Pizza alla pala from Cafe Olli’s wood-fire oven. Janey Wong In case you were too frazzled by the holidays or busy lamenting 2021’s restaurant closures, there was an end-of-the-year bright spot in our local food scene. The all-day, worker-owned Cafe Olli opened on December 9th. The restaurant is centered around the iconic brick oven that […]
Janey Wong
Janey Wong is the Mercury's food editor and the managing editor at our sibling site, EverOut. She's usually eating, thinking about what she ate, or planning what to eat next. She dislikes drinking milkshakes through paper straws.
Posted inFood & Drink Guide 2021
As Oregon’s Wine Industry Adapts to Changing Climate, Imbibers May Need to Adapt Too
As wine grape harvest season grows warmer in Oregon, it’s imperative that vineyard workers stay hydrated. COURTESY OF ELK COVE VINEYARDS Whether atmospheric or human-caused, Oregon has become adept at mixing the perfect cocktail for a growing wildfire problem. So what’s in store for wine grapes, one of the state’s ten most lucrative crops? I […]
Posted inFood & Drink Guide 2021
As Oregon’s Wine Industry Adapts to Changing Climate, Imbibers May Need to Adapt Too
Whether atmospheric or human caused, Oregon has become adept at mixing the perfect cocktail for a growing wildfire problem. So what’s in store for wine grapes, one of the state’s ten most lucrative crops? I lean towards pessimism (although I like to call it realism), so after choking on smoke for a couple of summers […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Comforting Dishes and a Warm Atmosphere Make For A Perfect Fall Evening On Casa Zoraya’s Back Patio
Janey Wong Our admiration for Peruvian spot Casa Zoraya is well-documented, but we recently returned to see what the restaurant has been up to since the pandemic struck. Whizzing down North Lombard, you might not expect to find a quiet, tucked away destination restaurant situated near the freeway. But behind the popular Casa Zoraya is […]
Posted inFood and Drink
The Cross-Cultural Mestizo Makes Traditional Latin American Cuisine Gluten-Free
Janey Wong Not fusion, but not truly authentic, the Latin American-inspired restaurant Mestizo is a celebration of different cultures, which both the name and the menu are meant to reflect. Owner Ketsuda “Nan” Chaison serves a menu composed of dishes hailing from countries around Latin America—chifles from Ecuador, a vegan-friendly Cuban ropa vieja made with […]
Posted inFood and Drink
New Zealand-Style Nico’s Ice Cream Opening a Brick and Mortar
Nico’s real fruit ice cream is made to order and comes in a kid’s cone, cup, or waffle cone. Courtesy of Nico’s Ice Cream It’s Hispanic Heritage Month! In celebration, we will be highlighting Hispanic and Latinx entrepreneurs in this column over the next few weeks. Nico Vergara has been in the ice cream game […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Vegan Junk Food Is Calling All Trash Pandas
FoPo’s new emporium for plant-based junk food. Janey Wong In a city that’s gained a reputation for elevated vegan cuisine, plant-based eaters can now find things like meatless burgers, dairy-free pizzas, and corn dogs not constituted from spare parts under one roof. Vegan Junk Food, which has been taking online orders for over a year, […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Quaintrelle Finds Une Nouvelle Vie in Southeast Portland
The bar at Quaintrelle’s new SE Clinton location. Aubrie LeGault After a three-month hiatus spent moving and renovating its new digs, Quaintrelle’s playful, upscale dining has landed on SE Clinton. The destination restaurant maintains its tasting menu model with a 5, 7, or 9-course option plus an additional beverage pairing, or the option to order […]
Posted inFood and Drink
A Middle of the Road Meal at Screen Door Pearl District
The impressive entryway at Screen Door’s second location. Janey Wong This past May, perennial tourist favorite Screen Door opened a much needed (and much larger) second location in the Pearl District. The restaurant took over a space kitty corner to Powell’s that I have often referred to as cursed. The space was long occupied by […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Review: Mitate Food Cart Raises the Bar for Vegan Sushi
Fellow omnivores, you won’t miss the fish in Mitate’s stellar vegan rolls. Janey Wong Prior to starting the Mitate pop-up, Nino Ortiz had been contemplating getting out of the sushi game altogether. Boy, should we be glad he didn’t. Nino and his partner/co-owner Summer previously worked with some of the best sushi chefs in town […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Venture to Vancouver for Standout Laotian Food
WeLa Lao’s nam khao (crispy rice salad) comes in two sizes—the small is pictured here Janey Wong An unassuming food stand at the Vancouver Farmers Market, WeLa Lao has been quietly churning out some of the best Southeast Asian food in the Portland-metro area since May. Last year, proprietor Suzanne Phengsy was displaced by the […]
Posted inSpring Reawakening 2021
Let’s Be Honest: “Normal” Isn’t Exactly Worth Returning To
MARIA PONOMARIOVA / Getty images Editor’s note: This article includes references to depression. As the world slowly but surely returns to “normal,” society is once again faced with a seismic shift in the way we think, function, and experience things. It has been a time for those of us who live with a fragile mental […]