The Official Blazersedge "I Went to Portland and All I Got Was This Lousy Heartburn" Thread

Located close to the Rose Garden (Grand & Burnside) and featuring reasonably priced, authentic Lebanese food. Groups larger than 2 get a piece of warm pita that is easily 18 inches in diameter. 5 page menu means there’s something for eeryone

But don’t sleep on the London Grill in the Benson Hotel. For 30 years they were the best!

But take lots of time and a chunk of money.

Must eats
Apizza Scholls – AS is arguably Portland’s best pizza joint. The only other place in town that is even in the same discussion is Ken’s Artisan Pizza. Sorry to the Flying Pie, Pizzacato, or whatever fans…you won’t beat AS. On weeknights there is a typical 45-1hr wait and once you have a bite of the thin crispy and woodfired charred crust you’ll know why.

Podnah’s Pit BBQ – I seriously can’t believe Portland has BBQ of this high of caliber. This place is hands down the best BBQ joint in town and its not even debatable. Not only is there local recognition of this place, but its getting known on a national level as well. I don’t like Pulled Pork at all, but this is a standout here. The brisket is the best I’ve had but the PP steals the show.

Hawthorne Food Pod on 12th and Hawthorne – If you seriously want someone to get the true essence of Portland, and how Portland Keeps It Weird, then this place is it. You can find an eclectic crowd of hungry folk even at 2 am here. There are all kinds of food carts here, but the standouts are Potato Champion and Whiffies Fried pies. Potato Champion serves Belgian style fries which unique dipping sauces (such as Rosemary Truffle Ketchup) and they also serve Poutine which are Cheese Curd Gravy fries that are popular in Canada.

Toro Bravo – this place is a can’t miss eatery. The food is so effing good here that you will pause and recollect your thoughts after trying each different dish. I don’t know what authentic Spanish Tapas is like, but I’d expect it be something like this. Wait here is also 30-1hr on a typical weeknight.

Screen Door Cafe (weekend brunch) – easily the best place for breakfast in town. The fried chicken and sweet potato waffles are a standout and can easily feed 2 hungry people. Their Corned Beef Hash that is a rotating special is also a standout.

I love living in Portland as there are so many great dining options, and the culinary scene here as recently been acknowledged on a national level. Mario Batalli of Food Network fame has said that Portland is on his top 5 for culinary destinations. I could give recommendations to anyone who is looking for dining suggestions if you can tell me things and what price points you typically dine out at.

does just fine for me :)

Pok Pok.
Or is that one word twice?

hit up Burgerville.

Tillamook Pepperbacon Cheeseburger, Fries, and a Blackberry shake. Forget about it.

I saw Drazen Petrovic there once. It was before he died.

i haven’t stopped by palomino grill since they switched from whatever it was before they switched lol.

Everybody who comes in from out of town usually stops at Jake’s Famous Crawfish
Since 1892, best seafood in town, plus the Blazers eat there all the time. And so do a lot of other teams when they’re in town
Cheers

Thanks everyone for the info, it will be really useful when (not if) I visit Portland.

located on NE 33rd and Holman. It serves Middle Eastern food. I can’t remember the name, but it shares space with a dinky little neighborhood market (Foodvilla?). I have never been, but the chef, Omar, is an amazing talent. I used to work with him in a now defunct Moroccan place, and this guy is probably the most talented chef I have had the honor to work with. I have heard great things about this place. It’s on the top of my to-do list next time I’m in Portland.

Now if someone can tell me where I can find a decent Spam Musubi and Chicken Long Rice……

pirate cookin

and get the discounted gift cards at CostCo for all the McCormick’s restaurants, as well as RUI, which owns the local Stanford’s, Newport Bays, etc. Since moving to the east side I’m a Newport Bay man, but both companies have affordable and sometimes nutritious happy hours.

Going along Dave’s gonzo burrito suggestion, Ole Ole has at least 4 restaurants, including one on SW Jefferson and one on about 24th and Burnside. The replicate Dave’s restaurant with huge, mission-styled burritos and low prices, but I also have heard they don’t use any lard in their refried beans, which are excellent.

If you take the Yellow Line up a few stops, you can eat at Portland BEST BY FAR wing join, Fire on the Mountain on N Interstate. If you are bicycling or driving to the game, I’d recommend the Burnside location. Either way, deliciousness!

