View of the Bar and Kitchen at Bar Avignon, Portland, OR

In a city like Portland, Oregon, restaurants seem to pop up just about every other day, in a dining landscape that boasts some amazing chefs, some amazing ambiance, some amazing ingenuity when it comes to crafting a menu — but maybe also a landscape that boasts… one too many restaurants. It’s hard to say, really — because staring a restaurant, that fragile partnership between a “front of the house” person and a “back of the house” person is really stunning when it comes off.

But the rest of the time? Between poor employee performance, dealing with myriad vendors, getting recipes consistent, creating fresh atmosphere, crafting unique pairings of food and wine, getting the hours down, finding solid management, paying the bills, figuring out what advertising really works, settling in to a neighborhood — running a restaurant might be more like making a big Hollywood production movie than anyone (who has never tried it before!) realizes.

That’s a lot of plates to keep in the air at the same time! So how does anyone ever pull it off?

Finding the Right Employees: A Place to Start

The restaurant environment can be a tricky one, and one where employee experience pays off to the max. Finding the right mix of cooks, prep staff, bussers, runners, waiters and especially your management — there’s an art to it all, for certain. Consider starting at the top if you’re getting into the business.

Find yourself an expert manager for the house, a person who has had a ton of experience, especially in your city. Talk to them about their style, their experience, and don’t skim over the worst of it — be sure to ask them about their awful experiences too, horror stories, bridges they may have burned (if they’ll share — this can be valuable information). This person will automatically be the bridge between you, the owner or chef/owner, and the rest of your team — the “boots on the ground” that tend to make or break any restaurant.

Wherever you end up on the education curve, either privileging it or doubting its merits, it is difficult to dismiss the potential commitment on the part of a prospective employee, that an education through a hospitality management program represents. If a potential employee, let’s say a general manager, comes to you and they’ve got a degree with some background in the business. Maybe they’ve tended bar, or worked in a diner kitchen. They’re looking to really begin a career in restaurant management, and they’re asking for an opportunity.

And then there’s another candidate. You’ve got to make the choice between the first, with a degree in hospitality management from a major university, and another — someone who has been a workhorse in the field, a dozen or more years on the job, making restaurants, riding the sinking ship, burning the occasional bridge, hiring and firing, etc. Which do you choose?

In all likelihood, you might choose the candidate with experience, over the candidate with the degree and far less work history, but maybe this isn’t the only way to go. Surely, real world experience has its merits, but it can also bring to you a situation where an employee, and a very important one at that, is no longer teach-able. After all, your restaurant is your baby, so you want the place to run like the well-oiled machine that you’ve always imagined. How big will your headaches be if your GM has their own ideas, and they differ from yours?

Consider the value of experience, but don’t underestimate an employee with less experience, and a great degree. They just might be the answer — you can shape their work habits, and leverage their understanding of the environment, getting an education (or a re-education) for yourself in the process.

URL: http://www.kendall.edu/

We love us some burgers. No doubt. Love love love the burgers. We’ve been in Holland for about ten days now, and beside the Mexican food that we find missing in the culinary landscape over here, in general, the good ol’ fashioned American burger, a thing of robust tradition and character, ranks tops on our list of the stuff we miss the most on our plates. And Bird Dog, back in our neighborhood in SE Portland, seems to be holding up the flag in our memories, guiding us back home to fond, mouth-watering dreams of burgers that we can barely fit into our mouths.

The restaurant popped up in the last year or so, in the old space just east of SE 39th Ave. on Hawthorne where No Fish Go Fish used to be. Never heard of No Fish Go Fish? Go fish. Doesn’t matter, didn’t seem to resonate with the local population. Welcome, Bird Dog, and thank you for being there. Aside from Dick’s Kitchen, several blocks away but also in the neighborhood, we don’t know where else we’d go to get our burger need filled. Now, one always wonders when a restaurant fails, if it’s got to do with the location, or the concept, or something else. Nicely positioned in the bridge-area joining the bulk of the shopping-friendly storefronts along Hawthorne, and whatever is now going on east of those blocks as ushered in by the new New Seasons, Bird Dog is quite strategically placed to do well. And with a menu that reads like all the best and most interesting elements of the PDX food cart sensation, combined with high quality ingredients and truly friendly service — you owe yourself a visit, when you’re ready for some comforting, Southern-inflected “diner-esque” food.

Bird Dog Hot Dogs & Burgers: Breaking Down the Menu and Ambiance

Bird Dog has managed to put together a stout House Burger for only $5. Now. You won’t get a piece of cheese with that, but it’s almost not necessary. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an excellent embellishment to the burger, but the meat itself is beyond flavorful, and juicy, and you might save yourself the extra hundred-plus calories, in case you’re on a cheat day at Bird Dog, taking a vacation from your normal diet. Featuring Silver Farms grass-fed beef, the House Burger is served on a French bun with butter lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, and Bird Dog sauce. If you’ve been to In-n-Out Burger in California, then you’re an addict, despite A) what you may say in your own defense, and B) whether or not you like “fast food” burgers.

Why do I bring this up? Being from California, we’re admittedly addicts. It’s one of our first stops, and a must-have menu item whenever we go back home to visit. After about the third time we sat down to enjoy a burger at Bird Dog, it suddenly came to me. Whatever Bird Dog uses for its special Bird Dog sauce, when combined with the crispy onions, calls to mind the amazing-ness of In-n-Out, only maybe even better. We won’t get the heroin-addict like “fix” off this meal, but that doesn’t matter. And I do sincerely hope that the proprietors take this as the compliment that it’s intended to be, because they really and truly nailed something important here, in the way of the burger. And so they should be proud.

If you do add cheese, while cheddar is always an excellent pairing with a burger, especially when it’s that rich Tillamook variety, we recommend the smoked Gouda instead, whose nutty, buttery flavor adds another little bit of tang to the whole meal, and together with the onions, provides a knock-out in your mouth. Crisp butter lettuce, fresh tomato and that bun. The bread makes it all come together. The above picture is Cheddar, by the way, not Gouda, which is pictured below. Add a slice of cheese for $1, or add Nueskies Applewood Smoked Bacon (also $1 extra) instead, and give your mouth another reason to sing.

Bird Dog is named, appropriately so, for its special menu item, the Bird Dog, pictured directly below. Or maybe the menu item is named after the restaurant. The point is moot, because that thing is a work of art. Current MFA students, especially sculptors, gaze with envy at what your “art” should aspire to be — curious, beautiful, substantial, slightly awkward, confident. Sound like a strange way to describe a hot dog that cannot be picked up by hand? Think again, and judge not lest ye be judged. Or at lease, wait to judge until you’ve eaten at least half of one of these yourself.

I love hot dogs. Last year’s “February Is Hot Dog Month in Portland” attempt should be enough to convince you of as much. I also love fried stuff. I also love gravy. I also love hot dogs. This is what Bird Dog ($7 with that pickle) is all about: a dog that snaps back, taut and delicious, as dogs should be. Then it’s battered and deep fried, like chicken fried steak. As if that weren’t enough already, bring that country gravy in, and just go ahead and dump it right on top. Make sure there’s a sturdy plate hanging out beneath it. Served on an equally delicious bun, while the Bird Dog will not make your cardiologist very happy with you, it will bring a smile to your stomach. Consider a bit of regular yellow mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco, and you’ve got a true prize sitting in front of you.

