EAT BEAT

The Best Mex this Side of the ’Burbs

La Bonita opens a second outpost, bringing burly, budget-friendly burritos and more to North Portland.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Mar 02, 2011 at 09:05AM 2 Comments

The massive “3 Taco Bonita Platter,” featuring carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas ($9.95).

When it comes to Mexican food, a term like “best” can lead to brawls. People get reallllllll passionate about their al pastor, tortillas, and salsa, or the delicate balance of ingredients that builds the perfect taco, burrito, torta, or tamale.

Here in Portland, the joints that get it right tend to push out to places like deep Southeast (Taquería Antojitos Yucateco), Beaverton (Chavita’s), or Hillsboro (Taquería Hermanos Ochoa’s). But closer in, my favorite so far remains La Bonita, a colorful, bustling taquería which just opened a second branch last Friday at 2701 N Killingsworth, next to the North Station Food Cart pod. (The original LB is located at 2839 NE Alberta St.)

This isn’t to say conclusively that there’s no other townie taquería that’s more for real. Rather, LB is real enough Mexican food that, like that worn-in T-shirt, doesn’t hurt you and keeps you coming back for more. It did the trick when I had just moved back up to Portland and was desperately missing the Hollywood taquerías (El Gran Burrito, Cactus Mexican Food) I would go to at 2:30am after I was done peddling over-priced martinis and Tapanese (Asian-style tapas…) to drunk idiots at my night club job. There was no vegan sour cream, flesh-free chorizo, or $8 guacamole here. No, at these no-frills establishments, surrounded by other service industry folk, drug addled hipsters, and transvestite prostitutes, I’d get burritos that were simple (beans and cheese or meat, onions, cilantro, true salsa, and maybe rice, avocado slices, or crema), flavorful, enormous, and CHEAP.

Similarly, at La Bonita, a basic gut-busting burrito will only set you back between $3 (bean & cheese) and $5.95 (carne asada, machaca, al pastor, lengua, shrimp, or fish)—and you won’t regret it the next morning. There are other variations (get it fajita-style or stick an oozing chile relleno in it) and you can add a heaping portion of fresh, garlicky guac for only $1.25.

But their exceedingly affordable menu extends beyond the burrito, including breakfast (e.g. huevos con chorizo for $7.95), tamales (pollo, chile verde carnitas, or fajita veggies, $2.50 each), chimichangas ($6.95-$8.90), menudo and pozole ($5.95 small; $7.95 large), real Mexican Coca-Cola, a tart, luscious jamaica, and more. A best bet is definitely the tacos ($2-$2.95 each) Made with soft, toasty homemade tortillas, chopped onions, and cilantro, you get heaping portions of toppings like tender carne asada, smokey al pastor, and expertly-caramelized carnitas.

In addition to burritos, vegetarians will like the over-stuffed cheese enchiladas smothered in an earthy red sauce—a gargantuan platter with three, plus well-seasoned beans, rice, pico de gallo, pickled carrots, and guac, is $10.95. The chile relleno is rich and tasty, but is served in a sauce that makes it soggy and the vegan tamale is a bit bland.

I also wish they’d get better chips and a broiler so they could make ooey-gooey nachos rather than mounds of cheese wilting over warm beans, but this isn’t common fare in many taquerías anyway, so, in the interest of not appearing too Baja Fresh-y, I won’t complain too loudly.

The new LB branch is open every day, 10am-9pm, but they plan to add a small bar at the end of March, once all the licensing is dealt with, and will likely change closing time to 11pm or later.

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Tags: Cheap Date, Cheap Eats, North Portland Dining, Mexican Cuisine

New Year’s Resolutions 101

Trim down tips you’ll actually enjoy from Jenn Louis, chef/owner of NoPo’s Lincoln

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Jan 03, 2011 at 10:15AM 0 Comments

Jenn Louis, chef/owner of North Portland’s consistently delicious, fresh, and elegantly innovative Lincoln, was a skinny kid. “I was a competitive runner and worked out,” she says. “Then I got married, started a business, and got a little lazy.”

