10 pieces of Portland restaurant news to know for August 2019

Downtown Portland modern Mexican restaurant La Neta will make way for a new restaurant before summer's end (Photo courtesy of The Hoxton)

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We combed through recent press releases and news reports to bring you 10 pieces of Portland restaurant news worth knowing right now.

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1) Magna brings modern Filipino food to Portland

Two years, five miles and a dozen migraines' worth of permitting and construction delays away from its original location, Portland's new modern Filipino restaurant finally opened in the old Noho's Hawaiian Cafe at Southeast 26th Avenue and Clinton Street. Visit Magna for former Clyde Common chef Carlo Lamagna's elevated takes on traditional Filipino dishes including lumpia, pancit, adobo and sinigang.

2525 S.E. Clinton St.

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2) La Neta serves its last huitlacoche tamal

La Neta, the modern Mexican restaurant from the Submarine Hospitality group and executive chef Johnny Leach, has closed after nine months at Old Town/Chinatown's boutique Hoxton Hotel, The Oregonian first reported. Look for a new name and concept to debut in the handsome space in the coming weeks, and for some of Leach's more inventive dishes to migrate up to Tope, the hotel's rooftop taqueria and bar.

15 N.W. Fourth Ave.

3) Mi Mero Mole owner Nick Zukin is opening a pizzeria

Just around the corner from The Hoxton, Mi Mero Mole owner Nick Zukin is working on a new Chinatown pizzeria, Zapapizza, inspired by a trip to Mexico City's El Perro Negro. Expect thick-crust pies topped with pickled jalapeños, fried grasshoppers, chilaquiles and a dash of controversy -- a Facebook comment from Yonder chef Maya Lovelace on Willamette Week's original story led to a heated back-and-forth about cultural appropriation.

503 W. Burnside St.

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4) Black Seed Burger Cult is coming to North Portland

A new burger, fried chicken and breakfast sandwich shop with vegan and gluten free options is coming to North Portland. Black Seed Burger Cult, which comes from John Black, Mikey Williams, Donovyn Collins and Sizzle Pie's Mike McKennedy, is eyeing a fall opening date in the former Nite Light space on North Mississippi Avenue's former North Light space.

3746 N. Mississippi Ave.

5) New Jewish deli Beetroot opens in Northwest

Beetroot, a Pacific Northwest take on the Jewish deli, opened its Northwest Portland doors last week promising egg salad sandwiches, pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, smoked whitefish, bagels and more.

Eater PDX has more

details on the menu

.

1639 N.W. Glisan St.

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6) Biba Chamoru pairs Guam-style shrimp fritters with craft beer

After a grand opening, chef Ed Sablan is officially serving dishes from Guam at Oakshire Brewing's new Northeast Portland taproom, with a menu highlighting the same tasty shrimp fritters, grilled chicken and ribs you might have fallen in love with at Sablan's PDX671 food cart (only at Biba Chamoru Kitchen, those meats are cooked on the live-fire hearth at the former Old Salt Marketplace space).

5013 N.E. 42nd Ave.; restaurantji.com/or/portland/biba-chamoru-kitchen-

7) Ringside Steakhouse reopens, expands happy hour

Just in time for its 75th anniversary, Ringside Steakhouse underwent a recent "touch up" remodel that extended their famous sunken bar and fully enclosed a private dining space. Now reopen, the restaurant is serving its entire bar menu at half price during its well-liked early/late-night happy hour.

Read more

2165 W. Burnside St.

8) Budget-conscious Latin steakhouse Carne opens in Sullivan's Gulch

Speaking of steakhouses, Northeast Portland just snagged a fun one. Carne, which comes from Jupiter Hotel developer Tod Breslau, is an inexpensive Latin steakhouse and and bar -- think Ox on a budget -- with steaks starting at $15, cocktails at $6 and sangria at $4. The restaurant, which took over the former Sullivan's Gulch Bar & Grill space, will host live music, including a recent performance from the Seattle-based Brazilian Forró group En Canto.

2512 N.E. Broadway St.

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Beeswing's sourdough waffles (Michael Russell | The Oregonian)

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9) Beeswing’s crowdfunding comes to naught

Marissa Lorette and Ian Watson of Northeast Portland’s Beeswing restaurant -- home to some delectable sourdough waffles -- ran a successful Kickstarter to help them buy the business, but owner Kevin Dorney chose to close it anyway, Eater PDX

. In its place went Cafe TBD, a similar restaurant with much of the same staff that closed just a week after it opened.

4318 N.E. Cully Blvd.

10) Hapa PDX's brick-and-mortar ramen shop opens tomorrow

After a series of preview meals, ramen cart Hapa PDX is expected to open the doors of its brick-and-mortar space in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood's former Shut Up and Eat space as soon as tomorrow, with a grand opening to follow next month. In addition to ramen, look for poke, happy hour small plates and a lineup of Japanese-style whiskey highballs.

3848 S.E. Gladstone Street

-- Michael Russell

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