Follow the link below through to the Bird Dog Facebook page, as they give away free meals on just about a weekly basis, which is a great use of social media for a restaurant working hard to get a foot-hold in the Portland culinary community, where competition is stiff and eaters are intelligent. But this joint has just enough of the gimmick, with real substance to back it up, to find solid standing in the hearts of PDX food lovers. It’s cozy inside, still taking on some personality with black and white photography on one wall and character-rich chalk “paintings” on the other, a decent amount of tables with comfortable wooden chairs and just enough lighting. With excellent service and consistently quality food to offer, including really tasty french fries and a small-ish but adequate selection of beers (bottles and on tap, too), we think you should consider making Bird Dog a regular treat.

Bird Dog Hot Dogs & Burgers, SE Hawthorne, Portland: Pictures

Portland, OR Restaurant Details: Bird Dog Hot Dogs & Burgers in SE Portland
Bird Dog: A Neighborhood Joint
3962 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, OR 97214
Southeast
(503) 206-6418
info@birddogpdx.com
Hours: Monday – Friday, 12:00pm – 9:00pm; Saturday – Sunday 11:00am – 9:00pm

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Bird Dog Hot Dogs & Burgers on SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Click here for a map of the area: Bird Dog Restaurant in SE Portland

The official Bird Dog Restaurant website (Click)
Complete Menu for Bird Dog Restaurant on the website (this will download a PDF to your computer)
Bird Dog Restaurant on Facebook (Click)
Bird Dog Review on YELP: Portland (Click)

Bird Dog on Urban Spoon:

Plotted along some kind of mathematical equation, I’m sure the chart that documents the flavor development and overall availability of vegan cuisine from the 70s to now is a slow-building, upward-trending line that begins in the lower left and rises to the upper right hand corner of the graph. And deservedly so. These days, in many major cities, you can throw a rock (they’re vegan) and hit a vegan or vegetarian establishment; or at the very least, you can find specifically noted menu items that are vegetarian and not just a side of “steamed veggies” on a steakhouse menu.

Once upon a time, there were tiny little health food stores full of somewhat nasty-tasting or flavorless products that were supposed to be healthy for you. You could get regular produce in the market, and whatever else you managed to find in a restaurant. Now, there are entire establishments that are not only dedicated to creating healthy vegan or vegetarian dishes, but they’re also really, really good at it. Enter The Veggie Grill, who after several successful additions to the healthy fast-casual L.A. restaurant landscape, have just opened the doors to their first (of a planned few) Portland-area locations.

Let it be known that we are not vegans here at Portland Restaurant Review, however, we are considerate, thoughtful people who value carefully made cuisine of all stripes. So maybe that makes us the perfect judges of a vegan restaurant that does not push its vegan-ness on anyone, by virtue of their menu or the interior spaces. In fact, you’ll hear plenty of stories like this one, from die-hard Veggie Grill fans and the owners alike: “A vegetarian woman came in to the restaurant with her non-vegetarian boyfriend. He had the ‘burger,’ and commented that he was able to have a great piece of meat while his girlfriend had her salad. And the joke is on him — there’s no meat on the menu!” I’m a big fan of stories like this, because in my opinion, vegan and healthy food options have to go beyond merely mimicking similar dishes on non-vegan menus. As in, a vegan cheeseburger might just as well have been a totally new sandwich, so that consumers don’t go into the experience thinking of a meaty burger and inevitably leveling their comparison at how the vegan version falls short or otherwise fails to approximate the “original.” Of course, besides calling the sandwich something entirely new, restaurants and vegan chefs could always just make something vegan that tastes amazing. Wouldn’t that be enough to convince non-vegans that eating in this healthy way can be just as satisfying as any other? Guess what? That’s the position that The Veggie Grill takes on vegan dining. They’re not going to push the food politics or lifestyle/diet combo down your throats. They believe what they believe, and they want to run a successful restaurant that provides diners with a healthy option. So they make it easy on diners and privilege quality, tasty food above all else. So simple and yet I can’t think of very many versions of vegan cuisine that are so wonderfully prepared and delivered under such terms.

Veggie Grill on SW Cedar Hills Blvd.: Breaking Down the Lunch Menu and Ambiance

So what am I saying then? While I’m not exactly a convert to the vegan diet, I will tell you that I am a newly minted, loyal fan of Veggie Grill. As is always the case when I come to this point with a restaurant, I will often think of things on their menu for which I have a fondness, and from that little memory will come a craving. When the craving gets too large to control, I will go to Veggie Grill and satisfy my urges for a great meal. And yes, it just so happens to be a vegan craving. But that may well me beside the point, and that’s perhaps the best thing I could say about Veggie Grill — you’ll go because the food is excellent, no matter what they do or do not put into each dish. Now let’s talk about the new restaurant.

Stylish, well-conceived and clean interior space. New window adverts that are digitally controlled, alleviating the need for printing new displays each week or month. Friendly to a fault style service from multiple layers of staff. A robust menu that is pared down enough for you to tell that much thought has been put into what lives on the menu, and what was likely removed. Just cozy enough inside the place to feel good about getting in from the rain for a lunch or dinner. Seems like The Veggie Grill has done their homework.

Santa Fe Crispy Chicken Sandwich ($8.95 – Fried chickin’, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, spicy vegan mayo). I think this one is my favorite of the sandwiches. No, it’s not actually chicken, but between the flavor and the texture even, you’re gonna’ be just about fooled. Crispy, fresh produce, spicy sauce and the perfect sized bun all complement a great sandwich. On the side, a bowlful of Steamin’ Kale ($3.25 – Steamed until just tender, ginger-miso dressing, roasted sesame seeds). Personally, I love kale and have for a long time. I found this particular side to also be among my favorites at the Veggie Grill, with perfectly steamed leaves broken down just enough to be soft without sacrificing any hint of freshness. The miso dressing is awesome, with that little bit of chalky miso flavor adding just enough of a kick to the greens.

Uptown Nachos ($4.95 Starter – Tortilla chips, chili, VG-cheese, corn salsa, avocado, soy cream, jalapenos). Is there a vegan bar food menu anywhere in Portland? If there is, take note. Not that nachos presents the dilemma of the century when it comes to making a tasty vegetarian or vegan snack, but really — this is a PERFECT version of the dish. Crispy chips that are just salty enough, fresh corn salsa, creamy avocados and spicy peppers. That little drizzle of soy cream makes all the difference, too, especially if you’re a fan of sour cream on traditional, non-vegan nachos. Plenty of food to share as a snack if you’re dining with a friend.

VG-Cheeseburger ($9.95 – The V-Burger topped with VG-Cheese El Dorado Style upon request with jalapenos, caramelized onions, ketchup). Worth literally any and every penny that you will spend. At nearly ten dollars, you’ll likely be expecting one hell of a burger, and you won’t be disappointed either, as this is likely the sandwich that generates the most stories like the one about the vegan girlfriend illustrated in the intro. Eat it while it’s hot for sure, as the VG-Cheese is best when first served. The “meat” will again fool some fairly savvy meat-eaters, as texture and flavor are both very solid. Shaved lettuce, slightly sweet caramelized onions and a little kick from the jalapenos. I believe they serve Annie’s organic ketchup, so a little dollop of that will only add to the healthy quota of the meal. Highly recommended.

