1. Boxer Cedar Hills
3205 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Suite 24, Beaverton, 503-747-3507, boxerramen.com. 11 am-9 pm daily. Beaverton’s Cedar Hills Crossing (looking more and more like the “Peak Portland” you might remember from before the pandemic but tucked conveniently into a very walkable outdoor mall) added Boxer to its directory in early December. This is great news for ramen lovers in the suburbs, but Portlanders may want to check it out because it’s the chain’s only location serving bento. Four protein options (teriyaki chicken, ahi tuna poke, pork katsu and kalbi teriyaki) come with rice and a side of your choice. We’ll warn you now: It’ll be hard to choose between the macaroni salad and the togarashi tots.
2. Lawless Barbecue at My-O-My
8627 NE Sandy Blvd., lawlessq.com. 3 pm-late Tuesday-Sunday.
Lawless Barbecue, the former cloud kitchen turned Little Beast Brewing’s hit resident pitmaster, has launched a second location. Owner Kevin Koch decided he was ready to expand after developing a following and discovered that My-O-My was looking for a new food truck partner. So why make a special trip to that tavern for KC-style ‘cue? Because you’ll get to try something new. Koch is offering a different menu, which so far includes jumbo wings with your choice of sauce (Alabama white, Kansas City sweet, and lemon pepper wet), St. Louis ribs, loaded waffle fries, and a mac with pulled pork.
3. Fuller’s Burger Shack Pioneer Place
700 SW 5th Ave., Suite 1113, 971-415-6480, fullersburgershack.com. 11 am-7 pm Monday-Saturday, 11 am-6 pm Sunday.
Just a few weeks after the reopening of Fuller’s Coffee Shop following a fire that caused its temporary closure, the heart of downtown Portland welcomed the diner’s spinoff that pays tribute to its hamburger. Urban Restaurant Group (Bartini, Swine, Brix Tavern) launched Fuller’s Burger Shack in the former BurgerFi space at Pioneer Place in November. The star of the lineup is, of course, the titular burger, made the exact same way (21-day aged beef patty, secret sauce, fresh bun) as it has been since Fuller’s Coffee Shop began serving customers in 1947. The price is also welcomingly retro: The classic goes for $6.95.
4. Ferment Brewing
403 Portway Ave., Hood River, 541-436-3499, fermentbrewing.com. 11 am-9 pm Monday-Friday, 10 am-9 pm Saturday-Sunday.
The yurts are up at Ferment, which means we’re officially heading into winter. The heated huts that debuted on the brewery’s second-floor patio during the pandemic proved so popular, they’ve returned. That’s not the only seasonal change; there are a slew of new hearty menu items that should fortify you from the cold, like sweet-and-spicy popcorn chicken, miso-maple Brussels sprouts, artichoke dip, and stout brownies. On top of that, Ferment offers brunch from 10 am to noon Saturdays and Sundays. Starting your weekend with biscuits and bacon gravy alongside a barleywine? That’s a pro move.
5. An Xuyên Bakery
5345 SE Foster Road, 503-788-0866, mng890.wixsite.com/an-xuyen-bakery. 7 am-6 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 7 am-3 pm Sunday.
For nearly 25 years, An Xuyên Bakery has sat unassumingly on Foster Road. The self-proclaimed “Authentic Artisan Pan Asian Pacific Bakery and Deli” serves an array of sweet and savory goods for almost absurdly affordable prices. Upon walking in, you’d better make up your mind fast since a line will form behind you almost immediately. Start with a lunch item like a jalapeño-filled bánh mi prepared on the same crusty yet fluffy baguettes the bakery supplies to numerous restaurants around town. Once your main course is checked off, end with dessert; we recommend a meticulously decorated red velvet cupcake.