Brooke Geery

Author: Brooke

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More

Kabobi

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 28, 2009 Cost for 2 (with tip): $22.80 It's official: we need to stop bombing Afghanistan. Not only because it doesn't seem to be making a damn difference, but because after my first experience with Afghani cuisine at Kabobi, I must say the food is damn good. I had no idea what to expect walking into Kabobi (other than that they had a $5.95 lunch special, thanks to an outdoor a frame.) We'd actually been curious about this place before, but never went in, in case Afghani food was like chicken feet or something. Well, as it turns out, it's basically Indian…
Read More

No Fish, Go Fish

3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.nofishgofish.com Date of Visit: Oct 27, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip) $16.50 The concept of No Fish, Go Fish is great. A lunch place that basically just serves soup and sandwiches. Ingenious really. For $6 you get a giant bowl of your choice of the 4 soups of the day and your choice of two sammies from the lengthy menu. I am sorry that I just referred them as "sammies," but when you get a petite pressed sandwich shaped like a fish, I really feel like it's the appropriate term. There are a also a few other items on the menu (fried stuff, pasta and…
Read More

The 10 Best WordPress Plugins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a fan of Wordpress. I can't really understand why anyone wouldn't be. Wait, yes I can. Because they are a flash designer who Wordpress is putting out of business. But for editorial/blogs sites like the ones I am either running or building, Wordpress is a dream come true. After spending years using Frontpage before eventually switching to hand writing HTML in a text editor, the ease of Wordpress for updating has made my life a million times easier. One of the best things about Wordpress though, is the plugins. Basically, if you want your site to do any web 2.0…
Read More

Oasis Cafe

3701 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.oasispizza.com Date of Visit: October 26, 2009 Price for 2: $16.75 I was trying to decide what makes a slice of pizza perfect for me and I realized I don't know. It's just the sort of thing where you bite into and say, damn this is a great slice of pizza. But like everything in life, it's going to be different for everyone. And honestly, I don't even really like pizza that much. Call me un-American, but rarely when we head off for lunch do I say, I really want a slice of pizza right now! But unfortunately for me, there are two people on this…
Read More

McMenamin’s Bagdad Pub

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9 Date of visit: October 23, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip and lunch beer): $23.70 Today was the final day of our goal within a goal of the 4600 block of Hawthorne, but as we drove towards Thai Thai, we passed the Bagdad Pub. Seeing the big windows filled with happy dinners enjoying their microbrews on a miserable, rainy Portland day made me realize: I wanted a lunch beer! So we turned the car around and headed back to Bagdad, one of two McMenamin's options on Hawthorne Bvld. The Bagdad (they spell it wrong, not me) is part of the chain of Portland restaurants famous…
Read More

¿Por Qué No?

4635 SE Hawthorne http://www.porquenotacos.com/ Price for 2 (with tip): $21.50 ¿Por Qué No? is one of those places that the hipsters in Portland will tell you is the most amazing place around. And why wouldn't they, "why not" is the name of the restaurant after all. With two locations in the hip areas of Hawthorne and Mississippi, happy hour drinks, and seemingly cheap food, all served up in a casually-busy decor, Por Que No is a total hipster dream come true. Unfortunately, it's not actually very good. The food at ¿Por Qué No? is definitely not trying to be authentic Mexican (despite the over use of Spanish) but is more…
Read More

Toji Korea Grill House

4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of visit: October 21, 2009 Price for 2 (with tip): $18.90 Toji is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but trying to drag a vegetarian to a restaurant where one of the main options is roasting raw meat on a grill in the middle of your table has proven difficult. But since this week has been designated for the 4600 block, it had to happen and today we hit up the Grill. I guess I expected it to be expensive (it is designated with two dollar signs on Urbanspoon) and was pretty sure Jared would be forced to eat salad, so when…
Read More

East Side Deli

4626 SE Hawthorne Blvd www.pdxdeli.com Date of visit: October 20, 2009 Price for 2: $14.50 A good deli can actually be hard to find in Portland, so when a vegan friend told us we had to try East Side Deli, I was initially skeptical. But this place is hands down the best deli I have ever been to in Portland, and it just so happens it's on Hawthorne and in the 4600 block, at that. The sandwiches turned out of the open kitchen are huge and more importantly, completely customized with super high quality ingredients. No limp, shredded ice berg lettuce here, the stuff they use is fresh and leafy.…
Read More

Zach’s Shack

4611 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap Date of visit: October 19, 2009 Price for 2: $17 Today we realized the 4600 Block of Hawthorne may just be the ultimate lunch utopia. We originally set out to eat at Por Que No (more for review purposes than because we wanted to) but were distracted by the neighboring Zach's Shack and the East Side Deli. Also on this block is Dingo's (where this whole project started), Toji Korea Grill House, Thai Thai and Angelo's (which I'm a little scared of.) So for this week we've got a goal within a goal: eat at all of these places. Ok, so it will actually take…
Read More

What’s for Lunch?

Today we cheated on Hawthorne Blvd and crossed the bridge to eat at an old favorite, Vegetarian House. One thing that I have noticed by eating at a bunch of new places is that most are not really that great for lunch. But rather than just complain that they aren't, I figured I should explain exactly what I am looking for in a lunch spot. 1. Cheap. One of the things that is awesome about eating lunch out is lunch specials. The midday meal is often less expensive than eating out for dinner, or even breakfast, so ideally, the restaurants serving lunch should recognize that. To put a value on…
Read More