In addition to skipping her workouts, eating too many rich foods in the line of duty helped Louis pack on some extra padding. But about five years ago, she realized she didn’t have the energy and strength she needed for the very physical job of cooking in a crazy-busy kitchen. The solution wasn’t a fad diet like starving herself or subsisting only on animal parts. Instead, she started up a vigorous exercise routine and changed how she ate, controlling the portions and choosing leaner but more filling and nutrient-packed foods. After about a year, she’d lost 35 pounds.

Even here in Portland, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t have shedding a little waistline or butt baggage—or at least toning up and improving their health—on their New Year’s resolution list. To help kick-start your self-improvement, Louis has five tips for low-cal ways to work with winter ingredients.

1) GREENS: Eat lots of greens, such as kale, cabbage, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc. They’re in season and are both naturally quite low in calories and loaded with great vitamins. Braised greens are wonderful with all sorts of proteins for a side dish, as well as whole grains or beans like corona, flageolet, and borlotti for a vegetarian entrée.

2) OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN STOCK/SOUP: Make homemade chicken stock (I call it “liquid gold”) and use it for brothy soups. You can load them with vegetables, greens, beans, and lean protein. They are satisfying and will keep you warm in this cold weather.

3) FRUIT: Snack on winter fruits like tangerines, pears, apples, oranges, and dates. Fruit is a great low-calorie, low-fat, high fiber, and vitamin-packed solution when you need something between meals.

4) FARRO: Whole grains (not milled flours) are great for your body. They are lean, high in protein, and filling.

5) SQUASH: Rather than pasta or refined rice, get your starch from roasted squash. It provides great nutrition and is delicious. There are so many varieties! Start with one type and see how many others you can try by the end of winter.

RECIPE: Kale Bagna Cauda
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound kale, thick stems removed
6 T olive oil
1.5 t chile flakes
3 small cloves garlic, sliced very thin
8 anchovies, packed in olive oil
2 t lemon juice

Blanch kale in salted boiling water until wilted and the chalky flavor disappears. Remove kale from heat and shock in ice water until the greens are very cold. Remove kale from ice water and squeeze out all excess water. Slice into thick ribbons and set aside.

In a medium pan, warm olive oil, chile flakes, garlic, and anchovies over medium heat. Use the back of a fork to break up anchovies as mixture warms. Anchovies will dissolve and flavors will meld. Add kale and warm through. Squeeze lemon over kale, season with kosher salt and pepper, and serve.

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Tags: Recipes, Interview, North Portland Dining, Slim Down

Feeding Hungry Hearts & Bellies in NoPo

The price tag on a date at Liberty Glass? Cheap. Sharing a tasty, satisfying meal with loved ones in a comfy, unpretentious environment where they turn the music down if it gets too loud, without you having to ask? Priceless.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Dec 08, 2010 at 08:00AM 2 Comments

Vegan Beet Salad: Two crispy-crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside potato pancakes, horseradish sauce, and green onions atop a mass of marinated beets, crisp Washington apples, and walnuts ($9).

It’s unlikely they will ever receive a nomination for a James Beard Award; however, if I had to name my top three favorite local places to eat, North Portland’s Liberty Glass (938 N Cook; open daily, 5pm-2:30am) would most certainly be among them.

Located at the most southern tip of the Mississippi strip, occupying the forlorn-looking two-story pink house that once upon a time was the original home of Lovely Hula Hands (RIP), this warm, rustic eatery/bar is the kind of place where you’d like to get snowed in with your sweetie, a good friend, or an entire posse of your favorite peeps—all combos make for a good date here. During the winter, play cards and sip fantastic hot toddys or chai buttered rum at a cozy table. During the summer, enjoy a refreshing house-made ginger kombucha & pear brandy cocktail while sitting on the porch or patio, where a wood-stove will help you combat the evening chill.

As for what to eat, the menu includes a range of meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, all $13 (the blackened hanger steak) or less, all hearty portions, and all delicious. You could always start your meal with the piquant tuna and anchovy stuffed eggs ($4) or a plate of the infamous Triscuit nachos with cracker sauce ($8), but I always go for the vegan beet salad (see photo caption) and/or the cheese plate—a gorgonzola cheese ball, baby Swiss, Red Dragon (brown ale and mustard seed cheddar), salami-of-the-moment, spiced tomato jam, olives, and ridiculously addictive olive-oil grilled bread, all for $10.