All-American Stack ($8.95 – Grilled Veggie Steak, thousand island dressing, pickles, lettuce, tomato, crispy onion rings). It’s going to be staring you in the face when you walk in to the restaurant, beyond life-sized and gorgeous-looking enough to make you consider not even bothering with the menu. It tastes just about as good as it looks in the picture, and it’s ready to fall apart in your hands. I don’t say this as a criticism, either. Nothing dry here. All tasty, moist and very flavorful indeed. After about half, you may find yourself cutting it with a knife and fork. The dressing and pickles go a long way towards making this one of the standout menu items. And you will LOVE the onion ring addition. While not the healthiest thing in the world, what it brings to the flavor overload is well worth the price.

All Hail Kale ($8.45 – Marinated kale and red cabbage, corn salsa, agave-roasted walnuts, ginger-papaya vinaigrette; Add blackened chickin’ or tempeh for $2.50). Once again, I love kale. Nothing more to say on the matter. This is a huge meal of a salad, or a great dish to be split among friends dining together. Marinated kale does just enough to break down the overly crispy green into something your mouth will love having in it. Corn salsa, walnuts, shaved carrots: all go a long way to creating a wide variety of textures, flavors, spices and colors, making this salad as pleasing to look at as it is to eat.

Carne Asada Sandwich ($8.95 – Grilled veggie-steak, Mexican spices, spicy vegan mayo, red onion, lettuce, tomato). This is not my favorite Veggie Grill sandwich, but it is still quite good in the way of a lunch meal. Here, the “carne asada” is probably the farthest away from its meat-based cousin, but still long on flavor.

Sweetheart Fries ($4.25 – Sides – Scrumptious sweet potatos with chipotle ranch). This ended up being a pretty good picture. If you like sweet potato fries that won’t weigh you down with oil or grease, and ones that are crispy on the outside yet slightly soft on the inside, then you’re all over this bowl. Sooooo good. My favorite extra, besides the nachos.

Bayou Chickin’ Sandwich ($8.95 – Blackened chickin’, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, spicy vegan mayo). Once again, the chickin’ will fool you quite easily, as the texture is fairly spot on and the flavor is complete. The blackened version of the chickin’ is especially nice as there is a whole other flavor profile going on, which is accented by the spice of the red onion and the mayo. All in all, very filling and one that you should eventually make sure to try.

Buffalo Wings ($6.75 – Sides: Crispy chickin’, tossed in spicy buffalo sauce with celery sticks and ranch dressing). This is where some of the amazing happens. They taste like chicken. They feel like real chicken in your hands. The buffalo sauce is authentic. The dipping sauce, while soy-based, will fool you that it’s really ranch dressing. For less than $7, you pretty much can’t go wrong. A plate of “wings” and another plate of nachos could go a long way towards mending a broken heart.

We can’t thank the fine people involved with this restaurant enough for their hospitality and for everything they are doing to bring healthy food that tastes great to the fast-casual restaurant space. Take our word, get over the vegan aspect and get down there to do some sampling for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Portland, OR Restaurant Details: Veggie Grill Portland on SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
Veggie Grill in Beaverton, OR and soon to be downtown SW Portland (SW 5th and Taylor)
3435 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. (west side of the street in the shopping center)
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 350.2369
Southwest / Beaverton
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm; Friday – Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Veggie Grill in SW Portland / Beaverton
Click here for a map of the area: Veggie Grill in SW Portland / Beaverton

The Official Veggie Grill PDX Website (menu)(Click)
Veggie Grill Official Twitter Feed (Click)
Veggie Grill Official Facebook Page (Click)
Veggie Grill Review on YELP: Portland (Click)
Veggie Grill Announces New PDX Restaurants (Press Release)

Find more out about Veggie Grill Portland on Urban Spoon:

Veggie Grill in SW Portland / Beaverton: Pictures

Co-Founders Kevin and Pillan

Editor’s Note: The public relations firm working in conjunction with the restaurant sought out PDX Food writers and made every effort to show us both the food and the philosophy that makes up Veggie Grill. PRR was invited to a soft opening in Beaverton to sample the food and ambiance in the new location before writing this review. In no way were the opinions of this food blog swayed by the exchange. Portland Restaurant Review is always available to review your restaurant, and we pride ourselves on our honest, thorough approach to food writing.

VEGGIE GRILL TAPS RESTAURANT PARTNER IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Joint Venture Partner Ed Casey Brings Over 30 Years of Experience to Veggie Grill

Santa Monica, CA (January 11, 2012) — Popular for their delicious, convenient comfort food, Veggie Grill is about to open their first location outside of Southern California in Beaverton, Ore. As they move into the Portland market, Veggie Grill is pleased to announce their partnership with long-time restaurant developer Ed Casey. Based in Portland and an Oregon resident for over 20 years, Casey’s experience is in building upon emerging trends in the restaurant industry. When Casey discovered Veggie Grill, he found the perfect fit for the adventurous Portland consumer: a concept at once healthful, food-centric and fun. Casey didn’t hesitate to join the Veggie Grill team and push expansion forward in the Pacific Northwest.

As a joint venture partner, Casey will develop Veggie Grill restaurants in Oregon, opening the first location in January of 2012 followed by a second in May. “I’m excited to bring the Veggie Grill and this concept to life in my home market,” says Casey, who developed, owned and operated over 25 Baja Fresh Mexican Grill franchises in the Pacific Northwest. Casey previously introduced Oregon to Applebees in 1993 in a franchise venture, and TGI Fridays in 1980. Casey also served as President/CEO of the Counter, a 2008 National Restaurant Association’s Hot Concept winner and was recognized by the Oregon Restaurant Association in 2002 as “Restaurateur of the Year.”

As this is Veggie Grill’s first expansion outside of its home turf in California, this partnership is critical. “Ed’s expertise is invaluable to our introduction into this new market. We are excited to be working with him as we branch out into the Pacific Northwest,” says CEO Greg Dollarhyde who notes that they will open three locations in the Portland area by the end of 2012. They have already started construction on their second location, near downtown Portland.

The partnership between Management Development, Inc. and Veggie Grill will be substantially financed by The Veggie Grill. The first location will open in Beaverton, home to NIKE, Inc., and the second in the downtown financial district. Casey is also currently in negotiations on two other locations in Portland and the surrounding communities, including in and around Washington State.

Since 2006, Veggie Grill has been redefining American comfort food with its delicious 100% plant-based cuisine. The restaurant chain’s mission is to break the stereotype of bland vegetarian food by combining hearty, plant-based proteins with bold marinades and sauces in familiar menu items that people can enjoy every day. Signature menu items include the “Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’” sandwich, “Sweetheart Fries,” and the “All Hail Kale” salad. All Veggie Grill locations offer a kid’s menu and wine and beer selection.

For more information about Veggie Grill visit www.veggiegrill.com, become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/veggiegrill and follow the restaurant on Twitter http://twitter.com/VeggieGrill.

About Veggie Grill

Veggie Grill redefines classic American comfort food with flavorful and craveable 100% plant-based soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and desserts that are made on premise daily. Signature menu items include the “Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’” sandwich, “Sweetheart Fries,” and the “All Hail Kale” salad. Veggie Grill currently has seven locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Some problems are good problems to have, and other problems are just problems. If one thing strikes a person as an eater in the city of Portland, it’s this — lots of restaurants, bars, coffee joints and food carts are absolutely the unique vision of a single mind, or a few like-minded people brave enough to put their financial lives on the line to open an eatery that defines their singular tastes, visions, and styles. There’s no hemming, no hawing, no lowest common denominator in terms of the menu, etc. This is not a ‘big box” type of town when it comes to eating — this is a “mom and pop” kind of place, or a “hand-painted sign” kind of place, or a “barber, butcher, flower shop” kind of town.

