Fearless Critic



I lived in Portland in the late 1960s and some of my haunts still stand, like “The Original Pancake House” at the end of the Ross Island Bridge. It seems like my group were pretty much unemployed and we’d hang there eating pancakes, drinking endless cups coffee (free refills) and smoking cigarette after cigarette. Ah, fond memories hack, hack.

Restaurant venues in those days were blue collar American: Burger joints; pizzerias; breakfast chains; steak houses; bar food at taverns; one Greek cantina; fish houses; and “Chinese” – mainstream version of Mandarin. Taco Bells were just opening up and Mexican food was new to me and probably most of Portland, it seemed exotic, and I’m talking Taco Bell here. Go ahead and laugh.

In the ensuing 40 years good food has made it to Portland and I make it a point to try new places when I visit my daughter. We had some very good Turkish food for cheap, cheap, cheap on my last visit. She taught a course in Thailand a few years back so we’ve been frequenting Thai restaurants looking for the perfect green mango sticky rice dessert.

I’ve ordered this first edition restaurant guide for her birthday next week which “features brutally honest full-page reviews of 300 restaurants, coffee shops, food carts, and food stores”. I so love it when I buy someone a gift and it benefits me too! Is that selfish? Or just fortuitous?

Comments

injaynesworld said…
I so recall those types of restaurants of my youth, too... The restaurant guide looks awesome. I'm sure she'll love it.

Happy New Year...
Wed Dec 30, 06:33:00 PM
Ronda Laveen said…
No, not selfish at all! Very practical. I, too, remember when we got our first, exotic Taco Bell. Mmmmm..
Wed Dec 30, 10:39:00 PM
Skip Simpson said…
Happy New Year to you Stephanie! Let's toast with this fine champagne I bought from Wal-Mart for $7.99 (on sale)!
Thu Dec 31, 12:50:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I think the restaurant guide is a great idea. I always like to know what to expect when I go someplace new to eat. I usually try to find reviews online. But it would be nice to have the local restaurants all in one book.
Happy New year!
Fri Jan 01, 02:54:00 PM
lettuce said…
you know they were pretty similar in England in my youth.... and TAco Bell! i'd forgotten all about Taco bell.
ha!

have fun putting those reviews to the test
Sat Jan 02, 03:27:00 AM
Susan Blake said…
What a great idea! There are so many wonderful restaurants you'd probably miss altogether w/o a guide - I may go out and buy one too! Thanks!
Sun Jan 03, 07:36:00 PM
Jill from Killeny Glen said…
I think this is a PERFECT gift...it will benefit ALL and with such PLEASURE!
Mon Jan 04, 05:37:00 AM
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