Eleni’s Philoxenia (Greek)
December 24, 2009
- Restaurant website
- Location: Pearl District
- Price to dinnerize two people: About $50, booze extra
I parked the car about a block away from Eleni’s (I was meeting Sara there for dinner), got out and tripped over about a dozen tipsy Santas coming from a rally in the park. I looked around and saw HUNDREDS of Santas, dressed in everything from fur-trimmed red Lurex catsuits to the pillow-bellied real deal.
What in the world? As I pondered, a lady Santa ran full-tilt into me, grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me right on the mouth. “MISTLETOE!!!!” she hollered, and handed me a tiny candy cane before running to her next victim.
Dalo’s Kitchen (Ethiopian)
July 28, 2009
Restaurant website
Location: Northeast Portland
Price to totally stuff three people: About $40
Rely on Gigi-the-iPhone, Google Maps or Mapquest–or the address–and you will NEVER find Dalo’s Kitchen. It’s listed as being on Vancouver; it’s actually on Williams just before Skidmore. If there are cars parked in front of the ferociously pink-striped cinderblock building you’ll miss the small Dalos signboard placed AFTER the restaurant.
But keep trying, because Dalo’s Kitchen is definitely worth a visit. [Read more]
Bete-Lukas (Ethiopian)
March 16, 2009
- Restaurant website
- Location: SE Portland (Division & 50th)
- Price to stuff two people at dinner: $36
The guy behind me on Division St. was honking and carrying on so, you’d have thought I’d sideswiped his kitten but I swear I didn’t do anything. Then I stopped at the light and he got out of his car, ran up and poked his head in my window. “Your left taillight is out, ma’am. I thought you’d want to know.”
Only in Portland, I mused, as I trudged up the stairs to meet Robyn at Bete-Lukas. Shortly after I forgot all about it, because when you’re at Bete-Lukas, you don’t want to waste time on inconsequentials like nuclear war or a nice fellow driver: You just wanna eat.
Habibi Cafe (Lebanese)
December 18, 2008
- Restaurant website
- Location: Downtown/Pioneer Place area
- Price to lunch two: About $23
Habibi means “dear one” in Arabic, or words to that effect, and while I’m not gonna swoon over the food at the PDX restaurant known as Habibi (I’ll reserve that for Nicholas until something better comes along), I could grow pretty fond of it.
Habibi’s tucked into one of those downtown blocks that are just chock full of interesting little shops and restaurants near the Pioneer Place cinema. It’s tiny, with small tables crowded into the main floor and a few additional tables in the loft above. The walls (above) are crowded with bottles, and the whole thing looks more Portland Victorian than Middle Eastern. The kitchen’s pretty much on view to the downstairs tables, which was nice.
My friend Barbara and I met there for chow and chat last Saturday; it was crowded when I arrived and got more crowded as we stayed. The staff was gracious and friendly throughout, even though worked off their feet, which was one reason I liked it.
Barbara ordered the kebabs; I got the lamb shawarma. Both came with salads and I got a kick out of the brass leaf platter that housed my meal. (above) Barbara liked hers; mine was mostly pretty good except a few pieces of lamb were sadly overcooked and chewy.
Strangely, that didn’t bother me; I liked the cozy feel of this place on a cold winter day. I wouldn’t go there if the food were my primary object but for the ambiance? Sure.
Dar Essalam (Moroccan)
November 4, 2008
- Restaurant website
- Location: Wilsonville, OR
- Price to fill up two people for dinner: About $40
There’s a hidden jewel in Wilsonville (of all places): One of the tastier Middle Eastern restaurants I’ve encountered on the west coast. I’d driven by Dar Essalam a couple of times on my way to Fry’s Electronics, and filed it under “new Moroccan restaurant” for future reference.
When I say “hidden” jewel, I mean it. Coworker Sara and I decided to try it tonight, and it proved so hard to find in Google Maps that we nearly didn’t go (google “Moroccan restaurant in Wilsonville” and see what you come up with). I’m glad we did, because it was delightful.
