PDX restaurants

My cousin Robyn and I (and now a couple other friends as well) have made a solemn pact to chew our way through Portland, i.e., identify (and eat in) restaurants and other food emporiums in glassland, i.e., Portland, the surrounding burbs and Vancouver, WA.

Our restaurants should (mostly) fit the following criteria:

• Reasonable driving, walking or metro’ing distance from downtown Portland
• The food is in some way memorable, hopefully in a good way
• You don’t need to take out a third mortgage on the house (or sell offspring) to eat there (although we’re occasionally succumbing to the temptation to empty the wallet)
• The ambience says something besides “airport bathroom,” i.e., it’s not in a food court

How hard can that be?

So far, not very. Here’s what we’ve reviewed so far. At some point I should probably turn this into a searchable database with a proximity map…but it’ll be awhile. Unless otherwise noted, all restaurants are in downtown Portland someplace. I’ve marked my absolutely stellarly favorite places in bold, with an asterisk.

Click on a link to see the review

Asian/Indian

• Abhiruchi (Indian, Beaverton)
• Arawan (Thai, Vancouver)
• Bay Leaf (Vegetarian Chinese)
• Chennai Masala (Indian, Hillsboro)*
• Dragonfish Asian Cafe (Fusion Asian)
• India Grill (Indian)
• Koji Osakaya (Japanese)
• Mio Sushi (Japanese)
• PeemKaew Thai in the Pearl (Thai)
• Pho Thanh (Vietnamese)
• PokPok (Thai)*
• Saburo’s (Japanese sushi)
• Sushi Takahashi (Japanese)*
• Swagat (Indian)
• Thailand Restaurant (Thai)
• Typhoon (Thai)*
• Vindalho (Indian)
• Wong’s King Seafood (Chinese)*
• Yuki Japanese Restaurant (Japanese)

Breakfast/brunch

• Hash
• La Provence Bistro and Bakery (Lake Oswego)
• Mother’s Bistro and Bar
• Nancy’s Kitchen*
• Sanborns*
• Tom’s Pancake House (Beaverton)

Coffee/dessert

• Backspace
• Costello’s Travel Caffe*
• Papa Haydn’s
• Staccato Gelato
• Stumptown Coffee
• Sweet Masterpieces Coffee and Chocolate
• Sydney’s
• Tilly’s Gelato (Beaverton)*

European

• Alexis (Greek)
• Firkin & Frog (”Irish” pub, Vancouver)
• Gustav’s Bier Stube (German hofbrau)
• Le Bouchon (French)
• Nicola’s (Italian)*
• Nostrana Italian
• Press Club (Sorta Tuscan)
• Veritable Quandary (French-ish)*
• Who Stole My Dead Husband? (Italian dinner theatre)

Latin American

• Andina (Peruvian/Andean)
• Muchas Gracias (Tex-Mex, Beaverton)
• Pambiche (Cuban)*
• San Francisco Tienda (Tex-Mex, Wilsonville)*

Middle Eastern/African

• Bete-Lukas (Ethiopian)*
• Blue Nile (Ethiopian)
• Dar Essalam (Moroccan, Wilsonville)*
• Habibi Cafe (Lebanese)
• Marrakesh (Moroccan)
• Nicholas (Lebanese)*
• Queen of Sheba (Ethiopian)
• Yasmen (Lebanese)

Northwestern/”New”/American

• Bread & Ink Cafe
• Evoe/Pastaworks*
• Fishwife*
• Grandma Leeth’s (almost to Beaverton)
• Jake’s Famous Crawfish
• My Brother’s Crawfish
• Paley’s Place*
• Savoy Tavern & Bistro
• Skyline Drive-in
• Wild Abandon
• Wildwood

Soup/sandwiches

• Burgerville*
• Evoe/Pastaworks*
• Firkin & Frog
• Nancy’s Kitchen
• New Seasons Market*
• Old Wives Tale (*, but only for the Hungarian Mushroom Soup)
• Press Club
• Rose’s Deli and Bakery
• Savoy Tavern & Bistro
• Skyline Drive-in (almost to Beaverton)
• Whole Foods

Anyone who knows of a great place in Portland to eat, gimmea holler, post a comment, whatever. I’ll send in the team (my belly and whoever it can grab for company) and get there eventually.

Our “gotta try” list so far (and please feel free to give your impressions of these or suggest others):

• Hoda’s, small Lebanese restaurant on S.W. Belmont (approximately 33rd and Belmont)
• Abou Karim close to Burnside and close to the Willamette
• Yasmin on Beaverton Hillsdale highway
• Plainfield’s Mayur, an Indian restaurant
• Nob Hill Cafe
• Tabla
• Yam-Yams
• Simpatica Dining Hall
• Broder
• Navarre
• Beast
• PB & Ellie’s Cafe
• Albina Press
• Tiny’s
• Sip & Kranz
• Legin
• Biscuits
• Cadillac Cafe
• Esan Thai
• Powell’s Seafood
• Gravy
• Legin
• Higgins
• Bijou Cafe
• Cafe Castagna
• World Cup
• Pantanegra

Would love to find a GOOD Mexican restaurant (and having grown up in central California, I’m picky). Also seeking good Persian, Afghani, Armenian, East African, Indian, Northwestern, vegetarian. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks–

–cynthia