Cheap Eats

Date Nights

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Trigger’s mammoth Mexican chocolate ice cream sundae

Cocido Madrileño at Toro Bravo ($20)
and the Ice Cream Sundae at Trigger ($8)

Stretch a Sunday evening into a night of rock-’n’-roll food-hopping guaranteed to delight. Even at 6 p.m., Toro Bravo roars like a Spanish bullring, with music popping and sangria flowing. You want the cocido madrileño, a massive cauldron of chickpeas, marrow bones, chicken thighs, fresh chorizo, and a thousand years of Spanish grandma DNA. It’s dispatched with bowls of broth tasting like deep salami and platters of garlicked cabbage shreds, pickles, and smoky sauce for tinkering—enough to feed two daters and a chaperone. (Editor's Note: Trigger's Tex Mex sundae is no longer available) Hop next door to Trigger for an outsize Tex-Mex sundae as imagined by an ice cream mastermind: a heap of homemade chocolate ice cream, spicy Valrhona chocolate sauce, big roasty nuts, and, for good measure, a river of marshmallow madness.

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Toro Bravo’s cocido madrileño

Omakase at Tanuki ($20)

Step into Tanuki’s underground den and tuck into a dark nook for two. Speakers broadcast the house mood: hip-hop and Asian pop, fast and furious. Ambient light comes courtesy of Japanese zombie porn flicks in constant rotation. Even the food is unflinching, throwing in Korean spices, Japanese funk, and twisted sophistication. This is date night as imagined by Quentin Tarantino. From the set-your-own-price omakase menu, lay down your money and watch the parade of entertainments unfold. Where else can you feast on mile-long jellyfish strands, kimchi hanger steak, and mussels coddling outrageously creamy pollock tripe custard while watching chainsaw-wielding gals make their own mincemeat?

Late-Night Drinking Chocolate at Cacao ($6)

By day, Cacao stands as an icon of Portland food love and a headquarters for the modern chocolate-bar revolution. By night, this little shop of swooning pleasures transforms into the city’s sexiest secret, open until 10 p.m. on weekends. Friends and couples slip in to play cards, forage for sweets, and deconstruct the art of drinking chocolates, a kind of liquid dark chocolate pudding that pierces the deepest pleasure centers. Order a flight of three, each a different experience, from simple decadence unchained to pure cinnamon-chocolate exhilaration.

Dinner and a Movie at Living Room Theaters (from $10)

Duck through the wood-and-glass lobby, pass the hopping bar, slip into plush seats, and fasten your seatbelts. Compared to the multiplex, Living Room Theaters is an upgrade to first class, complete with food service at your seat. Thick napkins, real wine glasses, heavy silverware. Only in Portland can you canoodle at an indie movie, sip pinot noir, eat fresh popcorn from a ceramic bowl, nibble an arugula salad, devour a Cascade Natural beef burger dripping piquillo aioli (just $5 from 4 to 6 p.m.), and nab a local vegan truffle. Movie tickets fly for just $5 all day Monday and Tuesday.

Stuffed to the Gills

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Addictively crispy kati rolls at Bollywood Theater

Kati Rolls at Bollywood Theater ($7)

Much like the faux-shanty décor, with its vibrant knickknacks and back-wall films, Bollywood’s kati rolls cackle with flavor. Tender chunks of chicken, beef, or house-made paneer cheese pop with the spice of mint-cilantro chutney and homemade sauce, the crunch of cabbage, and the tang of yogurt, all rolled in grilled flatbread with just enough crispiness to transport you to a roadside diner in Calcutta.

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Pupusas sizzling at Pupuseria Factory

Pupusas at Pupuseria Factory ($3–4)

A menu with Salvadoran, Mexican, Guatemalan, and Honduran food could keep you guessing—and probably happy. But whatever you order, make sure El Salvador’s signature tortillas, stuffed and fried into a compressed, quesadilla-like disk of glory, make the cut. The basic option with diced loroco flowers and cheese is street food at its simple best, while the guanaca’s addition of pork and beans will satisfy the most ardent pig-lover.

Empanadas at Las Primas ($3.50)

This relatively new Peruvian place deserves to be packed for its massive sandwiches, salty-good fries, and sprightly salads. But the empanadas ... madre de Dios. The basic folded pocket of Peruvian corn and cheese, lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar, could become the memory-sparking vessel of future nostalgia—and the ultimate bar snack.