For your main meal, you could try the flavorful picadillo ($9), a spicy Cuban sandwich consisting of a roll filled with shredded beef, onion, green olives, roasted red peppers, capers, and golden raisins simmered in a tomato sauce, and then topped with horseradish mustard and crispy onions.

But everything pales in comparison to the meatloaf-style “Over the Rainbow” mac and cheese ($12). Cut thick, battered in rice flour, and topped with Swiss before it gets pan-seared to perfection, this is soft, gooey, uber-cheesy sate-my-soul food. Served with a green salad and homemade cheddar pepper biscuit, it is, in my opinion, the best mac and cheese in town. Do you hear me, James Beard Foundation?

Stop in for Happy Hour, 5-7pm, and get $1 off pints and appetizers.

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Tags: Cheap Date, Cheap Eats, NoPo, North Portland Dining, mac-n-cheese

North Portland’s Old Reliable

Pause let’s you spend time—and fill up—with your sweetie without spending a ton of money.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Nov 19, 2010 at 08:30AM 0 Comments

There are some restaurants where you go to impress a date (e.g. Le Pigeon), others where you go to dork out on food and hear each other talk (e.g. Park Kitchen), and still others where you go to pop the question (e.g. Paley’s Place). But then there are the restaurants that you go to with your one and only when you’re tired and hungry and you may still be wearing your gym clothes. A perfect example is Pause, the quintessential unassuming neighborhood eatery located at 5101 N Interstate Ave.

The menu is broken down into Soup, Salads, Snacks (think Chicken Drumsticks Confit for $6, Grilled Shrimp Skewers for $6, and a Pickle Plate at $2 per person), Sandwiches, Dinners, Kid Fare, and Sweets. It’s mostly “American” cuisine (which basically means there is a mish-mash of ethnic influences, as well fries and burgers), and most of it is $9 or less, barring a few dinner entrées that ring in at $10 (such as the Dijon-Cider Braised Pork Shanks with Mashed Potatoes and Alsatian Sauerkraut) and one high roller—the $12 Cornmeal Crusted Trout with Couscous Salad and Asparagus with a Lemon White Wine Caper Beurre Blanc.

But the real deal to be had is the Everyday Special —two sliders (one cheddar and one bacon-blue cheese; you can also do the veggie version), thick, firm hand-cut fries, and a Sierra Nevada or soda for $7 flat. The meat sliders are pretty damn juicy for little guys and the black bean veggie variety have great flavor and texture.

This is not the place to go for an earth shattering meal—the $8 Baked Mac & Cheese is a bit watery and needs salt, and the $7 Black Bean, Grilled Corn, Quinoa, and Greens Salad lacks black beans, corn, and quinoa—but it gets the job done in a fast and satisfactory fashion. The mostly-local beers are mostly $3.75 ($4.50 for cask conditioned brews and $2.25 for Pabst, of course), the mostly classic cocktails range from $6-$6.50, and wines go for $4-$6 a glass, with the most expensive bottle coming in at $29.

It’s cheap and easy—which, some may argue, is the best kind of date to be had.

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Tags: Cheap Date, Cheap Eats, North Portland Dining, American Cuisine

Tasty Tidbits from a 2010 Best Restaurant

John Gorham answers a few quick questions about his culinary cover boy.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Oct 25, 2010 at 09:55AM 0 Comments

Not only did chef John Gorham’s Tasty n Sons make the cover of Portland Monthly’s 2010 Best Restaurants issue, hitting stands now, last Wednesday the Willamette Week named the NoPo eatery its 2010 Restaurant of the Year —the only time in that award’s 18 year history that a single chef has received the honor twice. (Toro Bravo got the top spot in 2007.)

Despite the hungry hullabaloo around Gorham that never seems to cease, I was able to catch up with him a couple days ago and get in a few quick questions about his very tasty toast of the town.

How long does a starving person have to wait for a seat?

The lines aren’t too bad, actually. We’re seeing a few more people lining up for opening on the weekdays and we’re pretty busy by 10 a.m., but the wait is only getting to about 15 minutes.

What are the most popular menu items right now?

The Shakshuka and the Fried Green Tomato BLT. Oh, and lots of Bloody Marys with our house-cured beef jerky.

How are you managing to stay sane?

