Tabla 200 NE 28th 238-3777 When it comes to food, few things taste better than a bargain: A two-dollar ground steak burger at Ringside; wallet-friendly eight-dollar pasta dishes at Il Piatto; and throughout April, the restaurant Tabla’s amazing three-course gourmet dinner for an astoundingly cheap 20 bucks. This is a culinary gift for couples who […]
Katie Shimer
Posted inMovies & TV
Mercury Video Picks
TV on DVD
Sure, those Geico commercials are funny, and yeah, the new Jetta ads are clever, but I still hate commercial breaks. And yet sometimes I really want to watch television. Well, I’ve found the answer: Rather than drop $80 a month to flip cable channels, I rent all those talked-about shows on DVD, which allows me […]
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Quite Congenial!
I Like Miss Congeniality 2 (and Hope Floats)
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Dir. Pasquin Opens Thurs March 24 Various Theaters Sandra Bullock has made an entire career out of starring in shitty movies. Let’s take a moment to scroll through the catalogue: Speed, Speed 2: Cruise Control, While You Were Sleeping, Hope Floats, Practical Magic, Miss Congeniality, Divine Secrets of the […]
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Too Pretty For Portland
H20: A Happy Hour Destination
H20 204 SW Yamhill 241-8132 I’m going to be frank. H20, one of Portland’s newest downtown hotspots, reeks of new money. It’s one of those restaurants that seems like it was dreamed up by a dude in his late 40s who’s having a mid-life crisis and wants to open a cool, happening place where he […]
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Don’t Panic, Buy Organic!
George W. Bush: Fueling the Organic Revolution
First, if you care about what you eat and you haven’t seen the movie The Future of Food, do so immediately. (If you want, you can call me up at the paper 503-294-0840 ex. 23 and I’ll mail you my copy.) Second, if you buy Kraft products, stop. Also, avoid Coca Cola, Fritos, McDonald’s fries, […]
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Roadside Mexican
Don Pancho Keeps It Simple
Don Pancho Taqueria 2002 NE Alberta 459-4247 Another taqueria isn’t the first thing I’d vote for on Alberta Street, but after eating at the new Don Pancho taqueria it’s certainly not the last thing I’d vote for either. The latest addition to the cluster of Mexican restaurants in the area, the Don Pancho distinguishes itself […]
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Sellwood Speed
Jones’s Keeps It Free & Easy
Jones’s 1621 SE Bybee 239-5796 Maybe it’s because of my propensity to get horribly lost in Sellwood, but I always imagine it to be about 50 miles away–a far, remote, small town version of Portland located somewhere on the outskirts of Salem. Truthfully, though, if you have a sense of direction and drive to Sellwood […]
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V Is For Victory
Veganopolis Will Win You Over
Veganopolis 412 SW 4th 226-3400 Traditionally, I hate vegan food. I don’t like vegan soup or vegan casseroles or vegan fake meat or vegan desserts. Vegan to me means flavorless, and more importantly, wussy. (Cue Portland’s vegan community getting their vegan panties in a bunch.) That said, I find myself eating Veganopolis at least once […]
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All In the Family
Keep Portland Restaurants Local
Mama Mia Trattoria 439 SW 2nd 295-6464 With chain restaurants like the Macaroni Grill and P.F. Chang’s taking up prime real estate in the heart of Portland, it’s natural to fear that over time, the city will surrender its soul. I dread the day when I tour downtown again after years of living abroad, only […]
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Built Ford Tough
A Hearty Sandwich Haven
Ford’s on 5th 121 NW 5th 226-2828 First, let me say thanks to the proactive reader who phoned in to tell me about the fantastic steak sandwich he had for lunch at Ford’s (I am, after all, a beef-loving heathen). Second, I’d like to thank Ford’s for choosing to stay open until 3 am on […]
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Men I Love
I love men. I love mean ones, and nice ones, and fat ones, and skinny ones. But most of all, I love super-hot ones. And since I’m only usually allowed one hot piece of man meat at a time, I get my kicks on the side by cruising the PSU campus, spending my evenings shoving […]
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The Road to El Dorado
Rediscovering the Cantina
El Dorado Mexican Cantina and Grill 8001 NE Glisan 255-2407 The cantina. It is a wonderful place I forgot existed. That warm, sweet little restaurant that serves you endless baskets of chips and margaritas in glasses as big as soup bowls. It is the perfect melding between upscale and casual, where the waiters are informative […]