Mexican:
 Ole Ole
 Cha Cha Cha
 King Burrito
 And Muchas Gracias if it’s 4 a.m. and you have a moral disposition against Taco Bell (like you should if you’re from Portland)
 Also, Taco Del Mar. I know it’s a Seattle chain, but it is seriously too delicious not to mention.

Middle Eastern:
 Nicholas’s
 Ya Halla

Indian:
 Bombay Cricket Club (If you just pulled down a max contract)
 Tandoor Indian Kitchen (All you can eat? $9? Yes. Please.)

Thai/Chinese/Japanese:
 Can’t really help you. Not my specialty, but the Sweet Basil in Eugene is unbelievably good, so the Portland one is probably worth trying.

Italian:
 My house.

Pizza:
 American Dream
 Flying Pie
 Ken’s Artisan
 Rovente ( 18" Cheese for $8!)
 Hammy’s (Delivers until 4 in the morn.)

Burgers:
 STANICHES (Get the Special, it is the best hamburger to ever grace this earth. Be warned: it has roughly two gallons of grease running through it)
   There’s really no need to mention any other places, but I’ll go ahead.
 The Laurelwood (They’ve got great in-house beers too)
 Laurelhurst Meat Market (It’s actually a restaurant, they just want to mess with you. This is on the gourmet end of the burger spectrum)

SOOOOOOO Many more. This is just a sample platter. Search around.

And I would be remiss were I to not mention the food carts. There are little pockets of them all over downtown. Or on 12th and Hawethorne until the wee hours of the morning, if you feel like donning a v neck and some skinny jeans, because this is hipster-central.
 

on 122nd near Glisan. That place was great, always packed, ant then one day it was gone.

Restaurant-The Spaghetti Factory

Bar/Pub-Kell’s Irish Pub

40 day dry aged ribeye with hand cut mustard aioli French fries and a bottle of cab. Saturday’s only. Sooooo good.

40 day dry aged ribeye with hand cut mustard aioli french fries and a bottle of cab. Saturday’s only. Sooooo good.

… to watch the Blazers dismantle the Pacers, a trip to St. Elmo’s Steakhouse is a must. You CANNOT go without at least trying the shrimp cocktail appetizer. The restaurant is in the heart of the city on Illinois Street. It has been mentioned by the commentators of Monday Night Football and when the Pacers were in the ECF years back. It deserves the hype, but a fair warning … it’s pricey.

That’s awesome that you said El Burrito Loco Dave, that is the first place that comes to my mind. Although they shut down the one in NoPo and I refuse to go to the replacement, but the King Burrito down on Lombard and Villard has proven to be a worthy replacement.

For a great brew pub with a low key atmosphere it’s hard to beat Amnesia Brewing (832 N Beech St
Portland, OR 97227-1215 (503) 281-7708). It’s within walking distance of my folks’ house so whenever I’m home on leave I spend a lot of time at this place. Great beer, grilled sausages and burgers and pretty friendly staff. Though you have to place all orders at the bar (no wait staff) this can be a turn off for some.

Mexican:
Obviously tex-mex is everywhere here, but the food and atmosphere of Joe T.’s in Fort Worth is second to none. You really feel as if you were in a Mexican Hacienda and the simple menu is good.

Sushi:
Our favorite spot for sushi is Ku Sushi near Preston Hollow. You HAVE to try the Las Vegas Roll! The owner is really friendly and they almost always throw in free rolls, or desserts to get you trying things out of your comfort zone.

Steak
There are too many steak houses here, and each has a Blazersedge-ish following. However, a good one to get that “Texas Groove” is Texas Land and Cattle. It was the first steakhouse we went to when we moved here 2 years ago from Portland and it was everything I thought Texas would be.

It’s a little spendy, but a high-class dining experience, and they serve a mean spanish coffee, prepared right at your table.

Definitely a Portland area landmark. If you can afford it, you should check it out at least once.

If you’re on more of a budget, any McMennamins is also a fine choice. I’m partial to The Kennedy School, but Edgefield is also awesome.

Oh, and another vote for Fire on the Mountain. That place is amazing.

I’ve got the pre-game ritual down. I drive 90 min to Portland for every game. I like to park downtown near the Max line and hit a happy hour or two with my son who lives in P-town.
I’ll arrive around 5:30 – put $2 in a meter (parking is free after 7PM) and find one of my favs:
Red Star – the bar at Hotel Monaco – Happy Hour runs 3-8PM and includes great food and drink prices.
Saucebox – accross from the Benson – creative Pacific/Asian food and unique cocktails.
If you like 21st St – Theres a ton of great Happy hours My favs there are Bastas and Bar Mingo. I also love Oba’s.
So many great choices. Enjoy Happy Hour – ride the max – Go Blazers!

