Great Places to Eat and Drink in Portland
1. Le Happy
1011 NW 16th Avenue
I heartily approve of the name of this cute little creperie in Northwest Portland — I have visited on several occasions and never once been displeased. Nestled snugly between larger buildings, Le Happy’s tiny yellow storefront invites passersby on 16th Avenue to take a peek inside this quirky little place. Inside, the theme is continued in a more subdued manner, with interesting art and oddities such as a collage of thick-rimmed broken spectacles glued to the wall and bathrooms decorated with photo booth strips.
Though Le Happy is small, they make good use of the space. The kitchen and bar are located in the rear and the entire remaining open area is used for seating. Amazingly, they manage to provide seating for both intimate and large-ish groups, as well as a table outside for dining in nice weather. During dinner Le Happy tends to get packed but somehow never feels overcrowded. The atmosphere is decidedly warm and dark, and the music is always mellow.
Depending on the crowd, a sign near the door will direct you either to seat yourself or wait to be seated. Friendly servers bring water and menus consisting of three categories: savory crepes, sweet crepes, and wine/beer/cocktails. A number of sweet and savory crepe choices with appropriately “cute” names are provided to choose from, or you can build your own from their list of ingredients. The beer and cocktail menu is not huge, but extensive enough to satisfy any thirsty crepe-lover.
Of course, the best part is that the crepes at Le Happy are absolutely amazing. With super-fresh and tasty ingredients ranging from steak, ham, salmon, tofu, spinach, garlic, apples, and gruyere, gorgonzola, cheddar, and goat cheese (savory) to lemons, honey, chocolate, berry preserves, nuts, nutella, and bananas (sweet), it’s almost impossible to go wrong. Some pre-designed recipes come with interesting accompaniments, as well: the bacon and cheddar “Le Trash Blanc” crepe is served with a PBR, of course.
Service can be a bit slow, but the waitstaff are extremely nice. Upon finishing a meal, just when you think you are at the height of ecstasy, Le Happy always one-ups itself by providing a Dum Dum as a parting gift with the bill. And if that doesn’t make you smile, perhaps you should be dining at Le Mopey instead.
2. Belmont Station Beer Store and Biercafe
4500 SE Stark Street
When you are in the mood for an authentic lambic or gueuze, or just want to taste interesting beers from around the corner or around the world, Belmont Station is the place to go. Housed in a roomy standalone building, patrons may either order from the bar or select a drink from the conjoined shop which houses hundreds of beers (and many ciders and meads) in large refrigeration units. Light inside the shop is UV filtered to protect the beers and preserve freshness. Of course, the shop is open to anyone who simply wishes to buy some beer off the shelf and take it home, as well. In fact, beer bought to take home is slightly lower in price than that bought to consume on the premises.
The bar rotates the beers on tap regularly, so don’t expect to see the same ones on return visits. The bar staff are friendly and helpful in describing and selecting beers, and are genuinely interested in patrons’ satisfaction and enjoyment. Seating is available at the bar and at tables situated in the front of the barroom and outside. Fairly large groups (6-8) can be easily accommodated at the largest round table in the corner, but most tables are for 2-4. The bar also serves simple fare such as salads, soups, sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas, and alternative beverages including tea, coffee, and cocoa.
Belmont Station also hosts a number of tasting events throughout the year, which are free and open to those 21 years of age and older.
Overall, Belmont Station is a very agreeable place to sit back and enjoy a beer. The atmosphere is certainly bar-like, but that’s as it should be. Evenings and weekends can get very busy, and if you are seated outside you will observe a constant stream of cars parking out front and customers hauling cases of beer to their vehicles. Outside seating is dog-friendly and if the staff notice (or you ask) they will even bring a bowl of water out for Fido. He’ll appreciate it as much as you do the beer!