All that’s just to say that bringing a franchise, or a traditional grill-style menu, or else just a solid, established, well-maintained restaurant operation to town can be a difficult thing to do. Maybe this is the problem with Daily Grill, or the Portland version of the Daily Grill — that specifically, there is no real problem here. The restaurant, in the end, has everything you need to have a high quality, great tasting dinner among friends. But in a city like Portland, which both caters to the neighborhood experience and also to the very very specific in the way of restaurant personalities — sometimes a high quality, great-tasting meal is simply not enough. And this is a bit of a problem. Do I think that some Portlanders should get over this and venture into parts unknown (read: a neighborhood that isn’t one’s own or adjacent to one’s own) to find a really delicious meal? Of course I do. Because if they don’t then they’re gonna’ miss out on things and places like the Daily Grill Portland. Fortunately for our sake, we did not miss out on this downtown spot.

Daily Grill on SW Alder St.: Breaking Down the Dinner Menu and Ambiance

Located in the ground floor of Portland’s beautiful Westin Hotel, the restaurant itself has street-facing windows, clear signage and a great spot in the middle of a lot of downtown hotels, stores and art galleries. So there’s no excuse if you make it downtown — you won’t be able to miss the restaurant. Once inside, the atmosphere is that of a classic hotel grill — sophisticated and moderately well-lit, comfortable booths and contemporary accents, a gorgeous bar and cozy seating area surrounding it. We were almost immediately met by a friendly, courteous hostess who found us a great table, and then an equally high quality waitress who walked us through the menu, brought us a well-made and delicious cocktails from the bar, and then served us our tasty meals. As far as the staff goes, no complaint whatsoever.

If you’re staying at the hotel, I’d have to say that this is a special situation — the restaurant and bar has the feeling of a singular restaurant: it’s spacious, beautiful and filled with interesting black and white historical photographs and ephemera. You could get lost in the place with all the stories going on. And the double hit comes from the fact that it’s actually not a one-off restaurant. So in fact, the Daily Grill formula has been worked out to perfection in other locations around the country — you get the sense of a restaurant for which there are no duplicates, while also getting the confidence and swagger of a dining establishment that knows how to serve a great meal. And a great meal, we did indeed have.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Classic Meatloaf

We were told that while there were steaks, pasta and seafood entrees on the menu, the hamburger and the Classic Meatloaf were serious contenders for best of Portland. (DG Homestyle Meat Loaf, $17.75 on dinner menu : Ground Fresh in Our Kitchen Daily, Mixed with Wild Mushrooms, Topped with a Tomato Glaze, Served with Bordelaise Sauce and Red Skin Mash; Limited Number of Orders Available). Now, I grew up in a home where the meatloaf was actually delightful, moist, classic and looked forward to, so I was not afraid to jump in and take the advice of our server. And indeed, I was not disappointed. Be prepared: the dish tastes rich, with dark flavors of wild mushrooms, onion, parsley and spices throughout the meat and gravy. I’m not the biggest fan of sweet tomato-based sauces, and the meatloaf does feature this on its top surface, but it’s nowhere near a deal-breaker. Both the meatloaf and the burger are made of hand-ground beef that is prepared daily in-house. If you’ve never had a steakhouse-style burger, you owe it to yourself.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Interior Dining Room

But that was the main course. Let’s talk about the pre-entre goodies that we had. Below, the bread, which was like a warm, rustic sourdough that was slightly sweet, floury and baked to perfection. According to the menu, the Levain bread that Daily Grill serves is from a “recipe developed by their culinary team and made exclusively for” the restaurant. Don’t be afraid of the carbs and get a few slices in your belly.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Bread

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Calamari Appetizer

Fried Calamari, $10.95 dinner menu (Calamari Rings, Lightly Seasoned, Served with Cocktail and Cajun Tartar Sauce). Holy paprika, Mr. Cajun Tartar Sauce, you do satisfy. Excellent option for a quick appetizer, especially if you walk in off the street hungry and want to satisfy that situation before things get out of hand. Not too greasy, but still the light oily flavor that you expect from Calamari. The Cajun sauce has the interesting taste of capers in it, which I personally love, as well as loving tiny twists to time-tested classics. And just like in the picture, it’s a pretty big portion, plenty for two hungry people.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Endive Dinner Salad

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Endive Dinner Salad

I loved the salad — maybe even more than the rest of the meal — which is saying a ton, as the meatloaf was excellent. And the salad — Endive, Spicy Pecans & Romaine with Gorgonzola Cheese, $9.95 on dinner menu (Tossed in a Walnut Oil Vinaigrette Dressing) — not too much of anything overwhelming here, which would be the danger, given the ingredients. Chopped romaine leaves offer a nice dark green touch, while also providing a great base of flavor for the salad, complementing the slightly spicy endive’s flavor and crispiness to a tee. Candied pecans were the highlight of the dish, the standout overall flavor, with a spiciness that is a welcome surprise, not too crispy and not too sweet. We split the full salad, which the restaurant was kind enough to do for us, and it was a great little palate-cleanser before getting into the bigger main dishes.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Filet Mignon

Filet Mignon with Bleu Cheese Herb Crust, $31.95 on the dinner menu (with Spinach Mash and Bordelaise Sauce; Simply Grilled Upon Request). We also had the Filet Mignon, which was grilled to perfection. With a bite of this steak in your mouth, garnished with just a hint of the melted, herb-bleu cheese, you will be a very happy person. Mashed potatoes are done in a style just like you’re used to at home — and with the spinach, fresh and generous, mixed in to the potatoes and skins, again — another real treat awaits you.

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Chocolate Brownie in Miniature

Fudge Brownie (we had the half- or mini-version, upon request). I’m not sure if you’ll have the same luck as we did, but with ridiculously full bellies, we couldn’t fight off the temptation to get just a bit of dessert, and the server and chef were both kind enough to grace our table with a miniature version of the Fudge Brownie, pictured above. Again, just like it tastes when it comes out of mom’s oven. Plenty of crispy corner areas, moist and rich dark fudge chocolate everywhere. Dressed with  candied pecans (like on the salad above!), chocolate sauce, a kind of caramel-syrup and powdered sugar, the dessert is more than enough to put you in the hospital. Served on top of rich, creamy vanilla ice cream, be cautious when approaching the full version on your own.

We also tried the Jovino Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills, Oregon, 2009, $10.50 per glass), which was delicious and an excellent pairing alongside the meatloaf. Light and clear with subtle hints of prune and later, dark cherry, almost like it’s a thinned out version of a tawny port. Maybe a hint of blackberry, too. After that, we sampled the J. Lohr Cabernet (Paso Robles, California, 2009, $10.75), which was also paired pretty well with either meat dish. Although fairly widely available and seemingly not the dark horse you’re going to be lucky to find on a vacation or anything, J. Lohr cab is a solid wine to have available for just about any meal. A very smooth example of a cab, the wine’s subtle oaky flavor and smooth berry hints provide an easy finish going down. The smell is slightly rosy and floral, with just a whisper of cinnamon in the nose. You pretty much can’t go wrong with most of what they’ve selected for the wine menu at Daily Grill.