Ambiance is critical for me. Nothing captures old school like a Spanish Coffee inside the most beautiful bar in town. I loved it most before they opened up the street front, back when you couldn’t find it if you didn’t already know where it was.

I can’t get over how amazing Departure (15th floor) and Urban Farmer (8th Floor) are (again, I’m talking ambiance). These are in the old Meier and Frank building downtown (now Macy’s, and one needs to enter on the hotel side called the Nines). They are authentic and beyond beautiful.

It’s always cool to take your friends to the keep-Portland-weird places. But if you want somewhere you can dress nice and be surrounded by gorgeous women that didn’t go to school at the same time as your daughter, consider the ones above.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN FTW!!!

If not, here are my top 5 places for people with a car. Based on quality of food and service.

1.) The Terrace Kitchen
485 2nd St
Lake Oswego, OR 97034-3126
(503) 699-1136
http://terracekitchen.com/

Most consistent top end food in the area with happy hour to help diffuse the cost. And, not a PCG or Henry’s happy hour where, yeah it’s good, but I think it may have come from Costco.

2.) Swagat
2074 NW Lovejoy
Portland, Oregon
(503) 227-4300
http://www.swagat.com/

Several locations, but my mom worked in NW when I was growing up and Swagat’s was, and remains, a nice treat. Though I could probably eat there daily.
Side note: (not in the top 5, but adjacent to Swagat, and pretty great, is Laughing Planet where I fulfilled my dream of getting drunk at a restaurant you’re not supposed to get drunk at last summer. (http://www.laughingplanetcafe.com/))

3.) Davidson’s Casual Dining
12830 SW Pacific Hwy
Tigard, OR 97223
(503) 639-5111
http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8480607/tigard_or/davidson_s_casual_dining.html

Yeah, they don’t have a website. What do they have? 25 cent slices of Apple Pie in July, some delicious Mexican food and the best BIG salads around. WARNING: Casual dining is the truth. You go here to eat, not to look at your fellow patrons.

4. The Carts on 12th and Hawthorne
http://foodcartsportland.com/category/location/southeast-portland-location/se-12th-and-hawthorne/
It should be mandatory to include a cart on your Portland list. Needless to say, there are tons, and everyone has their favorite. For late night soak up you’re drink, it would probably be the Mexican one in old town, or the sausage place across from Kells. (sidebar: impromptu Blues performances blasting from the Cabbie with the van can really clinch a great night out on 2nd.) However, if you’re the DD, or fortunate enough to live in SE then it has to be 12th and Hawthorne. The crepes and fries could be marketed as a hangover cure, and are also the perfect remedy to a Blazers loss.

5. McMenamins Riverwood Pub
8136 S.W. Hall Blvd.
Beaverton, OR 97008
(503) 643-7189
http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=47
Have to recognize where I lost my cooking cherry. To the family who came in on a Sunday morning and received 4 burnt HH cheeseburgers two years ago I apologize. The health inspector came in, told us a customer had complained about a burger being under cooked, and she would be checking an order for proper food temperatures. I proceeded to turn 4 1/4lb patties into ash. I think we gave you a free milkshake, but irregardless, my bad. In general, it’s a McMenamins. For locals that should be synonymous with “hit or miss”. However, if you came in on a slow night (and, apparently we were near a lot of hotels because we would get the most forlorn travelers some nights) we took care of you. Yes, if you went on a Friday or Sunday HH, it can be chaos in motion. But, last I checked they still let you smoke 10 feet from the door on the patio. So, it’s alright by me.

in Lake Grove. It’s fairly close to the practice facility (for those Blazer officials and players Dave mentions above). There’s one signature dish that Mali (the owner/chef) does that is totally authentic and unlike anything I’ve found at any Thai restaurant in the area: massaman curry. You can get “massaman” at any Thai place. You can’t get it like Mali does it. The rest of the menu is pretty good; the massaman is sublime.

Cha is awesome. There are several locations. The one on 10th and Glissan is on the street car line. Very authentic and a great happy hour. I’d put their food up against any Mexican food I have ever had.

