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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2007)
' « ■ eatingout eatingout Epiqueerean ’ve started this Japanese garden project for nr home and realized I’ve been craving anc eating more and more Japanese food. Perhaps subconsciously I believe that through ingestion 1 can capture the tranquillity and beauty that defines the traditional garden. Even if that weren’t true at all, both my mind and body have been more at peace anyhow. Here are three gardens of eatin’ that will surely enliven the Zen you crave. I Ukiyoe • 6516 N. Denver Ave. Tired of all the hubbub and fanfare surrounding all the “good” sushi places about town? Relax and actually enjoy yourself at Ukiyoe, a nondescript restaurant at the comer of Rosa Parks and Denver. Looks can be deceiving, as 1 was expecting a much smaller, shadier shop upon entering. Two dining rooms filled with the aroma of sweet rice and sake instantly made me feel at home. The service is friendly, and the menu is grand; I’ve never seen a more prolific assortment of makistishi (sushi rolls). The udon, katsu and huge entrees of teriyaki are all worth trying, as are the scrumptious and light tempura-battered sweet potatoes. Go to enjoy great, reasonable Japanese food, without the flashy lights and tall tabs. Biwa «215 S.E. Ninth Ave. Named after the largest lake in Japan, Biwa is located in the same building as Simpática, the famously popular brunch/catering spot. From the succinct menu to the concrete floors, traditional meets atypical. Noodle bowls headline here, as they are everyday foods in Japan. Ramen, an egg noodle borrowed from China, is served in an immensely flavorful broth with meat. Udon, a thick rice noodle, is served in a broth made from dried fish flake and seaweed. Yakitori, or grilled food on a stick, is enlightening with beer or sake. Kimchi, an assortment of pickled vegetables, is one of many Korean-influenced foods that has landed on rhe Japanese table. Biwa is perfect for dispelling the notion that Japanese food and sushi are inter changeable. Like any ethnic cuisine, it is regional, traditional and multifaceted, and this restaurant has successfully represented itself as so. eatingout eatingout FREE WI-FI BIPARTISAN Gffll BY JENNY NGUYEN A Japanese Garden eatingout Amazingly Great Breakfast And Lunch NEW HOURS! WE RE OPEN TIL 9 pm eatingout eatingout Quality Food > Af Your Service ‘P* Com feria Lie Atmosphere I : very I li i n¿'s inaile írntn strati li including tlie litiliup! * 7901 SC STARK STREET • 5032531051 —---------- -...... . ...................... ............. ................................................ S T U > 4 P TO UN COFFEE • SANDWICHES • HOM F MADE PIE • FREE U’t-FI SOUP >»<-3. Sunday 84.n1 7pp. Saturday 7am 9pm Monday Friday 6 30am 9pm 1 ! 2338 NE Allerta 503-288-8299 www.fpancisrestaurant.com 1801 NE Broadway Mon-Fri 6 am to 2:30 pm Sat-Sun 7 am to 3 pm (503) 287-4750 o ueer One ITALIAN RESTAURANT & BAR You’ll Love It! O ne taste of our lip - smacking , MADE-FROM-SCRATCH QUEER QUE AND SOUTHERN-STYLE FOODS AND YOU’LL BECOME A RSQ CONVERT. Yakuza • 5411 N.E. 30th Ave. Hungry hipsters rejoice! Named after the Japanese mafia, this restaurant is the antithesis of traditional Japanese. Garage doors open up to reveal a top-shelf full bar and long, thick wcxxlen tables and booths. Huge, colorful murals line the rear of the cavernous restaurant, and just beyond that is anoth er sushi bar/garage door combo that opens to a large outdoor garden eating area. Not a single Asian in sight, but the staff here are eye candy nonetheless. The drink menu begins with a Ginger Fizz and the dinner menu with pickles and aioli. Sound Japanese ? Not really. But, for what it’s worth, the sushi, drinks, service and atmosphere are outstanding. Besides, you’re in Portland—Northeast for that matter—not Osaka. So “traditional” has gone out the window and expensive, delightful renditions of the real deal have found a home here, and I’m thankful. © will be admiring her handiwork in her garden. To contact her, write to epiqueerean@comcast. net. JENNY N guyen WITH A 1961 GAJA, BAROLO. R0MB, CASTELLI ROMANI, CIRCA 1966 Passionate by nurture, Naturally Italian. 410 NW 21st Ave 503.274.1572 Open Nightly For Dinner FREE PARKING www.bastastrattoria.com Russell Street Bar* B* Que K eeping P ortland Q ueerer since 2004. Southern Soul, Northwest Heart 325 NE R ussell S treet , P ortland OR 97212 503.528.8224 ~ www . russellstreetbbq . com S un —T) iurs 11 am to 9 pm ~ F ri & S at i i am to io pm
