Junior Ambassador's

Mostlandian Panwiches

by Veronica Vichit-Vadakan

Entering into the domain of Junior Ambassadors actually takes you over the border into the nation of Mostlandia, a place best described by its ambassadors: "It is nowhere, and now here." Mostlandian propaganda is your first inkling that things are a little different here and your next clue is the ice cream menu which includes flavors like Smoked Salmon (my personal favorite, don't knock it til you tried it), Asparagus and Maple Strip Tease, a tried and true maple-bacon combo. Most people com ... Continue

Tasty n Sons

Breakfast of Champions

by Angie Jabine

Some might say opening a breakfast/brunch restaurant is the mark of a lazy chef. The hours are less brutal, the basic ingredients are cheap, and the menu stays pretty much constant throughout the year. But chef John Gorham, founder of the fantastically popular Toro Bravo, is anything but lazy. Borrowing liberally from the spice palate that makes Toro Bravo's tapas menu so delectable, Gorham's new Tasty n Sons re-sets the standard for breakfast in a town that overflows with breakfast options. Who ... Continue

Movie Madness

Cinema Paradiso

by Angie Jabine

When the big-box movie rental chains finally bite the dust, Portland will still have Movie Madness, a Belmont storefront that caters to film fanatics of every stripe. You want Oscar-winners, new releases, anime, musicals, martial arts, horror, documentaries, skinflicks, spaghetti Westerns? With 70,000 titles, chances are you’ll find it at Movie Madness--eventually. Sometimes the floor plan can make finding the title you want a real guessing game. (Is "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" under Paul Newman? Nope ... Continue

Bonnie's

Resale Therapy

by Angie Jabine

Even when the wolf's at the proverbial door--sometimes especially when the wolf's at the proverbial door--a gal needs a bit of retail therapy. She needs a friendly little boutique with a sweet selection of clothing, shoes, and accessories to fluff up her battered morale without flattening her dwindling bank account. Bonnie's resale clothing on NE Fremont is just the place. Former customers mourned when Bonnie Jensen closed her old shop a few blocks east, and they're rejoicing to have her back. S ... Continue

Bipartisan Cafe

Politics and Pie

by Angie Jabine

It's almost a zoning requirement that Portland cafés must offer perfectly brewed Stumptown coffee, Wi-Fi, and a few comfy couches interspersed among the cafe tables. So how can a neighborhood coffee joint set itself apart? In the case of the Bipartisan Café in Montavilla--a Brigadoon-like neighborhood bounded on one side by Mount Tabor and on the other by 82nd Avenue--the joint adopts a theme, namely politics. And it specializes in pie. I don't know if the Bipartisan is truly bipartisan, but its ... Continue

Blue Moon Camera and Machine

Analog Sanity

by Veronica Vichit-Vadakan

In a digital world, Blue Moon is a bastion of analog sanity. Specializing in film cameras and manual typewriters, they proudly fly the flag for those who love all things mechanical, dependable and tangible. Remember the satisfying feel of a camera advancing film negative? Do you recall the comforting sound of a click-clacking typewriter? Visit here and you can bring home your very own lovingly restored examples of each. The staff are all knowledgeable artists and photographers themselves so you ... Continue

Triple Nickel

Sunday Morning Savior

by Steve Mattos

The Triple Nickel is a spacious, smokey bar just up the street from some of the nicer Belmont art bars and hipster joints like Aalto Lounge etc. It's a dive and it knows as much. The Triple Nickel has excellent drink specials, late night bar food (the fish and chips are actually pretty decent), pool tables, and a friendly staff. Best thing about the Triple Nickel? Sunday mornings during football season, they se ... Continue

HA & VL

Soupy Perfection

by Veronica Vichit-Vadakan

How to develop a cult following in three easy steps: 1. Give your business an inscrutable name (in this case, the two owners' initials). 2. Have a mysterious menu that changes daily and frequently sells out by lunchtime. 3. Make kick-ass soup, the likes of which have never before been seen in this town. That's the winning formula employed by HA & VL, a Vietnamese deli in a funky strip mall on 82nd. The menu rotates through a selection of obscure (in Portland, anyway) regional noodle soups o ... Continue