Staying sane is tough. After a hard day I like to swim, go for a bike ride, or run. Yesterday was a hard day so I went for a hard run—it pushes me to go harder. This weekend I’m taking my daughter and wife to Seattle via the train. We’re just going to chill out and eat some good food. Also, this isn’t that “fun,” but I’ve been finishing my day with a cup of kava tea. Basically, I’m doing everything I can to just keep it cool.

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Tags: Portland Chefs, Food News, North Portland Dining

Slooooooooow Food in St. Johns

A peek inside Pitxi (pee-chee), a culinary anomaly on North Lombard.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Oct 13, 2010 at 10:30AM 1 Comments

The four servings of cheese on Pitxi’s cheese plate were paltry, but they were paired with intriguing condiments like a rich dark chocolate paste and mango marmalade. A slice of cold roasted squash, eggplant & pepper terrine tasted fresh, clean, and earthy.

Who: Pitxi Dining Room & Wine Bar

What: A menu inspired by the Northwest, France, and the Basque region.

When: Tues.-Sat., 5-10 p.m.; reservations requested.

Where: 5225 North Lombard Street; 503.360.3963

Why: 1) The mystery. Pitxi first appeared in Sandy, then closed and reopened on the outskirts of St. Johns. Reviews online are all over the place, ranging from adoration to acrimony. 2) The space. Big, airy, elegant industrial, with an open kitchen. 3) The creative menu. Curry squash dumplings were hearty little pillows of savory pumpkin pie spice, paired with three kinds of mushrooms, including the unbelievably odd “chicken of the woods”—essentially flavorless, it has the exact texture of overcooked chicken. Buttery and gamey, the fall lamb stew with Navarra beans came in a little pot with brussel sprouts and sunchokes on the side. At first it seemed strange that the veggies weren’t incorporated in the stew, but it quickly became apparent that their simple, tangy preparation actually presented a nice break from the intensely rich lamb. A bright, gently-dry bottle of Benaza Mencia Monterrei was enjoyable with the food and alone—a pleasant surprise, seeing as how at $25, it was the second cheapest wine on the menu.

Why Not: 1) The price. While the intriguing dishes on the Small Bites menu—think eggplant beignets and garlic shrimp pancake—range from $3-$5, the dinner menu is a tad too pricey for the location ($9 appetizers, $18 mains). 2) The service. Unfortunately, I chose to sup on a Tuesday. Apparently this night is typically “dead,” so there was only one waitress. Although knowledgeable and gracious as all get out, she simply couldn’t serve the five tables in a timely fashion—maybe because she was also helping out the two cooks. Our meal took two-plus hours.

Conclusion: Two waiters and less obsessing over the perfection of each plate would probably improve the service/timing exponentially. The food wasn’t mind-blowing, but I couldn’t stop eating and I was continuously curious to see what would show up next. I’d go back.

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Tags: Review, North Portland Dining, St. Johns, French

Shake Things Up with “Bar Camp” at NoPo’s Lincoln

Co-owner David Welch teaches campers when to shake and when to stir—as well as the proper shaking and stirring technique—while fellow owner/chef/wife Jenn Louis does them one better than PB&J.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Oct 01, 2010 at 09:20AM 0 Comments

The makings of sweet, sour, and salty sippers at Lincoln, on North Williams.

If the extent of your cocktail crafting experience is mixing together any liquids you happen to have hanging around the house (e.g. tequila, soy milk, and Diet Squirt), it’s time to pack your jar of pimento-stuffed olives and sign up for Bar Camp, Saturday, October 16th.

David Welch, co-owner of the divine Lincoln, located at 3808 North Williams, serves as camp counselor, explaining how spirits are made, guiding participants through the evolution of various cocktails over time (via taste tests!), teaching the basics of stocking a home bar, and sharing recipes for a few classic drinks, such as the Manhattan, the martini, and the margarita.

Another easy lesson to swallow? Learning how what you sip can affect your enjoyment of your supper. When it comes to cocktails, unlike some other local establishments that seem to prioritize shock value over taste and menu compatibility, Lincoln’s tidy little list features elegant entries that are meant to be paired with the restaurant’s farm-fresh, elemental entrées. “Just like wine, cocktails have complex flavor profiles,” says Welch. “Certain drinks go well with certain foods, and conflict with others.” Take the margarita, for example. The bright acidity of the lime juice and the brininess of the tequila and the triple sec only serve to enhance the spicy, savory nature of a taco.