Crêpes at Suzette ($5–8)

Almost everything at Suzette is homemade: Nutella, ice cream, and, of course, batter, which owner Jehnee Rains refined as a pastry chef at Chez Panisse (the secret ingredient: beer). While the sweet crêpes are delicious, the savory options are meals unto themselves. Try the Goat Fig Pig, with marsala-soaked figs swimming in goat cheese and prosciutto. Sub gruyère for goat cheese in the mushroom crêpe to submerge into a meal so decadent, it’s like crêpe fondue.

Pasties at Saraveza ($8.50–9)

The beloved beer hall with Wisconsin roots has perfected the pasty—that beloved blue-collar way of wrapping carbohydrates around meat and potatoes. When you crack a golden crust to discover house-cured Painted Hills corned beef or a vegetarian rendition featuring rutabaga, regional pride blossoms: these are Portland pasties. And they are awesome.

Ravioli at Justa Pasta ($6.50–12.95)

Other places come and go. Justa Pasta just keeps on going, with pretty much the same menu, loyal following, and reliable kitchen staff as 10 years ago. The deftly house-made ravioli are a gem of this consistency: always available in a vegetarian three-cheese version or with a vegetable- or meat-based filling (recently a treat of lamb, feta, and spinach), always accessorized with a superb sauce.

Happy Hour Havens

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Trotters ’n’ Eggs get the gourmet treatment at Aviary’s happy hour.

early evening

Aviary ($2–6)

Everything marching out of this experimental modern kitchen during happy hour will make you smile. From the charm of icy tomato granita atop kusshi oysters to the whimsy of charred brussels sprout nachos and the cozy delight of applesauce-topped zucchini fritters, these thoughtfully playful, worldly dishes are designed to please. Best of all is the “slaw dog”—a house-smoked wiener beneath spicy slaw and a pickle spear, cut neatly in half to share. 5–7 p.m.

Nel Centro ($3–7)

You may have to invest a little time trolling the stylish bar, ready to pounce the moment a stool or table is abandoned—but believe us, it’s worth it. The reward holds full plates of fine-dining cuisine for fast-food prices: duck leg confit with lentils, deeply flavorful lamb meatballs, pizza piled with wild mushrooms and gorgonzola, and a messily wonderful lamb burger. Don’t be afraid to throw some elbows to snag your spot. 4–6 p.m.

3 Doors Down ($3–10)

This 18-year-old neighborhood Italian spot is the seasoned elder of our list—and with age, it seems, comes generosity. Heaping portions of fresh-made pasta (from tortiglioni in creamy, spicy vodka sauce to truffle oil–laced fettuccine) arrive perfectly al dente, along with gems like parmesan arancini, fried oysters, and a towering bibb lettuce salad. The best part? Every hour is happy hour at the bar. 5–9:30 p.m.

late-night

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Score a perfectly fired margherita pizza for just $5 at Cibo’s happy hour.

Cibo ($2–5)

We’ve got three words for you: five dollar pizza. It’s hard to imagine a more pleasing nightcap than a well-blistered, full-size Italian-style margherita pizza, delivered piping hot for a five spot. Well, maybe throw in some smoky-sweet sliced pork belly, a glass of Chianti, and a tufted leather booth to curl up in. That might be even better. 9 p.m.–close

Nostrana ($3–6)

The best time for wallet watchers to feast on award-laden chef Cathy Whims’s food? Deep after dark. Sidle up to the bar from 9 p.m. on for a procession of Nostrana’s lovely charred Italian pizzas, the deservedly famous Insalata Nostrana (radicchio and rosemary-sage croutons coated in an addictive house-made Caesar), and a mac and cheese with five blended cheeses, tomatoes, and cream. It’s simplicity at its absolute best—and cheapest. 9 p.m.–close

Savoy ($3–10)

There may be no cozier room in Portland than Savoy. If you can’t make out the proudly midwestern menu in the flickering candlelight, just trust us: order the chicken wings, slathered in chile vinaigrette; order the Supper Club sandwich, a serious specimen of comfort food; and by god, order the fried cheese curds. To drink? Why, a bottled and chilled manhattan fit for two, of course. 10 p.m.–close

Best of the Bowls

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Clockwise from top left: Canteen’s walnut taco salad, the #1 at Pho Oregon, goat curry at Biwa, and bibimbap at Spring Restaurant

Pho at Pho Oregon ($7.45–8.95)

With more than two-dozen soul-warming variations, Pho Oregon contends for Portland’s best thanks to a potent, restorative broth of dense beef flavor and subtle clove. Served piping hot, it’s the showcase for just-right noodles and various meaty options, from fat brisket chunks to rare eye round steak, paired with bundles of herbs and chile paste.

