Minor update 2021.It seems like there are hundreds of Thai restaurants in Portland, with little to differentiate them. Pasty noodles, dried-out meat, and curry paste from a jar seem to be the norm. When I stumble across one that is actually good, I am always surprised. Kinara Thai Bistro, next to the Lincoln High athletic field in the Goose Hollow area of Portland, is one … [Read more...] about Review: Kinara Thai Bistro
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Review: Karam Lebanese Restaurant
Note: Karam still exists but at another location. I haven't tried it, so I can't stand by this review.[minor updates 1/11 - prices and a few dishes, grammar]Lebanon is a small country on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The name is from Lubnan, the word for white, to describe the snow-covered peaks of the Mount Lebanon Range. Working from Egyptian hieroglyphs, … [Read more...] about Review: Karam Lebanese Restaurant
Review: Autentica
Updated 7.19 - Autentica has closed. About 12 years ago, when I was living in Napa Valley, a friend of mine told me about a group of Mexican women who made tamales. I’d never been a huge fan, but she swore these were unlike anything I’d had before. The directions were a bit convoluted, consisting of vague instructions that took me bumping down dusty dirt roads, counting … [Read more...] about Review: Autentica
Review: Pok Pok Portland
(Pok Pok closed in 2020)With many people distracted by the deluge of new restaurants opening in Portland, I think it is important not to forget other notable destinations. For that reason, I find myself at Pok Pok on a regular basis.To understand what Andy Ricker is trying to achieve at the restaurant, it helps to have a bit of background in the culture of Thailand. All … [Read more...] about Review: Pok Pok Portland
Review: Ken’s Artisan Pizza
(updated 6/17. If you are looking for Ken's Artisan Bakery, you will find it here.)Seems like not too long ago, it was said you could not get a bad meal in Italy. Sadly, that has certainly changed, and as the American lifestyle and more materialism creeps across Italy's cities, a poorly done dish and lazy cooks are more common, at least in the high-traffic tourist art … [Read more...] about Review: Ken’s Artisan Pizza