Mio Sushi

Restaurant: Mio Sushi
Location: 2735 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217
Date: September 24th, 2010
Ordered: Combination Rolls, Tamago, Philadelphia Rolls, and a couple other rolls.
Cost: $36.65

There aren't that many places in North Portland to get sushi, so Mio Sushi is a pleasant surprise inasmuch as it keeps the bar nice and high. Fresh-made sushi awaits those who order there, and it's delicious. The restaurant is small but not cramped, it's clean, and well-kept.

On being seated, we were handed a menu and proceeded to order almost everything that sounded good.



In the end, we ended up with food for four. It was all delicious, but the danger in ordering sushi is everything is bite-sized and there's no real concept of how much food you're getting when you order four or five items.

The only problem I have is with the menu. It's not intuitive when it comes to order and getting an idea of what the food is going to be; a few brief words, if you get even that, doesn't really cover it. Furthermore, there's the menu with the food and there's the menu where you mark down what you want to order; the two don't line up at all. It's frustrating.

Does the menu really prevent me from enjoying Mio Sushi? Of course not. The food is great, the service is friendly, and the atmosphere is pleasant without being stuffy.

So what's the verdict on Mio Sushi? Definitely worth checking out, and a great restaurant to have in North Portland.

Nob Hill

Restaurant: Nob Hill Bar & Grill
Location: 937 Northwest 23rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97210-3005
Date: July 5th, 2010
Ordered: Tacos ($.50 each!)
Cost: confidential

It was Monday night and my stomach was on the prowl for cheap Portland eats. Suddenly it popped in my head; I'd heard friends mention cheap taco night before and this was my chance to sample it.

Nob Hill Bar & Grill is an unassuming joint sitting on NW 23rd. It's a nice, clean bar with a pleasant atmosphere. On Monday nights, from 6 PM to 9 PM, one can order tacos there for 50 cents. These are not fancy tacos; you're handed a shell with warm, delicious meat in it; I'm going to assume it was seasoned beef. You're then directed to an area where you can add lettuce, cheese, tomatos, salsa, and other toppings. Like I said, nothing fancy - but man, it's delicious.


I won't disclose how many of these cheap tacos I ate, but I can tell you that four people ate heartily for less than $10. Would I go to Nob Hill again? Sure! Aside from 50-cent tacos, the rest of the happy hour menu (2 PM to close) looked pretty darn good. I can't wait to give it a shot.

Thai Terrace

Restaurant: Thai Terrace
Location: 700 SE Chkalov Dr, Vancouver, WA 98683
Date: March 12th, 2010
Ordered: Pad Thai
Cost: $8.50

I was talked into trying Thai Terrace (in Vancouver) the other night. Once we were seated and someone came around, I ordered - of course - my yardstick Pad Thai.


I should let you know that the service wasn't so great. It was a Friday evening, so the dinner rush was on, but the restaurant was small, noisy, and slow. Something to be aware of.

I must say that Thai Terrace has some great Pad Thai. Some of the most delicious I've tasted in a while. However, it is worth having to go to east-nowhere Vancouver for? Probably not. Fortunately, it appears that they have a North Portland location!

Aprisa

Restaurant: Aprisa
Location: Corner of SE 8th & Division, Portland, OR 97214
Date: February 24th, 2010
Ordered: Taco Salad
Cost: $5.40

Several of my coworkers and I decided to try Aprisa one day, as it's within walking distance of where I work. It's a surprising-looking place; it's entirely a drive-up restaurant that's roughly the size of a single-wide trailer. A cute-looking little place, but it doesn't scream "restaurant".

I ordered my favorite, taco salad. It came in short time, as ordered. The water I asked for, while ordering, however, didn't come as ordered and I had to ask for it. Notably, my friend's burrito, ordered without cheese, was delivered (with verbal assurance) without cheese. Or so he was told; it actually came with cheese, as he later, unfortunately, found out.



My taco salad, once I got a chance to eat it, wasn't all that great. It wasn't terrible, and was perhaps nicely authentic, but it wasn't all that great. The ingredients tasted fresh, but the proportions all seemed wrong.

Still, if you're in the mood for authentic mexican food, it's a place to try.

EastBurn

Restaurant: EastBurn
Location: 1800 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Date: January 20th, 2010
Ordered: Steak Salad
Cost: $12

I had lunch with some coworkers at EastBurn the other day, the trendy little restaurant on the southeast corner of 18th & East Burnside. The inside is nice, though it was just us when we arrived at noon on a Wednesday.

Examining the lunch menu, and wanting something delicious but not TOO unhealthy, I opted to try the steak salad. It arrived 15-ish minutes later.


Now the salad was advertised to be a bed of greens with apple chunks, steak, and brie on it. I can tell you that, combined with the vinaigrette dressing they put on, it was a darn good salad. The greens were good, the apple was crisp, the steak was perfectly done... but the brie took the salad to the next level of yum.

My overall impression of the place was solid; it seems like a trendy place with really good food. My concern is the $12 price tag associated with the salad. Will I often pay that much for one? Unlikely... but if you're in the mood to, I suggest you try it!

Bread and Ink Cafe

Restaurant: Bread and Ink Cafe
Location: 3610 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
Date: November 19th, 2009
Ordered: Provolone Bacon Basil Sandwich (with French Onion Soup)
Cost: $10.75

The Bread and Ink Cafe is a small joint on Hawthorne Boulevard, and doesn't immediately catch the eye. Step into the inside, however, and you're treated to a fun little cafe with a friendly staff and a bunch of charm.

Looking over the menu, I thought I'd try the delicious-sounding Provolone Bacon Basic Sandwich, with the French Onion Soup. Of course, I got to make this decision while eating the delicious free bread they gave us when sitting down. (Note: nothing makes a better first impression than free food.)


My food came pretty quickly, and this is where lunch went from good to great. That sandwich was like a grilled cheese sandwich, but with provolone, some excellent bacon, and some herbs cooked inside. It was amazingly delicious. I wanted more when I was done!

So go check it out. It's an expensive sandwich, so I won't be eating it too often, but it was a delicious treat in a neat little cafe.

Nosh

Restaurant: Nosh
Location: 2030 SE 7th, Portland, OR 97214
Date: October 9th, 2009
Ordered: BLT
Cost: $6.50

I have fallen in love!

Well, I've fallen in love with a sandwich. Nosh is a sandwich place just a few blocks away from where I work and it's a favorite of the staff here. They've got to be putting something in their BLT because it's so darn delicious. I've taken to eating them several times a week. I think about the BLT when I'm not eating it. When I'm out for a walk... I'm really just daydreaming about the BLT.


It's that good. Seriously.

So give Nosh a try. Try the BLT. (The other sandwiches are good, too, I hear.) You'll probably even run into me there.