May 23rd, 2011 La Bonita

La Bonita

2839 Northeast Alberta Street, Portland, OR

(503) 281-3662

Everyday 10 AM – 10 PM

May 23^rd, 2011

As a former resident of Southern California I’ve grown up on some really great Mexican food.  Some has been what I’ve learned to make myself, some has been from amazing family cook outs with my friends or their parents, and the rest has been from restaurants as a whole.  With this being said, I’ve been quite spoiled when it comes to my tastes in this particular cuisine.  My roommate Dave is also a big lover of Mexican cuisine.  He grew up in San Diego, California his whole life and has eaten some top-notch food there.  I know this because I’ve eaten a few with him.

Since moving up here we’ve both  looked around for some spots that could at least give a good medium because we figured it was just not going to be the same.  With the search continuing I figured he’d love to check out La Bonita with me to see if it held water.

We arrived on the scene to the restaurant pretty full with people and a small line at the counter.  The menu is right above the register for all to view while they wait.  Right below you could see through the passing windows the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.  It looked big and open on their side, which is just how I like it.  I knew exactly what I wanted so I waited no time going over the menu too much since they had ones you could take home to browse over a bit more later on.  I approached the counter and ordered the Torta with Carne Asada. Just saying it aloud made my mouth water.  I also got a side of chips and a drink to keep me preoccupied during my wait. 

I sat down and Dave soon joined me.  He ordered a Carne Asada Burrito and fish tacos.  Dave doesn’t mess around.  I waited for a small amount of time before hearing my number called.  I eagerly walked over to pick up my tray and get back to my seat. The Torta was hot and smelled lovely.  I began right into it milling over each bite.  With the exception of the beans I was quite taken with the whole thing, with lots of goodies with just enough fattiness and tartness to really bring a nice round flavor from it.  Dave really liked his Burrito but was saddened when his fish tacos, that were fried, were ice cold as well as completely lacking in flavor.  I was sad for him as well but glad he got something out of the Burrito. 

We finished up our meal and made our way out.  Granted we hadn’t found the Mecca we were hoping for but its nice to know there’s a good spot to check out again.

Rating:

Bread:

The bread a crusty French bread with a chewy crumb.  I was wishing it was a bit more flavorful in the salt content but other than that it had a nice toast on it that gave it a nice texture. 

3/5

Filling:

I ordered the carne asada and it had guacamole, beans, shredded lettuce, and pico de gallo.  It was really tasty and a good quantity of goodies. The carne asada had a good marinade to it. The beans were a bit bland but the guac and pico had some nice flavor. Unfortunately it didn’t make up for the beans.

4/5

Price:

At $6.95 this is a really good deal.  I think it’s an appropriate price for the quality/quantity of food.

4/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

They’re very nice over at La Bonita. They move their lines along quickly and make sure you have what you need.  The drink selection is pretty nice since they have plenty of bottled as well as fountain drinks. They have some good sides as well. They had a great offer of Chips, salsa and a fountain drink for $1.75.   I did that with my meal.

5/5

Over all Rating: 16/20 points

Repeat Visit?

 Yes. They have some good eats there and would love to try their tacos, burritos, and other plates they have to offer.

May 22nd, 2011 Edelweiss Sausauge Co. & Delicatessen

Edelweiss Sausage Co. & Delicatessen

3119 Southeast 12th Avenue, Portland, OR

(503) 238-4411

http://www.edelweissdeli.com/

Mon – Sat 9 AM – 6 PM Sun Closed

May 22^nd, 2011

It was a beautiful Monday afternoon and my phone rang as I was reading a bit before heading out for some lunch.  It was my friend Kris calling to tell me he had the day off when he thought he was suppose to work and was curious if I had grabbed my sando for the day yet.  Since I hadn’t I told him we should meet up at Edelweiss Deli for a beer and some Bavarian grub.  This seemed to settle just fine with him so we choose a time to meet and went from there. I left my house and took the scenic route since it was such a beautiful day though unfortunately I took a wrong turn and ended up going over the bridge and getting lost for a bit. Oh well can’t find out where you are if you don’t get lost a time or two.

