FOR ME, 2016 was a year of being open to trying new foods instead of ordering the same damn thing every time. Here are the six most memorable Portland foods, restaurants and carts I discovered in 2016, and that I'll be trying to avoid eating every day in 2017.
Veggie sausage at Gravy
3957 N Mississippi
While I only gave up meat a few months ago, when I took a bite of the veggie sausage that was lovingly loaded into my Romeo omelet at Gravy, I realized I may have forgotten what real sausage tastes like. I actually had to ask my carnivorous friend to test it for me and verify that my protein was indeed vegetarian. She confirmed it wasn’t pork, but either way, Gravy’s slightly spicy housemade veggie sausage has a great hearty texture and brought a zestiness to my omelet of provolone, onion, sweet peppers, and added avocado. Apparently I have so-called friends who already knew about this magical antipork, but during my New Year's Day brunch it became a new treasure to me and my pescatarianism.
The Chile Relleno Burrito at Los Gorditos
902 N Killingsworth
Why did I never think to try a chile relleno burrito until last week? I first tried one at the Los Gorditos on N. Killingsworth, and of course it’s amazing. It’s literally a pepper stuffed with cheese, dipped and fried in egg batter, and then tucked into a basic burrito with the works. While I am trying to eat healthy in 2017, I will find (or make up) a special occasion for me to eat another one of these around town. Next up to try: the chile relleno burrito at Cha Cha Cha or Olé Olé, for which I’ve only heard great things.
Fish and Chips at Moon & Sixpence and Horse Brass Pub
Moon and Sixpence, 2014 NE 42nd
Horse Brass Pub, 4534 SE Belmont
Since going pescatarian, brewery and pub food has become kind of problematic. Since it’s no more cheeseburgers for me—especially since I don’t really care for tofu or mushroom burgers—I turned to another one of my pub favorites: fish and chips. The thing with fish and chips though? They have to be pretty damn good to be worth ordering. It’s not like a burger, which many places can do well. The fish has to be flaky, and the batter of choice should be flavorful and fried to perfection. And let me tell you what: The super lengthy piece of fried fish they serve at Moon and Sixpence—with a generous portion of near-perfect fries and excellent tartar sauce—is hard to beat. It’s a close call when compared to the insanely popular baskets they’re pumping out at Horse Brass Pub, which just might be the spot’s main attraction. Both places have a slew of tasty cider options, too.
Samurai Blue Sushi
3807 N Mississippi
I don’t know how authentic this place is, but they had enough awesome plant-based sushi and tempura to appease my vegan cousin. (The Miss Potato and Ponyo roll truly are quite tasty.) But one of my favorite options here is still the Anago (sea eel) nigiri, and Samurai Blue’s selection of signature rolls. I particularly love the Mango Tango and Kraken roll, which have a pinch of heat and pair well with the fruity Barefoot Buddha cocktail of basil, coconut rum, nigori, pineapple and lime juice.
Paraiso Mexican Food Cart
SW 3rd and Ankeny
One night while desperately hungry and in the area I decided to grab a simple bean and cheese burrito from this little cart across from Voodoo Donuts on SW 3rd and Ash. While it’s a pretty basic order, I was exceptionally pleased—especially since it was only $3 and they didn’t charge me for my side of sour cream. I’ve since made a habit out of going, and have been increasingly impressed with the love they put into their breakfast burritos, as well as their speediness. The cart usually closes after lunchtime, but it's open late on weekends. Go getchu some.
Kee’s Loaded Kitchen
4709 NE Martin Luther King
I discovered Kee’s Loaded Kitchen while shopping a market that was happening in the MLK lot in summer. Kee changes her menu daily, and lets her clients know what she’s cooking by posting photos and updates via Facebook. Once she sells out of what she's prepped, she's done for the day. Kee could be making anything from Cali-style chicken burgers, to Mac and cheese, or baked potatoes with flank steak—but you can trust that anything she makes is going to be #loaded with the works. The kitchen never shorts you on the fixins, and Kee's loyal (borderline obsessed) customers know they’ll be fed a generous, hearty, flavorful meal. Did I mention she makes dessert, too? Her cart reopens on January 7 at 1 pm; Follow Kee on Facebook to see if you need to stop by on any given day.