“you’ll never duplicate the crowd atmosphere on your couch”

I don’t know about that, if I get out the old 19inch TV, the view is pretty similar to what I can see from the tickets I can afford.

If I put some boxes to both sides of me and infront of me I can duplicate the small seats and lack of leg room.

Then all I need to do is spill some beer, for the smell…play a recording in the background of a semi-drunk yelling SA-BONE-ISSSS and have someone throw a t-shirt above my head at half time…and I think I’ve fairly duplicated the economy Rose Garden Experience…Oh Yeh, I’ll Charge myself $7.00 for a medium Pepsi and a Pretzel.

Plus after the game, I can go wait in the rain for a Tri-Met Bus to a crowded parking lot 8 blocks away….perfect…

for great, local flavor Mexican. They have locations on Hawthorne in SE and Mississippi Ave. in NoPo. My standby is the grilled chicken Bryan’s Bowl and I’ve never been disappointed. http://www.porquenotacos.com/

Just a couple to add to most of the great suggestions above;

First, I would not recommend Staniches if you are looking for a burger. It has the rep of being Portland’s finest but I think it is over rated and I have been disappointed each time I have been there. My burger suggestion would be CHRISTOPHER’S on MLK & Shaver. This is a bbq/burger joint that is very good. If you’re not worried about cholesterol or blood pressure then the Man Up burger is awesome.

My other spot is the SUB SHOP on 43rd & Killingsworth. Don’t be fooled, this is not the chain restaurant. It is an awesome sandwich spot and if you walk in and ask for a Whole Teriyaki then you will soon be addicted. By far my favorite sandwich in Portland.

E-San Thai cuisine…….unbelievably good

I like The Delta Cafe in Woodstock.
Flying Pie Pizza
Breakfast places are my favorite because they are lacking in Honolulu
Tin Shed
Some hippie place in Sellwood
Jorga told me about Pine Street Biscuits
Pretty much any place with biscuits and gravy are the coolest

Tex Mex – Esparzas off E Burnside at 29th

Thai – Sweet Basil – Hollywood and about 40th

Mexican – crab enchilada a must try – Ironhorse on Millwaukie

Pizza by the slice – I still like Oasis cafe on Hawthorne, but it’s been slipping a little

I love the Greek Deli for souvlaki and greek salad on E Burnside around 18th

Indian – New Taste of India food cart, when I happen to be in Southwest on a warm sunny day and lunch in the park sounds like a good idea, Also, Bombay Cricket Club on Hawthorne

Mexican – Acapulco’s Gold – two locations Multnomah Village and Northwest, Vernon maybe?. I prefer the Multnomah village locaiton.

Pot roast – no place at all since the orignal Roses closed down ;(

John Street Cafe in St. John’s…owner used to run Tabor Hill Cafe on Hawthorne for you old time Portlanders who remember how good that place was. St John’s is a bit of a trek for most folks but this place is worth it.

Cup and Saucer has locations in Kenton, 33rd & Killingsworth, and Hawthorne. Best scones ever. Kenton location switched to hashbrowns over home fries…bad decision for my taste but you may prefer the browns.

Tin Shed is the choice for my out of town guests. Great food, coffee, and drinks. Draws all types of people and gives guests a sense of what makes Portland different.

Just a 15-20 minute walk from the Rose Garden. Simple food, great beer, close, Blazer fans everywhere. Love it.

and Lemongrass SE 17th and Couch is the crown jewel. If anyone says any different, I’ll meet you in a parking lot! :^)

Everybody thinks that Nick’s Famous Coneys is the best place to get a Coney in Portland. The truth is the best place in Roake’s down on McLauglin. Go with the Footlong Sausage with onions. Try the Coney Fries too!

Hands down!!

Thai Food: Thai Peacock downtown (a little pricey but the best in my opinion)

Italian: Piazza Italia (I know the original owner, super authentic Italian food)

Breakfast: Pine State Biscuits (get the Reggie) and Detour Cafe

Pizza: Flying Pie

Hot Dogs: Zach’s Shack

Hamburgers: McMenamins

THats my main man Andy runnuin the reg, and his dad Sangh cookin the grub, great people.

We live an hour out of town and all too rarely eat dinner when we make a sojourn into the city. Now I have LOTS of ideas for places to try…

Kudos to Dave for bringing this up.