And while we did not get a chance to attack the Daily Grill Happy Hour menu, we did give it a long look, and it’s pretty impressive. With drinks and menu items paired and classified in different pricing tiers, there’s plenty to choose from — with everything looking pretty delicious and not too expensive, either. Get out of your comfy chair, figure out how to get downtown or if you’re already there, take a little walk and find the Daily Grill for a solid dining experience that might not blow your mind with its weirdness, but will certainly make you satisfied and pleased at your choice for a night out on the town.

Portland, OR Restaurant Details: Daily Grill Portland on SW Alder St.
Daily Grill in Portland, OR
750 SW Alder St (south side of the street, just off of SW Park Ave.)
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 294-7001
Southwest
Hours: Monday – Thursday and Sunday 6:30am – 10:00pm
Friday – Saturday 6:30am – 12:00am
Happy Hour and Special Appetizer menu starting at 3.95 in the bar: from 4–7pm daily.
VALET parking only, bring a tip!

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Daily Grill in SW Portland
Click here for a map of the area: Daily Grill in SW Portland

The Official Daily Grill PDX Website (menu)(Click)
Daily Grill Official Twitter Feed (Click)
Daily Grill Official Facebook Page (Click)
Daily Grill Review on YELP: Portland (Click)
Make an online reservation or read reviews about Daily Grill via Open Table now (Click)

Find more out about Daily Grill Portland on Urban Spoon:

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Pictures

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Interior Dining Room

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Interior Dining Room

Daily Grill in SW Portland: Interior Dining Room

Daily Grill in SW Portland: The Kitchen

Daily Grill in SW Portland: The Bar

Daily Grill in SW Portland: DIning Room

Editor’s Note: This review was solicited by the restaurant. In no way were the opinions of this food writer swayed by the exchange. Portland Restaurant Review is always available to review your restaurant, and we pride ourselves on our honest, thorough approach to food writing.

I’m sitting here in a food-induced coma, watching Season 2, Episode 7 of Twin Peaks. My assistants are each manning twenty-six keyboards, on which there is only one letter key. It’s taking a long time to type this food review, but after eating an entire fried chicken sandwich all by myself, this is about the best that one can do. I’ve just asked my assistants to say, Thanks Be To You, Cackalacks. And I’m pretty sure they’re following my orders to the letter. Ha. That’s a bad joke.

So Uncle Leland was just about to let Bob back in to his physical person, with the intention of doing harm to Laura Palmer’s cousin, Maddy. Why? Because she’s heading back to Missoula, Montana, tomorrow, to go back to her own life and job, that’s why. So obviously, Bob has to do something about it asap. Anyway, my point here is that somehow, I don’t know who or what I feel more like — Sarah Palmer, lying drugged and passed out on the living room floor, or the giant white horse she thinks she’s looking up at just before she goes under, with all four of its hooves standing on the carpet in front of her living room windows. Of course, she’s hallucinating, but I digress. Did I tell you that I just finished off an entire Blazer fried chicken sandwich from Cackalacks Hot Chicken Shack on SE Belmont? Well I did. And all twenty-seven of us know it.

Breaking Down the Blazer Sammich at Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack, SE Portland

Cackalacks Food Cart: The Blazer

Menu Item: The Blazer ($7.00, on the SAMMICH portion of the lunch/dinner menu). “A boneless fried breast on a Fleur de Lis sesame brioche bun with smoky slaw, homemade pickles, and garlic baby dill aioli. Your choice of HEAT!”

Sandwiches should not be 2 3/4 feet wide, because unless you can unhinge your jaw like a poisonous snake, the human mouth simply cannot open that big to let all the goodness in. But the great thing about being a human is that we have perseverance. And whether or not our human jaws will unhinge and allow for a massive sandwich, the width of which approximates the circumference of a hula hoop, it is in our perseverance where we find the willingness and the resolve to try to get that whole damn sandwich into our mouths, so that it might find a home in our bellies.

More importantly than all that mumbo-jumbo factual stuff, some sandwiches are 2 3/4 feet wide, and they’re supposed to be that big because they’re awesome. How’s that for a fact. Now, the Blazer sandwich looks amazing when photographed, probably best done with a full frame camera, but still — this is one freak of nature that you’re gonna’ want to take down on your own, so skip breakfast and don’t plan on eating dinner. It really is a giant chicken’s boneless breast, maybe marinated somehow in spicy habanero-based sauce (I opted for their “hot” distinction), and then deep-fried to a crispy, fluffy, cajun-flavored mess that just about knocked my socks entirely off. Once again, as good as the sandwich’s innards are in this case, it’s all about the bread, and we already talked about how good the offerings from Fleur de Lis bakery are in our LARDO food cart review. Buttery, flaky, almost a croissant but really a giant brioche sprinkled with sesame seeds. I don’t know what I liked better here, the chicken or the bread, but surely it’s about having both of them and not needing to choose one or the other. This is a food cart all about indulgence.

Cackalacks Food Cart: The Blazer and Cajun Fries

Topping everything off here Cackalacks adds a kind of smoky cole slaw and homemade pickles, which is maybe the only kind of thing that could compete with fried chicken this robust in flavor. While the physical cart itself is without a ton of flair, understated at best, none of that matters when it comes to the meal. Though you’ll find a garlic baby dill aioli smeared across the inside of the bun, you could do far worse than to spend fifty cents for a cup of their house-made ranch dressing for the purposes of dipping. Heck, if you’re gonna’ indulge, you should just cut loose and take a day off your life — you won’t miss it. Wrapped in generously thick white butcher paper, the grease still soaked through, but it was worth every bite. Throw in a half-order of seasoned Cajun Fries ($2 half, $4 full order) and you’re set for a week’s worth of calories. Not sorry, just set.

Restaurant Details: Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland
Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack in the “Good Food Here” Cart Pod
4262 SE Belmont St (on the corner of SE 34th, south side of the street, between SE 43/SE 44)
Portland, OR 97215
Southeast
503-388-1772 (call-in orders start at 11am for Lunch)
Hours: Monday – Thursday 12:00pm – 9:00pm;
Friday – Saturday – 12:00pm – 10:00pm;
Sunday 12:00pm – 4:00pm
CASH & Credit accepted; ATM located within the Food Cart Pod

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland

Click here for directions: Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland on SE Belmont.

Official Site: Cackalack’s Food Cart
Official Menu on Cackalack’s website
Cackalack’s Food Cart on Yelp! Portland (Click)
Official Facebook Page: Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland
Official Twitter Feed: Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland
Cackalack’s Food Cart in Southeast Portland on Food Carts Portland

Cackalack’s Hot Chicken Shack Food Cart on Urban Spoon:

FLEUR de LIS Bakery on Urban Spoon:

More Pictures: Cackalack’s Cart on SE Belmont in Portland

If you’re a fan of great burgers, healthy eating, properly sized portions, excellent service, conceptually-on-point restaurants succeeding and expanding — then you’ll be almost as happy as we were to find out that Dick’s Kitchen is now open in a second location, in Northwest Portland. Finding their second home in a comfortably-sized corner space on NW 21st Avenue at NW Irving, visitors of the first SE Belmont location will be elated to learn that the powers behind Dick’s Kitchen know how to run a restaurant.

In a word, what you want from a great restaurant, when you find out they are growing and adding new locations, is consistency. You want to know that the food, above all else, tastes the way you want it when new cooks are working in a new kitchen environment. You want to know that the new bartender knows how to make the drink you’ve bothered to fall in love with. Maybe you even want to recognize the place as being related to the first location you’ve grown cozy in. Portland Restaurant Review is pleased to notify you of the following truth: Dick’s Kitchen #2 is everything you have come to love about Dick’s Kitchen #1, and then some.

