, ham, a hotlink and a fried egg, nearly won WW ’s Burger Bracket in 2017, our favorite is the Wicked Burger ($15.50), which has a spicy pineapple mango habanero chutney and peanut butter. Looking to keep your sandwich under $10? Get the Almost There ($9), essentially the house style stripped down to the bolts.

north portland ENAT KITCHEN 48

300 N KILLINGSWORTH ST. 503-285-4867 11:30 AM-9 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

[TEFF LOVE] Among the delights of Portland’s best Ethiopian restaurant is the sensation of briefly escaping an oppressively homogenous city. Enat Kitchen contains none of the wood-hewn clichés that plague Portland dining; instead, it looks like a 1950s drive-in with art imported from Addis Ababa. It’s so unassumingly family-friendly that the main room includes a children’s play area with toys and a dollhouse. Yet this is a go-to Friday night date destination for an array of North Portland couples. And for good reason: There are restaurants twice as famous for delivering half as many flavorful stews. While perhaps unfamiliar to most Pacific Northwest palates, they’re natural comfort foods. A primer: Ethiopian cuisine begins and ends with injera, an elastic flatbread that serves as both a plate and a delivery device for dishes with the texture of sloppy Joes. Among the standouts are gomen, collard greens unmatched in flavor and texture anywhere in the city, and enkulal tibs, scrambled eggs with enough onions, tomatoes and peppers to fill a Denver omelet (but with significantly more spice). Use the injera to scoop up these entrees (each priced

ENAT KITCHEN PHOTO BY SHAUN DALEY

at $10.99). You’ll have the hang of it in minutes. After little more than an hour, there’s no question you’ll be coming back to wait in line each Friday evening. AARON MESH. Pro tip: Sharing is a big part of the fun here, and the menu is designed for it. A couple’s-sized meal consists of seven entrees served on a plate as colorful as a Trivial Pursuit wheel for $30—or bring a group and do the same thing with larger portions for $44.99.

north portland honorable mentions

Casa Zoraya

841 N LOMBARD ST. 503-384-2455 CASAZORAYAPDX.COM 4-10 PM TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 10 AM-3 PM SUNDAY. $-$$.

The Peruvian-focused eatery offers a menu that isn’t nearly as long as Andina’s, but it takes each dish seriously. The ají chili, for instance, takes center stage here, showing up in everything from ceviche to chicken and even a vegetable dish. But the standout is the lomo saltado criollo ($20), a tender, stir-fried sirloin in a thick, flavorful sauce that’s both spicy and sugary. A close second to that is the chicharron de puerco ($14), a plate of fried pork belly, sweet potato and huancaynas peruanas potatoes with a criolla sauce.

Chef Zhao

4828 N LOMBARD ST. 503-477-8072 11 AM-9:30 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

Firing up on North Lombard in May 2018, Chef Zhao brought quality takes on mostly Chinese-American staples to a neighborhood otherwise starved for Chinese food. For the uninitiated, the trick is finding the housemade plates, which are not always clearly marked on the menus. A massive serving, the house special noodle ($13.95$14.95) is a refreshing dish filled with juicy mushrooms, wilted fresh spinach and your choice of pork, chicken, beef or shrimp. Wontons ($6.95) in Sichuan mah lah chili oil are some of the hottest in Portland, with supple wrappers and crunchy pork and vegetable filling.

The Sudra

8777 N LOMBARD ST. 971-386-5138 2333 NE GLISAN ST. 971-302-6002 THESUDRA.COM LOMBARD: 11 AM-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. GLISAN: 11 AM-11 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

Loosely branded as “Indian-inspired,” the Sudra leverages Indian flavors and dishes to create vegan food as fresh as it is flavorful. The crunchy black kofta lentil plate ($12) is always a solid bet, but if you’re looking for something a little lighter, the peacock salad ($7, $11) is way more exciting than you’d ever expect a bowl of kale to be—tender soy curls, grilled vegetables and crunchy leaf cabbage drenched in smoky-sweet tahini dressing.

Willamette Week

Hogan’s goat pizza

Horse Brass Pub Portland, Oregon USA Est. 1976

Wednesday-sunday 4pm-9pm 5222 ne sacramento st 503-281-9008 dine-in/take-out

Celebrating 40 Years of Craft Beer 59 Craft and Specialty Beers on Tap TRADITIONAL ENGLISH PUB 4534 SOUTHEAST BELMONT STREET

Chef Naoko’s exquisite Japanese cuisine. Kengo Kuma’s unique architectural masterpiece. Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30am to 2pm Omakase Dinner Thurs–Sat 6pm to 9pm Reservation only 2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

shizukupdx.com 1235 SW Jefferson 503-227-4136

northwest portland ATAULA

1818 NW 23RD PLACE 503-894-8904 ATAULAPDX.COM 4:30-10 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY. $$$.

[FAST LANE TO SPAIN] Ataula is the place for those seeking adventure in their own backyard—one that will carry you away to Barcelona—along with a friend or three who might want to come along. On any given night, you’ll see raucous groups spanning all ages stopping in for Spanish and Pacific Northwest-inspired small plates created by a third-generation Spanish chef with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants. We made quick work of the pa amb tomaquet ($6), a crispy house coca bread with shredded tomato and extra virgin olive oil, and the xupa-xup ($3), a cantimpalo chorizo-stuffed goat cheese and membrillo morsel served on a wooden stick. Up next was the xeese ($12), a perfectly formed sphere of sheep’s cheese served with a cornmeal cracker dusted in porcini powder, fig mostarda and pine nuts. Eating it requires some instruction—pop the entire sphere into your mouth and snack on the sides as it melts, filling your palate with the mild nuttiness of the cheese. Delicate, lacy breading on the croquetas ($9) surrounded steaming hot cod best dipped in a house-smoked piquillo aioli. CRYSTAL CONTRERAS. Pro tip: Don’t be shy or intimidated by all the plates and order the paella Ataula ($39). It’s flavorful and substantial and you’ll most definitely find room by the time it gets to your table.

PALEY’S PLACE

Higgins Open-Face Recipes courtesy of chef Greg Higgins, Higgins

Buy the best-quality thin-sliced brisket pastrami you can find. If you’re ambitious, look online for a pastrami brining and curing recipe and try making your own. It will take 2 to 3 weeks, but is well worth the effort. Don’t skimp on any of the ingredients—use the best sharp cheddar, pickles, hearty rye bread and really garlicky aioli.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound thin-sliced pastrami 8 ounces sharp white cheddar, sliced or grated 4 slices crusty seeded rye bread 1 cup caramelized onions ½ cup garlicky aioli

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400 F. In a medium sauté pan, simmer a pint of lightly salted water and add the sliced pastrami, stirring gently. Warm the caramelized onions in another small pan. Toast the rye bread and then smear the slices generously with aioli. Top with the warm onions.

1204 NW 21ST AVE. 503-243-2403 PALEYSPLACE.NET 5:30-10 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 5-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 5-10 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

[TOSSED SALADS & SCRAMBLED EGGS] Paley’s Place is aging gracefully—a little bit of time looks good on this spot, which has for two decades and counting been one of the city’s classiest, stateliest dining houses. The front veranda, home to a coveted clutch of six or so tables, is still one of the

Willamette Week

Pastrami Sandwich

best spots to watch the street scene on Northwest 21st Avenue when the weather’s nice. On rainy days, Paley’s dark, homey lounge offers eight spots at the bar plus a few tables, including a high-backed banquette. An understated dining room evokes the earth tones and European art prints of Frasier Crane’s living room—one of the most popular shows on television when this place opened in 1995. Start with seasonal small snacks, like a composed heirloom melon set ($12) with mint, fresh goat cheese, hazelnuts and spiced honey, or the griddled corn cakes ($8), perfect little pucks of fresh corn and chewy batter during my visit. For a taste of chef Vitaly Paley’s Belarusian heritage, order whatever dumpling is available. The late summer ushki ($17, $28) was filled with sweet corn offset by unctuous creamy tomato butter and diced pickles. Keep an eye out for specials. On a recent visit there was an entire rabbit ($55) on the menu, presented on the bone with carrots and greens. Or you can settle in with the restaurant’s restrained, smart take on an upscale bar burger ($10 happy hour, $17 otherwise) with pickled vegetables and mustard aioli on a house-baked brioche bun. You may be stuffed when it comes time for dessert, but by no means should you skip the cheese. Paley’s has some of the best rotating options from around the world ($15 for three tastes, $23 for five) and several raw milk offerings. JORDAN MICHELMAN. Pro tip: The cocktail list deserves your attention, particularly the bar’s excellent take on a barrel-aged Manhattan ($14). Typically a woodsy, syrupy experience, here the drink is surprisingly light on its feet—sprightly even—updosed with Bonal apertif wine and two kinds of bitters. Definitely order this.

Drain the warmed pastrami and place it onto the dressed rye bread toast. Top each with sharp cheddar and place in oven until the cheese is melted. Serve garnished with lots of pickles and a tossed salad.

POK POK NW

1639 NW MARSHALL ST. 971-351-1946 3226 SE DIVISION ST. 503-232-1387 1469 NE PRESCOTT ST. 503-287-4149 3120 SE MILWAUKIE AVE. POKPOKNW.COM 11:30 AM-10 PM DAILY. MILWAUKIE AVENUE: 11:30 AM-9 PM DAILY. $$$.

ILLUSTRATION BY MINC WORK

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

[FINGER-LICKIN’ GOOD] Over the past few years, I’ve encountered curious resistance from friends when

NORTHWEST PORTLAND CONTINUED

suggesting Pok Pok for dinner. They cite the original Southeast location’s tourist-thronged lines, the cramped, haphazard dining space, and overall din as insurmountable barriers to enjoying a good meal. They have a bit of a point, which is why it was so significant when Andy Ricker opened a Northwest branch of his Thai empire in the spring of 2017. A year and a half later, Pok Pok NW happily remains the best way to experience his cuisine. There’s no shame in ordering the fish sauce wings ($15.75). They remain the sticky, salty-sweet treats that you loved from the beginning before becoming an icon of Portland’s food scene. But think of that deep-fried chicken as a life preserver—a way of hedging your bets if you decide to venture outside your comfort zone on the menu. And you should, since otherwise you might overlook the pleasure of something like the yam makheua yao ($14.75), a platter of long purple eggplant charred to a smoky-sweet custardlike consistency dressed in chilies, lime and fish sauce, and topped with essentially everything delicious, including shrimp two ways (dried and prawns), hard-boiled egg and shallots. Or you might lean into the volcanic heat in the vegetarian version of the naam tok ($15.25) salad, forgoing the flank steak for wild mushrooms. I’ve never successfully paced myself here to have the bandwidth for dessert, but frankly if I feel like ending a Pok Pok meal on a sweet note, I’ll just set aside one of the wings. BRIAN PANGANIBAN. Pro tip: If (when) you order the wings, don’t be afraid to ask for more towelettes. Depending on how fastidious you are, you may blow through the handful you’ve been given in two wings.

ST. JACK

1610 NW 23RD AVE. 503-360-1281 STJACKPDX.COM 4-11 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 4-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$-$$$$.

