Unlisted But Not Unloved

I get it, of course. A limited list, a plethora of possible picks. Endless opportunities for debate, nitpicking and what-ifs.

But really, I'm a bit bewildered by the some of the restaurants left off the list of "100 Favorites" in the Oregonian's Diner 2011 section published yesterday. So rather than quibble or fuss, I'm doing an addendum (listed in no particular order) you can carry on your smart phone, with links to the full posts. Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments below!

Toast

Donald Kotler's jewel box on Southeast Steele would win a blue ribbon at the state fair if such a prize existed for a whole café. Housemade everything, from the cured pork belly to the jams to the English muffins, with much of its produce sourced from urban farms within a mile of its location. Renowned for a way with brunch and breakfast, dinner is a too-well-kept secret. Should have been in the "Real Deals," "Breakfasts of Champions" or "Farm to Table" sections. Links here and here.
Details: Toast, 5222 SE 52nd Ave. 503-774-1020.

Spints Alehouse

Just written up last week in a rave where I admit to a schoolgirl crush. With great beers, intriguing spirits and spectacular food, Alyssa Gregg (top photo) has opened the tavern of my dreams. I only wish I'd discovered it earlier. Should have been in the "Pour It On" section. Link to post here.
Details: Spints Alehouse, 401 NE 28th Ave. 503-847-2534.

Lucca

Anyone who lives in the vicinity of Northeast Fremont knows about this quiet resident of the Irvington neighborhood. Solid is the descriptor of choice, whether it's their wood oven-prepared food, cocktail list or pasta choices. Our go-to for those "I don't feel like cooking" nights or "How about pizza?" occasions, they're open for lunch and dinner both. Should have been in the "Everyday Excellence" section. Links here and here.
Details: Lucca, 3449 NE 24th Ave. Phone 503-287-7372.

Yuzu

If only my son had built that transporter (à la Star Trek) that he was obsessed with in his youth, I would spend a lot more time in this hidden gem at the far end of Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Looking as if it was a holodeck recreation of a Ginza district yakuza, this place has wowed me every time. Should have been in the "Outer Eats" or "Hideaways" section. Links here and here.
Details: Yuzu, 4130 SW 117th Ave., Beaverton. Phone 503-350-1801.

Falling in Love Again

Falling in love again,
Never wanted to.
What am I to do?

It's that feeling you had about the boy (or girl) who sat two seats back in the row next to you in fifth grade. The one with the cute cowlick and the horn-rimmed glasses. The one you'd steal glances at in class, hoping he'd notice you and smile.

Fried chicken, biscuit and gravy and a fried egg…awesome!

It still happens to me now, only with pubs. Remember when I was whining, asking if it was too much for a tavern in Portland to have really good food, food that measured up to the quality of the beer it served, something beyond pizza and burgers? It's all because I've been disappointed before by a promising place with a great beer list that falls short on the food end.

But now it looks like that place does exist, and I am head over heels about it. I stopped in at Spints Alehouse with Dave for happy hour last fall and got an initial frisson of excitement over the tap list and the menu of house-cured meats and sausages with intriguing preparations. But it wasn't until we'd gone back a few more times and sampled the menu that I knew this could be way more serious than mere infatuation.

Alyssa Gregg, with Jacob Grier at a recent Kopstootje tasting.

Owner and chef Alyssa Gregg is familiar from her stints at places like Castagna, Evoe and the Teardrop Lounge, and she's known for her quiet confidence in the kitchen and solid chops shaping a menu. At Spints she's inspired by (but not shackled to) Northern European cuisine with nods to France and Belgium, plus she throws in a few of her own faves, especially at lunch and happy hour.

OMG pulled pork sando with boiled egg.

Her spaetzle, which is served as a side with beef brisket on the current dinner menu, is worth having all on its own and, for me at least, is in a photo-finish with Chris Israel's version at Grüner. And while Gregg is known for her way with meat, she's also no slouch when it comes to salads, with interesting combinations like golden beets, scallops and crême fraiche (top photo).

For value you can't beat Spints' lunch, and when we stopped in the other day for a pint, we were seduced by the irresistible, give-it-to-me-now fried chicken with biscuit, gravy and fried egg and the pulled pork sandwich.

The tap list is chock-a-block with the latest releases from local favorites like Fort George, Laurelwood and Double Mountain, but it also has some intriguing global selections from Hacker-Pschorr, Affligem and Steigl. And as you might expect from a place that puts an emphasis on its excellent malt beverages, there's an impressive collection of brews in bottles. Cocktails are also a premium draw, with the back bar full of local spirits as well as the latest lovelies like Bulleit Rye and Bols Genever, with many of the mixes and condiments made on premises.

Cozy on cooler days with a black Naugahyde booth anchoring one corner and 70s-era matching stools at the bar, on sunny days the French doors along one wall open up to sidewalk tables lining the street outside, making for a lively summer scene.

So really, all things considered, is it any wonder I'm smitten?

Details: Spints Alehouse, 401 NE 28th Ave. 503-847-2534.

Sitting at Spints

It's no secret that food carts are the hot items du jour all across the country. Cities across the nation are passing new rules to encourage their proliferation, and blogs tout the latest pods popping up in former trash-strewn parking lots and vacant corners. Some popular carts are even spawning "Son of…" spin-offs that allow owners to expand offerings without crowding items off their regular menus.

While it's high time that America got on the street food bandwagon that the rest of the world considers a normal part of their everyday dining options, on a chilly afternoon there's really nothing like sitting down at the bar of a nice warm pub to enjoy a microbrew and some tasty bits of happy hour-priced noshes.

We stopped in at Spints Alehouse the other day for just such a sit-down between errands, ordered from a list of impressive brews on draft and in the bottle, then waited a few minutes for happy hour to begin at the very civilized hour of 4 pm. Pictured in the photo, top, is the meat smorgasbord with cured albacore, ham and pork rillette with zucchini pickles and poppyseed flatbread, at the very happy price of $10. And, at least on the day we were there, they had their house sausage and pepper (right) for just a buck!

And if you're wondering what those measurements printed on the drink coasters might be, they indicate the dimensions of the stein lockers on the wall next to the bar (left). So if you've got a beer stein that you'd like to show off, or one you'd like to drink out of when you stop in at your favorite pub, there are a few lockers left for some lucky patrons.

Details: Spints Alehouse, 401 NE 28th Ave. 503-847-2534.