Dick’s Kitchen, NW Portland: Consistent and High Quality

Grass fed beef tastes different — get ready — we discussed it in our review of the SE Belmont Dick’s Kitchen several months ago. And Dick’s Kitchen cooks up only the best, from grass fed and grass finished beef at Carman Ranch, here in Oregon. Whatever system they have in place to ensure the high quality and delicious burgers, they’ve replicated it at the new location. Cast-iron skillets, small-ish brioche-style buns, crispy iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese if you want it — the burgers from one location to the other are fantastic.

Well staffed on their soft opening Wednesday night, and quite packed with anxious new or steadfast, loyal diners, Dick’s Kitchen owners and personnel buzzed around the new joint, offering the same hands-on experience from the original location. The lighting is a bit moodier in the new place, illuminating soft, buttery surfaces, a clean black ceiling and a smooth, gray concrete floor, but diners will find the same thematic aesthetics from one restaurant to the next, with walls carefully detailing as many famous and historical “Dicks” as possible. Brightly painted with various shades of red geometric shapes, a couple of the walls in the new location seamlessly tie one location to the next.

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: Buffalo "Bob" Burger

I expanded my own knowledge of DK and the better burger concept, opting for the Buffalo “Bob” Burger (4 oz. patty of lean buffalo, $8.50), which I had to fight not to inhale. Just a drop smaller than the “Classic” burger, the smoky overtones and hints of fresh game were a real pleasure, and pairing them with a heaping side of Sauteed Cabbage & Kale (with vermouth and dill from the Sides menu, $3.00) was an unexpected surprise. If you like your greens, I can’t recommend the cabbage and kale enough — bright, aromatic and buttery without weighing down the belly.

The Moscow Mule (right) and a spicy Dicks-a-Rita (left)

An improved and expanded drink menu includes a personal favorite of mine, the Moscow Mule (Monopolowa Vodka, fresh ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, Blenheim’s ginger ale, $8.00), as well as some “Dick’s” specials, like the Richard Sorge (Monopolowa dry gin, Aperol aperitivo, fresh lemon and blueberry puree, peach bitters and soda, $8.00) and the Richard Petty (Jim Beam rye, fresh orange muddled with blood orange puree and amarena cherries, Angostura bitters, topped with soda, $7.50). There is nothing like a proper cocktail made with real fruit, let me tell you — and these guys did not skimp on a high quality mixologist behind the bar, either.

If you had any preconceived notion that a diner-style eating experience is passe, over, boring, greasy or otherwise stale, abandon those thoughts. Not only is Dick’s Kitchen a top-shelf operation, but also — the new hand-held tablet style iPads that every member of the wait staff carries around instead of old school paper notepads mark a potential turning point in restaurant service. Allowing for expedited service on an otherwise super busy night, the waitress simply typed in our drink orders and sent them remotely to the bar. Then she entered our food orders, and sent those remotely to the kitchen. Before we knew it, bam. Drinks on the table just a few moments later. Still think you’re in a diner somewhere in 1950s New York City?

Dick’s Kitchen, NW Portland: Restaurant Location and Details

Dick’s Kitchen #2: Portland’s Second Stone Age Diner
704 NW 21st Avenue (corner of NW Irving)
Portland, OR 97209
Northwest
(503) 235-0146
Hours: See website for hours.

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Dick’s Kitchen in Southeast Portland

Click here for directions: Dick’s Kitchen 2 in Northwest Portland.

Official Site: Dick’s Kitchen, Portland (Click)
Dick’s Kitchen in Portland Official Facebook Page (Click)
Dick’s Kitchen in Portland Official Twitter Feed (Click)

Dick’s Kitchen #2 NW on Urban Spoon:

Dick’s Kitchen, NW Portland: Photos of the Restaurant

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: Interior

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: The Bar

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: The Prep Area

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: Some of the Dicks

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: Back of the Room

Dicks Kitchen NW PDX: Towards the Front Door

From the Dick’s Kitchen Press Release:

Dick’s Kitchen to Open on Northwest 21st
Starting October, 100% Grass-Fed Burgers And More Healthful Comforts Will Be On The Menu For Portlanders

Portland, OR, August 4, 2011- Can a Pimento Cheese Elvis Burger be considered health food? Portlanders will have another delicious opportunity to find out, when the newest location of Dick’s Kitchen opens at 704 NW 21st Avenue this October.

Launched by the team behind the Laughing Planet group of restaurants, Dick’s Kitchen offers favorite comfort foods that are actually nutritious, all-natural, and sourced from the best local ranchers, farmers, and fishermen.

The NW 21st Avenue location “is both an answer to current demand and an opportunity to further pursue our goal of creating a new model of diner, one that cultivates a direct relationship with growers and ranchers, such as Cory Carman of Carman Ranch in eastern Oregon,” says Richard Satnick, owner and founder of both Laughing Planet and Dick’s Kitchen. The new restaurant, located in the space that was formerly Lucy’s Table at the corner of NW 21st and Irving Street, is a larger restaurant space than the original Dick’s Kitchen at 3312 Southeast Belmont Street, which opened in August 2010.

With the expansion to the new location, Dick’s Kitchen will be able to develop more menu items, serve more local customers, and ease some of the demand on the Belmont location, which is already gaining an avid following.

The Dick’s Kitchen menu offers flavor-forward dishes built around 100% grass-fed beef, wild salmon, buffalo and other game meats, as well as vegetarian and vegan dishes that can hold their own against the more traditional favorites, such as a BBQ Tempeh Burger with house-made agave-sweetened barbecue sauce.

Side dishes include air-baked “not-fries,” house-made condiments such as chipotle aioli and Cambodian garlic sauce, and house-baked vegan potato buns for the burgers.

Dick’s Kitchen and Laughing Planet share the same commitment to all-natural, clean, sustainable ingredients and friendly service, but the two restaurant concepts provide very different dining experiences. Dick’s Kitchen offers the comfort of a diner and the more relaxed pace of a table service restaurant, whereas Laughing Planet Cafés offer quick, healthy, and fresh options for people on the go.

* * *

And read the Portland Restaurant Review of the Classic Burger at Dick’s Kitchen now.

Am I getting fat? I’m carrying around a little more weight than I’d like to. Not your problem. One gets into their thirties, spends a few extra years in jobs that involve sitting at a desk, or perhaps one begins a food review blog and next thing you know, there’s a bit extra “you” to love. And it’s right there on the belly. But so be it. I love food and if it’s worth working on, then I’ll fix it.

In some ways, coming from a food culture and surrounded by family members who delight in the celebration of eating, it almost seems like it’s the birthright of the Italian-American. You’re destined to get a bit of pudge — and what do you expect? Carbs deluxe on just about every plate. And competitive eating. And multiple courses. And eggplant parmigiana. And lasagne. And cheese. And everything else. And then you’re fat. Good luck.

For me, growing up in this kind of culture fostered a love of cold cuts, most of which are pork, so discovering a food cart like Lardo over on SE Belmont is like getting a visit from the tooth fairy when you’re five, and putting a couple of brand new dollar bills in your pocket for a trip to the toy store. This is a post about mortadella. Let’s get this out of this out of the way: I love this meat so much that I have dreams about paper thin pillow cases made from mortadella. And I just chew my way to sleep and wake up feeling like I spent eight hours in heaven because of it. So what do you think I did when I found out there was a Griddled Mortadella sandwich at Lardo?