After I finally ended up at Edelweiss I found Kris had already arrived and ordered.  He got a Beer Braised Bratwurst and a Beer. It looked good.  So I took the chance to walk over to the counter and order myself a sando and beer.  The kitchen is part of their deli counter so it’s all wide open.  From the front door to the back corner of the place the deli case makes a long “L” shape filled with meats, sausages, cheeses and other assorted goods. There are also isles of dry goods such as sweets, breads, condiments, glassware, plates, etc….  As I stood in line to order I could hear the chatter of the patrons as they ate and started to notice people speaking different languages such as Swiss and Russian. In particular the older gentleman behind me in line was quite eager to tell a group of elderly women about his travels as a child with his father from Switzerland to Russia and then to the U.S.A.  Pretty cool that a place like this will actually bring in their target customer base where they feel at home to come eat, shop, and just hang out. 

I sat back down with Kris and we chatted about what we thought of the place and how the counter staff seemed a bit unorganized or at leased ruffled from their lunch rush.  Enjoying our beer we talked about what else I had left on the sando tour and what I’ve enjoyed the most so far.  Kris has a side gig making/selling Pickles, so we talked about his upcoming endeavors in that world.  Finally my sando came out and I was happy to see it because I was starving.  It has hot and stacked with Corned Beef. In all it was a bit soggy but still very good. The best thing we both agreed on was that at the table were three different Mustards and a Horseradish sauce.  I finished up and chatted a bit more with Kris until we both had to go our separate ways.  As I took another scenic drive home I decided that it was far to beautiful and picked up the Dog to go for a short hike. Love these spring afternoons.

Rating:

Bread:

The bread was a Dark Rye that had some serious flavor to it. I love a good rye bread and this one did not disappoint.  It was pretty soggy after a few bites though. Thicker cut and a harder toast might be an option later on.

4/5

Filling:

This Reuben had Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Russian dressing, & Swiss cheese.  Over all it was a very wet sando with the Corned Beef being pretty bland.  Quantity wise it was great but it was just lacking a bit in the flavor.

3/5

Price:

At $7.49 it will surely fill you up but it leaves you wishing for a bigger taste than what you get. 

4/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

The customer service was odd. The people seemed a bit slammed and disorganized even though they do this everyday and have about six or seven people behind the counter working.  There are lots of sides that they make there in traditional styles and a few good beers on tap so you can find something that’ll go well with your meal.

4/5

Over all Rating:  15/20 points

Repeat Visit?

Yes. I’d love to go and shop there for meats or just dry goods that they have to offer. And of course grab a brat while I shopped.

May 21st, 2011 East Side Delicatessen

East Side Delicatessen

4626 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR

(503) 236-7313

http://pdxdeli.com/hawthorne/index.html

Everyday 11 AM – 11 PM

May 21^st, 2011

Ah lazy Sundays. I love them and hate them.  After the workweek I’m completely unmotivated to do anything at all so my days don’t actually start off until later in the afternoon.  Today was no different.  I ended finally putting some laundry in and calling some people to chat and such.  Eventually, I got in touch with my friend Will who was looking to play a little Cribbage and have a drink. This sounded just up my alley since he was starting to get hungry and was interested in doing of a leg of the sando tour with me.  We met up at his place and shared a drink as he showed off his new kitchen set-up, which I was very impressed with. After about two games of him whooping my ass in Cribbage I decided that now would be a good time to get something to eat to appease my hurt ego.  His girlfriend Sarah came out and joined us in our discussion on where we should go. After much debating we decided to embark towards East Side Delicatessen, which was only about a five-minute drive from their Hawthorne Apartment.

We arrive to a small building that had a very simple sign on the roof saying, “Deli”. Obviously we had found the right spot.  As we walked in we all took quick notice of how small it was but how open it felt. The kitchen was a simple set up with nothing fancy but a slicer, toaster, and some lowboy space to keep all their fresh goodies. In the display case directly in front they have all their Boar’s head Meats on show.  We sat down and looked at the laminated menus they have where you use a marker to check off what kind of sando you want. They do an excellent job of making it so you don’t need to talk to the staff behind the counter at all unless you need to stress to them a food allergy.  The thing I love is that you can build your own sando or choose a signature sub. What a great idea.

The three of us sat for a bit all discussing the different combinations we wanted to try or if we were going to get one of the specialty subs.  I went with building my own sando since its one thing I had yet to do on this tour.  I was so hungry and everything sounded really good at that point. I think we were all having that issue. So many choices can sometimes lead to over thinking your sando. But, as they say, sometimes that’s a good problem to have. 

