Australian Gourmet Traveller - (11)November 2019 (1)

GOURMET TRAVELLER 157

Kachka

Goforthepelmeni– tenderlittle

treasuresstuffedwithmincedmeats,

farmer’scheeseorsourcherries– and

stayfortheparadeofSlavicflavours

thatcomestogetherwithdefttouch

andmodernsensibilityatthisconvivial

eatinghouse(above).Propaganda

postersandtablesdressedinoilcloth

upthekitschfactor,whileretroRussian

radiohitsprovidetheperfectsoundtrack

forsamplingtheextensiveselectionof

vodkas. 960 SE11thAve,kachkapdx.com

AfuriRamen+ Dumpling

OneslurpofthereveredTokyochain’s

signatureyuzu-infusedshiobrothmakes

it clearwhatallthefussis about.Pale

gold,complexandnuanced,it’snirvana

intheformofnoodlesoup.Don’tstop

there:almostimpossiblysucculent

kaaragechickenwithcitrus-brightegg

mayonnaise,anddelicatevegankimchi

gyozaarealsoworthstretchingthe

stomachfor. 50 SW 3rd Ave, afuriramen.com

OKOmens

There’snothingtiredabouttheall-too-

familiar“shareplatesandnaturalwine”

tropeatthisinventive,playfulEastside

newcomer.Airybeignetsrolledin

honeypowderarefilledwithTillamook

cheddar,beefcarpacciofindsfavour

alongsidescorchedbeetrootandaïoli,

andthewittilyannotatedwinelistis

seriouslyconsidered.Stickaround

forlate-nighthappyhour,whenlights

andpricesdropwaydown. 1758 SE

Hawthorne Blvd, okomens.com

Tapinto thecity’sdistinctfood-cartcultureandundyingloveforallmanner

ofartsand craftsat thePortlandSaturdayMarket, thelargestcontinuously

operated outdoor market in the United States. portlandsaturdaymarket.com

E AT

PortlandJapaneseGardenHiddeninthe

hillsofWashingtonParkbeneathtowering

Douglasfirtrees,thisgarden(above)showcases

eightdifferentdesignsandis consideredtobe

themostauthenticofitskindoutsidetheLand

oftheRisingSun.(Andbesuretostopandsmell

nearly 650 rosevarietiesattheInternational

RoseTestGarden,justa shortstrollaway.)

611 SW Kingston Ave, japanesegarden.org

Beam& Anchor(2710N InterstateAve,

beamandanchor.com;above)is the

standard-bearerforlocalhomewares,

accessoriesandapparel,allgracefully

displayedina convertedwarehouse.

Hometonearlyone-millionnew,usedand

out-of-printtitles,Powell’sCityofBooks

(1005WBurnsideSt,powells.com)is the

world’slargestindependentbookshop.

SHOP

City hitlist

TheBenson

Cofferedceilings,crystalchandeliers,

sweepingstaircases,statelywooden

panellingandlivejazzinthelobbybar

mightseemlikeancientrelicsina city

thatthrivesasa hipsterhotbed.But

it’sexactlythosedetails,alongwith

seasonedstaffanda primedowntown

location,thatmaketheBenson,the

grandedameofPortlandhotels,such a

standout. 309 SWBroadway,

bensonhotel.com

STAY

Don’t

miss