3. Ten 01
1001 NW Couch Street
Having wandered into Ten 01 by myself one evening and been served one of the best quail dishes it has ever been my pleasure to enjoy, I have since gone out of my way to return in order to ensure it wasn’t a fluke experience. Because my husband is vegetarian, and the dishes at Ten 01 are heavily meat-centric, I went back recently with some friends to try the amazing quail dish yet again (can’t get enough of a great thing!). Sadly, they had rotated the items on their menu since my first visit. Nevertheless, there remained a beautiful selection of appetizers and main courses, and I was happy to have the opportunity to sample another dish.
To start, the chef sent over small cups of a flavorful custard, prosciutto, aged cheese, and crouton concoction, which we enjoyed immensely. I was still feeling a little bummed about the quail until I tasted (and subsequently wolfed down) their amazingly tender, juicy beef short ribs. One of my friends had “the best halibut I’ve ever tasted” with mussels, and oysters…and the other ate some sort of saucy flat noodles with proscuitto and fried quail eggs, which looked amazing.
Then we shared a sumptuous chocolate chip bread pudding (topped with banana slices) drizzled with and surrounded by caramel and a scoop of coffee flavored ice cream. After dessert the chef gave us a sampler of 8 assorted truffles and turkish delight. Pure dark chocolatey heaven.
Ten 01 is an active restaurant, but not too busy, and conveniently located in the heart of the Pearl District. We got in without a reservation on a Saturday night and were immediately seated. The decor is modern and original — very spacious and warm with a “clean” look and feel. The wait staff are knowledgeable, personable, polite, and FAST. Couldn’t ask for better service.
Highly recommended to anyone looking to enjoy a relaxed, yet bustling restaurant atmosphere with absolutely fantastic food.
4. The Whole Bowl Food Cart
1100 NW Glisan Street, SW 9th and Alder, and 4409 SE Hawthorne
I love food carts, especially when they really get it right. And The Whole Bowl not only gets it right, it gets it so right that they offer only one item. That’s right, one. And it puts everything you’ve ever had from any other food cart to shame.
The Whole Bowl offers a simple concoction of super-healthy ingredients layered in either a small (bambino) or large (grande) bowl: brown rice, red and black beans, avocado, salsa, black olives, sour cream, Tillamook cheddar, cilantro, and their own special Tali sauce (lovingly referred to by devotees as “crack sauce”). This amazing sauce has a taste that is indefinable and undescribable, but suffice to say that it will cause you to inhale the entire contents of your bowl and immediately venture forth to spread the good news. You may even start to annoy your friends and family with the constant urge to buy another bowl as soon as possible or at any chance you get. They don’t call it crack sauce for nothin’, after all.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
22 SW 3rd Avenue
If you love doughnuts, you must visit Voodoo Doughnut. Open 24 hours a day to satisfy your sugar fix, Voodoo Doughnut not only supplies the Portland public with a huge selection of specialty doughnuts, they host an oddball variety of events and shows, as well.
Once you find this little hole-in-the-wall joint, you may step inside or order from the to-go window if the hour is very late. Though the menu is ever-changing, you can count on seeing some of the most popular doughnuts for awhile, such as their trademark Voodoo Doughnut (shaped like a voodoo doll with a pretzel through the heart and raspberry jelly filling), the Dirty Snowball (chocolate cake doughnut covered with pink marshmallow glaze and surprise filling), and the notorious Cock’n'Balls (exactly what it sounds like — a naughty-shaped doughnut with triple cream filling). They even serve a large number of vegan doughnuts!
Doughnut prices range from 85 cents to $4.95, though certain specials exist when ordering large numbers of doughnuts. Voodoo Doughnut only accepts cash, but an ATM is present on-site. To keep things exciting, there is also a doughnut eating contest on the first Friday of every month, or, if you want to test your abilities any day of the week, you can always take a stab at the Tex-ASS Challenge — eat the humongous Tex-ASS doughnut in record time and get the doughnut free!
