Jan 7, 2011 | Food
What is it?
Casa Naranja serves Mediterranean tapas in the good ol’ Mississippi in Portland. For any one confused by tapas (like I was), these are just small plates of food… tasty, tasty food.
Where is it?
Address: 4205 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503-459-4049
Hours: Tue-Thu: 4-11pm, Fri-Sat: 4pm-12am, Sun: 4-9pm, Mon: Closed
Website: www.casanaranjapdx.com
How is it?
Casa Naranja was one of those restaurants that I always meant to try, but whenever I walked by, I never got the courage to go inside. Maybe it was the fiery sign that I found intimidating, or maybe it was the single flight of stairs that I would have to walk up in order to go inside. Whatever it was, I have no idea what made me not want to venture in… tapas are tasty (and alliterative)!
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Dec 17, 2010 | Food
What is it?
Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant is a chain of brewery/restaurants … except it’s not a chain. How can this be? Each location has its own brewmaster and own special brews. In addition, they all share a menu with so much variety that it’ll make your mouth drop open (though that could also be from the beer).
Where is it?
Address: 206 Southwest Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-796-2739
Hours: Mon-Sun Open at 11am
Website: www.rockbottom.com
How is it?
You can find Rock Bottom Brewery right in the heart of downtown Portland, conveniently located for those on foot, but it can be a giant pain to find parking. Trust me, it’s worth the frustration.
In the interest of full disclosure, I first heard of Rock Bottom directly from its brewmaster, Van Havig, who, sadly, does not have a handlebar mustache and drive a 1920s Mercedes-Benz as his name made me imagine. What Van lacks in German cliche, however, he more than makes up for in mad brewing skills, having won a gold medal for his Merry Prankster brew at the Great American Brewing Festival.
In addition to a wide selection of beer, Rock Bottom features some of the greatest food I’ve had in Portland, both in terms of taste and scope – their portion sizes are not messing around. Come hungry, and leave packed full.
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Dec 8, 2010 | Food
What is it?
The Hilt Bar, located on NE Alberta, perfectly demonstrates what makes Portland so great; the exterior nearly screams boring and dull while the reality held just inside is astounding. The Hilt is a jewel in the rough with a mind-blowing happy hour menu, a wide selection of tasty beer and a truly laid-back atmosphere.
Where is it?
Address: 1934 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211
Phone: 971-255-1793
Hours: Daily, 4pm-2:30am
Website: www.thehiltbar.com
How is it?
Walking on Alberta St. will introduce you to Portland’s predominate, up-and-coming Northeast neighborhood (aptly named Alberta much in the same way the Mississippi neighborhood is named after its main street, too).
Restaurants and bars dot the street on both sides, and you’ll be bombarded with a variety of wonderful places to shop and eat. You might miss the almost nondescript exterior of The Hilt Bar, and even if you notice it, you’ll probably disregard it as a dive bar.
Doing so would be a huge mistake. Epic, even. Some Portlanders (myself included) feel compelled to describe almost everything as epic (though it really fits here, I promise).
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Nov 24, 2010 | Food
What is it?
Like the name implies, Mississippi Pizza serves pizza and is located on Mississippi Avenue. Sometimes, simplicity can be a good thing.
Where is it?
Address: 3552 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97227
Phone: 503-288-3231
Hours: Sun-Thu: 11am-12am, Fri-Sat: 11am-1am
Website: www.mississippipizza.com
How is it?
Let’s say you want pizza and you’re walking in Portland’s up-and-coming Mississippi District. Plus, it’d be extra nice if you could get your food quick. Where do you go? Mississippi Pizza’s neon sign pierces the night to provide an electric beacon signifying safe haven to hungry passersby.
Not ostentatious, not pretentious – just pizza, beer and live music in a friendly environment with good people. I know what you’re thinking – what’s this place doing in Portland? It so doesn’t fit in.
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Nov 19, 2010 | Food
What is it?
Gravy offers a wide selection of breakfast fare and sandwiches. It also happens to be located within Portland’s up-and-coming Mississippi district (so-named because of the street with the biggest main drag – N. Mississippi Avenue) smack in the middle of NoPo.
Where is it?
Address: 3957 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97227
Phone: 503-287-8800
Hours: Daily from 7:30am to 3:00pm
Website: None (at least none that we could find).
How is it?
You might think that a restaurant that focuses on breakfast food is nothing new and can’t possibly be that special. I wouldn’t blame you because this is exactly how I felt when I first heard of Gravy. Then, I tried to get in on a weekend.
First lesson: be prepared to wait. Lines out the door are the norm – even in torrential downpours – and you shouldn’t be surprised to have a wait time of upwards of two hours to seat your party of four. This was my first hint that Gravy might not be your average breakfast restaurant.
Second lesson: ignore any preconceptions you might have about personal space. Gravy has a limited amount of real estate to work with, and they try to fit in as many people as possible to attempt to reduce the wait time. Cuddling up to your neighbors’ tables will give you a good eye to what they’re ordering, though.
An astute observer will notice that the amount of space dedicated to the kitchen is more than half of the restaurant space. Yes, you read that right – Gravy prioritizes the kitchen over the seating area. I never truly thought about it before, but doesn’t that make perfect sense? I would later find out that a restaurant with a larger kitchen means larger portions.
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