We all finally put in our orders and looked around the shop a bit more just taking in the atmosphere of the place.  It’s really directed at the younger Portland crowd.  I can see it being a hot spot in the summer time with the outside seating right there on Hawthorne though it is further south on the street.  After we received our sando we made our way back to their apartment where we sat down and looked over what we’d got, eager to enjoy.  We all were very pleased with what we ordered, with the exception of a few things I can say it was a good find for all of us.  With a satisfied stomach the taste of defeat was completely washed away from the previous games of Cribbage.  I’ll get you one of these days Will. One of these days….

Rating:

Bread: 

They have good hearty sub rolls that are pretty tasty. My only hang up was the amount of bread you were getting. If the bread amount were decreased slightly it would be absolutely perfect.

4/5

Filling:

I built my own sando with Roast Beef, Swiss, Lettuce, Onion, and Horseradish Mayo. It was quite delicious.  I wasn’t to found of the onions just because they put a little more than I expected and in addition to that they were shaved, which made them extremely potent.  I was also a bit bummed since they put cheese on one half of the sando and not the other.

4/5

Price:

I got the foot long sub at $10.25 so that I’d have something left over for later. What a great deal. I was totally satisfied with just the first half and that alone would have cost $5.50.  You can’t beat the quantity of food for the price.

5/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

The service is great. I’m impressed with their set up of not actually having to deal with the customer at all until they ring you up.  Very smart but can have its drawbacks at times. There are a lot of sides and drinks to be had.

4/5

Over all Rating: 17/20 points

Repeat Visit?

Yes.  They have two other locations downtown and in North Portland. I’d love to check out either one or just head back to the Hawthorne spot. Good cheap eats.

May 20th, 2011 Fotis' Greek Deli

Foti's Greek Deli

1740 E Burnside St, Portland, Oregon 97214

(503) 232-0274

Mon-Sat 10 AM - 7 PM

May 20^th, 2011

Since it was Saturday I decided to drive into work and give myself the break of having to walk home around midnight after a long day on the line.  Also by driving I’m allowing myself to check out Fotis Greek Deli that I’ve had my eye on for a bit and was just waiting for the right moment to go.  Today was the day.  I arrived shortly after they opened.  There wasn’t anyone else there except a mother with her young daughter who had just finished ordering when I stepped in.  The kitchen is wide open for all to see and they have a lot of room to work in which is quite impressive.  I had to laugh at the scene of this gigantic kitchen and only two cooks at the present moment working in it. 

I didn’t have to even look at the menu because I knew that I wanted the Gyro with Feta cheese.  Everyone I knew said that is the item to get and I’m not about to argue with experience.  As I waited I took a short walk around their storefront.  They offer lots of unique and fun ingredients to purchase as well as several wider known items.  I was quite anxious to try some Greek dishes where I’d need to stop in for something particular.

They handed me my Gyro and I accepted it with a big smile as well as a growling stomach.  I was so eager to start devouring this lovely treat but I thought I should wait and make my way into work first as to not chance spilling anything on myself on the drive. 

As I parked my car near work I couldn’t help but get started. I almost finished the entire Gyro before getting in the front door.  My friend Kris said hello to me as I started to approach him and his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement and he said, “Oh man! Fotis?! I almost went there today! Let me have a bite.”  I obliged. He seemed pretty happy.  I finished the rest in the back as not to rub it in my face of my other co-workers.  Finished, full, and ready to work I changed, prepping myself for the day ahead.

Rating:

Bread:

The bread was warmed Pita with a light and chewy texture. What more can really be said or wanted.

4/5

Filling:

This particular Gyro had Lamb, Tzatziki Sauce, Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, & Feta cheese on it.  Absolutely delicious and had me wishing I had purchased another. Though one was enough.  

5/5

Price:

The Gyro without the Feta was $5.20 and with was $5.95.  Probably the best deal I’ve found this whole tour.  Awesome.

5/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

The customer service was just what you want. They’re helpful and friendly. They had remembered one woman and her daughter that came in from a previous visit before.  Since the inside is like a market there are plenty of sides and drinks available to you. 

4/5

Over all Rating: 18/20 points

Repeat Visit?

I will indeed. I will be enjoying many a Gyro from Fotis.    

May 19th, 2011 Lovejoy Bakers

Lovejoy Bakers

939 NW 10th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97209

(503) 208-3113

http://lovejoybakers.com/

Everyday 6 AM – 8 PM

May 19^th, 2011

Hello summer weather! It’s hot today and no ones shy about showing off their summer themed outfits.  This time of year is always a positive one while I walk to work admiring all the beautiful women in this town taking advantage of the weather.  To those of you who prefer the male gender I’m sure there is plenty of good-looking ones walking around, I just tend not to notice them as much.  Moving on!