For the weird at heart, Voodoo Doughnut will perform your voodoo wedding (legal or fake), in the Holy Doughnut, under the Cruller Chandelier of Life. In addition, bizarre acts perform at Club Doughnut every Tuesday and Wednesday night from 10:30 to 11:30 ($1 admission), and Swahili lessons are offered every Monday at 9:00 p.m. (yes, really). Last, but not least, the Annual Cockfest takes place every spring, featuring a fierce competition among men to see who can stack the most doughnuts on his cock.
All Voodoo Doughnut are taken away by consumers in large, pink boxes proclaiming that “Good things come in pink boxes!” which also serve well to distinctly identify doughnut lovers as they make their way through the streets of Portland. Don’t worry, these doughnuts are so good even the most macho men won’t be embarrassed to be seen with this pink box. As the Voodoo Doughnut motto goes — “The magic is in the hole!”
210 NW 11th Avenue
Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, Deschutes has opened a Portland brewery and restaurant in the heart of the Pearl District to (mostly) critical acclaim. Housed next to the old armory building (now Gerding Theater), the dining area is huge and benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows and the ability to slide the largest window/wall apart on nice days, leaving diners free to breathe the outside air and bask in Portland’s beautiful summer weather. The foyer is also opened wide to the public on such days, inviting passers-by to stroll in and see what’s on the bar menu. The hosts stand behind a large desk at the entrance and will seat your party immediately on slow days or take your name when it’s busy (it usually is), in which case you should feel free to have a drink from the bar while you wait. As an added bonus, since it is easy to keep an ear out for your name when the entry doors are wide open, you can wait on the sidewalk outside with your drink and friends on pleasant days and evenings.
Once seated in the dining hall, take care to notice the intricate carvings in the wood pillars and rafters throughout which give Deschutes an authentically rustic, yet grand, “lodge-like” Northwestern vibe. Besides this built-in art, there are also strategically placed televisions to hold your attention should you be interested in the latest sports happenings. Before long the waitperson should arrive to take your drink and food orders. The food is fairly standard American pub fare, but Deschutes manages to make some of the most basic dishes, such as the macaroni and cheese, really shine. And, in a decidedly “green” effort, beef for the burgers and steaks comes from cattle fed on spent grain from the brewery.
Speaking of which, the brewery is on-site — steel tanks and copper kettles are visible through large picture windows from the foyer and bar, as are the kegs underneath the bar. The brews from Deschutes are truly remarkable, so sit down at the bar or at one of the several tables located in the bar area to choose from a long list of ever-changing beers. Though there are seven “staple” beers on the menu that you can always count on, Deschutes has proven to be an extraordinarily experimental brewery, so there is something new on (and gone from) the menu nearly every week.
Classic Deschutes brews include their flagship porter, Black Butte, and a very solid lineup of ancillary beers — Cascade Ale, Mirror Pond Ale, Inversion IPA, Osidian Stout, and Bachelor Bitter — all of which have their own unique character. Black Butte Porter and Bachelor Bitter also share the distinction of being cask conditioned ales. Deschutes also brews an exceptional organic amber ale called Green Lakes year-round. In keeping with Northwestern American brewing tradition, Deschutes’ beers are hop-heavy, but it’s less “deliberate” and more “celebratory exploration” in nature. Recently, Deschutes has debuted a number of extremely “hoppy” brews, denoted by names such as “The Hopness Monster,” and “Hopicide” (possibly the same beer with rotating names), which will leave you wondering if any malts went into these brews at all!
As described above, new experimental brews appear and disappear from the menu weekly. When it’s gone, it’s gone, but don’t fret, another interesting and satisfying beer is in the works. As a neighborhood brewery, Deschutes is a sure-shot to do great business in the Pearl.
