Biwa, 215 SE 9th, 239-8830, Mon-Fri 5-6:30 pm (or any time at the bar), $2 yakitori, cheap beers; 9 pm-close, $5 ramen and udon, $3 Sapporo Not only does Biwa now have a liquor license, but they just unleashed the raddest happy hour in town: cheap ramen and cheap big beers. Unfuckwithable. Crackerjack’s Pub, 2788 […]
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Indian, Incognito
Tandoor’s Too Good to Hide
Anonymity is an important part of a restaurant reviewer’s job: The idea is to get a sense of what the average dining experience is like, not to attract special attention by flaunting press credentials (plus I have a secret fear that most servers wouldn’t be that impressed by my Mercury business card anyway). At Tandoor, […]
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Happy Hours
Claudia’s, 3006 SE Hawthorne, 232-1744, Mon-Sat 4-7 pm, specials vary daily Venerable sports bar with pool and that golf arcade game the kids like so much. Clinton Street Pub, 2516 SE Clinton, 236-7137 Mon-Fri 4-6 pm, 50 cents off wells and drafts, 25 cents off cans The best bar in the Clinton neighborhood: discuss. Club […]
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Got Cha!
Cha Taquería Aims High
After an unsuccessful attempt a few months back to enjoy some Mexican food on NW 21st (is Taste of Mexico still in business?), I decided to give the strip another shot and hit up Cha Taquería and Bar, a new, relatively upscale venture from the folks who own the burrito chain Cha! Cha! Cha! I […]
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Kitsch with That?
Burger Joints Keep it Old School
The cult of the Fancy Burger has officially taken root in Portland, and every chubby yuppie with too much time on their hands seems to have an opinion on which upscale burger is the best. Now, fancy burgers—with their ciabatta rolls and sun-dried tomato relish—are well and good, but sometimes you just want an honest […]
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Dim Sum Delights
Hong Kong-Style Restaurant Hits the Spot
For the food lover, every day is a new adventure that goes something like this: “I cannot live without Thai green curry right now.” “I will die if I do not get Ethiopian food.” “I can’t bear this hangover without huevos rancheros.” “I don’t give a shit how fat I am, I’m ordering the corned […]
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Happy Hours
Chaos Cafe & Parlor, 2620 SE Powell, 546-8112, Mon-Sat 5-7 pm, $1 PBR pints, $4 pitchers, $3 wine, cheap food Vegetarian café also serving wine and beer. Ciao Vito, 2203 NE Alberta, 282-5522, daily 4-6 pm, $5 cocktails, $2.50 beer, food specials Upscale Italian joint welcomes people of all income brackets during happy hour. Cider […]
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Southern Eclectica
No Po Meets Down Home at Miss Delta
I mean no disrespect toward the Delta Café when I say this, but North Mississippi’s Miss Delta, co-owned by former Delta mastermind Anastasia Corya, is like a fresher, more ambitious version of the Delta—maybe something like the Delta in its younger days, before years of hard living and Reed College students took a toll. The […]
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Happy Hours
Cha! Taqueria, 305 NW 21st, 295-4077, 3-6 pm daily, $4 wine & sangria, $3 drafts, $5 margarita of the day, $5 burritos & tacos Cha! Cha! Cha!’s upscale version, Cha! Taqueria, has a vast selection of tequilas, and is as affordable as its lower-brow sister chain during happy hour. Chopsticks Express, 2651 E Burnside, 234-6171, […]
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Tapas Assault
Lolo’s Consistency Problem
Our dinner kicked off with potato chips—hot, fancy potato chips. Eyeing the sprinkle of fresh rosemary, sage, and tarragon, we eagerly dove in to the first of several tapas we’d ordered at lolo, NE Alberta’s newest—and, with the demise of the Alberta Street Oyster Bar & Grill, arguably most upscale—restaurant. Half a dozen chips into […]
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Happy Hours
Carlyle, 1632 NW Thurman, 595-1782, Mon-Fri 3-6 pm, 9:30 pm-close, drink specials and bar menu Carlyle’s fancy-pants bar menu features goodies like lamb sliders ($6), pomegranate glazed pork ribs ($6), and rabbit pâté ($5). Caro Amico Italian Café, 3606 SW Barbur, 223-6895, 4:30-6:30 pm daily, $5 margaritas, martinis, Long Islands, plus cheap food This longtime […]
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When the Craving Strikes
Fiending for Sushi at Bara
Sushi cravings are powerful and apt to strike at strange times—like while showering, or listening to This American Life. “God, sushi sounds really good right now,” you think, as Ira introduces a story about the life-affirming power of swimming lessons. Once the thought has taken hold, it’s like there’s a sushi-shaped hole in your stomach, […]