Yasmen (Lebanese)
October 23, 2008
- Review website (Yasmen doesn’t seem to have a site)
- Location: Beaverton
- Price to fill up (and I mean fill up) two people: $60
I chatted idly with the Yasmen employees while I waited for Robyn to arrive. “It’s only 7:00 so I guess we’re kind of early?” I asked, gesturing at all the empty tables. Most of my Middle Eastern and Mediterranean friends recoil in horror at the thought of dinner before 9:00 PM, so I figured that our early arrival explained the lack of patrons.
But they shrugged. “You come here on a weekend and this place will be so packed you can’t get near it,” one smiled, “But during the week? This is pretty typical, any time of day. Nobody here.”
Dining with the Queen of Sheba
May 15, 2008
- Restaurant website
- Location: Northeast Portland (past convention center)
- Cost to fill up two people for dinner: About $35-$40
If a restaurant could take an award for best people-watching, Queen of Sheba might top the list. Fortunately, the food (Ethiopian) is good, too.
Robyn and I took a seat by the window and watched a wondrous procession of dancers, bikers, dogwalkers, hip chicks, shirtless rock throwers, and one fellow in red flannel pajama tops whose Nike shorts continually slid to his ankles. Even the illustrious Ted Sawyer, Bullseye’s research director and wonderful glass artist in his own right, showed up.
And while we watched, we ate. [Read more]
Nicholas (Lebanese)
January 20, 2008
- Nicholas website
- Area: OMSI/Industrial area
- Price to fill up two people minus booze: $40
Until tonight I don’t think I’d had a really good middle eastern meal in glassland. But Nicholas, on SE Grand, put an end to that. Excellent, well-flavored hummus served correctly, wheaty, chewy flatbreads, they know how to do yogurt drinks right and the tabbouleh was home-made exactly the way I like it. I had the lamb ghanam (marinated lamb on rice, good but not scintillating), Robyn had a house specialty, Stephan’s Chicken, which was delicious. $40 bought ‘way ‘way too much of all that for two people. so we left with a doggie carton.
This is a tiny place, about 10 tables, and on a Friday night THERE WILL BE A LINE outside because there’s no place to wait inside, so come early. By the time we finished our dinner, about 8:30, there were perhaps 35 people waiting outside in the cold.
Staring in at us.
Impatiently.
(we felt guilty and left)
Service was brisk–you get the impression these guys are in a hurry to get the table back–but still friendly. We had to wait a bit too long to get a menu, but once the food started coming it came in a rush and we were too busy eating to care. There’s also no place to hang your coat or stick parcels, so leave them in the car when you go. But do go–it’s definitely worth it.
Blue Nile (Ethiopian)
December 14, 2007
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Location: Hollywood
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Price to fill up two people: About $30
Parking is not great, not on a Friday night, anyway, at this little Ethiopian restaurant in the NE Hollywood district, but the rest was a lot of fun.
It’s not the very best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had (a DC Adams-Morgan restaurant owns that distinction) but they did a very good job with my veggies and the meat was pretty good. (Robyn said her spinach was a bit cold, though). Very pleasant service in this tiny (maybe six or seven tables) restaurant and the diners were obviously neighbors who welcomed us. Good time was had by all, and this place is worth checking out, especially if you’re seeking vegetarian fare.
Marrakesh Authentic Moroccan
March 2, 2007
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Location: NW 23rd (restaurant row)
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Price to fill up two people: About $40
This was unfortunately a miss. I went in early (5:30 or so) on a Friday night a couple of years ago, and the staff almost overwhelmed me with fervent attention–I was the only one there. Settled into the cushions, did the rosewater handwash thing, they turned on the authentic Moroccan music CD and I was thinking “wow, this is kinda fun.” Then they brought the food and spoiled the whole thing.
Moroccan food is usually on the sweetish side, but this was drowning in rosewater syrup. Sweet course after syrupy course it went on, until I hailed the entree with relief–FINALLY, something savory. Unfortunately, the giant mound of beef was literally dripping with syrup. And as I contemplated whether to send it back or simply pay for the meal and escape, they brought dessert: Baklava. I gave up and fled…and the waiter chased me out the door with a doggie bag.
To this day–and given the great reviews it’s gotten–I can’t decide if the chef simply had a bad day…or somebody was bored and wanted to see if the American lady would actually eat that stuff. Still haven’t gotten the courage (or the stomach) to go back.