North

←The second annual Aquavit Week began yesterday at The Hop & Vine in North Portland. Revel in the Scandinavian spirit(s) all week long with pours from every aquavit distillery in the United States, as well as food pairings and an aquavit barrel-aged beer from Breakside Brewing. 1914 N Killingsworth St.

• Oregon brewing pioneer John Harris’ Ecliptic Brewing, which opened doors at its North Portland taproom and restaurant back in October, releases its first bottled beers this month. The first, released this week, is called Filament Winter IPA, is a spicy, citrusy American IPA named after the giant arcs of cool plasma that explode from the sun’s surface during winter. The second, called Illuminating the Path, is a collaboration with Wayne Wambles of Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing. It’s a pinot noir barrel-aged strong ale that celebrates both brewers home states with hibiscus and acai berries from Florida in addition to marionberries and rose hips from Oregon. Ecliptic only has 15 cases of this beer, which will surely sell out quickly upon its release on December 16 at 5 PM. 825 N Cook St

Southeast

• It’s a sad morning in the Southeast; Baker Ken Forkish is temporarily closing Trifecta Tavern’s bakery counter, claiming the construction on Alder St has made it too difficult for patrons to reach their precious breakfast pastries. The daytime counter may reopen once the dust has settled in 2014. In the meantime, Forkish and pastry chef Eve Kuttemann will focus on developing new pastry products, bread innovations, and the nightly dessert menu. 726 SE 6th Ave.

• Township & Range has ended its nightly dinner service less than a year after opening on SE Hawthorne. “In the coming month you may see us having special events as we finish out the year,” reads the restaurant’s website. “Please look for something new in this space in the New Year.” Where are we going to get our brookies now?

Northeast

• NE Glisan breakfast spot Bakery Bar, which changed ownership this summer, has been rebranded as Kern’s Kitchen. The new name comes with a new dinner service and an expanded breakfast menu. The eclectic dinner menu features mac and cheese, ribs, and burgers alongside brick oven pizzas with toppings like bacon, bleu cheese, caramelized onion and honey or eggplant, feta, olives, and garlic. Breakfast still keeps the emphasis on scrambles and house made pastries, but with the addition of a range of items from a smoked salmon hash to breakfast fried rice with bacon, veggies, and fried eggs. Kerns Kitchen will celebrate their opening with a pizza party on December 18 from 5-7 pm. Pizza will be available on the house, with guests welcome to purchase other food and drink from the restaurant's menu. 2935 NE Glisan St

Northwest

• In Carrots We Trust: Christopher Handford, the man behind Jamison and Davis Street Tavern, plans to open a salad-centric fast casual restaurant in the Pearl District next month. Garden Bar will debut in early January in the former Morso/MioGelato space, offering custom made-to-order salads loaded with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. 25 NW 11th Ave.

• Tilt, the NoPo burger joint “built for the American workforce,” will soon open a second set of doors and beckon hungry Pearl District residents inside. The blue-collar burger haven’s new store on 13th & Everett opens this Wednesday, December 11. Check back later this week for our drool-worthy photos! 1355 NW Everett St Suite 120.

Southwest

• Jimmy Albee, the former ice cream mastermind behind at Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty (and briefly, Trigger), will be joining Kristen Murray at her soon-to-be-opened "Pastry Luncheonette" Maurice, in addition to creating scoops part time at the newly opened Davenport. 921 SW Oak Street

• Downtown tavern Clyde Common has named a successor for its soon-to-depart head chef. Johnny Leach, a native Oregonian and Momofuku alum, will head west from NYC to take the reigns from longtime chef Chris DeMinno. Leach will serve as DiMinno’s sous chef until the latter’s departure in late January. 1014 SW Stark St.

• Better get your downtown pho fix before December 15. That’s when Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen will close for construction and a family trip to Vietnam. But don’t panic! The kitchen plans to open around January 20. 835 SW 2nd Ave.

• Southpark Seafood has become a partner of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, and will celebrate with a new, “even-more-seafood” menu. The seafood grill joins Portland’s Bamboo Sushi, Higgins Restaurant, and Urban Farmer on the list of Seafood Watch partners.  901 SW Salmon St.

Citywide

• Attention, podcast listeners: Edible Portland has launched a new podcast of local food stories. “Underground Airwaves” features tales of love, loss, adventure and local agriculture, shared by chefs, authors, critics, artists, and other members of the food community. Expect flavorful new episodes on the first and third Monday of each month.

• Looking for a solid beer-cocktail recipe? You’re in luck. Jacob Grier—formerly of Metrovino, currently of the Hop & Vine— has found a publisher for his upcoming book. Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer will be published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang and photographed by David L. Reamer, who recently lent his lens to the “Toro Bravo” & “Le Pigeon” cookbooks.