Portland & Coastal Oregon Eating Plan Comments & Recommendations, Please

[ninrn]

Hello,

We'll be in Portland for several days starting this Saturday, and would appreciate any comments on our tentative food itinerary. We come from a town with no really great African or non-Chinese Asian food, so we'd love to try any really good examples of those cuisines you might have in Portland, and any recommendations for fresh seafood would be great. Referrals to really good artisanal bread bakeries and ice cream places would be most welcome, too.

So far, we have reservations at Andina, Wildwood, and Nostrana. I really wanted to try St. Jack's but was voted down. Should I make the case again, or let it go?

We thought about maybe visiting Gruner for a lunch, but if there are better burger recommendations, especially for a place with organic or grass-fed beef or lamb, we'd love to hear them.

We'd like to have one serious weekend brunch, and were thinking about Tasty 'n ' Sons. Is it worth the long wait to get in?

And, as for Asian/African, right now, we're looking at Chiang Mai, Pok Pok, Murata and E'Njoni. If you have other, better options for sushi, Thai/Indonesian, Indian or African (especially Ethiopian or Senegalese) food, we'd love to know about them. The Indian would have to be pretty amazing to merit a visit, since it's our native cooking and we make it all the time at home, but we'd definitely find time for really great pure veg South Indian (i.e., dosas, idli, etc).

Last, we'll be on the coast, in Oceanside, for three days, and any recommendations in that area, particularly for seafood, either at a restaurant or from a fish monger, would be most appreciated.

Thanks very much, Portland Chowhounds,
Ninrn

[Leonardo]

If you are native cooks, don't bother with Indian.

There is no Senegalese.

Oceanside is in one of the most exquisitely gorgeous parts of the coast. 35 miles north, not quite so spectacular is Rockaway. But there is a treasure there. North end of town is Karla's Smokehouse, Karla has been smoking fish and oysters over 45 years. Incredible stuff. Open Tues-Sat, that day's fresh product is ready at around 1:30. On the way is Tillamook Cheese Factory. Touristy but not a tourist trap. Cleanest public restrooms on the coast.

Have fun. Please report!

[ninrn]

Thanks, Leonardo. We'll definitely give Karla's a try.

[Leonardo]

Make sure to get the black cod. It usually sells out in a few minutes.

Here are results from recent voting on Best of Portland. Far more reliable and credible than Yelp or S**tySearch. http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/

[ninrn]

Leonardo! Went to Karla's and it was great. We were too late for the cod, but got a little of each thing she had left - salmon, tuna, oysters. Really excellent. Thank you very much for the wonderful tip!