Super Bowl A at Good Taste Noodle House ($10.25)

Past rows of hanging duck awaits one of Portland’s tastiest (and biggest) wonton soups. What the house humbly calls “Super Bowl A” features silky dumplings bobbing harmoniously alongside bright yellow egg noodles and a mass of barbecued duck and pork edged with sticky, caramelized skin. Super, indeed.

Turmeric Soup at HA & VL ($8)

Every day at this cult favorite brings two small-batch regional soups, each a dip into the Vietnamese flavor universe. But Sunday delivers the ultimate: an orange-hued turmeric soup sporting thick rice noodles, half-moons of delicate sausage, heaping hunks of melting pork belly, and a sesame-studded rice cracker protruding from its depths.

Macaroni Gratin at Little Bird Bistro ($8)

At Gabriel Rucker’s sexy Francophile bistro, a heavenly mac and cheese beckons. A dish of bubbling white Tillamook cheddar and gruyère coats tiny elbow pasta with a punchy streak of Rogue blue and a browned landscape of bread crumbs and chives.

Bibimbap at Spring Restaurant ($8.95–10.95)

Three variations of mix-it-yourself Korean bibimbap tumble out of this tiny kitchen with an assortment of banchan—flavor-bomb accessories like kimchi radishes or soy-glazed cucumber. The standard bap heaps rice, marinated beef, greens, and an over-easy egg spiced to order with gochujang (a sweet, funky chile paste); two other red-hot versions sizzle in stone bowls that crisp the rice while you eat.

Abu-Ramen at Shigezo ($9)

Tokyo-based chain Shigezo serves bowls of authenticity. Order the brothless “Abu” ramen, supremely slurpable noodles and marinated chashu pork belly coated in thick, spicy chile paste and runny egg yolk. Stray from tradition with a pickled kimchi upgrade ($1).

Walnut Taco Salad at Canteen ($8)

Inside this Ikea-chic vegan haven, a world of fresh-fruit smoothies and healthful bowls awaits. You want the walnut taco salad: a frill of sliced avocado, a mountain of greens from Greenville Farms, plus chunky pico de gallo, crunchy walnut paste, and a garlicky cashew “nacho” spread primed by tangy bell pepper. Mix in a side of rice for the full taco salad effect.

Japanese Goat Curry at Biwa ($11)

Biwa bosses Gabe Rosen and Kina Voelz import inspiration from their journeys in Sapporo. This one channels the earthy stews of a favorite curry shop, adding the house obsession with goats. Braised and stewed in goat stock thickened by puréed parsnips, the meat emerges as a thick triumph of extreme comfort, spooned over rice and shiso leaves and capped with a cured soft-boiled egg.

Old World Eats

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Café Hibiscus chef-owner Jennie Wyss with émincé zurichoise

Émincé Zurichoise at Café Hibiscus ($12)

Hawaii meets Switzerland at this tropically decorated Euro café that’s the proud home of “Martin’s Swiss Dressing.” Say “aloha!” to a mighty dish of émincé zurichoise—a supremely salty comfort of slivered pork (in place of traditional veal) bathed in a rich mushroom sauce alongside a mound of hand-pressed spätzle. Wash it all down properly with a frosty can of Salzburg’s Stiegl lager.

Pork Schnitzel and Cabbage Gratin at Spints Alehouse ($16)

With a menu embracing Mexican appetizers and Mediterranean shellfish, Spints seems “German” only in its hunger for global tourism. But the schnitzel is pure Alpine bliss: a thinly pounded pork loin, breaded and panfried, sided by a mustard seed–laden cabbage gratin blanketed with golden cheese. Sip from a list of lagers rarely glimpsed beyond Bavaria—we recommend the Augustiner Edelstoff.

Chicken Paprikás and Berliners at Grüner ($11)

Chef Chris Israel’s cuisine skips playfully from Switzerland to Alsace to Bavaria. For lunch, follow him down the Danube to Hungary. Start your journey with a deal on chicken paprikás, braised in a deep, paprika-spiked tomato–crème fraîche sauce and girded by a quintet of potato dumplings. End with a trio of sugar-dusted Berliners (German-style doughnuts) plumped with warm raspberry jam.

Bohemian Goulash at Tábor ($7)

Sure, this Czech food cart earned national acclaim for its iconic Schnitzelwich—but the menu rewards deeper exploration. A homey bowl of spicy Bohemian goulash, for instance, promises a food high on even the most rain-soaked day, with delicate beef steeped in caraway, then spooned over fluffy pillows of potato dumpling.

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Embrace cabbage at Southeast Portland’s new Bar Dobre.

Golumpki at Bar Dobre ($10.50)

This little bar blends a touch of Portland posh with its Polish roots—dark woods, intimate tables, and sexy lighting from a hanging chandelier. Order up a “traditional Polish cocktail” (hint: it’s vodka on ice) and dig into the golumpki—two boiled cabbage leaves swaddling onions, beef, and rice, all drizzled with a subtly fiery tomato sauce.

Polish Sausage at EuroDish ($6)

The no-brainer at this unassuming yellow cart is the Polish sausage on a bun—a glorious, eight-inch monstrosity holding sautéed onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. If your stomach is really growling, go all in with a six-piece side of cheese-stuffed pierogi ($4.50)—boiled crescents of melted cheese wrapped in moist dough, with sour cream for dipping.

Hot Diggity Dogs!

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Xico’s Sonoran Dog, piled with Mexican goodness

Xico

Xico’s Sonoran Dog transforms a ho-hum Nathan’s beef frank into a culinary feat with bacon, salsa verde, ojo de cabra beans, cotija, crema, and pico de gallo, all elegantly arranged atop a precisely grilled bun. $5

Olympic Provisions

The most impressive thing about OP’s foot-long, Carlton Farms pork franks isn’t their size. It’s that ballpark-perfect snap from the lamb casing, which adds flavor and proves at last that size isn’t the only thing that matters. $7

Otto’s

This classic, family-owned deli has been making and grilling traditional German sausages to perfection for 91 years. We’d bet our lederhosen that the smoked pork links, seasoned with mustard seed and garlic, would best some of Germany’s top entries. $4

Broder

Swaddled in the salty goodness of Broder’s signature flatbread and a potato pancake, the Stockholm Hotdog—an all-beef Sabrett, the pride of New York—is a meal in itself. But a side of sautéed greens might balance the arterial damage. $9

Highland Stillhouse

Highland’s Banger on a Bun does the Scottish tradition proud: a Zenner banger with a whisper of nutmeg deftly seared to a satisfying crunch with a ribbon of sautéed onions tying it all together. $6.75

Kids' Menus

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Boke Bowl’s Bambino Bowl is just the right size.

Boke Bowl

The Central Eastside’s hip noodle bar packs in parents and their ramen-slurping offspring, dinosaur-topped training chopsticks clenched in their chubby fists. The Bambino Bowl, brimming with aromatic broth and pulled pork, is two-thirds the size of an adult order but barely more than half the price. $6

Helser’s

What goes best with this brunch haven’s gut-busting Scotch eggs? Crayons, a slice of bacon, a perfectly scrambled egg, and toast. Or a buttermilk pancake the size of your tot’s head. $1–2

Russell Street Bar-B-Que

Sample your little one’s trio of wee-size sides (like sweet-saucy beans or mild stewed greens) or meaty pork ribs with fries at this laid-back, pig-centric Southern joint. Best of all? Free Wet-Naps mean easy cleanup. $5–5.50

Lucca

At this farm-focused Italian dining room, sippy cups mingle with a full bar. Alternate mouthfuls of your hearty entrée with your tyke’s floppy-good wood-fired pizza or grilled chicken with fresh greens and spuds. Kids get free juice and ice cream with a meal, too. $6.50–7