Breaking Down the Griddled Mortadella and Provolone Sandwich at Lardo, SE Portland

Lardo Food Cart: Griddled Mortadella Sandwich and Fries

Menu Item: Griddled Mortadella and Provolone Sandwich ($7.00, on the main menu). “Mortadella, Provolone, pickled peppers, house mustard on ciabatta roll from Fleur de Lis Bakery.”

I’m not the only one saying that in this pod, these are the best sandwiches you’re gonna’ find. I’ll go one further and say that they might be the best sandwiches in the neighborhood, with a few of the vegan specialties at Hereafter coming in a close second, but that’s an apples and oranges comparison. And let me do one better. These are definitely the best fries I’ve had so far in the city of Portland, with the Belgian cut fries at Victory Bar on SE Division coming in a close second. Dusted lightly with Parmesan cheese, seasoned with fresh herbs including sage and rosemary, they are perfection in a potato: crispy on the outside, hot and just a bit soft on the inside, salty and heady and flavored like a dream. With homemade ketchup at Lardo tasting like a subtle combination of standard Heinz 57 and Sri Racha hot sauce, and that’s meant to be objective and not a knock or insult of any sort, you can expect the fries to get even better with a little dip in the ol’ red.

According to the Lardo website and chef owner Rick Gencarelli, “Lardo is Italian for cured fatback, a cut from the back of a pig that is kind of like bacon without the meat. We cure it ourselves and we love it. It’s creamy, a little bit salty with whispers of herbs and spice, and it melts in your mouth. From our food cart, we’ll serve it sandwiched between great crusty bread with slices of ripe local tomato and brushed on grilled ciabatta for our delicious version of garlic bread. We’ll also render it and use it to fry our exceptionally crisp hand-cut French fries.” So there you have it. Perfection is all about coating things in cured pork fatback. I’ve got a five-gallon bucket here in my apartment, and I’m spreading it on everything. EVERYTHING. Again, not your problem.

Get ready to get your pork on. Every other food writer in town is urging you to get to Lardo to taste the porchetta sandwich, but be brave and be independent, and get your hand and your mouth into agreement with a mortadella sandwich. Lardo features local products and a revolving menu based most likely on seasonal availability and the chef’s tastes, and they use “meats from Tails and Trotters and Cattaill Creek and vegetables from Simington Gardens and Viridian Farms” in their food. Pickled peppers like in a giardiniera style, grace this beautiful sandwich, as does melted provolone cheese, lettuce and the special sauce. This will look like a greasy mess, but only in the most gorgeous of ways. And you will be thankful. But that’s not the end.

Lardo Food Cart: Griddled Mortadella Sandwich and Fries

Here it is: sandwiches live or die by how good the bread is. And there are lots of amazing breads, especially in a city like Portland, where food is at or near the top of a lot of people’s lists. Ciabatta is a great type of bread for sandwiches like the ones you’re gonna’ eat at Lardo, because there is a perfect intersection of two qualities. One, the bread provides the superstructure that is capable of holding the entire thing together — it’s not going to fall apart with the spread, the cheese, the oil from the peppers, etc. Second, it’s got holes in it, which absorb the spread, the oil, the cheese and the flavor. And the Fleur de Lis baked ciabatta is no slouch in this whole ensemble — it pulls a lot of weight. My jaw was sore, but that’s only because I was chewing too hard and too quickly, trying to inhale the sandwich as quickly as possible. I recommend you eat slowly, and enjoy every bite.

Restaurant Details: LARDO Food Cart in Southeast Portland
LARDO PDX Food Cart in the “Good Food Here” Cart Pod
4262 SE Belmont St (on the corner of SE 34th, south side of the street, between SE 43/SE 44)
Portland, OR 97215
Southeast
(802) 734-8706
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 12:00pm – 3:00pm;
Tuesday – Thursday 5:30pm – 8:00pm;
Friday – Saturday 5:30pm – 9:00pm
CASH & Credit accepted; ATM located within the Food Cart Pod

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Lardo Food Cart in Southeast Portland

Click here for directions: Lardo Food Cart in Southeast Portland on SE Belmont.

Official Site (Facebook): LARDO Food Cart
Official Menu on Lardo website
Lardo Food Cart on Yelp! Portland (Click)
Official Facebook Page: Lardo Food Cart in Southeast Portland
Lardo Food Cart in Southeast Portland on Food Carts Portland

LARDO Food Cart on Urban Spoon:

FLEUR de LIS Bakery on Urban Spoon:

More Pictures: Lardo Cart on SE Belmont in Portland

Lardo Food Cart; SE Portland: Seating Area

Lardo Food Cart; SE Portland: The Cart

Lardo Food Cart; SE Portland: Courtesy LARDO

Part of me feels like Chinese food in general, and Chinese restaurants specifically, have been around in enough communities for enough years, where a “good” Chinese restaurant maybe isn’t so much about authenticity anymore. That’s not to say that authentic Chinese food is bad, or that there is not any kind of specific intersection between “authentic” and “good” Chinese food, in fact, quite to the contrary, I am sure. Let me explain. The culturahttp://www.portland-restaurant-review.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=1497l expression that is Chinese food has been translated to such a degree, that each of us has developed an individual continuum of taste, quality, etc. — and this may or may not have anything to do with whether or not a restaurant is serving food that Chinese people may actually eat. Make sense? That being said, this is a long overdue review of a couple of dishes at Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in the Southeast on Hawthorne. And I think I love eating at this place. I do.

When a single dish at a restaurant pops up in your mind, seemingly unprovoked, from time to time, I think that’s a tell-tale sign that you’ve found something of quality. And this has happened to me several times with Lucky Strike. Now I’ve never seen a Chinese person working there, let alone an Asian person, now that I really think about it, which harkens back to my bringing up the “authenticity” question. Is there a group of exquisite Chinese chefs in the kitchen, and they’re just so busy at work that we in the dining room never actually see them? I suppose it’s possible. But my point in this review is that it doesn’t matter. And maybe further, that it shouldn’t matter. The food here is really really good, and I think people should know about it. Especially because it’s a bit deceptive — almost to the point of it being a question of whether or not the restaurant is even at the address where it’s supposed to be.

Lucky Strike Chinese Food: Breaking Down the Menu and Ambiance
Again, for the record, I’ve seen no Chinese people working here, quite the opposite. People with blond hair is what I’m talking about, on a superficial level. But that’s fine. The somewhat-kitchy decor may reduce China to a handful of symbols and animals (think: dragon painting and the color red for good luck, or the way that action movie ephemera alerts diners they’re in a Hard Rock Cafe), but it shouldn’t make you uncomfortable. The dining room is pretty spacious but not huge, chairs and tables are comfortable places to sit and dine, and you won’t be too close to your neighbors, but you won’t feel overwhelmed by the space either, which I hate.

Located next door to the Hawthorne Theater, you have to walk through some gates and big doors that make you feel like you’re about to enter a music hall or old movie house. Don’t bother looking for signage. Or maybe even an address number for that matter. Position yourself across the street from the bus stop in front of the Fred Meyer, walk up to the gates, locate the glass-signage that I photographed for you as a guide (above), and walk through the doors with faith in your heart. You’re about to eat some great food.

