The Top Five Places to Eat in Portland This Week

Hot Plates, coming through!

(Christine Dong)

1. Anchor End Eurocafe & Bakery

4641 NE Fremont St., 503-288-5019, anchorend.co.

Pretzels and pierogis might not scan as a practical protein-based brunch, but Anchor End is out to change that. The pretzels are the star of the show, but itinerant brunchers will love the Seasquab, which features firm scrambled eggs, gooey white cheese and maple aioli on a pretzel roll that's been cooked in French toast batter and salted just right.

Read the full review: Anchor End Makes a Compelling Argument for Pretzels and Pierogis Being Portland's Best New Brunch.

(Laurel Kadas)

2. Yonder

4636 NE 42nd Ave., Suite A, 503-444-7947, yonderpdx.com.

In the conversion of her immensely popular (and hard to get into) pop-up Mae into a permanent location, Maya Lovelace's down-home Southern cooking loses a bit of its personal touch, but none of its flavor. You'll find Mae's greatest hits on the menu, including Lovelace's world-beating fried chicken—only now, you'll have a more difficult decision to make when ordering. Do you get the classic buttermilk brined version or the new, hot, Nashville-style kind? Screw it—order both.

Read the full review: With Yonder, Chef Maya Lovelace's Famed Down-Home Cooking Loses a Bit of Its Personal Touch, but None of Its Flavor.

(Laurel Kadas)

3. Gado Gado

1801 NE César E. Chávez Blvd., gadogadopdx.com.

One of 2018's best pop-ups has put down roots in the Hollywood neighborhood, with a colorful décor to match the crowd-pleasing, anything-goes flair of former Han Oak chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly's Indonesian soul food. If you stopped in during Gado Gado's monthlong residence at Sammich in December, you know what you expect—pan-Asian stoner food that's as richly multidimensional as it is satisfying.

Related: At His Gado Gado Pop-Up, a Han Oak Alum Serves Playful Pan-Asian Creations.

(Thomas Teal)

4. Hawthorne Asylum

1080 SE Madison St.

Named after a 19th-century hospital for the mentally ill, Portland's newest food cart pod looks like what might happen if Tim Burton were commissioned to design a Portland-themed section of Disneyland. Highlights include the bulgogi and spicy pork tacos at Korean Twist, the sliced brisket sandwich at Bark City BBQ, and the sangria at Black Dagger—because every cart pod needs at least one a booze cart.

Read the full review: The 10 Best Menu Items at Hawthorne Asylum, Portland's Newest Food Cart Pod.

(Sage Brown)

5. Top Burmese

833 NW 16th Ave., topburmese.com.

Given the profound popularity of the cuisine of its neighboring countries, it's surprising that Burmese food has been a relative outlier up until now. Top Burmese aims to change that. The nan gyi thoke, or chicken noodle salad ($8.50), is the best value and boldest flavor on the menu, with a heaping pile of warm rice noodles serving as the bed for a hard-boiled egg, a chunky chicken curry sauce, fried garlic and a generous dusting of highly addictive tamarind powder.

Read the full review: Top Burmese Introduces Portland to the Flavors of Myanmar, and They'll Bring It Right out to Your Car.

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