Smallwares

No sitter? No problem. This inventive spot gracefully accepts adventurous little eaters, offering a startlingly rich bowl of noodles or rice with slurp-worthy broth and your choice of chicken, veggies, or a flawlessly poached egg. $1 + $1–2 per topping

Taco Tours

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Verde Cocina’s plate of gringas

Verde Cocina

A whole plate of gringas (a kind of soft taco) comes steaming with masa perfume and farm-fresh produce. That’s just to start: each one is plumped with braised Sweet Briar Farms pork and bedaubed in a dark, musky mole. $11–13

Mi Mero Mole

Take your pick from a menu of slow-smoked guisados—vividly flavored stews and stir-fries—like beef tongue with cactus and potatoes or dusky lamb in earthy chocolate mole negro, ladled over fresh-ground corn tortillas. $2.75–3.75

Robo Taco

The sweetest find here is the al pastor, featuring morsels shaved from a giant, self-basting column of ancho chile–marinated pork, slowly caramelizing under a heaping disk of pineapple. $2.25

Uno Mas Taquiza

Plunge into the chef’s choice of a dozen tacos for $20, from fork-tender barbacoa brisket cooked with avocado leaves to juicy “endiablado” prawns in red-hot chile marinade and oregano. $20 for 12

Los Gorditos

These vegan tacos will satisfy carnivores and herbivores alike: corn tortillas hug meaty soycurls and thick bean paste or dark crumbles of soyrizo with grilled onion. $2

Bargains in the Burbs

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

A veritable BBQ feast for $17 at Pine Shed Ribs

Pine Shed Ribs

Surprise! The best barbecue in PDX lives in Lake Oswego. Test-drive the whole menu with the Full Sampler—pork and beef ribs, brisket, smoked chicken, and house-made andouille sausage, piled high. $17

Canby Asparagus Farm Casa de Tamales

Every Sunday, this farm-fresh tamale joint offers an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet until 4 p.m., starring fresh tamales, chiles rellenos, enchiladas, eggs, bacon, and Mexican-style potatoes. $14 ($1 per year for kids under 12)

Monkey’s Subs

Big appetites: test your mettle at this hole-in-the-wall sandwich emporium with the Monkey Wrench, a heap of house-roasted beef, ham, turkey, Cotto salami, pepperoni, pastrami, salami, provolone, cheddar, and swiss. $8.95

Tan Tan Café & Delicatessen

At this strip-mall find in Vancouver, banh mi fanatics will find deep satisfaction in the #1 Special—Vietnamese-style ham, pork roll, headcheese, pâté, and pickled veggies on fresh bread. $3.50

Casa del Pollo

This bright red shack delivers traditional Costa Rican dishes straight from the smoker. Get in on grilled gallo de salchichón kielbasa tacos, three to a plate. Add lavish helpings of salsa
lizano, the sweet-and-spicy national hot sauce. $7

Eat Portland Weird

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 -0800

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Clyde Common’s tempura-fried veal brains

Clyde Common

Offal-loving chef Chris DiMinno transforms unmentionable meats into refined plates du jour: empty your mind and try the tempura-fried veal brains with crispy potato terrine and apple butter, topped with a sunny-side-up quail egg and sherry vinaigrette. $12

Blue Star Donuts

A wallop of fried brioche dough cloaked in Bulleit Kentucky bourbon, organic blueberries, and fresh basil at this “donut shop for grown-ups” is a delicious expression of Portland-style creativity. $2.50

Mee-Sen Thai Eatery

Don’t call yourself a true Stumptown foodie until you’ve crunched through a plate of Thai-style fried grasshoppers, or tak ka tan tod, at Mee-Sen. With a uniquely addictive flavor reminiscent of soft-shell crab, this happy hour option often sells out—so get there early. $5

Ned Ludd

For his decadent pork-skin noodles, chef Jason French took inspiration from San Francisco porcine prince Chris Costentino. Think rich, chewy strands, tossed with chanterelles, bacon, tomato, and fresh Parmesan. $14

PBJ’s Grilled

Leave it to a food cart to reinvent a lunchbox classic. Where else can you find a spicy Thai peanut butter sandwich featuring Sriracha, curry, orange marmalade, and basil leaves on sliced challah? $5.75