Or consider the classic martini. “There’s a reason why you always see people sucking them down in steakhouses in movies from the 1950s,” says Welch. “Part of it was the culture, of course, but it was also because the cocktail’s sharp, needle-y quality could cut through the richness of a big rib eye. The margarita’s intense acidity, on the other hand, would be confusing with a steak.”

You can find out for yourself what makes for a good match, because after the formal class portion of the evening, campers get to tuck into a family-style meal that pairs dishes like yeasted polenta fritters with sage, pecorino, and aioli, with a fruity cocktail. If you’re curious as to what that cocktail might be, make your reservation now by calling 503.288.6200—seating is limited.

Also available Saturday, October 30th, the class portion of Bar Camp runs from 4:30-5:30 p.m., followed by dinner from 5:30-7 p.m. For $125 (gratuity not included), you get to learn some bar basics, enjoy a delicious dinner, and down enough cocktails to make you an honorary member of Mad Men.

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Tags: Portland Chefs, Food News, Cocktails, North Portland Dining

Tasty n Sons Does Dinner — and Snack

John Gorham and Co.’s N. Williams brunch-ery is ready to go alllllllllll day long.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Sep 13, 2010 at 08:37AM 3 Comments

Yeah, go ahead and pretend that Tasty n Sons will ever be this empty.

Tomorrow night, grab all your friends and hurry on over to 3808 North Williams so that you can all sit and wait just like everyone else, because Tasty n Sons is opening for dinner. I’ve seen the planned menu, as of two days ago, and let me tell you — it’s wait-worthy. Of course, all culinary greatness is subject to change without warning, but right now you can expect to see:

Breakfast-for-Dinner, including some of Tasty’s signature brunch items like the Fried Egg & Cheddar Biscuit with fried chicken or sausage, the Bambino Plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuit & Heather’s honey butter, and Shakshuka, a red pepper & tomato stew with baked eggs and merguez sausage, if you want it, which you do; four Burgers, including the ever-popular “#3” (aka the Toro Bravo version with house bacon, manchego & romesco) and “The Thomas,” a heavenly coronary-inducer which comes with sour cream, ham, jalapeños & cheddar; and other gourmet renditions of Northwest-meets-the-Deep-South diner classics like Monk’s Carolina Cheesesteak, The Ricker Dog, the Classic Cobb Salad, and Shhhhhhhhhh Puppies.

If you’re still hungry after stuffing your face with their Griddled Bacon Wrapped Dates (the only meat dish in town that I, a life-long vegetarian, eat every single time I have the opportunity), dessert includes the likes of baked-to-order chocolate chip cookies, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with brandy soaked berries, two sizes of Auntie Paula’s French Toast Sundae with bananas, caramel & nuts, and Chocolate Potato Doughnuts that you can purchase individually.

For all you booze-hounds, there will also be good beer and plenty of souped-up classic cocktails like the Apricot Sour with Aviation gin, lemon, Crème de Apricot, and honey syrup, or the Vieux Carré, a stunning blend of Cognac, rye, dolin rouge, Benedictine, Peychauds, and Angostura bitters, invented in 1938 by Walter Bergeron, the head bartender at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans.

This Tuesday is the beginning of Tasty n Sons “soft opening phase” in which dinner (served 5-10 p.m.), as well as a small afternoon menu (3-5 p.m.), will only be offered Tuesday through Saturday. But the plan is to go seven days a week sometime soon, and I’m guessing it won’t take long. The fanaticism for anything these restaurateurs touch reminds me of all the people who clamored to get into the night club I worked at long, long ago in L.A.

But thank goodness that instead of slipping the door guy $100 or dressing like a streetwalker to get plucked from behind a velvet rope, you just have to wait.

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Tags: Food News, Restaurant Openings, Cocktails, North Portland Dining

Sweet & Savory Trivia on N Williams

Flaunt your snacking smarts with Pix Pâtisserie’s palate-challenging Gastronomical Trivia, this Tuesday.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Sep 10, 2010 at 10:20AM 0 Comments

Pix Pâtisserie’s tantalizing tea service. Now imagine all of these items being subjected to a blender and try to figure out which is which.