[LYON KING] The heart of St. Jack is its skillet boss, Aaron Barnett. He’s a Canadian with an affable demeanor and a background in fine dining who has been running his quasi-Lyonnaise bistro in Northwest Portland since 2014, when it moved across the river from its original location that opened in 2010. Barnett tends to keep a low profile, so you’re unlikely to see his name pop up on any award nomination lists or cheffy event rosters. He usually sticks to the kitchen,

ST. JACK PHOTO BY HILARY SANDER

it’s a serious slate, full of winners. The best dishes tend to be hearty, sometimes gutty affairs, that often appear as unwritten specials, so keep an open mind until your server gives the rundown. But a seasonal listed menu item is a good example of Barnett’s wheelhouse: bone marrow vierge ($19), two massive shin bone halves filled with custardy marrow, topped with chopped tomato, shallot and capers in sherry vinaigrette that just begins to cut the richness of the main event. It’s listed as an hors d’oeuvre, but is perfect to split. Meanwhile, a seasonal entree favorite, whole branzino ($32), might sound light and easy, but it’s a lot of fish, accompanied by creamed corn, mushrooms, Padrón peppers and spring onions. More conservative diners need not fear. Barnett knows his audience isn’t all jaded bouchon-aholics. The menu always includes a simple butter lettuce salad with a Dijon vinaigrette ($13), plus another couple seasonal salads in the same price range. And steak frites come in several variations, from an 8-ounce bavette ($31) to a massive 46-ounce bone-in rib-eye ($100). Foie gras ($27) or roasted marrow ($16) can be added, should the urge strike. To finish, grab baked-to-order madeleines ($9) or cobble together a cheese course ($8 each, 3 for $18, 5 for $24) from a list of a dozen. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: For extra menu fun, have a seat in the bar where a variation of the Canadian favorite, poutine ($15), is typically offered in addition to a massive, gooey double bacon cheeseburger with fries ($17).

northwest portland honorable mentions

Arden

417 NW 10TH AVE. 503-206-6097 ARDENPDX.COM 5-10 PM DAILY. $$$.

Arden is sleek, urbane and, at times, extraordinary—an avowedly wine-focused restaurant bringing wine-friendly cuisine to a city both literally and figuratively thirsty for it. Hang around the lounge with a curious expression and Arden’s friendly staff may surprise you with a splash or micro-pour of something or other from its generous cellar. Dinner here is a flat $64 for a four-course menu, and that might include a gorgeous nori tonnarelli pasta with fresh uni or Oregon trout crudo with Pink Lady apples, puffed quinoa, salmon roe and horseradish cream. The wine pairings ($42) dance marvelously with each dish.

Gastro Mania

1986 NW PETTYGROVE ST. 503-689-3794 GASTROMANIAPDX.COM 7:30 AM-4 PM MONDAY-TUESDAY, 7:30 AM-8 PM WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY, 11 AM-4 PM SATURDAY. $.

Portland is not a gyro town, but the best gyros I’ve eaten have been in Portland. Bulgarian-born Alex Nenchev’s tiny blue-collar Slabtown cafe eschews the spit—which he says is bad for freshness—using instead fresh-cut meat on a flat-top grill. Each of Gastro Mania’s gyros—whether lamb, chicken, salmon or tuna—is cooked fresh to order, and the herbs and spices that flavor them are equally fresh. And yet they still cost only $8 with a generous Greek side salad.

content to let his menu do the talking. And Willamette Week

Kim Jong Smokehouse

413 NW 21ST AVE. 126 SW 2ND AVE. 503-477-9364 KIMJONGSMOKEHOUSE.COM 11 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $.

At this casual lunchbox spot, Kim Jong Smokehouse merges the grill traditions of Korea with American Southern-inflected smoked meats. So your sweet-spicy honey-gochujang spareribs ($15) might get a rainbow of kimchi and quick-pickled daikon as sides, or arrive perched atop a scorched-rice bibimbap in a steaming cast-iron pan. But at the Northwest 21st Avenue location, Han Ly Hwang has also been throwing down a menu of anju—Korean drinking food you can otherwise get only in the ’Tron.

Mi Mero Mole

32 NW 5TH AVE. 971-266-8575 MMMTACOSPDX.COM 7:30 AM-9 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 7:30 AM-10 PM FRIDAY, NOON TO 10 PM SATURDAY, NOON TO 9 PM SUNDAY. $.

Sometimes you have to work after lunch. But sometimes you want to spend the second part of your day half asleep. On those days, Old Town’s Mi Mero Mole is the place to go for one of Portland’s most delightful and improbably inexpensive soporifics: a 12-ounce beer, a steely shot of Pueblo Viejo blanco tequila and a massive MMM burrito. Mole forgoes the usual rice and bean burrito fillers for luxuriantly stewlike guisados (think spicy pot roast) and a sometimes disturbing amount of cheese. The meal deal is a mere $10, but it’s worth shelling out another two bucks for the rich lamb mole negro.

Tilt

1355 NW EVERETT ST. 503-894-9528 3449 N ANCHOR ST. 503-285-8458 22 NE 2ND AVE. 971-420-2165 TILTUP.COM 7 AM-11 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 7 AM-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY. SWAN ISLAND: 11 AM-4 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY. $.

This burger joint proudly proclaims that it makes handcrafted food “built for the American workforce.” Those laborers must be assembling a project the size and scope of the Hoover Dam, developing an appetite just as large given the whopping portion sizes here. You can hardly get your mouth around all of the layers that make up a sandwich like the Woody

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Royale ($15), where the patty’s not particularly thick but piled high with the makings of a Texas barbecue: brisket, jalapeño coleslaw and a sweet, deepfried onion ring. The tots ($5, $8) are also super-sized—you could practically tee off with one of Tilt’s. And though it sounds impossible to continue to stuff yourself with dessert, Tilt’s old-fashioned pies ($5, $28) are a must-have, made-fromscratch dream. A slice of airy coconut cream is like riding a whipped, toasted cloud to heaven.

Sandwiches. Delivered. Late.

Mediterranean Exploration Company

333 NW 13TH AVE. 503-222-0906 MEDITERRANEANEXPLORATIONCOMPANY. COM 4-10 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 4-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$$.

You came for the Usul hummus ($14) at this upscale Israeli-inspired eatery by restaurateur John Gorham. Chef Kasey Mills calls the process for making it “a grandma recipe,” which is one where he doesn’t need the exact measurements because he knows when it’s right. But just as solid are the kebabs with meat ground fresh daily. The Nazareth ($16), which includes beef and lamb, is served on a bed of parsley tahina and puffed freekeh.

RingSide Steakhouse

2165 W BURNSIDE ST. 503-223-1513 RINGSIDESTEAKHOUSE.COM 5-11:30 PM MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, 5 PM-MIDNIGHT THURSDAY, 4 PM-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 4-11:30 PM SUNDAY. $-$$$$.

RingSide is an old-school steak house, emphasis on “old.” Couples have been celebrating 50th wedding anniversaries here since the ’40s, and the tuxedo-clad hosts instinctively guide you to your table at a mall-walker pace. Prices are in the “very special occasion” bracket—the much-exalted dry-aged steaks run up to $87 for a porterhouse—but for the young and broke, the happy-hour steak bites are $4.75 and, in their way, nearly as satisfying.

Order: 503-236-8067 1711 SE Hawthorne, Blvd. Open Daily 5pm - 3am 53

inner northeast portland ACADIA

1303 NE FREMONT ST. 503-249-5001 ACADIAPDX.COM 5 PM-CLOSE MONDAY-TUESDAY AND THURSDAY-SATURDAY, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 5 PM-CLOSE WEDNESDAY. $$.

[LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER] Several years ago, I ran out of money in New Orleans. The culinary carnival that is the Big Easy is the last place you want to be forced to subsist on the McDonald’s dollar menu. Fortunately, before that happened, I met a stranger who treated me to a five-course chef’s choice meal at a subdued bistro where we dined on everything from crispy boudin-stuffed quail to frog legs to duck breast. The closest I can get to reliving that potent evening punctuated with Cajun flavors and hole-in-the-wall French Quarter vibes is at Acadia. The Northeast Fremont restaurant demonstrates the brilliance of food from the bayou. Modest ingredients, like kidney beans, ham hocks and crawdads, can be transformed into indulgent dishes. The hush puppies ($5) are a strong example. The deep-fried balls arrive stacked in a pyramid on an orange horseradish glaze. Cut down the center to reveal a grainy yet soft middle flecked with green onions. Use the jazzed-up cornbread to soak in the sweet-hot sauce, giving the snack an almost Asian flair. In the South, fish fries are for summer, but you can taste the fellowship of that culinary tradition all year long at Acadia. Though often derided as an inferior species, I’ve always been drawn to the slight earthy musk of catfish. Caught wild in Louisiana, Acadia’s flaky fillets ($18) are coated in cornmeal and come lounging in a corn maque choux so colorful, it looks as though strands of Mardi Gras beads have exploded on the plate. But the star on the menu is the crawfish étouffée with soft-shell blue crab ($28). The chocolate dark roux is as bold and creamy as any meaty pan-drippings gravy while the fried crustacean, belly up with legs dangling wide, has delicate flesh best dipped in a zippy jalapeño tartar. For a moment, I’m back in that bistro on Dauphine Street in pretty much the

only city where two people who just met could be so inclined to share a fivecourse feast together. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: On Monday nights there’s a special cheap-eats menu on which certain entrees are $14 or you can opt for the three-course dinner with salad and bread pudding for $25.

AVIARY

1733 NE ALBERTA ST. 503-287-2400 AVIARYPDX.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, 4 TO 9 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

[FREE BIRD] In the years since a now-legendary fire scorched the nascent restaurant in 2011, Aviary’s rebirth is less like a phoenix rising and more like a time-lapse video of a meadow growing back after a burn—natural, abundant and diverse. Start with the mildly spicy tempura green beans ($12) piled on a creamy green curry. Though simple, it’s the perfect-sized snack for sharing pre-meal. After that, try the Japanese eggplant ($10), served with tomato miso, aji amarillo and dill. It’s a delight of both flavor and texture, as the tiny rice pearls provide a pleasant crispness that pairs perfectly with the smoky, but not too soft, eggplant. It might take some gentle encouragement from the server to order the hen of the woods ($20), served with corn, spaghetti squash, fennel and cherry ponzu, but take the recommendation. Also known as the maitake mushroom, it’s crispy and feathery—a far cry from the sponginess of other varieties—with a sweet, full, nutty flavor that makes it a great precursor to the tender flat iron steak smoked over Douglas fir ($26), which is worth the 20 minutes it takes to prepare. The meat, cooked to perfection, came with potato puree, pickled daikon and a fluffy bone marrow mustard. CRYSTAL CONTRERAS. Pro tip: The clean, crisp hamachi crudo ($17), served with rhubarb, fava beans, coconut shavings, avocado sorbet and basil, is creamy and satisfying, and makes for a great palate-cleansing intermission.

GRAIN & GRISTLE

1473 NE PRESCOTT ST. 503-288-4740 GRAINANDGRISTLE.COM NOON-MIDNIGHT MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

[BEER ME] Upright Brewing founder Alex Ganum—also co-owner of Grain & Gristle—isn’t always sure what chef

Greg Harrison Smith will do with the odds and ends he brings from his production facility—a bag of hops here, a container of wort there—but chances are good they’ll end up subtly woven into an experimental dish like oysters on the half shell with beer foam or a hop-infused creme “brew”-lee. There’s an ever-expanding list of ideas that blend brewing adjuncts, byproducts and beer in various stages of readiness with food in Smith’s mind. It’s that imaginative approach that makes this one of the best taverns in town you’re probably not visiting nearly often enough. The barnlike wood-grained pub has always flown under the radar as a modest sister to Old Salt, which doubled as a butcher shop before shuttering earlier in 2018. But that has started to change as Upright enthusiasts discover Grain & Gristle has become a de facto outpost for the brewery. The added bonus is food that reflects Smith’s self-effacing inclinations along with a frenetic and genuine enthusiasm for his craft—putting quality ingredients on a plate that will fill people up and make them happy. Old Salt may be gone, but its integral parts—the ranchers and butchers who helped supply the kitchen with farm-to-table cuts—are still involved at Grain & Gristle. The beef kielbasa, grilled for a slight, sweet char that nudges back against a gentle spice, is cut in three and pinwheeled over hearty chunks of potato and drizzled with tangy mustard. All of that rests on a fermented flapjack of sauerkraut. And a smoked pork shoulder pulls apart so easily, the texture is reminiscent of a pot roast that’s been in the slow cooker the better part of a day. You’ll probably have to ask which menu items are Smith’s creations that include Upright beer, but one mainstay is the Fressen pretzel with a thick glob of pub cheese made with Engelberg Pilsener. Its sassy character might just surprise you—the heat of the spicy dijon and Mama Lil’s peppers hit first, followed by a mellowing cream cheese. The bitterness of the garlic is mirrored in the beer. Just this one dip is an artfully arranged balance of acid and fat that you don’t think twice about, which is why I’m glad Smith has visions of clever combinations that just seem to keep growing. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: Get a full meal for two along with two 12-ounce beers for just $30. The selections rotate, so call after 2 pm to find out what’s cooking that day. Also consider making it an early dinner since the twofer can sell out.

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

INNER NORTHEAST PORTLAND

HAT YAI

1605 NE KILLINGSWORTH ST. 503-764-9701 HATYAIPDX.COM 11:30 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-10 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $.

