1. Nibble griddled banana walnut bread with cajeta at Tasty n Alder

Bread? Pfft—this is straight up cake. Tasty’s loaf is criminally moist, studded with nuts and just a whisper of banana sweetness, drizzled with goat milk caramel, and topped with bruleed bits of sugar like a hybrid of French and cinnamon toast. —Kelly Clarke

2. Drizzle syrup over corncakes at Sweedeedee

A bourgeoning brunch classic at this twee Albina bakery, the corncake plate is a symphony of sweet and savory. Thick, cornmeal-studded cakes soak up gushing egg yolks and a thimble of maple syrup, while a side of crisp bacon and sweet, melted collard greens round out this all-American breakfast. —Benjamin Tepler

3. Crunch on a grilled scallop tostada at Imperial

Texas-born chef Doug Adam puts a Tex-Mex-meets-Asian stamp on a crispy tostada, complete with grilled scallops, tomatillo salsa, and guacamole made the old-school way, with char-grilled avocado. Capping it all: radishes, cilantro, and spicy, chile-fried peanuts. Nice. —Karen Brooks

4. Bite into Steak Italian at Monk’s Deli

Two months ago, beer café Belmont Station swapped out its formerly lackluster back patio food cart for roving Southeast sandwich shack Monk’s Deli. A recent favorite: leafy sautéed kale and thin slices of steak stuffed into a springy hoagie roll and smothered in sharp provolone. You don’t need fancy cheesesteak to soak up your saison, just like a girl doesn’t need you to ask how her day was when she gets home at night. It’s just smart—mighty smart. —Ramona DeNies