If there’s two things Portland peeps love, it’s food and trivia. Well, and beards, tattoos, bikes, Blazers, and fleece coats. But Pix Pâtisserie can only guarantee the first two when they present their Gastronomical Trivia Night! Can you taste the difference between an IPA and a Porter or between a Pop Rock and a Sweet Tart? Come prove it at Pix’s North Williams outpost this Tuesday, 7-9 p.m.

Play by yourself or gather up to three more of your foodie friends to participate in six 10-minute rounds of “name the mystery munchies.” Each round is a different category, including anything from charcuterie to cold cereal, and includes 12 flavors for you to identify. There are no blindfolds involved, but the Pix pros will do their darndest to “mask” the snacks so that you are forced to figure them out by taste alone. For example, they might serve all fruits as purees, or all 12 macarons will be blue. Everyone on a team can chime in on the answers, but you have to share the same samples. The winning team for each round receives a $25 Pix gift certificate.

SUPER SECRET BLOG READERS ONLY HINT: One of the categories will be herbs.

This is a trivia game that challenges your taste buds as well as your brain cells. “You may know that Comté is a cheese from France, but can you pick it out in a blind tasting?” asks Pix founder/mad pastry chef Cheryl Wakerhauser.

Um, I didn’t even know what Comté was. Apparently I won’t be much competition.

The price to play is $5 per person, including tasty treats, and the DEADLINE for reservations is Monday, September 13th.

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Tags: Events, North Portland Dining, Dessert

Overlook’s New Thai Food Cart

Pbong’s Bowl dishes up home-style Thai street food from a driveway on North Killingsworth Street.

Posted by: Anna Sachse on Aug 26, 2010 at 10:00AM 3 Comments

You’ll find the Pbong’s Bowl truck in a driveway just a few blocks east of Beaterville

Last night I saw the future: Pbong’s Bowl. Call it Food Carts: The Next Generation. Instead of joining one of P-Town’s many beloved “pods,” Supajanut Brunjongaksorn a.k.a. Pbong, serves hefty portions of authentic Thai street-food out of a renovated vintage Chevy Frito Lay delivery van parked in the driveway of her own home, located at 2034 North Killingsworth Avenue.

The 36-year-old self-taught chef opened the cart at her neighbors’ behest after months of inviting them over for Thursday night mango curry chicken or Khao Soi, although her family used to run a similar business in front of their home in downtown Bangkok.

Yesterday, the steady stream of apparent regulars lining up at the window all ordered the special — steaming bowls of Tom Yum Noodle — before settling down on at the 20-foot long communal table in the front yard. But since my husband and I were first-timers, we opted to try the only two entrées on the official menu: Kao Mok Gai, a fragrant dish of curried yellow rice served with succulent hunks of chicken thigh, salty/sweet fried shallots, and cucumbers; and “Pad Portland,” a Pad Thai topped with strips of fried tofu, freshly grated carrots, broccoli, and a spicy peanut sauce sweetened with organic molasses. A delicate mango, avocado, and coconut milk smoothie came in really handy after we got a little over-zealous with the house chili oil.

I have a feeling all the lovely CSA cabbage and squash in my fridge is going to die a slow death because I am definitely headed back to Pbong’s to try the specials — like Pak Pao, a stir fry made with meat, chili, and hot basil, a rarity in the U.S., and traditionally topped with a fried egg. Maybe tonight, when 3 Leg Torso plays a free show from “the main stage” i.e. the front porch.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

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Tags: Food Carts, Thai Food, North Portland Dining

Goodbye Lovely Hula Hands

Hello Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty

Posted by: Kaitlyn Evans on Dec 07, 2009 at 03:00PM 0 Comments

Photo: Basil Childers

The latest food news in circulation doesn’t match the bright weather that has graced Portland these past couple of days. I am sorry to say that Lovely Hula Hands, the picturesque little eatery on N. Mississippi, will be closing New Year’s Eve after one final, locally-sourced and attentively crafted hurrah.

We’ve kept our eyes on this restaurant for quite some time (It’s graced our Top Restaurants list twice, in 2007 and 2008) – our hearts clinging to the wispy curtains, the enchantingly busy wallpaper, the creaky wood flooring just like home… The intrigue is as uncomplicated as the two delicate, yellow hands on their restaurant sign. It is a place, not just to taste seasonal fare served as it should be, unfussy and elevating, but to cozy into with a couple of close friends and a bottle of wine.