[SUMMER LOVING] The surge of admiration and demand for Thai food in Portland has grown steadily for more than a decade, but really picked up speed in the past five years or so. In that window, chef Earl Ninsom opened prix fixe Langbaan, where seats are spoken for an astonishing six months out, as well as the more accessible Hat Yai. The fast-casual spot is an excellent reminder that the food in Thailand is regionally diverse—there’s a big world out there beyond pad thai. Ninsom’s summer trips to visit his grandmother as a child took him 500 miles south of his home in Bangkok down the thin stretch of land extending toward the Malay Peninsula. He would spend time in Hat Yai, the largest city in its province, and eat from street stalls that inspired the flavors at this Northeast Killingsworth Street counter-service joint. The humble skinny strip of a dining room echoes the simplicity of those stands, and you can watch the team work quickly but methodically in an open kitchen. There’s just a hint of stateside Southern character, too, and not just because there’s fried chicken. Countryfied touches extend to the rustic wood, cheery blue-andwhite vinyl tablecloths and drinks served in Mason jars. Start with chunks of skirt steak ($5) the size of ice cubes served skewered. Marinated in coconut milk and chili paste, the tropical notes lead with heat sneaking up on the back end, expanding and filling your mouth with each chewy bite— though there’s cooling relief found in a garnish of cucumbers, sweet pepper and cilantro. The muu hong ($13) is a big bowl of fatty, creamy indulgence—melty morsels of pork belly peek out from under a fried egg with crispy, curled edges. When you break the yolk, a bed of jasmine rice is ready at the bottom to soak up the sunny liquid. And then there’s that fried chicken. Order the crispy-skin leg quarter with tomato soup-colored curry and roti, a buttery fry bread that’s a little puffier than a tortilla. It’s an extremely affordable, transportive meal to Ninsom’s summers in the southern metropolis of

Warm Chocolate Soufflé Cakes Recipe courtesy of chef Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place MAKES TWELVE 6-OUNCE CAKES

This chocolate cake with a gooey center has been a constant on the Paley’s Place dessert menu since it opened. The batter can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. Extend the baking time if used right out of the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

15 ounces. bittersweet chocolate (64 percent cocoa solids) ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter 6 large eggs, separated ½ cup plus 1/3 cup sugar Pinch of salt Honey vanilla ice cream, for accompaniment DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly butter 12 6- to 8-ounce individual baking dishes or spray with nonstick vegetable spray.

In a double broiler, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Willamette Week

Hat Yai. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: The kitchen may look small, but it can turn out big flavors in large quantities. Consider swapping out the normal, dull wings at your next Super Bowl party for some Hat Yai chicken (starting at $115 for 20 people).

ZILLA SAKE

1806 NE ALBERTA ST. 503-288-8372 ZILLASAKE.COM 4-10 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, 4-9 PM SUNDAY. $$.

Place the egg whites in a small bowl. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer on medium speed, add ½ cup of sugar and salt and mix until the yolks are slightly thicker and lighter in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. Wash and dry the mixer bowl. Add the egg whites and whisk on low speed, gradually adding half of the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Increase the speed to medium and whisk until the whites form soft peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly add the remaining sugar, increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Check that the chocolate and beaten egg yolks are the same temperature. Using a spatula, fold the beaten yolks into the chocolate. In 3 additions, fold in the whites until combined. Pour batter into baking dishes, about ¾ full. Bake until set and a bit jiggly in the center, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately with honey vanilla ice cream.

ILLUSTRATION BY MINC WORK

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

[SAKE TO ME] Since 2016 when head sushi chef Kate Koo and Departure alum Sam Saltos formally took ownership of Zilla Sake, the Alberta restaurant has carved out a niche for itself as the city’s best raw fish you can order north of Burnside Street. And after a few years spent in flux discovering its true calling—specials driven? Party hearty? Really more of a bar?—at the end of 2018, it feels as if Zilla has settled into a comfortable, successful identity as a family-friendly neighborhood sushi spot with a significant twist. First, the sushi. You’ll find elevated favorites here, like a California roll ($11) made with Dungeness crab or thick, craveable futomaki like the nishi ($10) made with Pacific Northwest albacore, green onion, kaiware and wasabi. About that wasabi: This is one of the few places in town with the option to upgrade. For a few extra bucks, the chef will hand-grate the spicy and endlessly complex root for you. Ingredient sourcing is next-level here and is evident in everything from the line-caught Hawaiian maguro ($10) to the scallops from Hokkaido ($9). The best sushi I tried across multiple visits was the house-cured salmon roe ($10), which was astonishingly fresh with a satisfying snap and deep briny richness. Now, the twist: Zilla is one of the best sake bars in the country. On any given night, you can find upward of 100 varieties available by the glass, a truly astonishing number, challenged only by one or two spots in New York. Moreover, Zilla pours impossible-to-find stuff, including a selection of nama sakes—an unpasteurized seasonal style that’s typically vibrant and bold. It’s no wonder the sake industry has started using Zilla as its clubhouse for international events. A series of tasters is a great place to start—Kate’s Juuich-

INNER NORTHEAST PORTLAND

igatsu Flight ($19) gets you in the game with samples from revered breweries like Tenzan and Taiten Shiragiku. JORDAN MICHELMAN.

CHIN'S KITCHEN PHOTO BY EMILY JOAN GREENE

Pro tip: Can’t decide? In the mood to hang? Order the omakase ($45, $75) and a carafe of sake—ask the servers what they recommend. Make nice with the sushi chef. Compliment your first drink. And then don’t be surprised as the team at Zilla just starts…bringing you things. Delicious things! Boozy things. I only ask that you tip generously in response.

inner northeast portland honorable mentions

Grand Army Tavern

901 NE ONEONTA ST. 503-841-6195 GRANDARMYTAVERN.COM 4-10 PM MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, 3-11 PM THURSDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-2 PM AND 3-11 PM SATURDAY, 9 AM-2 PM AND 3-10 PM SUNDAY. $-$$.

Woodlawn’s Grand Army Tavern is an elegant wood-slatted hall of refreshing, citrusy cocktails and nose-to-tail, whole-pig butchery. It serves silky palomas ($9) and pork sliders ($15 for the platter) that will fill you up. The rotating selection of little sandwiches are decadent, and you might see anything from an excellent kielbasa to a trashy fried bologna, all served with fatty butter, house pickles and lettuce.

La Taq

1625 NE KILLINGSWORTH ST. 971-888-5687 LATAQPDX.COM 5 PM-MIDNIGHT NIGHTLY. $$.

The unofficial waiting room for a table at neighboring Podnah’s Pit, this Mexican cantina with some Texas kick is worth a longer visit if only to try some of Rodney Muirhead’s brisket tucked into a taco or wrapped in an enchilada. That molasses-sweet meat at La Taq comes out of the same smoker before its gussied up with salsa verde, cilantro and onion, then folded into a tortilla ($3.75). Or try to keep toppings from flying all over your table when negotiating the puffy taco ($6), an “everything’s bigger in the Lone Star State” sort of dish. Frying the masa gives the crispy shell a bee sting-swollen appearance, and biting into it results in an explosion of shredded lettuce and pico—but it’s also kind of like a food confetti celebrating your order.

Ranch PDX

1760 NE DEKUM ST. 971-288-5187 344 NE 28TH AVE. RANCHPDX.COM WOODLAWN: 11 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 11 AM-10 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. POISON’S RAINBOW: 3 PM-12:30 AM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 3 PM-2 AM FRIDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

If too many cheap takeout family dinners in your youth came from Little Caesars and resulted in a grown-up suspicion of square-shaped pizza, we totally understand. But Ranch will redeem pies with corners if you give it a chance. The thick Sicilian/Detroit-style crust with its blackened crunchy sides and doughy middle can handle the substantial additions generously heaped on top. For example, the Number Four ($23) comes with a rich tomato sauce base, crispy balls of sausage, chilies and basil—but you’ll be racing to bite your way to the center, where cooling mounds of creamy ricotta lie. This is a dipper’s sanctuary where ranch lovers can bathe their slices without shame. And the dressing is

divine and housemade with buttermilk, sour cream, green onion and dill.

Sweedeedee

5205 N ALBINA AVE. 503-946-8087 SWEEDEEDEE.COM 8 AM-3 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, 8 AM-2 PM SUNDAY. $.

Love to hate it, hate to love it: If you are one of the five people in Portland who haven’t yet feasted your eyes on Sweedeedee’s honeyed wood counters and glasses sparkling merrily against the window, just know that it is a frequent source of twee-induced rage strokes (or maybe people are just hangry from waiting in line). But the trout plate is worth the wait. At $14, it’s a bargain for two breakfasts in one—a large, succulent piece of pink house-smoked fish and a salad, which lies on top of an egg and potato frittata.

Willamette Week

outer northeast portland CHIN’S KITCHEN

4126 NE BROADWAY 503-281-1203 CHINSKITCHENPORTLAND.COM 11 AM-3 PM AND 5-9 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY. $-$$.

[STUNNING BUNS] Going to Chin’s Kitchen without ordering the guo bao rou ($18.95) would be a huge mistake. It’s a style of sweet-and-sour pork historic to the Dongbei region in northeastern China, and tasting it brings enlightenment. The thinly sliced pieces of deep-fried meat arrive incredibly crisp, yet tender in the center. The sauce, which adheres to everything, maintains the familiar sweetness and tang but is much lighter and complex than most. With its massive neon façade, Chin’s Kitchen has been a staple in the Hollywood neighborhood for nearly 70 years, but in 2016, new owners (and sisters) Chang Feng (Wendy) and Change (Cindy) Li brought a more regional focus. Beyond the guo bao rou, there’s a lot to explore: dry-fried wings with sweet-and-sour dipping sauce ($9.95, $13.95), plump pork and leek dumplings ($10.95), spicy cumin beef ($15.95) and hand-pulled noodle soup ($11.95) prepared on the other side of a glass window. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: Though Chin’s Kitchen does offer takeout, you can only get that guo bao rou by dining in. The old-school vibes will transport you back to another time, too.

outer northeast portland honorable mentions

Du’s Grill

5365 NE SANDY BLVD. 503-284-1773 DUSGRILL.COM 11 AM-8:45 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY. $.

One of our writers ate at every Korean teriyaki spot in the Pacific Northwest only to declare Du’s the best in the known universe. But in principle, Du’s is simple. It is char-tipped pork, chicken, beef ($9.75-$11.50) or a combo of two thereof ($11.25-$11.50), grilled up on the flat top and slathered volitionally with sweet-sticky soy, next to poppy seed-dressed salad. Du’s

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

is not always perfect—avoid the late-night hours, when the meat dries out in the kitchen. But when it is perfect, nothing else in the world will do.

Pho An Sandy 6236 NE SANDY BLVD. 503-281-2990 PHOANSANDY.COM 9 AM-9 PM DAILY. $.

Housed in a former A&W Root Beer stand and keeping the diner feeling alive, Pho An serves a broth ($10-$15) that’s slightly sweeter than most with just about anything in it you might want: tripe, tendon and meatballs that have an almost sausagelike consistency. For the less adventurous, there’s also beef, shrimp or chicken.

Pho Oregon 2518 NE 82ND AVE. 503-262-8816 PHOOREGON.NET 9 AM-8 PM DAILY. $.

Pho Oregon’s huge dining room is filled with the taste of broth. Its pho ($9.45$10.95) is some of the best in town, long popular with the Portland foodie crowd. The menu is also thick with traditional Vietnamese dishes, like com bo kho ($11.45), a fatty, succulent beef in a broth with salt-and-pepper rice that’s worth branching out for.

Tortilleria y Tienda de Leon

16223 NE GLISAN ST. 503-255-4356 SALSASLOCAS.COM 9 AM-8 PM MONDAY-SATURDAY, 9 AM-7 PM SUNDAY. $.

For nearly 20 years, Tienda de Leon has been one of Portland’s most essential excursions. Located at the exact border of Portland and Gresham, the de Leon family taqueria and store sells their corn tortillas and heavenly guisados— Mexican meat stews bubbling in little cauldrons in the deli case. The carnitas ($10.99) are some of the most consistently wonderful in town, the chipotle-spiked tinga chicken earthy, the beef birria de res a school in depth and heat.

