Order Up!

It’s evening. You’re tired and hungry. The refrigerator is as barren as a desert. The stove beckons as invitingly as the north face of Mount Everest. Just do it: Pick up the phone. Take a walk. All right, get in the car. It’s time for takeout.

We asked 10 Portlanders which takeout dishes around town get their mouths watering and their soul singing with the pleasures of not cooking. Tell us what does the job for you at facebook.com/portlandmonthly to win an edible prize.

Dante Cunningham

Forward for the Portland Trail Blazers
Pan-fried shrimp dumplings
P.F. Chang’s
multiple locations

I usually go to P.F. Chang’s. I’m there a lot. I go for pan-fried shrimp dumplings with crispy honey-glazed shrimp. And then after the game, sometimes it’s just Applebee’s. Hmm, I might head that way right now.

Janie Hibler


Cookbook Author
Real Deal
Bellagio’s Pizza
multiple locations

Their crust is perfect: not too thin, not too thick. Our usual is the Real Deal with extra sausage and fresh tomatoes. When it gets here, if I have it on hand, I top the pie with fresh arugula seasoned with a little bit of sea salt and lemon juice. That’s a great secret I learned from Nostrana.

Kaie Wellman


Publisher of Eat.Shop Guides
Pork spareribs in clay pot
Thien Hong
6749 NE Sandy Blvd, 503-281-1247

It’s a bit of a mix between Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. My husband, child, and I always get one of two things: the pork spareribs in clay pot or the duck with taro root. And then we always have to get the salt-and-pepper calamari. Unfortunately, I can’t eat walnuts, but the word on the street…Sandy Boulevard, that is…is that the glazed walnut and shrimp in special creamy sauce is mind-bogglingly delicious.

Westin Glass

Drummer for the Thermals
Dalo’s Kitchen

4134 N Vancouver Ave, 503-808-9604

They’re up there in the top five Ethiopian restaurants I’ve experienced, and by far the most affordable. We did more tours last year than I can count, and I made it my personal tradition to go to Dalo’s for my first meal every time we got home. I always get the same thing—the large vegetarian combo—it’s delicious, healthy, and cheaper than cooking a meal for myself. Awesome!


Emily Crumpacker

Director of Event and Catering Sales, Portland Art Museum
Chicken artichoke casserole
Nancy’s Kitchen
1611 NW Glisan St, 503-241-1137

You can take in any dish, no matter how fancy, and they’ll fill it with one of their casseroles. The Chicken Artichoke is fabulous. If you don’t want to open the door for your guests with a bead 
of sweat on your upper lip, it’s nice to still be able 
to say: “Yeah, that’s my 
casserole … dish!”

Sarah Hart

Owner of Alma Chocolate
Corn Pizza
Dove Vivi 

2727 NE Glisan St, 503-239-4444

The corn, balsamic onion, and smoked mozzarella pizza and the beet salad (which is just greens, roasted beets, blue cheese, and walnuts) is just huge and satisfying. The owners have the cutest baby (always an incentive to stop by). Their chocolate chip cookies are a-ma-zing.

Naomi Pomeroy

Chef at Beast
Rotisserie chicken
New Seasons
multiple locations

I get a rotisserie chicken every evening. Maybe get some tortillas and salsa and do Mexican rotisserie chicken, or some rice and some broccoli and do Asian rotisserie chicken. It’s perfect with a side of steamed broccoli with Best Foods mayo on it. It’s a goddamn roasted chicken! 


Bette Sinclair


B. Sinclair Public Relations
Pasta di fagioli soup
Zupans
multiple locations

I like to entertain, but sometimes I need a little help from my friends. This soup is an irresistibly tasty main course that I enhance with a can of high-quality cannellini beans, mushrooms, black beans, fennel seeds, white pepper, chile flakes, and a generous dusting of parmesan cheese on top. It’s a winter one-dish meal that gets raves from my guests.

Drew Carney


KGW reporter
Barbacoa burrito
Chipotle
multiple locations

I eat their burritos out of a foil wrapper usually, but it sure feels like a full meal when I’m done. I’d say the last two bites are extras. The taste is terrific—the beef is so flavorful and juicy, and the corn salsa is the best salsa of any kind, anywhere.

Johnna Wells


Auctioneer, Benefit Auctions 360
Pad Thai
Pad Thai Kitchen
2309 SE Belmont St, 
503-232-8766

This little dive bar–looking place on SE Belmont Street is my all-time favorite place for takeout. There are other good Thai restaurants in Portland, but this is by far the safest bet in town. My usual is number 91: pad Thai with shrimp, medium spicy. The gal who runs it knows me on sight and always tries to convince me to get the drunken noodles instead. I never do—the pad Thai is just too good.