Word of Mouth

Burnt Basque Cheesecake Is Coming for Portland

Welcome to the cult.

04/03/2020 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

One of the Country’s Few Wagashi Experts Lives in Portland

Gena Renaud crafts intricate, time-consuming Japanese confections.

01/21/2020 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Portland Chefs Reveal their Secret Projects and Predictions for 2020

Salt and pepper on your table: in. Shitty bar food: out.

01/02/2020 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Food Critic Karen Brooks on 2019's Best Dishes You Never Heard Of

Why you need to know about babka waffles and roti with creamed corn curry...

11/26/2019 Photography by Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

K-Pop, Cat Cakes, and Cotton Candy Coffee at Soro Soro

This new Korean coffee and dessert shop on E Burnside is as cute as it gets.

09/23/2019 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Chef José Chesa’s Ataula Is Making a Quiet Comeback

With special paellas and modernist bread and chocolate, the Spanish spot is firing on all cylinders.

05/28/2019 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Wild Salads to Elaborate Cocktails, Quaintrelle Is Ready for Its Close-Up

Come for the drinks. Stay for the... brussels sprouts?

04/23/2019 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Food Cart Matta Is Vietnamese Soul Food, Lost and Found

The NE Alberta cart serves up super-homey dishes, braised catfish to pandan doughnuts.

02/26/2019 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Gado Gado’s Noodle-Centric Pop-Up Is Going Places

Southeast Asian influences and a healthy dose of “what the hell, we’re having fun” make it one to watch.

01/29/2019 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Portland's High Priest of the Cheese Counter Offers Her Top Fromage Tips

Meet Katie Eshleman, your cheese consigliere.

12/21/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

These Portland Chefs Are Trail Blazer Superfans

Leather Storrs and Alec Morrison are nuts for Rip City.

11/20/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Portland's Woodblock Is Charley's Real-Life Chocolate Factory (and Café)

No one is more excited about chocolate than Charley and Jessica Wheelock.

09/11/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

'Wine Dive Bar' Sardine Head Is Changing the Way Portland Drinks

With natural wine, tinned fish, and zero pretension, there's no place quite like this.

08/14/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Portland's Real-Deal Farm-to-Table Cooking Isn't Where You'd Expect

Namely in a downtown wine shop.

06/19/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Notes from a 24-Hour Seattle Food Bender

Rollicking Southern food to $225 negronis, here's what to devour on a trip up north. Plus: tips from an Emerald City culinary insider.

05/22/2018 By Karen Brooks and Allecia Vermillion

Word of Mouth

Meet Portland Chocolate Phenom Sebastian Cisneros

The Ecuador-born chocolatier opens Cloudforest, a shrine to chocolate making and chocolate drinking on SE Stark.

04/24/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Caffe Mingo Is a Portland Restaurant Success Story 25 Years in the Making

The city’s food scene ought to take notes from a pair of cool old pasta dudes on NW 21st Avenue.

03/27/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Get Schooled at This Family-Run Vancouver Pho Spot

Pho Le serves up a serious bowl of beef noodle soup—and a how-to lesson.

02/27/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Prediction: Sammich Will Win This Year's World Series of Pastrami

The Portland sandwich shop serves smoked meats, loaded fries, and plenty of profanity.

01/30/2018 By Karen Brooks

Word of Mouth

Forget Wine. Here's What Food Critic Karen Brooks Brings to a Party.

From geeky nut butters to cool chocolate bars, you're guaranteed another invite.

11/20/2017 By Karen Brooks