Fillmore Trattoria

Italian Home Cooking

Tuesday–Saturday 5:30PM–10PM closed Sunday & Monday

1937 NW 23RD Place Portland, OR 97210 (971) 386-5935

COQUINE PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DONG

outer southeast portland COQUINE

6839 SE BELMONT ST. 503-384-2483 COQUINEPDX.COM 9:30 AM-2 PM MONDAY-TUESDAY, 9:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, 8 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-10 PM FRIDAY-SUNDAY. $$-$$$$.

[JOLI POULET] Coquine flirts with perfection every night. It has arguably been at the top of Portland’s restaurant heap since its doors opened three years ago with almost no buildup or fanfare. All credit for that goes to Coquine’s preternaturally talented chef, Katy Millard, and her house-fronting sommelier husband, Ksandek Podbielski. The worst thing about dinner at Coquine is having to decide between the roast chicken platter ($36 half, $64 whole), the most memorable poultry entree this side of San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe circa 1990, or one of the tasting menus (four-course $65, seven-course $98) replete with treasures, but alas, not that juicy, crispy-skinned bird. The only sound strategy is to plan two visits to try it all, and maybe a third to wander at will through a dozen or so à la carte offerings. In late summer, one of the choices was

a divine artichoke soup ($15) with meaty Castelvetrano olives, poached heirloom beans and flowering oregano. Another: fried green tomatoes ($12), with an anchovy-tarragon mayo, pickled onion and here-and-gone sweet Charentais melon. On the more substantial side, there’s always a riveting pasta or two along with a chunk of fish, say, seared black cod ($30) dressed Mediterranean-style, with peppers, olives and pine nuts. The unifying theme is hyper-seasonality and peerless creativity. There’s no drop in quality with the dessert list—even if you’re full there’s definitely still room for the candy tray ($2.50), which might include everything from caramels to flavored marshmallows. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: Let’s not forget dinner is only one aspect of Coquine’s multidimensional hospitality. In the morning, the homey dining room offers pastries, beloved hazelnut and cocoa nib granola ($8) and other breakfasty things.

outer southeast portland honorable mentions

Ha VL

2738 SE 82ND AVE., NO. 2 503-772-0103 8 AM-4 PM WEDNESDAY-MONDAY. $.

press. The family makes just two soups a day, every day but Tuesday, forever. Most are served at founders Christina Ha Luu and William Truong’s Rose VL on Southeast Powell Boulevard, from complex turmeric-laden mi quang to peppery pork ball noodles. But when son Peter Vuong inherited the original Ha VL on Southeast 82nd Avenue, he introduced an innovative take on bun cha oc snail noodle soup with a lemongrass-scented snail meatball. It’s a marvel of soupcraft.

HK Cafe

4410 SE 82ND AVE. 503-771-8866 HKCAFEPORTLAND.COM 9:30 AM-11 PM DAILY. $.

Though HK Cafe does sport an à la carte menu, even made-up minds will be changed once the dim sum carts rattle by, piled high with mysterious, clochetopped steamers and piloted by grumpy women with a penchant for placing unasked-for dishes on your table. But it’s OK, because here you will want all the dishes: juicy, handball-sized shumai studded with shrimp, tender tripe, savory fried noodles, and all manner of buns, best among them a soft, sugar-crusted round that bursts with a sweet egg-yolk filling when bitten.

Ha VL is the Vietnamese soup shop that shipped a thousand articles in the food

Willamette Week

Kenny’s Noodle House 8305 SE POWELL BLVD. 503-771-6868 9:30 AM-9 PM DAILY. $.

The sign says “Noodles” on the Powell Boulevard pink house that’s home to Kenny’s, and the Hong Kong-style noodle house serves subtle thin-noodle soups by the boatload, in pages and pages of variations. But what we come here craving most is the deep comfort of savory rice congee ($6.15-$6.75), the porridge of China. In your savory cream of rice, whose comfort seeps deep into the primal reptile brain, you have an unholy world of options for proteins: rock cod, brisket, pork, mushrooms, you name it.

Pure Spice

2446 SE 87TH AVE., SUITE 101 503-772-1808 PURESPICERESTAURANT.COM 9:30 AM-9:30 PM DAILY. $.

At Pure Spice, a little piece of heaven costs $2.85. At the Division Street Chinese spot’s dim sum brunch, that’s the price of delicate hand-pulled rice noodles as layered as filo, doused in vinegar-savory sauce and folded in with a garden of barbecue pork or shrimp or simple chives and scallions. It is also the price of three ha gow dumplings—delicate rice-noodle purses bursting with shrimp and chive flavor—and of four impossibly pork-packed pockets of shumai. In fact, everything on the front side of the menu costs $2.85, all of it solid. Split 10 trays as a pair, and you might never leave.

Teo Bun Bo Hue

8220 SE HARRISON ST., NO. 230 503-208-3532 10 AM-9 PM DAILY. $.

Almost no one alive makes soup with the love, delicacy, meticulousness and beauty Teo Bun Bo Hue applies to the two soups it serves. Both are the best of their kind in Portland, a town already known nationwide for Vietnamese soup. The namesake Hue beef noodle soup—a swirl of pork blood and chili oil—is a lip-smacking flavor wallop backed by a tour of textures from blood cake to trotter. But it’s the delicate take on pho ga—pho with chicken stock and bone-in chicken—that is a marvel of modern Portland, eschewing the anise-filled southern sweetness for light floral delicacy and a relentless purity of chicken flavor.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

AVA GENE'S PHOTO BY HENRY CROMETT

OUTER SOUTHEAST PORTLAND CONTINUED

Wild North

8145 SE 82ND AVE. 971-808-1202 WILDNORTHPDX.COM 11 AM-8 PM WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-9 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 9 AM-3 PM SUNDAY. $-$$.

Wild North is the latest Portland food cart to create a menu with astonishing expertise at an extreme value. Many of its seasonal dishes wouldn’t be out of place in a fancier setting, like chilled cucumber gazpacho ($6, $10), barbecue pork roulade ($10), mussels in tomato broth ($15, $25) and porchetta ($13). But there’s also a fire-roasted twist—almost everything here is prepared in a brick pizza oven, making Wild North look like a snack shack in the woods.

richmond AVA GENE’S

3377 SE DIVISION ST. 971-229-0571 AVAGENES.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 5-11 PM FRIDAY, 4:30-11 PM SATURDAY, 4:30-10 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

[GARDEN FRESH] Don’t let all the Italian words on the menu fool you. Ava Gene’s is the best Pacific Northwest restaurant in Portland. Helmed by chef-owner Joshua McFadden, Ava Gene’s is fancy—practically cosmopolitan—with white marble floors and what feels like a hundred hanging lights. Waiters in all black are knowledgeable but not intrusive. The sophisticated drinks program is known for Negronis and rare Italian wines. It’s all done in honor of the food. While many make empty promises, McFadden actually serves the best and freshest regional produce, the result of hard-won relationships with local farmers. This makes the giardini the most exciting section of the menu. There, every dish, no matter the complexity, is driven by one or two perfectly in-season

ingredients—from strawberries and cherries to corn and tomatoes. This summer saw the raw tartness of tomatillos pitted against sultry peaches ($13), the sweet-tart flavors duking it out over wholesome green parched wheat with feta and Padrón peppers. Last winter, spiced carrots and cashews arrived beneath fried sunchoke reminiscent of potato chips. When it comes to its pastas, Ava Gene’s is especially hands-on, sourcing its grains and flours from local farmers and even milling some in-house. The tagliatelle alla Bolognese ($24) has transported me to Bologna, but I lean toward the adventurous seasonal pastas made with rye, buckwheat or other less common flours. With such sourcing and technique, the pastas are spendy, and don’t expect a single dish to equate to a full meal—Ava Gene’s portions are only slightly larger than the classic Italian primi. It’s a good excuse to go wild with giardini selections and split a pasta; regardless, everything is supposed to be eaten family-style. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: For those going all out, move onto the secondi, such as the pork saltimbocca ($33) or roasted chicken ($29). And don’t leave without trying what’s very likely the best tiramisu ($10) in Portland.

Willamette Week

SUPER DELUXE

5000 SE POWELL BLVD. EATSUPERDELUXE.COM 7 AM-11 PM DAILY. $.

[ROYALE WITH CHEESE] Not many new restaurants create gridlock. When Super Deluxe opened this summer, cars were spilling out of the parking lot and onto Southeast 50th Avenue. During the first week of business, waits were rumored to run nearly an hour. The hype surrounding the business has neared In-N-Out proportions—the streamlined menu has drawn comparisons, but given the breakfast menu and chicken options, it has some Sonic in its DNA as well. Two of the forces behind Little Big Burger, Matt Lynch and Micah Camden, are once again offering up seared beef between two pieces of bread—only this time, they’re trying to elevate the quality of sandwich you’d expect to get handed to you while behind the wheel. Don’t expect a thick slab for a patty like those you’d find at Little Big Burger. The single deluxe ($4.75) is thin, but that allows the edges to brown for a satisfying crunch. Drizzled in a combination of mayo and ketchup, it’s reminiscent of an old-school Arctic Circle burger slathered in Original Fry Sauce. Texture is not lost on these sandwich artists as there’s a generous layering of pickle, shredded onion and lettuce. If you’re looking for a salty side, skip the Yukon fries ($2.75), which are hit and miss when it comes to nailing the advertised truffle character. Instead, go for the chicken nuggets ($3.75-$4.50). Each morsel in the five-piece batch is hand-breaded, with onion and garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, creating a rough crust around the moist meat. Even with a few kinks to be worked out, Super Deluxe reigns as the true burger king of Foster-Powell fast food—ignore the pretender to the crown across the street. ANDI PREWITT. Pro tip: Line for drive-thru wrapped around the parking lot? Don’t forget there is seating inside the former TacoTime. The building has been made over with bright, primary colors and a graphics motif that seems to pay homage to minimalist corporate designs from the ’70s.

richmond honorable mentions

Bollywood Theater 2039 NE ALBERTA ST. 971-200-4711 3010 SE DIVISION ST. 503-477-6699 BOLLYWOODTHEATERPDX.COM 11 AM-10 PM DAILY. $$.

Bollywood Theater may not offer a menu with as much breadth and depth as other Indian restaurants, but what it does, it does very well. A kati roll (we like the beef ones, $11.25) and a side of sambar ($3.25) will set you up nicely. Pay special attention to the seasonal chalkboard specials, like some sensational stinging nettle parathas in the spring.

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

3354 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-432-8115 FARMHOUSEPDX.COM 11 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-9 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-10 PM FRIDAY, NOON-10 PM SATURDAY, NOON-9 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

Portland has a lot of Thai food, but this Bay Area import does things a little different and, frankly, better than most. The 24 hours beef noodle soup ($24) isn’t your typical bowl of broth. There’s a huge rib in it, and it’s so rich you won’t be able to finish it until 24 hours later. The curries are superbly spiced, and the homemade sodas add color and unique flavors to any meal.

KaTi

2932 SE DIVISION ST. 503-477-6059 KATIPORTLAND.COM 11:30 AM-3 PM AND 5-10 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

The lack of meat on KaTi’s menu is far from the vegetarian Thai spot’s most prominent quality. Instead, it’s the seriously spicy and inordinately fragrant flavors packed into each dish. Even the tempeh—which is usually both a crutch and the downfall for meatless food—is a dense, tender sponge for the sauces of glazy noodle stir fries, like the surprisingly floral Tom Yum Hang ($15).

Happy Hour 4pm-7pm Daily COME PLAY WITH US

ONLINE CLASS

Woodsman Tavern

4537 SE DIVISION ST. 971-373-8264 WOODSMANTAVERN.COM 5-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9 AM-10 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

Woodsman’s chalet vibe is bolstered by a whiskey-heavy cocktail menu, and elevated takes on meaty classics are where the restaurant shines. The lemon brown butter grilled trout ($26) is back on the menu after a brief disappearance. Or, if you’re feeling posh, there’s the 16-ounce rib-eye ($42). Fire-grilled slabs are served sliced and crusted in salt and pepper, with accompanying smoked blue cheese butter. Tack on sides of purple-cabbage coleslaw ($3) or mac and cheese topped with crunchy breadcrumb crumble ($5) to any plate for maximum gastronomic bliss.

