Peninsula Park

Southeast, Southwest, North Portland, Northeast

All about food with Connie

I’m all about food.

I’d start off the day going to HK Cafe for dim sum. Then go hang out in Peninsula Park in Northeast. I mean, I’m assuming we’re driving, so it’s no big deal.

Check out Ha VL. Two different noodle soups a day. They rotate them, and when they run out, they run out. They just opened Rose VL. Google them to see what the menu has, because I think they’re doing different soups. The snail soup is when…Thursdays? They make almost like a pate loaf, with lemongrass, meats, snail. That place is legit.

What you'll get at famous food cart Nong's Khao Man Gai, just one of Connie's many food recommendations

What you'll get at famous food cart Nong's Khao Man Gai, just one of Connie's many food recommendations

If I’m with a group of people, Kachka, hands down. Do not be tempted to get the cold food spread thing. Because that only comes with the cold ones. What you should do is get a couple foods from each section on the menu. Make sure to get pelmeni in the “fancy broth,” which is what they call it. It’s fucking delicious. Go with friends and try all of the infused vodkas. My personal favorite is early grey. The horseradish one is like… Yeah. Wow.

If you’re into the Chinese places with hanging ducks and stuff, go to So Good Taste. Get the barbecue pork and the wonton noodle soup.

Nong's Khao Man Gai is a big thing. They do Thai chicken and rice. 

Coquine. They’re not specifically French or specifically American or whatever. They’re just kinda doing what Alice Waters does, which is make good, local food.

If you’re drunk, this is great. Luc Lac. It’s in Southwest. I’d definitely say, get the red pork sausage, for sure, maybe get a cocktail. You walk in and you’re like, this is a totally, totally hipster spot. Cool art, everyone looks way too cool there. I don’t find their pho to be the best in town, but if you’re drunk, it’s the best. Fridays and Saturdays, they’re open late.

I did happy hour at Meesen Thai on Mississippi, and that was really good. Maybe then go across the street to Moloko or Bar Bar

In Northeast, there are a lot of bars that do good food. Cruz Room on Alberta, they do weird tacos. Jerk chicken, Japanese tempura squash, southern, all over the place, and the flavors are on point. Basically it’s a fucking bar that serves tacos, it’s great.

Get the burger at Slow Bar. Get it. It’ll seem kinda seedy, but, get the burger.

Pie Spot makes delicious pies in Northeast. They’re wonderful. They started off doing fairs and farmer’s markets, but they have a brick and mortar spot now. I’d get the banana cream one. My favorite used to be the blueberry, but the banana cream is redonk.

What about for beer?

For beer, if you like sour beer, Cascade. Groundbreaker Brewing is also great. They brew their beer with chestnuts that they roast like coffee. It may be the only brewery that is completely gluten free.

North Portland, Northeast, Southeast

Eating in Alberta with Maria

I live close to Alberta, so I have a lot of recommendations, mostly around there. 

Salt & Straw, if you can get there without a line. Maybe in the morning? A morning ice cream? After brunch actually is a pretty good time to go, though.

Pine State Biscuits on Alberta is also not a bad wait. There’s a cute little smoothie truck next to Pine State Biscuits that has a garden store next to it, and you can wander through the store with your smoothie while you wait. And Podnah’s Pit is a great place for brunch. And it’s unknown, so there’s no line. It’s more like Texas-style barbecue.

Go down to 30th and Killingsworth for dinner. DOC for a fancy Italian dinner—for us, it’s like an anniversary dinner-type thing. Expatriate is a newer bar that is also right there. It’s really dark. I think it’s moody and romantic, I love it. Yakuza is also there--go for their happy hour burger.

Another thing! A nice bike ride is to go to the Grotto. It’s a Catholic sanctuary with a great garden—a very calm and serene place. It’s beautiful. Not a lot of Portlanders go there, though. I remember seeing the signs for it off the highway and being like, What is the Grotto? And Peninsula Park is a lesser known rose garden, in the months where the roses are out. It’s next to Sweedeedee.

The Ned Ludd Wu Tang-themed PREAM nights have spun off into a new pizza restaurant in Southeast--also called PREAM. Look out for the delicious cocktails and the Tupac portrait on the wall.

The Ned Ludd Wu Tang-themed PREAM nights have spun off into a new pizza restaurant in Southeast--also called PREAM. Look out for the delicious cocktails and the Tupac portrait on the wall.

My absolute favorite pizza is at Lovely's Fifty Fifty. And Ned Ludd does a pizza hip hop night which is great. It’s called PREAM—Pizza Rules Everything Around Me.