1. Le Pigeon
2. El Gaucho
3. Fire on the Mountain
4. Yoko’s
5. Por Que No

You want heartburn? Go to Michael’s Itallian Beef & Sausage at the crazy intersection of E. Burnside & Sandy. Combo wet w/ hot peppers & sauteed onions. Bring Lipitor.

I think it’s at NW 25th and Quimby. Their pancakes are literally an inch thick and a foot in diameter, and you can get three of them for $4.25. They are absolutely amazing pancakes too. A friend and I split the three pancakes and we finished two of them. Next time I go back, I’m getting 1 pancake and adding a little tub of peanut butter for $1.50. It’s the only place in town I know of where you can get 2 people absolutely, unbelievably stuffed for under $5.

Man vs Food went there but it wasn’t the featured spot of the show (it was the episode where he ate 7 or 8 little spicy pepper fireballs of some kind).

We should have something similar to this thread, except to list all the best places to watch Blazer games (sports bars, etc.) in different areas of Portland, plus any other cities where a lot of fans are. I don’t have cable TV and I’m not sure where the best places to go are.

Can’t beat FOTM, but for beer and brats it has to be Widmer’s Gasthaus, and both just a few stops from the RG.

But if you go to www.Yelp.com and select Portland, you will find all sorts of useful information and you can hunt down just what you may be craving at any given time…

Too many excellent options in this town to list…you just have toi DIG a little…

Original House of Pancakes on Barbur
Happy Hour @ Ringside Steakhouse on Burnside
Happy Hour @ Portland City Grill on SW 3rd
Meriweather’s on NW Vaugh

Those are a few of my favorite’s.

Oh and if you want pizza order half Truffle oil & Cheese and half Sausage and Pepper at APizza Scholls. It’s the best!

Le Pigeon (East Burnside and 8th-ish)

Pambiche (SE… 17th-ish)

Sweet Basil (NE Broadway and 27th-ish)

La Buca (the SE one is better IMO. East Burnside and 29th-ish)

Burgerville (Best Fast Food in Portland. Many locations including one right next to the Rose Garden)

Mint /820 (NE Russel St. just off of Interstate a couple blocks from the Rose Garden)

Toro Bravo (tapas unbelieviables. Also on Russel St)

Perry’s (NE Fremont and 20th-ish)

Fryer Tuck’s (superb chicken. Huge breasts for super cheap. SW Vermont and … something)

Sushi Time (SW Hall and Scholls Ferry) (BEST SUSHI EVER, NO CONTEST! Have Taki make you something>>>DO NOT ORDER CALIFORNIA ROLLS OR OTHER BASIC SUSHI DISHES; LET THE MASTER [TAKI] DO HIS MAGIC!!!)

Pizza: Vancouver Pizza (downtown Vancouver): great pizza, breadsticks (thin & cheesy like pizza), try the spinach pesto or basil pesto dipping sauce, and also the blackberry lemonade.

Hawaiian Cafe just off Mill Plain on 123rd: Huli Huli Chicken, Coconut Shrimp, and Kal-bi Ribs are all great. I also like the Strawberry Guava juice. Little spendy though. Used to have live music and hula dancers on Fridays and Saturdays, not sure if they still do.

Also next to Hawaiian Cafe is the Mongolian Grill, different company than the Portland ones (and way better) – buffet stir-fry style, use the olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking and burning (a common problem at the Oregon places), and use lots of Teriyaki sauce, sugar water, and pineapple juice to carmelize the noodles & meat.

Mexican: Los Potrillos on Mill Plain has excellent Tortilla Soup and also the thin sliced chicken (I forget the name of it) is excellent, full bar + karaoke on Fridays if you’re into that.

BBQ: next to Los Potrillos is Rib City – good stuff, but again pretty spendy. I especially like the fried okra.

After you’re done at Los Potrillos or Rib City hit Sheridan’s Frozen Custard next door. Way better than ice cream!

Jay’s Restaurant & Lounge on Gher Road has really good battered Halibut for under $10.

Big Al’s on 164th is good food for a bowling alley, but then again it’s not you’re average bowling alley, with timber framed construction and a huge restaurant/sports bar area.

Chinese: Don’t make a special trip, but if you’re starving and out in the Camas/Washougal area for some strange reason, Chinese Garden has a couple of tasty dishes, mainly the Hawaiian Chicken and Shrimp Lo Mein.

Places I avoid: McGrath’s (MSG in almost every dish they make), Peach Tree Restaurant (you might as well eat out of a can).