O.L.C.C. Special: $14.99

OLCC approved courses offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Initial & Renewal Alcohol Servers Education Classes & Exams. www.ASEPDX.com

www.MOMENTSNOTICEOREGONTESTING.com

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Muu Ping Grilled Pork Recipe courtesy of chef Andy Ricker, Pok Pok

SERVINGS: 4

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

In Thailand, many vendors remove the charred bits from the meat with scissors. At home, it’s your call. Either way, keep the heat moderate and your eyes peeled, because the sweet marinade can quickly take the pork across the line from charred to burnt.

Thai granite mortar and pestle 12 wooden skewers, each about 8 inches long, soaked in tepid water for 30 minutes Grill, preferably charcoal, grate oiled Food-safe brush

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces boneless pork shoulder 1 peeled garlic clove 1 cilantro root 2 tablespoons soft palm sugar 2 teaspoon Thai seasoning sauce (look for the green cap) 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce 1 teaspoon Thai oyster sauce ½ teaspoon MSG (optional, but highly recommended) ½ cup well-shaken, unsweetened coconut cream, preferably boxed Ground black pepper Khao niaw (sticky rice) for serving

Willamette Week

southwest portland

Skewers

HIGGINS

1239 SW BROADWAY 503-222-9070 HIGGINSPORTLAND.COM 11:30 AM-9:30 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-10:30 PM FRIDAY, 4-10:30 PM SATURDAY, 4-9:30 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

DIRECTIONS

To marinate: Using a sharp knife, cut the pork against the grain into strips about 2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. Do not discard the fat. It’s the best part. You should have 36 strips. Put the pork in a bowl and set aside. Combine the garlic and cilantro root in the mortar and pound to a fine paste, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and pound to combine. Add the seasoning sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and MSG and stir well. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the pork and mix with your hands to coat the pork. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours.

To grill: Prepare the grill to cook with medium-high heat. Pour the coconut cream into a small bowl. Thread 3 pork pieces onto each skewer, bunching them together and making sure the tip of the skewer isn’t exposed (otherwise it will burn). Put the skewers on a plate or sheet pan and sprinkle them with the pepper. Discard the marinade left in the bowl. Put the skewers on the grill grate and grill, frequently flipping the skewers and brushing the pork with coconut cream until the pork is nicely browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and eat right away with the rice.

ILLUSTRATION BY MINC WORK

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

[TWEEDY TAVERN, DAPPER DINING] Every real city deserves a Higgins, the sort of restaurant that could only be downtown— somewhere between the theater and the courthouse—and anyone in the bar could be a notable figure in the community: a lawyer, a reporter or the mayor. That Portland is home to such an institution, which has thrived for more than two decades, with bar and dining room busy from open to close, is a testament to the city’s sophistication as a restaurant town. The servers at Higgins know what you should order, and if you sit in the dark, leather-elbow-patched jacket of a bar, they’ll tell you—the waitstaff is altogether more uptight in the more formal dining room, resplendent in white tablecloths and Portland power suits. On a given visit, that menu recommendation might be a fresh plate of heirloom tomato salad with burrata, basil, good balsamic and roasted garlic ($18.50), or prosciutto di Parma with Charentais melon topped with fancy olive oil and sherry vinegar ($18.50). You have to get the charcuterie board ($21), featuring a deep bench of some dozen-odd of the restaurant’s famed house-cured meats, plus pickles and crackers. The bartender will insist on a side of bread ($2 per person), defining its necessity as “a moral issue.” You might get a glass of wine—local bubbly Argyle Brut 2014 is $15 a glass—but what you really want is beer from the restaurant’s much-loved rare and vintage bottle offerings or from the ever-changing and rightly revered chalkboard tap list, which might include kegs from breweries like Crooked Stave, North Coast and Firestone Walker. Have we had it too good for too long? If Higgins had opened in 2018, diners would be naked in the streets raving about it. Instead we’ve got a restaurant that’s pleasantly dug into the Portland dining scene—if it’s been a moment since you’ve been, you simply have to go. JORDAN MICHELMAN. Pro tip: No foolies, the staff here is deeply knowledgeable about chef Greg Higgins’ ever-changing expression of seasonal Pacific Northwest food. Ask for recommendations. If the server seems tight-lipped, wander over to the bar and ask there—you won’t be led wrong.

ROE PHOTO BY LEAH NASH

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND CONTINUED

LITTLE BIRD BISTRO

215 SW 6TH AVE. 503-688-5952 LITTLEBIRDBISTRO.COM 11:30 AM-MIDNIGHT MONDAY-FRIDAY, 5 PM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$$.

[DECADENT MOVEMENT] This French-fusion bistro, the work of celebrity chef Gabriel Rucker, is as dynamic as it is consistent. The restaurant’s downtown dining room is best described in a word: sultry. Red leather booths line one wall beneath baskets of cascading big-leaved philodendrons and teardrop-shaped lights. A pair of large antlers marks the kitchen entrance, and metal-stamped ceiling tiles shine softly overhead. While appropriate acclaim has been awarded to Little Bird’s double brie burger (just $7 during happy hour), the restaurant’s deconstructed fried chicken coq a vin ($29) is worth paying a little more for. The meal’s presentation is a performance in itself. Coated in rice, potato flour and drenched in buttermilk before a dip in the deep fryer, the airy cuts sit atop rich, raclette- and herb-laden mashed potatoes. Rosemary-balsamic jus is drizzled on the plate tableside by your server. Altogether, the dish manages to meld Southern comfort with French decadence. Other ambitious offerings include an

escargot appetizer ($19), served with fresh, just-cooked parsnip noodles and a heavy coating of toasted hazelnut herb butter. The dish gets style points, but complimentary Grand Central Bakery baguette slices may be a better, pareddown means of conveyance for the earthy snails to reach your mouth. Ending a romantic meal (or, really, any meal) with dessert should be a requirement, and Little Bird has plenty of sweets to satiate. The savory-inclined might opt for a cheese plate ($16) and port ($13-$16), whereas chocolate connoisseurs should choose the raspberry roulade ($12)—fluffy mousse spiraled with chocolate cake and served atop zesty Szechuan peppercorn chocolate sauce—if it graces the menu with its presence again. Post-meal Stumptown coffee ($4), if ordered, is served in a delicate ceramic set, which, our server informed us, was snagged at Goodwill. The artisan-and-thrifted combo might be the most authentic Portland fusion on the menu. ELISE HERRON. Pro tip: Wine drinkers might be tempted to order a local pinot noir, like the 2015 Fossil & Fawn made with grapes from Willamette Valley’s Silvershot Vineyards ($14), which is tart and light to the point of being nearly effervescent. But consider instead the crisp 2017 French Rose ($10). It boasts a more delicious floral taste at a cheaper price.

ROE

515 SW BROADWAY SUITE 100 503-232-1566 ROEPDX.REST 5:30-10 PM WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY.

[SEA CHANGE] Built on French and Japanese cooking techniques, Roe serves the most refined seafood dishes in Portland. The restaurant relocated downtown in December 2017, and Roe has realized its full capabilities at its new iteration—this, despite the fact the longtime driving force behind the restaurant, Trent Pierce, resigned in a surprise change-up in fall 2018. Roe is a strange bird. To find it, you must walk through the Morgan Building galleria until you find an all-white staircase. At the top, there is a door and on the other side a dimly lit room where a card with your name sits. “Please relax and enjoy your surroundings,” it reads, “we will be with you shortly.” Soon a host arrives with a gift—a welcome aperitif during my latest visit. Next, you’re guided to your table on the other side of the curtain. Everything is intentional in the long, open dining room. The kitchen spans most of one side. Each table of two faces the chefs, almost like theater seating. Roe maintains a large staff and may provide the best service in Portland. No request is too demanding, from half-glass wine pours to a brief history of sushi rice.

Willamette Week

Each night centers on two prix fixe menus—one four courses ($80), the other seven ($135). And yes, Roe is going to cost you, but for anyone who wants to experience world-class seafood preparation, the smaller set menu is a steal. You might taste the meatiest scallop of your life, butter-poached and served with a spicy and tangy blueberry-stuffed Padrón pepper, or a single piece of sea bass that seems rare, injection-basted and fried all at the same time. After a recent meal at Roe, I felt as though I’d just attended a performance or, even better, I was momentarily part of a living artwork. The restaurant is built on a mastery of technique, but it’s the vision and style behind the new location that take Roe to new heights. MATTIE JOHN BAMMAN. Pro tip: Roe also offers caviar flights ($175, individual caviars $45-$68), one of the most elite culinary experiences in Portland.

SHIZUKU

1235 SW JEFFERSON ST. 503-227-4136 SHIZUKUPDX.COM 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 6-9:30 PM WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY. CLOSED WEDNESDAY EVENINGS. $$.

[PAGEANT WINNER] Let’s get one thing out of the way: If this were a dining room beauty contest, Shizuku might be our No. 1 pick. First opened by chef and owner Naoko Tamura in 2008, a 2016 redesign by noted Tokyo architect Kengo Kuma, who’s currently working on the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has transformed the space into a must-see restaurant in Portland. It’s also simultaneously a culinary hub for the Oregon-Japanese community. The result is like someone opened a wormhole between Jefferson Street and Tokyo—the place is utterly transportive and a wholly welcome escape from the sights and sounds of local life. There is a reason Tamura caters meals for every Delta flight from Portland to Tokyo. She has an exquisite touch when it comes to Japanese cuisine made with Pacific Northwest ingredients. And you really must go to Shizuku twice to experience it—once for lunch and again for dinner. In the daytime, order one of the many offered trays—a riff on traditional bento box—and don’t skimp on the sides, which range from $2 to $5. You’ll be rewarded with crispy shrimp tempura, hearty slices of country tamagoyaki (a Japanese sweet omelet) flecked with bits of vegetable and a wonderfully soft steamed shumai dumpling. For your main, pick one of the daily specials. Shizuku’s skill with a fryer is demonstrated in a perfectly battered oyster ($26) or rockfish done karaage-style ($25), with spicy tsukemono pickles. The rest of the tray includes brown rice, a fresh market salad with miso vinai-

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND CONTINUED

grette and a small cup of miso soup. Show me a classier lunch anywhere in town. The dinners are done in the tradition of kaiseki, which includes several courses with a heavy emphasis on presentation and aesthetics. At $65 per person, it’s one of the city’s best values for a multidish meal, and you can expect seasonally changing offerings like tuna and miso carpaccio, fried zucchini, mussels udon and an elaborate nine-item shokado tray with delicate bites. Gratuity is tastefully included, so with a drink or two, dinner here tops out at around $100. That’s cheaper than a flight to Tokyo, and nearly as essential. JORDAN MICHELMAN. Pro tip: With due respect and then some to this restaurant, beverages aren’t the focus here. But for a truly exquisite, sensorial experience, bring along a bottle of Champagne and pay the corkage fee. Sparkling wine will cruise with this food, and a bottle shared between two diners should get you through the full meal.

southwest portland honorable mentions

Afuri Ramen + Dumpling 68

50 SW 3RD AVE. 971-288-5510 923 SE 7TH AVE. 503-468-5001 AFURIRAMENANDDUMPLING.COM 11 AM-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. SOUTHEAST: 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-10 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-11 PM FRIDAY, 11:30 AM-11 PM SATURDAY, 11:30 AM-10 PM SUNDAY. $.

Tokyo ramen chain Afuri’s new Old Town dumpling bar and “noodle lab” hits what may be the sweet spot between minimalism and bursting ambition. The fast-casual restaurant is a low-key rumpus room with balanced shrimp-broth ramen, aggressive cocktails and goofball circus-food innovations. The poke tacos (two for $8) are like the technicolor dream of the San Gabriel Valley—a Latin-Asian mashup that also manages to be as intuitive as ceviche on a cracker.

Bamboo Sushi 404 SW 12TH AVE. 503-444-7455 310 SE SE 28TH AVE. 503-232-5255 1409 NE ALBERTA ST. 503-889-0336 836 NW 23RD AVE. 971-229-1925

BAMBOOSUSHI.COM 11:30 AM-10 PM DAILY. SOUTHEAST, NORTHEAST: 4:30-10 PM NIGHTLY. NORTHWEST: 5-10 PM NIGHTLY. $$$.

needed. When that bun is heated on the steam-powered griddle, it becomes delightfully crisp with a great snap.

