1. Canard
734 E Burnside St., 971-279-2356, canardpdx.com.
The third restaurant from superstar chef Gabe Rucker is now open, and it promises to be much more casual than either Le Pigeon or his downtown bistro, Little Bird. The "ducketta" is a birdy version of porchetta, rolling foie gras and duck into a whole deboned duck.
2. Palomar
959 SE Division St., 971-266-8276.
Along with an extensive daiquiri list, award-winning bartender Ricky Gomez's new Cuban joint also serves comfort-classic bar snacks like croquetas and empanadas, with larger dishes that include plates of Cuban pork and an oyster selection.
3. Biwa
215 SE 9th Ave., 503-239-8830, biwarestaurant.com.
The venerable izakaya now offers counter service, and while the new format isn't entirely successful, the tonkatsu bento box is excellent, and served with
a quickness. The moist pork comes wrapped in crispy golden panko crust, topped with tangy-sweet katsu sauce and sliced so you can eat it with chopsticks.
4. Scottie's Pizza
2128 SE Division St., 971-544-7878, scottiespizzaparlor.com.
Square DeFino slices are made of a specially fermented dough, which manages a caramelized crust on the edges while maintaining a floppy vessel for the generous islands surrounded by (not floating in) sauce. It's simple. Its revelatory. Get 'em while they last.
5. Poke Mon
1485 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-894-9743, pokemonpdx.com.
Poke Mon has shown itself to be one of the very finest casual restaurants in this city. The Pikachu of the menu is the garlic salmon poke bowl, which plays salty ponzu sauce off sweet bites of grapefruit for an especially enlivened combination.