I was told by many a people at work that Lovejoy Bakers is always a solid place to go for a sando and I tend to take their opinions pretty serious when it comes to good food so I hoofed it down Lovejoy way.  With the sun out and it being Friday everyone was taking full advantage of the outdoor seating they have available at the bakery.  Many customers were also enjoying a Mimosa or Bloody Mary that the bakery offers on their menu, which I think is a great idea. 

The Menu itself is quite huge.  They offer their main sandos, breakfast sandos, salads, & soups.  With their menus hanging right above part of their kitchen, which happens to be open, its fun to watch the bakers kneading and baking off bread as you stand in line to order.  I approached the register and put in my sando request, a Lamb Meatball with Harissa Aioli, Cucumber Pickles, & Red Onion on a Ciabatta Roll.  Sounds fantastic.  They gave me a number and I found a place to sit while I waited/people watched. Again I’m a big fan of this because it always amazes me to see other peoples eating habits in a public setting.  After about ten minutes one of the cashiers called out my number and I happily grabbed my sando. 

As I pulled my sando out of the bag I also realized it had come with a side of coleslaw, which is always a welcome surprise.  I dove into the sando with a great deal of hunger followed by instant satisfaction that I’d choose correctly.  I finished my lunch on my way into work, soaking in any and all sun I could. I felt really good to start my day and serve up some good eats.

Rating:

Bread:

The Bread was a pressed and griddled ciabatta roll. It had a very lovely crunch to the crust and the crumb was still soft.  The flavor was great too. All around one of the better ciabattas I’ve had so far. 

5/5

Filling:

The filling was Lamb Meatballs. Red Onion, Cucumber Pickles, and a Harissa Aioli.  I love the idea of the Harissa Aioli with any kind of lamb sando because it’s a flavor combo that works well though it was a bit smothered in it.  The Meatballs themselves were quite good as well.  You get the acid, sweetness, & crunchy from the pickles and onions. It was a good pick.

4/5

Price:

At $8 for this sando I’d say you get a fair deal since you get a side of coleslaw but had it not had the side it would have felt a bit lackluster in size. 

4/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

Their customer service was great. Very helpful and happy to have people in it felt.  They have a great amount of drinks and some sides to choose from so don’t think you’ll walk away wanting. Their

4/5

Over all Rating: 17/20 points

Repeat Visit?

Yes. If anything to get some bread or one of their breakfast sandos that everyone raves about. 

May 18th, 2011 Wet Hot Beef

Wet Hot Beef

Southwest Alder Street, Portland, OR

(360) 609-9008

http://www.wethotbeef.com/Wet_Hot_Beef/Welcome_to_Wet_Hot_Beef.html

Mon –Fri 11 AM – 4 PM

May 18^th, 2011

I’ve been rolling pretty deep in the way of sando carts this week so I thought I should just keep on going with Wet Hot Beef, which serves French Dip sandos.  I would like to start off by saying this is one of the more crudely named establishments I’ve been too.  In fact it’s by the far the crudest one I’ve really ever encountered. Their slogan alone is, “We can’t wait to put our Wet Hot Beef in you.” Ahh the nervous giggles and shy glances as people would read it aloud or to themselves as they would walk up.  I’ve never known a food cart to make people so shy just by reading their sign and/or slogan.  Well-done boys.  Moving on though, I’ve put it on my list and as hungry as I am I’m not about to shy away because of a few strong innuendos.

The cart looked, as most of these carts right now do, very put together.  They kept it relatively clean it seemed with one man working the line.  He kept busy stocking this and cleaning that while I stood outside and looked over their menu.  Not a wide variety because they only serve French dips but they do different set ups as far as the filling goes.  I went with their “Dressed Sandwich” because it had a bit more than just meat and bread.  I ordered and took a step back to watch him from the window as he worked the stove putting everything together. He had taken pause every once and a while to talk to customers who were coming up to the window asking if they took Debit cards, to which he said no they didn’t.  I understand why some carts don’t or even can’t offer that as a payment option but if you didn’t, wouldn’t you memorize all the locations of an ATM in a two-block radius?  I watched as at least two people came to the window asking if they took debit and the cook only answered, “Sorry, No.” That was the length of the conversation.  Oh well. At least I bought a sando from you today ya?

He finished up my sando and handed it to me with a smile, thanking me for coming out today.  I thanked him in return and started to take a good look at my sando.   