Bamboo Sushi is an ever-expanding empire with soon-to-be five locations in Oregon and outposts in three other states, so it’s a good thing Bamboo is helping a little slice of the country get its roll fix without pillaging the oceans. It was actually the first sushi restaurant to earn sustainability certification a decade ago. Go with a friend and a strategy. Split one of the signature rolls like Chasing the Dragon ($15), with a textural halo of tempura shrimp and flakes ringing a filling of spicy tuna, crab, refreshing cucumbers and avocado along with the thick and juicy Wagyu burger ($15). There—you’ve just created your own surf-and-turf dinner for $30.

1014 SW HARVEY MILK ST. 503-228-3333 CLYDECOMMON.COM 3-11 PM MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, 3 PM-MIDNIGHT THURSDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, 10 AM-11 PM SUNDAY. $$-$$$.

Bistro Agnes

527 SW 12TH AVE. 503-222-0979 BISTROAGNES.COM 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-11 PM FRIDAY, 11 AM-2 PM AND 5-11 PM SATURDAY, 11 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM SUNDAY. $$-$$$.

Out of SuperBite’s ashes comes Bistro Agnes, which is at its best with the rich, no-holds-barred French dishes that dot the menu. The beef short rib bourguignon ($32) is deep, dark and delectable in its cloak of red wine- and beef broth-based sauce. And a cassoulet ($36) has enough duck confit, pork belly, toulouse sausage and white beans to work as an entree for two. If you consider “rich” or “French” dirty words, Agnes has you covered. Look for simple salads, a side dish of sautéed spinach ($7) or a cheeseburger (ignore the “à la Francaise”; $22).

Bless Your Heart 126 SW 2ND AVE. 503-719-4221 BYHPDX.COM 11 AM-9 PM DAILY. $.

At Bless Your Heart, deep in the bowels of Pine Street Market, chef John Gorham of Toro Bravo and former employee Drew Sprouse have made perfect Carolina-style burgers ($6.95-$9.95) with a patty that’s one-third each of short rib, chuck and brisket. That beef is caramelized to juicy perfection, showing a steaky character you’d expect from a burger cooked on an older, more well-seasoned grill. Then, it gets an incredible bun—Martin’s potato rolls purchased in bulk from the Pennsylvania company and frozen until

Clyde Common

This downtown stalwart is still a hub for good food and a prime place for people watching. Whether you’re sipping on a Jeffrey Morgenthaler-designed cocktail or feasting on a piece of perfectly smoked trout perched on a blackened bourbon barrel stave ($25), Clyde remains quintessential Portland cool.

Dil Se Indian Cuisine

1201 SW JEFFERSON ST. 503-804-5619 DILSEPDX.COM 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-9/9:30 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY. $-$$.

The husband-and-wife team behind this little Indian spot make some of the best dosas ($9-$18) in Portland—wafer-thin South Indian lentil and rice crepes rolled up and stuffed with meat or potatoes or both. Alongside spice-crusted Chicken 65 ($9)—an appetizer of deep-fried chicken nuggets—get any dosa with masala filling and you’ll be equally transported, especially the style made famous in the city of Mysore, which has gunpowder potatoes bolstered by a hearty lentil stew.

Imperial

410 SW BROADWAY 503-228-7222 IMPERIALPDX.COM 6:30 AM-11 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 6:30 AM-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY, 8 AM-MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, 8 AM-11 PM SUNDAY. $$$.

The glistening cuts that come off Imperial’s wood-fired grill are one reason the dining room at this downtown hotel restaurant is consistently busy. But we come for the soup. The fact that a meatless dish can be a draw in what’s better known as a protein palace speaks to the skills of the kitchen even after the departure of chef Doug Adams. Always start with the soup of the day ($9), which could be summer’s last gasp of flavor like a recent chowder brimming with corn kernels and fresh pops of tomato, or a warm blanket come winter in the form of a velvety butternut squash. Then give in to your carnivore cravings and order the honey-and-hot-sauce fried chicken ($21), a succulent, smoky bacon chop ($32) or Willamette Week

fall-apart tender duck meatballs ($12). While it normally sells out nightly, skip the dry-aged burger. Your $24 will be better spent elsewhere on the menu.

Jackrabbit

830 SW 6TH AVE. 503-412-1800 GOJACKRABBITGO.COM 7-10 AM AND 11:30 AM-11 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 7 AM-10 AM AND 11:30 AM-11:30 PM FRIDAY, 8 AM-11:30 PM AND 8 AM-11 PM SUNDAY. $$$-$$$$.

The downtown Portland outpost of San Francisco celebrity chef Chris Cosentino has a menu that zigs and zags, but the sweet spot is the meaty stuff. The best item in the lot is a 28-day-aged, 4-pound “pin bone steak” ($120). It resembles a steroidal porterhouse sliced from the bone à la Brooklyn’s Peter Luger and served on a slab of wood with seasonal vegetables and bone marrow dip.

Murata

200 SW MARKET ST. 503-227-0080 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5:30-9:30 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 5:30-9 PM SATURDAY. $$$.

The decades-old Murata has occupied a curious place in the city’s sushi landscape: It’s understated, reserved and not at all flashy. Nonetheless, it’s a destination for those in the know. The specials astound—Oregon gaper clams, Hood Canal geoduck and succulent spot prawns served two ways: The bodies come raw and the heads are battered and fried (all items market price). But it’s Murata’s work with sashimi that’s truly exemplary. Simply name the dollar amount and watch with wonder as chefs craft beautifully composed plates of tender uni, Northwest smoked salmon and briny roe, displayed like a work of art.

Paiche

4237 SW CORBETT AVE. 503-403-6186 PAICHEPDX.COM 11 AM-3 PM FRIDAY-SUNDAY. $.

The gorgeous lime-laden ceviche that earned Peruvian chef Jose Luis de Cossio’s tiny Corbett restaurant the top spot in our 2016-17 Restaurant Guide has been replaced with an ever-rotating assortment of seasonal vegan options, but its menu is inspiring as ever. On our visit, creative dishes like a beet-crusted empanada ($11.50) filled with squash and dried fruit offered earthy complexity, and the beautifully layered potato, pear and cauliflower causa ($12.50) could convert the most die-hard carnivores.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Tastebud

7783 SW CAPITOL HIGHWAY 503-245-4573 TASTEBUDPDX.COM 5-9 PM MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, 5-10 PM THURSDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-2 PM AND 5-9 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $$.

Tastebud’s cozy dining room—cabinlike with exposed wood beams and, on a recent visit, aromas of baked herbs—successfully entices hoards of rain-weary and hungry diners. Light, thin and pillowy, the wood-fired pizzas feature seasonal toppings like shiitake mushrooms, delicata squash, fig jam, fennel and farm-fresh eggs.

suburbs LITTLE CONEJO

114 W 6TH ST., VANCOUVER, WASH. 360-718-2633 LITTLECONEJO.COM 11 AM-2 PM AND 5-10 PM WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-2 PM AND 5-11 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 10 AM-3 PM SATURDAY. $.

[RABBIT FOOD] During a recent weekday lunch rush, Little Conejo’s airy, open-kitchen dining room in downtown Vancouver was aclatter with activity—one cook in a heavy-duty Ben Davis apron rapidly chopped suadero, a lesser-known cut of beef located near the belly, while another poured one of the 80 varieties of mezcal stored inside a tin-topped faux adobe structure. Since late 2017, Little Conejo (“rabbit” in English) has been serving up some of the most intensely flavorful tacos on either side of the Columbia. Founded by Noble Rot’s Mychal Dynes and Nodoguro’s Mark Wooten, the food is made with produce from Wooten’s own Phantom Rabbit Farm in Portland and is one way they strive to incorporate a farm-to-table ethos whenever possible. Even the masa is made in-house from hand-ground corn—though not grown on the farm year-round, cobs for the seasonal elotes are harvested from Wooten’s plot. Tortilla rounds are then dipped in manteca (butter) before cooking to preserve the flavor and keep them pliable. If a full roster of creative mezcal cocktails isn’t enough to motivate you to ford the river north, Little Conejo opened a satellite cart this summer in the Prost! Marketplace pod on North Mississippi Avenue. The menu

SUBURBS CONTINUED

is pared down (no alcohol), but hits most of the brick-and-mortar’s high points with meat spit-roasted right there. Al pastor/ rotisserie pork, silky suadero/caramelized beef and choriqueso/sausage and cheese ($3.50 each) are wrapped like gifts in layers of browned cheese. KAT MERCK.

APIZZA SCHOLLS PHOTO BY SHAUN DALEY

Pro tip: The Vancouver location doesn’t serve choriqueso, lengua or al pastor at lunch, so if you’ve got a specific midday craving, you’ll have to head to the cart.

NAK WON

4600 WATSON AVE., BEAVERTON 503-646-9382 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-8:30 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11:30 AM-2 PM AND 5-8 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

[K-POPPIN’] Nak Won, a long-standing favorite among Korean restaurants, still serves up some of the most authentic and tasty bites accompanied by kimchi. A traditional-looking tiger print is displayed not far from flat-screen TVs hanging on the wall, the mix of ancient art and modern entertainment seemingly represent the country of South Korea itself. It’s not a romantic spot, but that’s for the best with its family-sized portions. On a recent afternoon, Nak Won had filled by the lunch hour with a multiethnic crowd. If you arrived only to enjoy the names on the menu, you won’t be disappointed, as a listing of soups illustrates: Comfort Buttercup (beef rib, $21), Angry Bull (spicy brisket, $17), Saving Private Canned Goods (Spam, $18) and When Miss Piggy Met Hot Potato (spicy pork and potato, $18). Like the essential basket of bread and butter before the meal at a steak house, here you get complimentary banchan sides, from gamja—the Korean version of potato salad—to kimchi bites of cabbage. This alone makes it worth the trip. Favorites include the steamed pot stickers packed with pork and leek ($10) and the kimchi pancake ($14), crisp on the edges and soft in the middle with a mild-vinegary heat that would delight even a diner with only a passing affection for kimchi. Rice Party, a name the restaurant gives to its version of bibimbap, includes vegetables that are still bright and cooked to excellence, including bean sprouts, spinach and zucchini. You can get the vegetarian tofu version for $15 or a meaty trio with beef, spicy pork and chicken for $18. RACHEL MONAHAN. Pro tip: Don’t over-order. A large selection of kimchi, along with other small appetizers, arrives before the meal, and the helpings are generous.

suburbs honorable mentions

Beaverton Sub Station

12448 SW BROADWAY, BEAVERTON 503-641-7827 BEAVERTONSUBSTATION.COM 9 AM-6 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 10 AM-3 PM SATURDAY. $.

Beaverton Sub Station feels like the deli that time forgot. Tucked away in a two-block stretch of Old Downtown near a cobbler and a barber shop, there’s a sign in the brick building’s window advertising coffee for a quarter and regulars stop in not just to eat but to chat or read the paper. The sandwiches here are bookended with chewy yet not too hard rolls with the circumference of the thick end of a baseball bat. There are dozens of sub varieties, but the Smitty ($6) is a standout, with layers of thinly shaved turkey, cheddar, tomato and crisp cucumber that complements the pleasant tang from a cream cheese spread with a dash of dill.

Spring

3975 SW 114TH AVE., BEAVERTON 503-641-3670 11 AM-9 PM TUESDAY-SUNDAY. $.

Hidden away above a ramshackle G-Mart, accessible via some easily missable backstairs, bare-bones Spring feels like a secret—an exclusive club that requires a password to enter. The novelty would be reason enough to come. But then you tuck into a steaming bowl of its sujebi (hand-torn noodle

soup, $10.95) and realize it’s also some of the finest Korean food anywhere near Portland, and well worth the trek. Spring also offers the cleanest-tasting sundubu broth we’ve encountered. It’s practically spa food, pure and wholly vegetable-based—you can almost feel your skin clearing while you eat it.

Taste of Sichuan

16261 NW CORNELL ROAD, BEAVERTON 503-629-7001 BEAVERTON.TASTEOFSICHUAN.COM 11 AM-2:30 PM AND 4:30-9:30 PM MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11 AM-2:30 PM AND 4:3010 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 4:30-9 PM SUNDAY. $$.

A lackluster exterior belies the variety found in this popular Beaverton eatery. Generous, comforting plates of all the classics, like broccoli beef ($13.95), kung pao chicken ($13.95) and more, are served piping hot, as well as new-to-you dishes for when you’re feeling adventurous.

Yuzu

4130 SW 117TH AVE., BEAVERTON 503-350-1801 11:30 AM-1:30 PM AND 6-10 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, NOON-7 PM SATURDAY. $-$$.

There’s a dark storefront tucked between a vape shop and a video poker deli inside a Beaverton strip mall that appears to be abandoned. But if you open the door to Yuzu—the only signage is the restaurant’s name modestly stamped on the entrance—you’ll find a bustling, if cramped, izakaya with an entertaining hodgepodge of small plates. It’s best to just start ordering without thinking too much about it and enjoy the surprises as they come. That could be deep-fried chicken pieces

Willamette Week

($6.50) as addicting as poultry popcorn that burst with juice, a breaded patty of American-Kobe beef and ground Carlton Farms pork ($10.50) not unlike a heartier crab cake drizzled with Japanese mayo that’s sweeter and heavier than what’s in your average jar of Best Foods, or housemade spring rolls ($4.95) stuffed with kimchi, barbecue pork and mozzarella, which sounded odd but made for an oozy good addition when your bite shattered through the thin pastry shell.

You Have Style, Shouldn’t Your Apartment?

VINTAGE APARTMENTS LOVINGLY RESTORED

• Golden hardwoods • walk-in closets • hiGh ceilinGs

sunnyside APIZZA SCHOLLS

4741 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-233-1286 APIZZASCHOLLS.COM 5-9:30 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM AND 5-9:30 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. $-$$.

[HEART AND SCHOLLS] Consensus is hard to come by in Portland food, but pretty much everyone agrees on Apizza Scholls. Owner Brian Spangler arrived on Hawthorne’s Barmuda Triangle from tiny Scholls, Oregon, in 2005, at a time when pizza options were much more limited, and though the city has fallen for other styles since, his Neapolitan-adjacent pies remain the standard bearer. What’s the secret? It could be the electric oven, which allows for greater temperature control than wood or gas and ensures a consistent cook each time. Or it might be the strict policy of not allowing more than three toppings per pie, which would throw off the baking process. Whatever the specifics, the end result has been the same for the past decade-plus: a thin, crispy, evenly charred crust and salty-sweet sauce that elevates whatever you happen to put on top of it, whether it’s salami and green olives ($26), the famous crumbled sausage with Mama Lil’s peppers ($26), or just the makings for a simple margherita ($22). About the only thing that’s changed through the years is the wait time: The restaurant has taken gradual steps to alleviate its famous crowds, from expanding into the space next door to offering to-go orders to allowing reservations for groups of eight or less. That’s not to say you and the fam can just waltz right in—but even if you’ve got some time to kill before your name is called, the bar half is hiding a sweet mini-arcade. MATTHEW SINGER. Pro tip: Solo diners can get personal pizzas at the bar, provided there’s a seat open.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

NEW, UPSCALE APARTMENTS CAREFULLY DESIGNED

• Balconies • washer/dryer • GaraGe ParkinG

kbcmgmt.com

Classic or New • Live in Style with KBC 71

SUNNYSIDE CONTINUED

NODOGURO

2832 SE BELMONT ST. NODOGUROPDX.COM RESERVATIONS ONLY WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY. $$$$.

[FISH ZEN] In Japan, the traditional kaiseki meal is a strictly ritualized, historically rooted sequence of dishes emphasizing seasonality, locality and presentation. Nodoguro is one of a couple of Portland practitioners of anything resembling that, though chef Ryan Roadhouse is quick to disavow adherence to those traditions. In practice, though, you’ll begin your 15-course journey ($125, $45 sake flight) in Nodoguro’s dining room that’s every bit as serene and sparse as its Japanese counterparts. Roadhouse and his co-producer and spouse, Elena, personally serve and briefly describe each dish during the roughly two-hour experience, chit-chatting with diners along the way. The emphasis is on seafood, both in the shell and finned. One of the few exceptions, three perfectly medium-rare slices of duck breast, came atop mushroom-studded rice in a gorgeous lidded bowl. I swooned over the corn tofu, the jiggly curd combining with corn cream topped by charred kernels, salmon eggs, edible flowers and herbs. This is a one-of-akind, transportive affair as its common sellouts attest. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Pro tip: Half the month, Nodoguro eschews the austerity of kaiseki and offers instead its “supahardcore omakase,” a 25-course extravaganza ($195) that includes high-end Japanese beef, sushi and more. Sign up for the Nodoguro newsletter or get online at the tail end of the month to seek out open dates.

sunnyside honorable mentions

TarBoush

3257 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 503-235-3277 TARBOUSHBISTRO.COM NOON-9 PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY, NOON9:30 PM FRIDAY-SATURDAY. $$.

TarBoush may be a touch pricier than your average Lebanese restaurant, but it’s oh so worth it for some of the best bamyeh okra stew ($17) in town, unctuous yet light, and ultra-tender stuffed grape leaves ($11), garnished with pomegranate molasses for an earthy-sweet contrast.

Willamette Week

50 DRINKS

If you’ve ever drunk yourself into a rut by ordering the same beer or cocktail no matter where you go, we’re here to help. Here are our beverage recommendations, from bubbly soda to fancy sake flights to cheap tallboys, at all 50 of this year’s top restaurants in and around the city.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

50 DRINKS

Acadia: Most of Acadia’s drinks are stiff, so if you’re looking for a gentler cocktail, the Pirate’s Alley ($10) has a tempering layer of butterfly tea, but still enough of that bayou spirit. Apizza Scholls:

Order the Apizza Alt ($6, $22), an easy-drinking, German-style altbier made in collaboration with the pizzeria and Breakside Brewing.

Ataula: The clean and refreshing El Greco Tonica ($9) is for gin lovers, but if you’re looking for more adventure, try the La Moreneta ($14), made with mezcal bitter blend, vermút and flamed orange for a viscous and sultry drink.

Autentica: Refreshing citrus in the Sangria de la Casa ($11) balances the bold red wine and comes unmixed, which makes the glass mimic a yellow-to-purple sunset.

Aviv: A slight twist on

Ava Gene’s: After dinner, fans of the Italian herbal liqueurs known as amaro will find plenty to sip.

Beast: Beast’s somm,

Aviary: For cocktails,

be adventurous and go with the Sazerac ($12), made with the mild and balanced 100-proof Rittenhouse Rye and Armagnac de Montal. It’s a less syrupy, more medium-bodied version of what you would usually get in New Orleans, although this drink is just as boozy and pleasing to sip.

a standard citrus, tequila and aperol cocktail, the Aleph ($9) uses tamarind to add some tang and funk to the traditionally sweet-and-sour drink.

Michael Garofola, is a Portland treasure. His enthusiastic, deeply knowledgeable (and usually firsthand) descriptions of terroir near and far make wine pairings experiences in and of themselves.

Castagna: Oh sure, you can blow a wad on some fancy bottles here, but for our money (and sobriety), give us the changeable spectrum of house sodas ($5) on offer, such as citrus herb or a sharp and tangy ginger lime.

Chicken and Guns: Topo Chico ($2)

is perhaps the only beverage suitable for the lively flavors of the chicken. The mineral water has a tang that’s perfect to wash it all down, and after dipping into the sauces, the beverage doesn’t seem so eye-squintingly bright.

Davenport: Nearly

every table shares a bottle of wine from the restaurant’s lengthy list, so follow suit. But you can also find classic cocktails like a Negroni, a Manhattan or an old-fashioned.

Grain & Gristle:

Sweet-and-sour flavors are best washed down with a pale lager. And Tsingtaos are only $3.50 each.

Upright’s Saison Vert has a subtle sweetness, soft floral notes and a citrus character due to the use of black limes—the fruit is soaked in salt brine and dried.

Coquine: For a tiny

Han Oak: Michelle

Chin’s Kitchen:

restaurant, sommelier Ksandek Podbielski oversees a broad, eclectic wine (and cider) list. His by-theglass selection of Spanish dessert wines—port, sherry and Madeira—and Armagnacs is notable.

Ruocco has cultivated an interesting bottle list, including orange wines and reds meant to be drunk chilled that are also available by the glass.

Willamette Week

50 DRINKS PHOTOS BY HENRY CROMETT

Hat Yai: The coconut mango horchata ($9) is a cream pie of a drink kissed with rum. Higgins: The essen-

tial drink here is anything by Chimay ($6), especially when it’s on tap and served in the traditional glassware.

Holdfast: Early for dinner? Hit Deadshot for a Deadshot ($5), Black Strap Rum and fernet. Jacqueline: For

seafood pairing, bottles of sparkling wine start in the $30 range. Or just go with the $2 happy-hour Rainiers.

Kachka: You drink vodka, quickly and often.

Ken’s Artisan Pizza: The drink

list includes four local drafts, but the impressive wine list is the way to go since there are more than a dozen offered. Bringing kids or want an alcohol-free option? The housemade lemonade ($3) is a solid choice.

Langbaan: Langbaan offers wine pairings that change with the menu. They’re reasonably priced (relatively!), about $14 to $15 each. Laurelhurst Market: Go old school and order a classic cocktail like a Manhattan ($12) to go with your hunk of meat.

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Le Pigeon: Sadly,

the close quarters at Le Pigeon have relegated cocktails to a tiny list of pre-bottled beverages that are underwhelming with their $12 price tag. Instead, dive deep into the immense wine list, or opt for an aperitif like Ricard ($10), or Amontillado ($10-$11), a dry Spanish sherry that drinks like wine and burns like whiskey.

Little Bird: The

myriad flavors in the Old Fashioned Fumé ($13)—which is warming, herbaceous and slightly citrusy, with an anise finish courtesy fernet—almost make the cocktail a meal in itself.

Little Conejo:

Order the habanero pineapple Mezcalrita ($12). It’s smoky, spicy and sweet, garnished with a pineapple leaf, jalapeño slice and a dusting of Tajín seasoning powder.

Luce: There’s a multipage wine list, but a glass of house red or white is $7 and a tasty deal. Mae: A dry sparkling rose, Filipa Pato 2017 during our visit, paired well with the fatty Southern food. Though you can also spike the sassafras sweet tea with rye or vodka.

Matt’s BBQ: Any German beer from Prost! will do, but in the summer, an even better option is at adjacent drink cart Bloodbuzz—the Instant Crush ($6), its version of a paloma, with tequila and Stiegl Radler. Nimblefish: You can easily knock back a couple of Echigo rice lagers ($6) with your handrolls, or consider the wine and sake selections from Davenport co-owner and winetender Kurt Heilemann. Nodoguro: Chef

Ryan Roadhouse might describe a sake as “clean and pure, like enhanced spring water.” He knows his stuff, so trust his selections as you do his food.

50 DRINKS

Nostrana: Honestly, have a chat with the beverage director and don’t be afraid to ask for a few wine samples—it’s one of the best parts of the Nostrana experience. Olympia Provisions: The

house bloody mary ($9 weekdays, $10 weekends) is thick, spicy and one of the best in town—plus, it comes with a slice of salami at the end of the toothpick.

Paley’s Place: As you nibble cheese, sip a glass of sauternes dessert wine from Bordeaux ($15) and savor the sophistication. Frasier himself would approve.

Pok Pok NW: All Pok Pok properties make extensive use of their Som drinking vinegars, and it’s always a good idea to check the specials board for a seasonal cocktail incorporating them. A recent favorite was the Safe as Milk ($6.50), a non-alcoholic concoction with turmeric drinking vinegar and muddled mint.

Shizuku: Sake is the

Roe: Spring for the by-the-glass sake service ($20-$22).

Smallwares: From

attenuated focus of the evening beverage list, with a variety of flights ($15-$23) and noted bottle offerings like Yuki no Bosha, “Cabin in the Snow” ($10 for 3 ounces, $70 for a bottle), and Dassai, “Otter Fest 50” ($10 for 3 ounces, $63 for a bottle).

the restaurant’s tight cocktail list, “The Rum” ($10) is like drinking a kombucha piña colada, and it’s served frothy and tart in a frosty tiki hand-grenade mug with charred pineapple for dipping.

