Where to Eat in November: Abyssinian Kitchen, Decarli, Lilia, and More

As the holidays approach, a little nostalgia and tradition never sounded better. Decarli has been a hallmark of Beaverton since opening in 2007, though recently the restaurant packed up its brick-lined space and moved three-quarters of a mile up the road. While the space is different, the menu will look familiar to longtime diners. Swiss-Italian-inspired plates make up much of the menu, with familiars like chicken liver mousse with port gelee and mussels with Pernod still holding appetizer court. Pizettes have been traded out for full-size pizzas, though the toppings remain the same. Pastas, too, are fun and familiar and ready for the chillier months ahead, and the meat- and fish-rich mains, like espresso and dried prune-braised short ribs over creamy spaetzle, redefine “stick-to-your-bones” cuisine.

A former Clinton Street favorite that went dormant during the pandemic has returned in a new Alberta Street location. Abyssinian Kitchen, one of the Metro area’s best Ethiopian restaurants, has matured in its hibernation, adding a full and delicious cocktail menu (the amchoo guji punch is particularly tasty) to its all-star lineup of favorites. And while the restaurant doesn’t offer the somewhat common “combo platter” option, it’s worth ordering everything you want and bringing the leftovers home. Start with an order of the sambusa, which here arrives as a trio of crispy, deeply spiced beef- or lentil- filled dumplings similar in size to samosa. Though deep-fried, they’re light enough to eat…several too many. Then, dive into the traditional platter spread, with a short but sweet selection covering all palates and dietary restrictions. We like to mix both veg and meat with the beyaynetu, a veggie sampler of the Big Seven — kik alicha, gomen, timtimo, stewed yellow split peas, seasoned collards, spicy red lentils, and mixed veg — and a couple of the meat mains. Proteins range from doro wat to tilapia asa dulet with the rosemary-scented kitfo as star of the show, here served with a side of ayb, made in-house. Whatever you order, you won’t go wrong. We’re just happy they’re back.

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One of Portland’s newest distilleries calls a stunning emerald green-tiled art deco space home. Guests, from daily visitors to those visiting on the distillery’s handful of special “working women” and “industry” nights, can enjoy Aimsir’s main spirits — a floral gin and vanilla-scented whiskey — in classic cocktail form, blended and bottled with cold-brew coffee, over infused ice, or just straight up. Those that might not be prepared for an all-spirits evening will also find wines, low-ABV drinks, and a heavy emphasis on mocktails to provide something for everyone.

Jojo, the baby blue sandwich cart with the cult fried chicken, just became Jojo, the moody, midcentury-inspired restaurant. While all the favorites are still on the menu, the expanded brick-and-mortar space has allowed for a larger spread, including a fully vegan side with a new cast of future faves. Those familiar with owner Justin Hintze’s signature goofiness (which has only helped Jojo’s notoriety) will find it across the restaurant here, whether in drink (the “sloe death to the monarchy” states simply, “I said what I said”) or food form (a garlic confit-slathered chicken sandwich with cheddar and house barbecue sauce comes with a stick of spearmint gum and is called “vampires hate her”). New to the restaurant space, aside from cocktails, are exciting shakes, boozy or not (“the way a baby shouldn’t”), beeeeer (“served cold upon request”), wine and “bubs” (bubbly wine), and a hot list of desserts (“because you could die tomorrow”). The vanilla bean Pavlova with key lime curd and cola-macerated cherries and lavender chevre cheesecake with a salted walnut sable crust look particularly fantastic.

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The newest restaurant from the Republic and La Perlita family focuses on Pacific Northwest cuisine through the lens of Mexican American chef Juan Gomez, who recently graduated out of Republica. The restaurant is inspired by the small, casual neighborhood spots in Mexico that feature a special of the day. Here, based on the family’s other rock-star restaurants, we’re expecting that to mean beautiful seasonal veg from local producers paired with Latine-produced wine, beer, and spirits.

Kenyan native Yachibana Sheikh is bringing some of the only Kenyan food to Portland at a new cart in Sellwood’s Piknik Park. Maisha PDX, Sheikh’s cart, specializes in all-vegan versions of East African cuisine, including bariis, matoke, and ugali. Start off with the spiced beef, potato, and veggie (yes, that’s faux beef) sambusa wrapped in housemade pastry and served with a side of lemon ginger vinegar before diving into the hearty plantain curry paired with chapata. Elsewhere on the menu, find mandazi stuffed with the tomato-y matoke curry, collard greens, or beef and potatoes.

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This beloved brunch institution is celebrating its 22nd birthday this year. Known for its down-home comfort food plates, Mother’s has long been a stalwart on Portland’s brunch scene. The restaurant moved to sparkly new digs in 2019 on the ground floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel, and now has space for 200 guests, helping to alleviate the long weekend wait times. While the space has changed (though the decor remains similarly bright and sunny), the menu has not, and still includes longtime favorites like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, biscuits and gravy, and wild salmon hash. If you’re visiting on the weekend, make sure to still get there early!

This fluorescent teal food cart in Southwest Portland has been topping lists since opening last February. The menu, built by chef-owner Anthony La Pietra, is short but sweet, with most of the spotlight shining on the eponymous hand-rolled taquitos and tacos. Golden fried taquitos arrive stuffed with pillowy potatoes beneath a blizzard of toppings, including avocado salsa, cabbage, cilantro, crema, queso fresco, and pickled onions. If classic potatoes don’t sound filling enough, you can add additional proteins or veggies — like citrus pork, mushroom, or grilled shrimp — which can also be made into tacos, nestled high into thick, handmade corn tortillas. The tacos come filled with your choice of much of the same add-ons as the taquitos, like shredded cabbage and queso fresco, and your choice from a quartet of punchy salsas — avocado, chile de arbol, chile verde, and a quete habanero.

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Now that the rain is back, we’re trading sunny patios for moody cocktail bars. ChefStable’s design-heavy basement lounge Voysey is open three nights a week to help with the transition. Here, find classic cocktails shaken and stirred by an all-star, all-female bartending staff whose alma maters include Michelin-starred restaurants and famous bars across San Francisco, Las Vegas, and New York. While the cocktail list is brief — eight signature cocktails mix everything from Tequila, aquavit, and carrot to bourbon, Cognac, and persimmon, and two additional cocktails can be served as a single or large-format drink — the creativity and complexity of each is more than enough variety. If you’re traveling with a squad, look to the limited-availability Red Light Punch, a tea-spiked Tequila, blood orange, and beer concoction perfect for a group of four or more.

Few other cities are as familiar with artist Mike Bennett’s work as Portland. The local illustrator is best known locally for his early pandemic-era A to Zoo exhibit, which took over his front lawn, and the cartoon “slow down” snails that have popped up in neighborhoods across the city. Now, you’ll be able to fully immerse in a Mike Bennett exhibit at a new, medieval-themed cafe called Wonderwood Springs and the adjacent Wonderwood exhibit. The Cafe’s offerings won’t stray far from the fantasy vibe with spiced coffee drinks and lattes sweetened with housemade butter toffee (“Butter Brew Latte”), alongside non-caffeinated options. Head over to the adjacent immersive space before Dec. 1 to explore the first chapter of Bennett’s Wonderwood, called “Scourge of Castle Maplehold.”

Find more info here.