Samantha Bakall

It was only a day before Oregon’s statewide ban on on-site dining was announced that Portland’s newest Filipino restaurant, Magna, ended its brand new brunch service. That same day, March 16, the restaurant pivoted to a takeout-only model, offering a short menu of fridge-stocking meals like pancit bihon, chicken adobo, and vegetable sides, alongside a trio of daily specials to help families and students meal plan. But less than a week later, chef and owner Carlo Lamagna decided to stop takeout […]

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With an all-out ban on on-site dining across the state, social service agencies, food pantries, and nonprofits are scrambling to rework their policies in order to continue feeding some of the city’s most vulnerable populations. On Monday, Northwest Portland nonprofit Blanchet House attempted to limit guests in their eatery to only 30 at a time before the restaurant ban forced the nonprofit to shutter its dining room and pivot to to-go meals. Meals on Wheels has drastically altered their services, which relied […]

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A typical Saturday or Sunday morning in Southeast Portland’s Jade District would normally bring crowds of hungry diners and community members to gather and eat at some of the city’s best Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. But since the outbreak of COVID-19 was first announced at the beginning of the year, many diners and people within the community itself have stayed away from the area whether out of internal fears gleaned from news back home, xenophobic associations with the virus, and now, as the […]

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As the snowy summit of Mt. Hood rises in the distance, director of ground maintenance Hugo Torii roughly points out a new gingko tree he recently planted near the tea house at the Portland Japanese Garden. “I’m not going to tell you [where it is] until it gets bigger,” Torii laughs, “because what if it dies in two years?” Though the sapling is a new addition to the garden, it’s part of a bigger vision for both Torii and the garden […]

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One of Portland’s older, wealthier neighborhoods, the mostly residential Beaumont offers views of downtown, the Willamette River and the Cascades. In Beaumont Village, a shopping district along Northeast Fremont Street, you can indulge in mini doughnuts, stroopwafels, yoga and more. Taste One of Portland’s most beloved doughnut shops is tucked into Beaumont’s chic retail strip. Yes, you’ll likely have to wait in line at Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai, but it’s worth it. Here, the world’s cutest (and most Instagram-worthy) two-bite doughnuts […]

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In a city as food-obsessed as Portland, it should come as no surprise that pickles are a culture unto their own. From jars of locally made pickles to our renowned beer and wine scene, Portlanders loves fermented foods so much we even named one of our baseball teams (the Portland Pickles) after them. Between the city’s many pickle-heavy restaurant menus and its annual Fermentation Festival, there’s certainly no shortage of places to try these top-notch fermented treats across town. Portland-Made Pickles Upgrade your […]

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Click through the 2020 Travel Portland Visitor’s Guide to read stories by me about finding nature in the city, essential Portland dishes, a look at the city’s up-and-coming Filipino restaurant Magna, essential food cart pods, a North Williams Avenue dining guide and the best food souvenirs to take home with you from the airport.

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Less than an hour outside Portland, vineyard-covered hilltops begin to rise in the distance, as tree-lined neighborhoods make way for expansive farm vistas. Here in the Willamette Valley, the prize is world-class wine — paired, of course, with outstanding food — and it’s all made with local ingredients just a hilltop away. If you want to get a full sense of the valley in all of its bounty, a day trip just won’t do. Here’s how to experience the best […]

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A new world opened up above the snow-laden evergreens the first time I crunched toward the summit of Bennett Pass, with Mt. Hood standing sentinel over the sparkling valley. It looked like I was trapped in a snowglobe. As a frequent hiker and paddler, I’m most familiar with the state’s lush forests and cool blue waterways. But in winter, snowshoeing Oregon’s expansive trails and undulating alpine passes has become my next favorite adventure. It makes me eager for each snowfall, […]

Categories: Writing