 |
 |
| The
100 Best Restaurants in Portland |
Late-Night
Grazing BY LIZ BROWN After a late movie, a sweaty rock show or a night of working, the search for late-night vittles begins. Finding good eats after 11 pm can seem as daunting as searching for the holy grail, especially if you're looking for something lighter than a cheese-laden omelette at Denny's. Dots Cafe (2521 SE Clinton St., 235-0203), Montage (301 SE Morrison St., 234-1324), La Cruda (2500 SE Clinton St., 233-0745) and Fellini (125 NW 6th Ave., 243-2120) are old standbys, and the Harborside Pilsner Room (309 SW Montgomery St., 220-1865) has a great $1.95 late-night happy hour. But some discriminating (and hungry) cohorts and I decided to seek out a few new spots, focusing on food that wouldn't cause a heart attack 10 minutes after taking the first bite. We found that, indeed, there is hope for hungry, healthy night owls in Portland. Trying to eat healthfully late at night may seem pointless, especially if the evening has included stiff drinks and smoky clubs. But it's the last chance to do something good for your body before heading to bed after a night of self-neglect. Greasy pizza will leave you feeling more sluggish the next day than an easily digested rice-based veggie dish. All of the places listed here also offer plenty of less healthy choices (like fries and quesadillas), so even the less health-conscious members of your party should go home sated. The term "healthy" is used pretty loosely here; you won't find rice cakes or carrot sticks on these menus. The idea was to find fresh, nutritious food that's vegetarian-friendly, moderately priced and, above all, delicious. The list is by no means comprehensive, but it's a sampling of what Puddletown has to offer hours after the sun goes down. Muu-Muu's (612 NW 21st Ave., 223-8169) dishes up some of the freshest, most flavorful food you're likely to find after midnight (weekdays until 12:30 am, Fridays and Saturdays until 1 am). The pan-cultural menu features hearty, healthy rice and noodle dishes, including a spicy green coconut curry with roasted root vegetables, peanuts and rice. The ultra-fresh basil pesto polenta on salad is savory, but the best deal here may be a bowl of rice loaded with abundant steamed broccoli and topped with a tasty peanut sauce for $4.50. Cassidy's (1331 SW Washington St., 223-0054) is a bit closer to downtown and a block from the Crystal Ballroom, making it a perfect post-show spot. The gracious souls here serve food until 2 am daily, and the laid-back atmosphere is a nice escape from the sometimes hectic scene downtown. The mesclun salad with marionberry vinaigrette, dried cranberries, spicy roasted walnuts and gorgonzola croutons is a great choice. The Como bread topped with sun-dried tomato pesto is also delicious, but it's soon to be spread with hummus and baba ganoush instead. The perfect comfort food here comes in the form of garlicky mashed potatoes, though the heavy cream lends some saturated fat. Swanky Tiger Bar (317 NW Broadway, 222-7297), serving until 2 am all week, is another great find, with a Pacific-fusion menu based on tangy vegan-friendly sauces and abundant fresh fish and vegetables. The grilled Ahi steak on mixed greens with a lemongrass vinaigrette and the tomato-based kali curry with eggplant, okra and leeks (with a choice of tofu, chicken or prawns) are great choices for around $8 each. Add an order of crystal rice-paper salad rolls, packed with crisp spinach, toasted coconut ginger and crushed peanuts with sweet and sour sauce, and you've got a healthy meal for two for $13. Pad Thai has too much oil to be a low-fat option, but the number of fresh veggies and carbo-packed noodles in this satisfying version make it a nutrient-dense dish. For a quieter spot on the east side, consider the stately and subdued Rose & Raindrop (532 SE Grand Ave., 238-6996), with a late-night happy hour from 10 pm to midnight Monday through Friday. Two and a quarter (and one drink) will get you a tossed salad with a generous heap of beta-carotene-packed greens and a pleasant honey mustard or malt vinaigrette dressing; a Caesar salad with smoked chicken (request dressing on the side for a low-fat version); or a bowl of soup and a chewy French roll. Across the street, you can find simple, Italian-inspired salads, pastas and pizza in the airy Caswell (533 SE Grand Ave., 689-6831) until midnight. If you're in the heart of Southeast, the Pied Cow (3244 SE Belmont St., 230-4866) is great for late-night grazing. The eclectic coffeehouse just got better, adding beer and wine to the prolific beverage menu (including the best soy hot chocolate around) and serving until 1 am on Friday and Saturday and midnight on weekdays. Besides homemade soups, the menu includes several bread, cheese and veggie plates, as well as a nice Mediterranean platter with distinctive hummus and tzatziki and a satisfying smoked salmon platter. All the options here give you a chance to assemble your own little meal, healthy or not. After 2 am, things get pretty bleak. You can get bean burritos at Taco Bell or sushi and deli items at Zupan's, or you can save your time and money by heading home and whipping up a bowl of pasta with marinara or olive oil, garlic and spices. There's always peanut butter and jelly or a bowl of cereal. All can be pretty healthy, giving you vitamins, protein and complex carbos with minimal fat. Better yet, why not suggest heading to the house of a friend who's along and happens to be a great cook? Cooking with friends is always more rewarding than waiting in line like a herd of cattle at the only place in town that's still open.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |