Old Portland is alive and well when it comes to food: from the Heathman to Huber's, Portland's culinary institutions soldier on unfazed by the vegan/pork belly/itzakaya/food cart fads that might be sweeping the rest of the city. More on these stalwarts later.
Then there is New Portland, the Portland of Portlandia, of hipsters and mavens and prematurely retired young people of a creative and entrepreneurial bent who seem unfazed by their limited economic prospects. In the extreme, this Portland can be tiresome - but it also provides great benefits. Like the following: my favorite destinations for New Portland-style comfort food, all with distinctive ambiance, good food, and weeknight-friendly prices.
Sweet Hereafter (3326 SE Belmont): Vegan comfort food served in a dark and hip bar - and it doesn't even have a website. You can't get more Portland than that. The dishes are rich and not particularly healthy (other than the lack of meat and cheese), just the way pub food should be. The beer list is decent, particularly given that all the beers are vegan, too (though I'm not particularly clear on what differentiates a vegan from a non-vegan beer). But while we really like the food at the Sweet Hereafter, the reason we keep coming back is its date-worthy atmosphere. Hint: Order before 7 p.m. for a $1 off entrees and a $1 off most beers.
Bollywood Theater (2039 NE Alberta): Indian street food, served casually in a bustling cafe of mismatched tables and silent screenings of the cheesiest of old Bollywood movies. The flavor of each dish is multilayered; the paneer is housemade. Excellent vegetarian options abound. The paneer kati roll, our favorite item on the menu, is a full dinner for just $7. Other winners include the shrimp curry (light on the coconut, balanced use of cardamon, a noticeable kick of spice) and, for those looking for less rich and more mild comfort food, the aloo tiki - fried potato cakes with peas, served with a chickpea stew.
Grain & Gristle (1473 NE Prescott): We might be particularly partial to G&G because it's right down the street from our house, but this cosy pub of rough-hewn wood tables and a welcoming bar is our winter-time favorite. The menu is meat-focused, classic bistro food but with fresh flavors and local ingredients. Best of all, most dishes land in the moderate $10 range. The cheeseburger is a perennial favorite, as are whole pan-roasted fish and freshly made pastas. I particularly appreciate the bar's excellent draft list of local beers, as well as their per-ounce pricing (there's no shame here in ordering just a glass, and no volume discount for ordering a pint). Also popular: the "two-fer," a daily meat special large enough to share, served with vegetables, a couple beers, and a dessert for just $20.
Broder (2508 SE Clinton): Brunch done right. Scandinavian-style, with aebleskiver, lefse, and mixed bords of delectable treats. On weekends, expect a wait, but at least you can sit around inside the Savoy Tavern next door with some Stumptown coffee to keep you company. I love the bright ambiance and the very good food (unusual for a brunch spot), plus it reminds me sweetly of our time in Copenhagen.
Biwa (SE 9th & Ash): Portland has an abundance of good Japanese restaurants, and we're not talking just sushi here. Biwa is our favorite among the city's many itzakaya (drinking pubs), a snug underground gathering place with a long menu of ramen, yakitori, and drinking snacks and an even longer menu of shochu and sake. This is where we often take friends from out of town, both for the good food and for the hip but comfortable atmosphere. Also, their logo is an adorable chick. Best deal: After 9 p.m., at the bar, giant bowls of ramen are only $5.
Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave.): OK, so this isn't technically New Portland - the McMenamin's franchise is about as Old Portland as you can get. But it has a great set-up: they converted an old elementary school into an adult amusement park with multiple funky bars ("The Boiler Room," "The Honors Bar"), a restaurant that includes a lovely courtyard, a hotel (complete with "soaking pool"), and a second-run movie theater with $3 tickets. This is our preferred movie venue in Portland - not great on the technological front, but the seats are vintage sofas with homey end tables in between for your food and beer, and did I mention the tickets are $3?? (Fair warning: weekend movies can sell out - get there early.) Granted, the food is mediocre, but Jeff is particularly fond of their soft pretzel.
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| The East Side: Home of New Portland |
Sweet Hereafter (3326 SE Belmont): Vegan comfort food served in a dark and hip bar - and it doesn't even have a website. You can't get more Portland than that. The dishes are rich and not particularly healthy (other than the lack of meat and cheese), just the way pub food should be. The beer list is decent, particularly given that all the beers are vegan, too (though I'm not particularly clear on what differentiates a vegan from a non-vegan beer). But while we really like the food at the Sweet Hereafter, the reason we keep coming back is its date-worthy atmosphere. Hint: Order before 7 p.m. for a $1 off entrees and a $1 off most beers.
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| Bollywood Theater, before the dinner rush. |
Grain & Gristle (1473 NE Prescott): We might be particularly partial to G&G because it's right down the street from our house, but this cosy pub of rough-hewn wood tables and a welcoming bar is our winter-time favorite. The menu is meat-focused, classic bistro food but with fresh flavors and local ingredients. Best of all, most dishes land in the moderate $10 range. The cheeseburger is a perennial favorite, as are whole pan-roasted fish and freshly made pastas. I particularly appreciate the bar's excellent draft list of local beers, as well as their per-ounce pricing (there's no shame here in ordering just a glass, and no volume discount for ordering a pint). Also popular: the "two-fer," a daily meat special large enough to share, served with vegetables, a couple beers, and a dessert for just $20.
Broder (2508 SE Clinton): Brunch done right. Scandinavian-style, with aebleskiver, lefse, and mixed bords of delectable treats. On weekends, expect a wait, but at least you can sit around inside the Savoy Tavern next door with some Stumptown coffee to keep you company. I love the bright ambiance and the very good food (unusual for a brunch spot), plus it reminds me sweetly of our time in Copenhagen.
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| Snuggling up at Biwa. |
Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave.): OK, so this isn't technically New Portland - the McMenamin's franchise is about as Old Portland as you can get. But it has a great set-up: they converted an old elementary school into an adult amusement park with multiple funky bars ("The Boiler Room," "The Honors Bar"), a restaurant that includes a lovely courtyard, a hotel (complete with "soaking pool"), and a second-run movie theater with $3 tickets. This is our preferred movie venue in Portland - not great on the technological front, but the seats are vintage sofas with homey end tables in between for your food and beer, and did I mention the tickets are $3?? (Fair warning: weekend movies can sell out - get there early.) Granted, the food is mediocre, but Jeff is particularly fond of their soft pretzel.
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