I had my first engagement with Lovely Hula Hands after a Friday night of restaurant tag. Every east side eatery (worth my occasional dining out splurge) was brimming – two hour waits, inattentive service, and over-crowded bar areas, making it a struggle to even order an aperitif. I was frantically driving down N. Mississippi, not feeling like Mexican, pizza, or Thai, when I saw those two floating hands.

If you haven’ t eaten here, please do before it closes just to feel that instantaneous calm when you step through the front door. Even on a Friday night, you’ll be carried to your table with promptness and ease. There aren’t many places like it visually, and detail-driven plates of potato crusted trout and ravioli stuffed with fresh pumpkin squash are just what this hectic winter season requires.

Fortunately, when one thing closes, another inevitably opens. In owners and sisters Sarah and Jane Minnick’s case, they will be debuting a wood-fired pizza restaurant, Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty in late January.

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Tags: North Portland Dining

Welcome Prost! German Pub to N. Mississippi

Posted by: Kaitlyn Evans on Nov 06, 2009 at 04:15PM 3 Comments

Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Business is a blur as Prost! celebrates its first week.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Business is a blur as Prost! celebrates its first week.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Prost! cozies up to the corner of Skidmore and Mississippi.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Spaten Helles Bock, .5L, served in the traditional glassware.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Prost! attracts a bier-thirsty crowd on an otherwise dreary Thursday night.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

A pair of bartenders serve up German bier to curious locals.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

A brave soul attempts to chug das boot as friends document the moment.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Spaten Optimator, at 7.5 percent ABV, is too potent to be served by the liter.

View Slideshow » Photo: Kaitlyn Evans

Owner Dan Hart celebrates his 30th Birthday and a successful first week with das boot. Prost!

My feet have tromped around on German pavement for a grand total of 56 hours, eight of which I remember clearly. The rest lingers as a beautiful haze of voluptuous, pigtailed barmaids, pretzels the size of a cocker spaniel, hoards of teetering Italian men, and of course, bier. Liters of it.

When I caught wind of a new German pub opening on N. Mississippi Ave, the above mentioned snippets came flooding back. A void expanded in my belly, one that could only be filled by a stein of golden Hofbrau lager, foam bubbling over the lip and slipping down the sides.

Prost!—even on a drizzly evening—warms the corner of Skidmore and Mississippi with its apricot hue and gumball-shaped lights rimming the windows. Inside, it feels like a neighborhood mainstay, relaxed, cheery and filled to a snug capacity.

Yet, the pub’s only been open for a week. It appears managing owner Dan Hart was spot-on in choosing the digs for his and business partner Chris Navarra’s first German bar in Portland. Beyond locale, Prost! has over two handfuls of German bier on tap, like the airy wheat ale, Franziskaner Weissbier and the nutty malt, Paulaner Oktoberfest, served in traditional glassware and volume (.3L, .5L, 1.0 L).

I found it (beyond helpful) a nice touch that each beer was served in a glass that suited its personality. The Franziskaner Weissbier, described as crisp ale with subtle clove aroma, came in a tall, slender glass, while the Spaten Optimator, a 7.5% dark, malt beer was served in a short, hefty glass.

Hart’s roaming the bar tonight, schmoozing the crowd and throwing back a couple of .5 liters, himself. Glass tinkles and conversation pauses. On top of the one-week anniversary, it’s Hart’s 30th birthday, which means, after he blows out the candles on his ultra-rich chocolate cake, he’ll have to chug das boot—yup, that 2.0L boot-shaped glass made famous by Jay Chandrasekhar’s Beerfest (2006). And yes, it does bubble.

People are having a good time. As the night deepens, more rowdy foursomes order the boot just to see if they can handle it. They spin, they gulp, and they celebrate, ripping off their actual shoes to compare sizes. Wurst sampler platters begin streaming from the kitchen, and for the first time, I notice the massive jars of sauerkraut stacked behind the bar.

At one point, a diagonally poised guy sitting next to me takes his half-empty stein and cheers my kneecap. “Prost!” he mumbles, slamming his beer back onto the table.

Now, that cluster of food carts behind Prost! just needs to start handing out brats with rye and giant pretzels, and I think Portland’s got it.

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Tags: North Portland Dining