Portland Eats

Inspired by one of the first posts over at Portland Food Coma, here are some of my current favorite things to eat in Portland.  I limited myself to one dish per restaurant and–other than two notable exceptions–successfully stuck to this self-imposed rule.  Although in the future I plan to more fully describe some of the food below, the following is a quick snapshot of some dishes I dig.  If I was headed out of town for an extended trip tomorrow, it’s a good bet I’d be eating one of the following dishes today.

(In no particular order).

Pork Hocks Braised with Star Anise @ Boda (with Chinese five spice, jasmine rice, Asian mustard green pickles and a spicy and sour chili sauce)

Smoked Salmon Bagel @ 158 Picket St. (bagel, cream cheese, salmon, capers, red onions, cucumbers, olive oil, salt, pepper; my favorite breakfast)

Braised Tuscan Kale @ Bresca (with “charred” bread, crisp pancetta, and a 6 minute egg)

Bibimbap @ Happy Teriyaki (be sure to order it in the heated pot, which adds a great crispness to some of the rice, like a good paella)

Calf’s Brain Fritter @ Evangline (with cabbage, capers, browned butter, and bacon as I described in the Evangeline MRW report)

Cheese Pizza @ Otto (hands down, the best “traditional” pizza in Portland; nothing else compares)

Bahn Mi @ Kim’s Sandwich & Cafe

Omakase @ Miyake (yes, this is a meal–a 3, 5, or 7 course chef’s tasting–not a dish, but there’s no way I can pick my favorite from among the many wonderful courses I’ve had here)

Sea Urchin Linguine @ Bresca (with olive oil, mint, basil, and lemon zest)

Bagel with pimento cheese spread @ Scratch Baking Co.

Pho Dac Biet @ Thahn Thahn 2 (though I have yet to try Saigon across the street)

Corned Beef Tongue Reuben Panino @ Duckfat

Chicken Tikka Masala @ Jewel of India

This list will no doubt change from month to month (and perhaps week to week).  After there has been sufficient turnover, I will post an update.