Here’s a perfect example: the Guinness Pork Ribs (generous portion for family style dining, $12 on the dinner menu): Slow braised pork ribs with sweet soy glaze and sesame seeds. Don’t worry about the lack of overall color in this dish. It might not be a thing of beauty if you’re looking to some green or purple on your plate, but trust me. The caramel, rich and deep purple-brown color of the mini-pork ribs should exactly betray the rich, caramel flavor of the food. The glaze evokes hint of the pumpkin/sweet potato sweetness of a hoisin sauce with a red wine reduction that points at caramel and even chocolate, and all that filtered through the buttery flavor that a well-poured draft Guinness often includes.

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Guiness Pork Ribs

The cocktails are pretty decent, there are a few beers of note on the menu (although I prefer Chinese beer with Chinese food, I can imagine there are Portlanders out there who are exclusively married to the omnipresent IPAs, and you’ll find one of those too), and the water for the most part has been lukewarm. That might be my only knock on the place, actually — I love freezing cold ice water when I eat Chinese food. That sounds strange to me when I read it back. Maybe I’m not alone in this.

Again, take a look below at the picture of our very traditional to the point of being boring perhaps dish of KungPao Chicken (another generous portion for family style dining, $11 on the dinner menu): Sautéed with crunchy peanuts, scallion and sweet and spicy ginger sauce. Traditional Sichuan dish reclaimed! If you have the same problems with some Chinese restaurants that I do, then you’ll see the chicken in the picture and probably go there to eat dinner tonight. Why? Because water chestnuts and celery used as filler for a dish like this seems like cheating, and a lot of restaurants do it. And I don’t like it. Second, grease is not a flavor, no matter how many times I may be told this when I go out to eat, in not so direct a way. This is a chicken dish with peanuts, sauce, green onions and chicken. That appears to be it. Why would anyone need anything else? The chicken is moist and tender, the sauce is practially stapled to the meat, it hugs it so closely, and the green onions function as more than just a mere garnish. Get it, even if you’re sick of KungPao chicken, or if you’ve had your heart broken one too many times by bad versions of it.

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Kung Pao Chicken

Looking around the web for other reviews, there is some talk of people coming back from China months earlier and finding the food at Lucky Strike wonderful and… authentic. But so what. It’s great food, and that’s why you should go. It was ranked among someone’s top list in the recent installment of the WW Restaurant Guide, and again — that’s just another opinion. People talk about the Dan Dan Noodles ($6: Spicy Sichuan-style noodles topped with minced beef, crushed peanuts, and fresh scallions), and say they’re wonderful. I’m going to try to talk my girlfriend into getting those, because after writing this review, I’m pretty sure I’ll be going there again tonight.

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant, SE Hawthorne, Portland: Pictures

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Bar

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Interior

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Interior

Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland: Interior

Portland, OR Restaurant Details: Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland
Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant
3862 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, OR 97214
Southeast
(503) 206-8292
Hours: Monday – Thursday, Sunday 4:00pm – 10:00pm; Friday – Saturday 4:00pm – 11:00pm

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant on SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Click here for a map of the area: Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant in SE Portland

The official Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant website (Click)
Complete Menu for Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant on the website (Click)
Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant on Facebook (Click)
Lucky Strike Chinese Restaurant Review on YELP: Portland (Click)
Want to read more about the top online casinos, as mentioned earlier in this article? (Click link)

I’ll spare you the ga-ga talk if you’re a regular reader, and if you’re not and found your way here instead through some kind of search in Google on something like “hawaiian food portland” or more specifically “Ate Oh Ate Hawaiian Portland,” then long story short — as evidenced by my reviews of both Lilikoi Portland and now Namu Killer Korean BBQ — I love shredded, sweet, savory pork and beef dishes that take the best of Hawaiian-style food and twist it into Portland’s unique style and scene.

Well I won’t spare you ALL of the ga-ga talk over the meal I had at Ate-Oh-Ate in what I feel I have to technically call Northeast Portland, even though the restaurant is on E. Burnside, so it’s really on the line between the Southeast and the Northeast. That being said, it’s there for everyone, regardless of your neighborhood. And it should be there for everyone, because these guys are DOING IT. Whoa. I went into the experience after a week of binging on Namu’s Kahlua marinated pork and cabbage, and with one quick look up at the colorful chalkboard menu inside, I almost pulled the trigger on the same exact dish. Then I saw Katsu, and noticed you could get a porkchop version, and I got sentimental and sad and started missing my time in Japan and the culture’s counter-style food, and then I saw Kal-bi. And it kind of just kept going like that until I thought, maybe I’d get the Katsu but maybe I should also ask the owner what they think the best dish on the menu is.

And so I ended up having my mind made up for me, and that decision was to take down the Shoyu Chicken plate lunch with macaroni and cheese. And here’s how that went for me…

Breaking Down the Shoyu Chicken at Ate-Oh-Ate in NE Portland

Shoyu Chicken at Ate-Oh-Ate

Menu Item: Shoyu Chicken Plate Lunch ($8.95, lunch menu). Bone-In Chicken Thighs Simmered in Shoyu, Brown Sugar, Ginger & Star Anise. The new iPhone seems to take the perfect, crisp picture when the lighting is even barely right, so know that in viewing all the glory there on that dish above, your meal too will look like this. Fluffy, achingly white white rice, caramel-colored glazed Shoyu chicken dark meat with slivers of green onion both for garnish and taste, and a scoop of macaroni salad sitting atop glazed gravy that is both sweet and salty — to perfection, no less.

Meat on the bone can be a wonderful experience. Steaks like T-Bones, ribs that are bone-in and barbecued to a heavenly state, and the dark meat of chicken, when it’s taken this seriously in terms of its flavor. And this is truly beyond succulent flavor, my friends. Served cafeteria style, you’ll enter the restaurant, stand in line underneath a giant chalkboard menu, place your order and pay, then take a seat. Your food will be called, you will sit down to eat it and the delight will promptly begin. Reasonably priced, extra helpful service, very very very clean environment, and you even get to participate and help to bus your own table when your done, at which point you’ll take notice of their drive to use sustainable and recyclable materials, as well as their efforts to compost whatever materials can receive such treatment.

Is the food good? I think it’s pretty much the perfect, meat-based, culturally driven style of casual lunching out there, especially if you’re working an office job and just wanna’ get away for a minute. Is it cheap? It’s pretty much right down the middle in terms of pricing: not too steep, not too cheap. Are the portions big? Let’s put it this way. I went in not too hungry, and finished about half of my meal, even though I probably could have eaten a quarter of it. I had to eat more because it tasted so good, and still took home enough for a light snack the next day.

I’ll be headed back again, this time, for the Katsu Pork.

Restaurant Details: Ate-Oh-Ate Northeast Portland
Ate-Oh-Ate: Hawaiian Style Plate Lunch
2454 East Burnside Street (south side of the street at NE 24th Ave.)
Portland, OR 97214
Northeast (barely!)
(503) 445-6101 ‎
Hours: Daily 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Portland, OR Restaurant Map: Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland

Click here for directions: Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland.

Official Site: Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland (Complete Menu on Site or at link below)
Ate-Oh-Ate on Yelp! Portland (Click)
Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland everywhere on Oregon Live! (Click)
Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland Complete Menu on the Official Site (Click)

Ate-Oh-Ate Restaurant, NE Portland on Urban Spoon:

More Pictures of Ate-Oh-Ate in Northeast Portland

Ate Oh Ate on E. Burnside in Portland: Restaurant Interior