St. Jack: St. Jack harbors one of Portland’s top wine directors, Christopher Sky Westmoreland. Let him guide you through the deep list that emphasizes bottles from France and the Pacific Northwest. Super Deluxe: As you wait for your order inside, a fresh-fruit fizzy water ($1.75-$2.50) will keep your mouth occupied. The three fruity flavors are a perfect bright, bubbly aperitif (without the booze) with pleasantly chewable pebble ice. Trifecta: Odd Man Out ($12) is built on a backbone of rum and spiked with fresh citrus, like grapefruit and lime.

Tusk: Tusk’s most popular cocktail has been on the menu since day one. The Hazy Jane ($13) is a constant for good reason—vodka, almond and hibiscus get a refreshing lift from ginger and lemon. Added yogurt give it an alluring cloudiness. Zilla Sake: If you’re

down to get weird, jump in with a glass of Chiyomusubi Goriki Namazake ($13), which is funky and wild—like somebody mixed a hazy IPA with an amphora wine, then filtered it through a grain of rice.

Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

INDEX / ALPHABETICAL

ABYSSINIAN KITCHEN 42

HA VL 60

ACADIA 54, 74

HIGGINS 50, 65, 75

AFURI 68

HK CAFE 60

AKADI 28

HOLDFAST 40, 75

APIZZA SCHOLLS 70, 74

IMPERIAL 68

ARDEN 52

INTERURBAN 28

ATAULA 50, 74

JACKRABBIT 69

AUTENTICA 36, 74

JACQUELINE 40, 75

AVA GENE’S 62, 74

KACHKA 28, 75

AVIARY 54, 74

KATI 63

AVIV 38, 74

KENNY’S NOODLE HOUSE 61

BAMBOO SUSHI 68

KEN’S ARTISAN PIZZA 44, 75

BEAST 36, 74

KIM JONG’S SMOKEHOUSE 53

BEAVERTON SUB STATION 70

LA MOULE 42

BISTRO AGNES 68

LANGBAAN 46, 75

BLESS YOUR HEART 68

LA PANZA 43

BOLLYWOOD THEATER 63

LARDO 43

BRODER CAFE 38

LA TAQ 58

CAFE 700 82

LAURELHURST MARKET 46, 75

CANARD 18

LE PIGEON 29, 75

CASA ZORAYA 48

LITTLE BIRD 66, 75

CASTAGNA 39, 74

LITTLE CONEJO 69, 75

CHEF ZHAO 48

LOVEJOY STATION CAFE 82

CHICKEN AND GUNS 28, 74

LUCE 20, 75

CHIN’S KITCHEN 59, 74

MAE 37, 75

CLYDE COMMON 68

MARUKIN RAMEN 34

COQUINE 60, 74

MARUTI 34

DANWEI CANTING 34

MASTER KONG 10

DARSALAM 38

MATT’S BBQ 26, 42, 75

DAVENPORT 44, 74

MEDITERRANEAN EXPLORATION

THE DELI 82

COMPANY 53

DIL SE 68

MI MERO MOLE 53

DOVE VIVI PIZZA 46

MURATA 69

DU’S GRILL 59

NAK WON 70

ENAT KITCHEN 48

NAVARRE 47

EXPATRIATE 37

NED LUDD 28

FARMHOUSE KITCHEN 63

NICHOLAS RESTAURANT 34

GASTRO MANIA 52

NIMBLEFISH 40, 75

THE GOOD EARTH CAFE 82

NODOGURO 72, 75

GRAIN & GRISTLE 54, 74

NOSTRANA 30, 76

GRAND ARMY TAVERN 58

NUESTRA COCINA 43

GÜERO 47

OK OMENS 43

HAN OAK 74

OLYMPIA PROVISIONS 31, 32, 76

HAT YAI 56, 75

OX 26

Willamette Week

INDEX / ALPHABETICAL

PAICHE 69 PALEY’S PLACE 50, 56, 76 PDX OUTTAKES 82 PEOPLE’S PIG 47 PHO AN SANDY 59 PHO OREGON 59 PIZZA JERK 34 POK POK NW 64, 76 PURE SPICE 61 RANCH PDX 58 RENATA 32 REVELRY 34 RINGSIDE STEAKHOUSE 53 ROE 66, 76 SAMMICH 47 SCOTTIE’S PIZZA PARLOR 44 SCREEN DOOR 47 SHIZUKU 67, 76 SMALLWARES 26, 76 SPRING 70 STACKED 44 STAMMTISCH 47 ST. JACK 52, 76 STOOPID BURGER 48 THE SUDRA 48 SUPER DELUXE 63, 76 SWEEDEEDEE 58 TAQUERIA NUEVE 34 TARBOUSH 72 TASTEBUD 69 TASTE OF SICHUAN 70 TEO BUN BO HUE 61 TILT 53 TORO BRAVO 27 TORTILLERIA Y TIENDA DE LEON 59 TRIFECTA 32, 76 TUSK 33, 76 THE WILD NORTH 62 WOODSMAN TAVERN 63 XLB 28 YUZU 70 ZILLA SAKE 57, 76

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

INDEX / CUISINE

AFRICAN

JAPANESE

ABYSSINIAN KITCHEN 42 AKADI 28 ENAT KITCHEN 48

AFURI 68 BAMBOO SUSHI 68 MARUKIN RAMEN 34 MURATA 69 NIMBLEFISH 40, 75 NODOGURO 75 SHIZUKU 67, 76 YUZU 70 ZILLA SAKE 57, 76

BRUNCH BRODER CAFE 38 SCREEN DOOR 47 SWEEDEEDEE 58

BURGERS/SANDWICHES BEAVERTON SUB STATION 70 BLESS YOUR HEART 68 LARDO 43 SAMMICH 47 STACKED 49 STOOPID BURGER 48 SUPER DELUXE 63, 776 TILT 53

CAJUN/CREOLE ACADIA 54, 74

CHINESE

CHEF ZHAO 48 CHIN’S KITCHEN 59, 74 DANWEI CANTING 34 HK CAFE 60 KENNY’S NOODLE HOUSE 61 MASTER KONG 10 PURE SPICE 61 TASTE OF SICHUAN 70

FRENCH-Y BISTRO AGNES 68 CANARD 18 COQUINE 60, 74 LA MOULE 42 LE PIGEON 29, 75 LITTLE BIRD 66, 75 ST. JACK 52, 76

GASTROPUB GRAIN & GRISTLE 54, 74 GRAND ARMY TAVERN 58 INTERURBAN 28 WOODSMAN TAVERN 63

GERMAN STAMMTISCH 47

INDIAN BOLLYWOOD THEATER 63 DIL SE 68 MARUTI 34 THE SUDRA 48

ITALIAN AVA GENE’S 62, 74 LUCE 30, 75 RENATA 32 NOSTRANA 30, 76

KOREAN HAN OAK 74 KIM JONG SMOKEHOUSE 53 NAK WON 70 SPRING 70

LATIN CASA ZORAYA 48 PAICHE 69

MEATY CHICKEN AND GUNS 28, 74 JACKRABBIT 69 LAURELHURST MARKET 46, 75 MATT’S BBQ 26, 42, 75 OX 26 OLYMPIA PROVISIONS 32, 76 PEOPLE’S PIG 47 RINGSIDE STEAKHOUSE 53

MEXICAN/TEX-MEX AUTENTICA 36, 74 GÜERO 47 LA PANZA 43 LA TAQ 58 LITTLE CONEJO 69, 75 MI MERO MOLE 53 NUESTRA COCINA 43 TAQUERIA NUEVE 34 TORTILLERIA Y TIENDA DE LEON 59

MIDDLE-EASTERN/ MEDITERRANEAN AVIV 74 DARSALAM 38 GASTRO MANIA 52 MEDITERRANEAN EXPLORATION COMPANY 53 NICHOLAS RESTAURANT 34 TARBOUSH 72 TUSK 32, 76

MODERN AMERICAN BEAST 36, 74 CAFE 700 82 CANARD 18 CASTAGNA 39, 74 CLYDE COMMON 68 DAVENPORT 44, 74 THE DELI 82 THE GOOD EARTH CAFE 82 HIGGINS 50, 65, 75

Willamette Week

INDEX / CUISINE

IMPERIAL 68 LOVEJOY STATION CAFE 82 NED LUDD 28 PALEY’S PLACE 50, 56, 76 PDX OUTTAKES 82 TRIFECTA 32, 76 THE WILD NORTH 62

OF THE SEA HOLDFAST 40, 75 JACQUELINE 40, 75 ROE 66, 76

PAN-ASIAN/FUSION AVIARY 54, 74 DU’S GRILL 59 EXPATRIATE 37 REVELRY 34 SMALLWARES 26, 76

PIZZA APIZZA SCHOLLS 71, 74 DOVE VIVI 46 KEN’S ARTISAN PIZZA 75 PIZZA JERK 34 RANCH PDX 58 SCOTTIE’S PIZZA PARLOR 44 TASTEBUD 69

RUSSIAN KACHKA 28, 75 PALEY’S PLACE 50, 56, 76

SOUTHERN COMFORT MAE 75

SPANISH/TAPAS ATAULA 50, 74 NAVARRE 47XX TORO BRAVO 27

THAI FARMHOUSE KITCHEN 63 HAT YAI 75 LANGBAAN 46, 75 POK POK NW 51, 64, 76

VEGAN/VEGETARIAN KATI 63 MARUTI 34 AVIV 38 THE SUDRA 48

VIETNAMESE HA VL 60 PHO AN SANDY 59 PHO OREGON 59 TEO BUN BO HUE 61

WINE BAR ARDEN 52 OK OMENS 43 NAVARRE 47

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Blue Plate Specials They’re the backbone of office buildings across the metro area, but rarely given the attention they de-

serve. Cafeterias sometimes stuffed away in the bowels of skyscrapers or cafes tucked into lobby corners are doing the hard work of fueling untold numbers of workers from breakfast through that late afternoon slump. What these humble-looking eateries lack in ambiance, they more than make up for in flavor and affordability—after all, you’re not there to turn the salad bar into a hours-long, multi-course tasting experience. Lunches are short, precious moments of freedom in an otherwise busy workday, and you want something fast, reliable and good. Here are five cafes knocking out daily specials for a steal, and you don’t even have to work in the office to enjoy them.

M.O.M. Burger Mondays ($10)

Chicken Curry Tuesdays ($7.75)

Butternut Squash Ravioli Wednesdays ($4.50)

Turkey Dinner Thursdays ($7.25)

Fish and Chips Fridays ($8.50)

Monday: The Good Earth Cafe 1136 SW 3RD AVE., 503-206-8214, GOODEARTHCAFEPDX.COM. 7 AM-2:45 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8 AM-1:30 PM SATURDAY. “We view anyone who comes into Good Earth Cafe not as a custom-

er, but rather as a guest. We certainly hope that our food and service reflect that mentality.” Tuesday: The Deli 4160 SE INTERNATIONAL WAY, SUITE D101, MILWAUKIE, 503-786-9388. 7 AM-4:30 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY. “While we certainly have staple dishes that our customers come back for, we are excited to introduce a variety of new and unique foods to the weekly specials menu.” Wednesday: Lovejoy Station Cafe 1015 NW 22ND AVE. 6:30-10 AM, 11 AM-2 PM AND 4:30 PM-7 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8:30 AM-3 PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY. “Being situated in a hospital means health is cer-

tainly on our mind, so we want to show customers that eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard, especially when you have access to a place like Lovejoy Cafe.” Thursday: Cafe 700 700 NE MULTNOMAH ST., SUITE 140, 503-232-9089. 7 AM-4 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY. “We know how hard it can be to find delicious lunches during the work week, but Cafe 700 is here to ensure customers never have to compromise taste or price for ease.” Friday: PDX Outtakes 900 SW 5TH AVE., 503-226-0401. 7-10 AM AND 11 AM-2 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY. “Here at Outtakes we try to focus on fresh, sustainable product and source locally as much as possible. We have a daily rotating menu featuring international and American food for our local businesses. Service is our goal, from catering to afternoon snacks.” Willamette Week

2018-2019 Restaurant Guide

Willamette Week