The Scene: Bar Avignon Hits Division!

Finally I get to share the secret I've been bursting to write about since I heard the first rumblings several months ago. It's that our friends Randy Goodman and Nancy Hunt, well-known couple on Portland's food scene, are going to be opening their own place on Southeast Division.

Called Bar Avignon, it'll be a neighborhood bar and bottle shop with a menu of small plates featuring local produce, artisan charcuterie and cheese boards along with a constantly evolving selection of libations including wine, beer and spirits. A chalkboard will highlight daily panini and salads, and wine will be available for retail purchase. It's on the corner of Southeast 22nd and Division in the newly renovated Mt. Baker Building and will occupy the space that used to be the Red & Black Cafe.

It's the culmination of a dream they've had for many years, and I can't tell you how much research and planning has gone into making this a reality. Their plan is to open in early summer of this year, so when you're in the neighborhood, be sure to check on their progress. They're great people and deserve every success!