213 SW Broadway
Nestled in a cozy little nook on Broadway just off Burnside, Bailey’s is conveniently located for stopping in on almost any occasion. Just look for their plain, but very identifiable, sign out front proclaiming the bar name alongside a drawing of a snifter. A large collection of bottles lining the window sills inside (supposedly each drunk by the owner himself) are also a dead giveaway that you have found your way to “beervana.” Once inside, you will find a nicely polished bar, some table seating, and a number of large, comfortable couches and chairs arranged together around a big coffee table. An armoire full of board games also invites visitors to interact with one another and have a little more fun while drinking. When there’s nice weather, you can head back outside to one of several tables offering a great view of lively downtown Portland and its people.
Although they served small plates of cheese, olives, and chocolates when I first visited a few months ago, Bailey’s has since decided to serve alcoholic beverages only (they do, however, allow guests to bring their own snacks or dinners). Fortunately, the fantastic selection of beers and wines justifies this decision. With a draft list of 20 constantly rotating taps from the Pacific Northwest region such as Hopworks, Laurelwood, Lucky Lab, Stone, and Full Sail, Bailey’s specifically caters to the Northwestern palate. Bailey’s is to be lauded for serving only Pacific Region brews on tap but, considering the owner’s good taste in craft beers, one cannot help but wonder what would be available if national or international brews were available on tap as well. Perhaps a larger bottle collection could help answer this question.
Bailey’s taproom is one of the few pubs in Portland to offer craft brews like Allagash and Jolly Pumpkin in their bottle selection. Since the first time I visited, Jolly Pumpkin’s “La Roja,” a Flanders style barrel aged sour amber, has been a mainstay on their list, although the price is a little steep. Other bottled brews include Avery and Ommegang.
To keep up with all the latest beers on tap at Bailey’s (and for many enjoyable lessons in beer history and trivia by the outspoken owner), subscribe to the bar blog at http://baileystaproom.wordpress.com/.
8. The Tea Zone & Camellia Lounge
510 NW 11th Avenue
Tea Zone is one of my all-around favorite places in Portland. Specializing in all things tea, of course, they carry a wide selection of premium to rare teas and tea paraphernalia, and the store also features a nice little lounge where you can order marTEAnis from the bar and scrumptious dishes from the kitchen while enjoying free wi-fi and listening to a local musician croon.
With a variety of teas categorized by type (green, flavored green, jasmine, oolong, black/red, blends, flavored black, darjeeling, tisanes, white, and special teas), you can easily taste a new tea in the sunny storefront or you can head back to the dimly-lit lounge to enable a more atmospheric evaluation. The storefront is also where you will find the tea and tea merchandise, including matching and individual tea pots and cups, kettles, infusers and timers, and a small cabinet full of delicious baked goods and pastries to pair with your tea.
If you really want to get comfortable during your visit, find a table (or a couch) in the lounge and wait for the server to bring the food and drink menus. The service can be a little slow at Tea Zone, but you didn’t come in for a nice, relaxing cup of tea because you are in a hurry, so that shouldn’t be a problem, right? Besides the small dishes available from the kitchen, there is a full-service bar serving tea-based alcoholic mixed drinks (each with its own unique flavor and purported health-promoting characteristics) alongside classic cocktails, beer, and wine. The deep hues of the lounge provide the perfect setting for conversation amongst friends, with music provided either by the house speakers or by a live musician Wednesday through Sunday nights (a calendar of upcoming acts is available from the front counter).
Once you have found a tea that you love, saunter up to the front counter to have them weigh and package it for you to take home. If you plan to keep coming back to try them all, I strongly advise you to take part in the Tea Zone rewards program: you get a point for every dollar spent at the Tea Zone, which can be applied to various incentives, starting with free drinks. 500 points garners a VIP membership, earning you special discounts on teas and merchandise as well as free entry to their regular tea tasting events.
Tea Zone is a fantastic place to take any friend for the evening or an out-of-town guest as an introduction to Portland. It really represents what is best about the city — fine quality in a relaxed, yet sophisticated atmosphere. The only suggestion I would have for them is to upgrade the outside storefront signage, which is too cluttered and does not give an accurate impression of the nice little cafe lurking within.
These are the first eight reviews. To be continued…