They wrap their Dips in paper and set them in a cup so that the au jus can collect at the bottom. I like this idea for portable French Dips because it still gives you a chance to pour any remaining jus over the sando. I dove in on the remainder of my walk to work taking mental notes with each bite.  In all it wasn’t too bad but I believe the shock humor of the name brought more people in than food itself. 

Rating:

Bread:

The Bread was a French style hoagie roll.  It was toasted so it had some structure to hold together better with all the au jus that was put on it. It was fine but nothing great. It was pretty bland all around.

2/5

Filling:

The filling had Piedmontese Beef, which is their selling point for the sandos and if you don’t know what it is check it out online, House made pickles, caramelized onions, and au jus.  The beef is pretty good but I was a little confused when I had the caramelized onions with the house made pickles being…onions.  I’m not sure why anyone would want to have two different types of onions on a sando especially when there are so many great items to pickle.  I guess keeping food costs low doesn’t amount to keeping a better variety available. 

3/5

Price:

For $6.75 I’d say you are getting a fair deal with the amount of food.

4/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

The cook/cashier was very helpful with everyone, including me, who came up to the window. They house made potato chips as a side and make their own sodas as well. Very basic flavors but I like the idea of making your own sodas.  I didn’t have enough cash to purchase one but I would hope they’re tasty.

4/5

Over all Rating: 13/20 points

Repeat Visit?

  Probably not. I'd like to check out their sodas one of these days but nothing really other than that.

May 17,2011 Picnic

P I C N I C

SW 9th & Washington Portland OR

http://www.pdxpicnic.com/picnic

Tues – Fri 11 AM – 2 PM

May 17^th, 2011

The other day when I met some friends at The People’s Pig, one of them, Jen, had pointed out a food cart that I hadn’t seen yet called Picnic. She said I should check this one out next and being that I trust her intuition about things I went the very next day since it was so close on my way into work.  It was another great day downtown and was enjoying my walk to the familiar scene of the food carts on SW Alder.  Again they were buzzing with business and I’m not surprised at all since the sun is bringing everyone out of hiding. 

Picnic is a small cart with a very limited Menu but in that respect I think they do a good job at focusing on what they have planned.  I read their web blog and found that they’ve only been open since the beginning of May so this cart is very new to the scene.  They bake their own bread, do their own butchery, and try to plan out their sandos according to availability of produce. They also have some very creative ideas that I’d be interested in trying later on such as a Sprout and Radish Sando.  I always enjoy a vegetarian sando that brings great texture contrast as well as showing off the natural flavors in a delicious fashion. 

I looked into their cart really quick to catch a peak of their set-up. Its well put together and seems very open which is unusual I think. Most times everyone looks so damn cramped in their carts it’s a wonder to me how they can do anything at all.  The two cooks in the cart are very nice and seemed excited to have people check them out.  I took a step back and looked over their menu and instantly had to go with their Ham & Cheese.  I waited for a minute while they constructed my lunch and again a line started to form slowly but surely.  They handed me my sando and I went on my way, eager to dive into it whole hog.  As I unwrapped it from the paper I was excited to see the very rustic and Semi-French design they had with the thick cut slices of ham as well as redmondo cheese. It was a cold sando but I think it was just right for this warm spring afternoon.  I enjoyed it on my way to work feeling satisfied with the choice of the day. I texted Jen later to let her know I went and to thank her for the heads up.

Rating:

Bread:

They make their own bread at Picnic. The type I had was a white bread. It was thick cut and very dense not to mention it seemed like it was a day old cause it was felt slightly stale. Not the best thing ever but could definitely improve. 

3/5

Filling:

The sando was Ham, Redmondo Cheese, Mustard Greens, Pickled Carrots, and Aioli.  The ham and cheese were both thick cut as were the carrots.  It was a very rustic style sando but everything had great flavor and texture to it.  I only wish that the carrots were a slight more pickled than they were but they still had a great crunch. 

4/5

Price:

At $8 you certainly get a good sando with quality ingredients as well as quantity of goodies. 

4/5

Customer Service, Sides, Drink Selection:

They have an excellent rapport with their customers and seem to keep a very sunny disposition.  They have few drinks to offer and no real sides except cookies for a sweet snack at the end of your lunch.

4/5

Over all Rating: 15/20 points

Repeat Visit?

Yes. I’m eager to see how they change up with their sandos. I believe right now they’re offering a Ruben that looks quite good.