Samantha Bakall

Samantha Bakall

Portland Contributor

Samantha is a queer, second-gen Chinese American journalist and strategic communications leader living in Portland, Oregon. From 2013 to 2018, she worked for The Oregonian and was the only staff food writer of color in the state, and has since worked as a freelance writer specializing in equity-based food issues, particularly about the AAPI diaspora in the Pacific Northwest, alongside nonprofit social justice work. When not sharing her opinions on food with all her friends, you can find her in the great outdoors where she’s still sharing her thoughts, just without cell service.

Fun Facts

  • Lives in
    Portland, OR
  • First Resy ever made
    The Gold Room in 2022.
  • Drink of choice
    Almost any old fashioned or Manhattan.
  • Favorite food city
    Chicago (my hometown, I’m biased).
  • Restaurant you’ve been to the most
    Cafe Olli.
  • Favorite food movie
    “Ratatouille.”
  • Last meal on earth
    A Frankensteinian menu of sashimi, salt-and-pepper head-on shrimp from Honeymoon Cafe in Chicago, butter chicken, a sausage and giardiniera tavern-style pizza from Vito & Nick’s, hot pot, and boxed yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

Recent Posts


The Hit ListPortland

The Resy Hit List: Where In Portland You’ll Want to Eat in May 2024

There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an…

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The Hit ListPortland

The Resy Hit List: Where In Portland You’ll Want to Eat in April 2024

There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an…

By Updated:

The Hit ListPortland

The Resy Hit List: Where In Portland You’ll Want to Eat in March 2024

There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an…

By Updated:

The Hit ListPortland

The Resy Hit List: Where In Portland You’ll Want to Eat in February 2024

There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an…

By Updated:

The Hit ListPortland

The January Hit List: Canard, Xiao Ye, Ox, and More

If you went all 2023 without being able to snag a seat at one of the city’s best new restaurants,…

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Best of The Hit ListPortland

The 10 Restaurants That Defined Portland Dining in 2023

We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — 10…

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The Hit ListPortland

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

Though this summer seemed to extend long into October  – hello 70 degree days and late season tomatoes! – we’re…

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The Hit ListPortland

The October Hit List: Les Caves, Lilia, Xiao Ye, and More

With fall awards season underway, and several Oregon restaurants earning national nods, there’s never been a better time to appreciate…

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The Hit ListPortland

The September Hit List: Quaintrelle, De Noche, Langbaan, and More

This time of year is always bittersweet, with school back in session, cooler nights hinting at the season to come,…

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The Hit ListPortland

The August Hit List: Alouette, Kann, Street Disco, and More

Those long, shiny days of summer are here, when it feels like every restaurant in town is busy because everybody’s…

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