The November Hit List: Scotch Lodge, St. Jack, Yaowarat, and More

Scotch Lodge, the warm, subterranean cocktail bar whose menu was built for “whisky lovers,” is a great place to avoid the rain this fall. Cocktails remain some of the best in town, highlighting Japanese whiskies, island Scotches, and ingenious infused and fat-washed spirits in creative drinks. Take, for instance, the the Painkiller Cobbler, layered with dry sherry, yuzu and ube cream of coconut; or the After Hours, stirred with cacao nib-infused ruby port, nocino and topped with amaro whip. The food menu takes a spin through modern PNW cuisine, with smaller bites like pickle-spiced fries and arancini avocado crema and more substantial plates, including scallop tartare dotted with Calabrian chili and sea beans and a very good soft shell crab sandwich to share, stacked with white kimchi and crispy shallot on milk bread.

For a terrible few months, Portland had to go without this kawaii, straight-to-the-fish sushi and poke restaurant. But thankfully, after a few months of rumored transition to a new space, Fish & Rice is back in their old digs. The refreshed space, decked out with more seating and evermore plants, is still the best spot in town for over-the-top (in the best way) chirashi bowls, like the spicy bowl, decked out with Dungeness crab, spicy tuna, spicy salmon, cucumber, spicy yellowtail, avocado, tempura crunchies, radish, jalapeno, green onion, tobiko and togarashi spicy mayo, and the ultra luxurious dragon bowl, which starts with Hokkaido uni and goes from there. For purists, find a short menu of “simple” rolls as well as those same luxurious fish prepared as nigiri. Don’t forget a bottle of sake to pair.

No reservations.

This casual sister to husband-wife duo Peter Cho and Sun Young Park’s beloved Han Oak, is one of our favorite downtown spots. Find an assortment of Han Oak greatest hits, like the fried chicken with “ramen essence”; and the pudgy pork mandu; alongside fun and light-hearted takes on Korean classics like cheesy corn with charred pepper mayo, and Sichuan chili-spiked biang biang noodles. During the day, the menu takes an even more eclectic Korean-inspired slant, with a dangerously good steamed bao burger; a “brunchwrap supreme,” layered with crispy hashbrowns, japchae, pork belly, egg and American cheese; and a Japanese-inspired omurice, here served with a tornado egg atop kimchi fried rice with bulldog ketchup and a rich egg sauce.

A cocktail bar from the folks behind the Sesame Collective (Shalom Y’All, Dolly Olive) in the former Kask space, Icarus is the playful companion to the truer-to-form siblings in the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant group. The drink menu is broken into two halves: “rise,” with a trio of clean and minimal drinks, like the quince charming, shaken with Japanese whiskey, quince and salted brown sugar; and “fall,” where the “reckless”-ness and playful spirit comes out in drinks like super smash bros., a coffee liqueur dessert cocktail that arrives with a little wooden hammer to crack its creme brulee top. The food menu also simplifies the Collective’s multifaceted menus with easy snacks, a quartet of pizza and a baked risotto. The name of the game here is making sure you just don’t fly too close to the sun.

Earlier this summer, this Northeast Portland fast-casual red sauce concept Montelupo expanded down to Sellwood with a menu of focaccia sheets and pizze al taglio, available by the slice or slab. Focaccia and pizze start simple, with the basics like olive & herb to the more elaborate, like the potato and guanciale and the sweet pepper and goat cheese – all of which can earn an additional burrata or ricotta sopraffina dollop on top. That same focaccia will also serve as the foundation for a duo of sandwiches, one vegetarian, the other stacked with cured meats. Both locations also sell the pantry items that make cooking at home after a long day easy, from take-and-bake pastas to fresh and dried versions, alongside sauces, wines, salads and dessert.

More info here.

Now in its 23rd year, this beloved brunch institution is still an oasis downtown for those looking for down-home, comfort food plates. The restaurant moved to sparkly new digs in 2019 on the ground floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel, more than doubling their seating to 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 & cheese, biscuits and gravy and wild salmon hash. If you’re visiting on the weekend, make sure to still get here early!

Nigiri-focused sushi spot Nimblefish recently traded its simple, fish-focused menu (think: seaweed salads, nigiri and sashimi, maki, and a stunning chirashi bowl) for a more intimate edomai-influenced omakase experience. These days, the space has transformed into a tiny, 12-seat experience focusing on that same high-quality fish now with more intentional flow. And while the previous menu is no longer available, guests can still order some extra nigiri or sashimi to fill out the night. It’s one of only a handful of omakase menus in town, and at $85/person, one of the most affordable to boot.

In many ways, this simple chicken and rice shop née yellow food cart was what first put Portland’s food scene on the map. The brainchild of Nong Pooksukwattana way back in 2008, Nong’s is little more than what’s in the name – chicken and rice, alongside a handful of other X-and-rice dishes – but the sum of its parts far exceeds its humble ingredients.

On rainy days, chilly days, sick days, and hell, even hot, sunny days, there’s few times of the year when this meal doesn’t heal your soul. The must-order is the chicken and rice – which can be customized to your meat preferences (we suggest dark meat, skin on) – paired with the cozy winter melon broth and spicy, gingery and garlicky soy-based sauce. Pour the sauce over, and the chilies if you’re brave, and heal from the inside out. And if they’re still available, don’t forget to order the fried chicken skins either.

No reservations.

This longtime Portland French bistro remains a city wide favorite, thanks to its straightforward menu, excellent attention to culinary detail and fantastic cocktail and wine list. Start with the butter lettuce salad, one of the city’s most recognizable salads (it’s Portland, there are a few), layered with bites of avocado, sliced radish and croutons, tossed in a dijon vinaigrette and a dusting of fine herbs, before diving into chicken liver mousse, beef tartare, and maybe a foie gras terrine. From there, the menu stays on the bistro track, with a classic and wonderful steak frites – one of the few in town – moules marinère and mushroom vol-au-vent. We love grabbing a seat along the bar near the iconic melted wax candles that have been a constant since the restaurant’s early days in Southeast more than a decade ago.

The newest restaurant from the ever-popular Langbaan and Eem family, Yaowarat opened to fanfare and lines out the door of the former Lazy Susan space last month. A meditation on Thailand’s Chinatown, Yaowarat combines the cocktail prowess of Eric Nelson and Kyle Linden Webster (Expatriate) with the culinary prowess of two Thai chefs: Kanokwan “Nok” Jinuntuya and Hat Yai alum Taweesak “Tee” Teesompong.

While the menu won’t be exactly what visitors might find in the bustling Thai neighborhood, it will encapsulate the group’s feeling and sights, all while honoring all the vendors and merchants who bring Chinatown to life. Early menus include Yaowarat road squid, spiked with garlic and Thai chilies; salted fish fried rice paired with prik nam pla; and mapo tofu. Behind the bar, Nelson has created another phenomenal list, infused with Thai ingredients and flavors, plus a $45 Singha tower for the especially thirsty.