Events

Thai Ginger 2020 N Portland Blvd, 283-9731 Outer North Portland needs, and deserves, more diverse dining options. Thai Ginger has finally brought such cutting-edge cuisine as Thai food to these parts, and hopefully other diverse ventures will follow. Food here is better than your average Portland Thai, and you can get Chinese broccoli here too, […]

Kay’s Bar and Grill 6903 SE Milwaukie Avenue, 503-232-4447 It was a dark and stormy Sunday afternoon, and I was starved. I popped in to several bar/grills; nothing but cheery, rosy-cheeked youngsters. Feh. I’m miserable. I want isolation. I want Kay’s, a dark, friendly place in Westmoreland that harbors the majority of the neighborhoods remaining […]

J&M Café 527 SE Ash, 230-0463 The J&M does the get-your-own-coffee-and-water thing, which I love, and serves Stumptown coffee, which I double-love. Their service is out-of-control fast, friendly, and efficient, much unlike the typical slackish Portland bar breakfast that takes forever and tastes like a plate of fried grease. Their healthy and tasty garden scramble […]

Bella Faccia Pizzeria 2934 NE Alberta, 282-0600 Specializing in 18” pies, slices, and beer, Bella Faccia smartly gets back to the basics. Focusing specifically on the pizza’s three main components (crust, sauce, cheese), this pizzeria attempts to bring out the best of each ingredient. After eating there five times, I’ve found the crust to be […]

Half & Half 923 SW Oak The fare at Half & Half is mostly sandwiches, with bread from Grand Central Bakery, and includes changing specials. A few include the Muffuletta–traditional New Orleans fare–the tantalizing Reuben, and the “I hate this family!” turkey sandwich. What’s more, a vegan sandwich is always featured, along with a delicious […]

Poor Richard’s 3907 NE Broadway, 288-5285 There are plenty of steak places in Portland, but very few that don’t require a six-figure income in order to finance your T-Bone. Poor Richard’s, on the other hand, has the glorious two-fers–two steaks for one low price. This brand of bargain pricing is far too low-brow for the […]

Eliot E-Mat Standard Dairy, 2808 NE MLK The Eliot E-mat Cafe, of all places, serves toothy, flavor-bomb sandwiches that are 9 inches long and nearly 6 inches tall. The Spicy Eliot combines ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone, parmesan, tomato, onion, lettuce, herbs, a tart Italian dressing, and a massive roll, and creates a unique singular taste […]

Bonfire Lounge 2821 SE Stark, 232-3704 The Bonfire: a setting well-suited for down-on-your-luck romance. Blood-red walls and candles adorn this low-lit establishment, lending the slight impression of goth-iness–but without the depressing aftertaste. And though it is definitely more “lounge” than “restaurant,” Bonfire offers a brief but extremely satisfying selection of foods on the cheap. Vegetarians […]

The Berlin Inn 3131 SE 12th Ave (at Powell Blvd), 236-6761 Some people think German food is all density and fat. That’s only part true. At the Berlin Inn, only a few dishes on the menu are smothered in gravy, and they use Canola oil wherever possible. Density? My beef roulade was only about 1.5″ […]

Gold Garden Seafood Restaurant 3016 SE 82nd Ave, 777-3399 At G.G.S.R, the crabs, lobster, rockfish, and jumbo (I’m talking huge) shrimp are housed in a tank near the kitchen where their fate awaits them. Sold either by the pound or at a fixed price, you can discuss with the waitstaff how you would like them […]

Some Restaurants That Serve Nutritious and Tasty Food The Berlin Inn 3131 SE 12th Ave, 236-6761 Most Americans’ prejudice against German food has to do with people mistakenly assuming that it is all fried in bacon fat. That’s only about half true. Only a few dishes on the menu at the Berlin Inn are smothered […]

Some Restaurants That Serve Nutritious and Tasty Food Casba 201 NW Davis, 971-544-0875 Casba’s menu is half-authentic, with some splendid Mediterranean specialties, and hot, deli sandwiches and cobb and chef salads. The gyro is a perfect mid-day portion, and filled with delicious, thin slices of non-greasy, spiced beef (no lamb), lettuce, tomato, and cucumber sauce […]