Portland Long Weekend Food Guide 🌍

🍜 Asian Eats: Street-Style Flavors, Highlights & Minor Flaws 1. 🍣 Akizawa Unagi Don Beats Seattle, Grilled Fish Chin Is a Shock This new Japanese spot is a “dark horse” in Portland! The Unagi Don (Eel Rice Bowl) is a must—eel is grilled to order, with a slightly crispy exterior and tender, juicy flesh inside. Thick eel sauce coats every grain of rice, perfectly balanced sweet and savory (nothing like those “overly salty, tough eel” spots). After one bite, I wanted to yell, “Way better than Seattle’s Japanese restaurants!” The Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Cutlet) is also great: coated in fine panko, golden and crispy (a satisfying “crunch” when you bite down), with juicy pork inside. Dip it in freshly grated daikon sauce to cut greasiness. The Grilled Cod is another surprise—flaky enough to break with chopsticks, topped with miso sauce that has a faint creamy aroma (even the skin is soft and tasty). My first try of Tai Kama (Snapper Chin) was amazing: crispy skin, sweet flesh, and so satisfying to gnaw on. The only letdown? Nigiri Sushi: The sashimi is “just okay” (otoro lacks richness), and they pile on way too much wasabi—I teared up after one bite. Ask for “less wasabi” when ordering! 2. 🍛 Somtum Thai｜Fresh Raw Shrimp, But Watch for Flies This Thai spot serves “authentic street flavor”—the Raw Shrimp Salad is a must: big, bouncy shrimp, coated in spicy-sour Thai sauce, with no fishiness (they even clean the veins!). But the downside is obvious: the space is simple, and we saw a few flies buzzing around during the meal. If you have a sensitive stomach, skip the raw dishes—it didn’t bother my friend, but it slightly ruined the mood. 3. 🥪 Tokyo Sando & Bing Mi｜Food Truck Vibe, But So-So Value Portland’s food truck scene is huge (Netflix’s Ugly Delicious even featured it!), and these two trucks are in the same plaza—great for a quick bite. Bing Mi’s Jianbing (Chinese Pancake) is “overseas (passable)”: crispy fried dough, tasty sweet bean sauce, wrapped with lettuce and pork. But at $12 each (3x more expensive than China), the value is low. Tokyo Sando’s Japanese Sandwich is okay—thick tonkatsu in soft bread, with cabbage and thousand-island sauce. But the line is crazy: we waited 40 minutes on a Saturday, and it was “just fine.” Skip the line and go to Tanaka instead—it’s hotter and faster. 4. 🍟 Tanaka｜Hot Japanese Sandwiches + Crispy Fries If you want Japanese sandwiches, Tanaka is better! The Tonkatsu Sandwich is made to order: bread is crispy outside, soft inside, filled with hot tonkatsu (juices seep into the bread)—way better than Tokyo Sando’s “cold texture.” Their fries are also perfect: crispy outside, fluffy inside, sprinkled with salt and pepper—no sauce needed. $8 for a huge portion, great for sharing. 5. 🍚 Nong’s Khao Man Gai｜Post-Workout Carb Fix! Hainanese Chicken Sauce Is Legendary This street-side spot is all about “carb happiness.” The Hainanese Chicken Rice’s soul is the sauce: lime juice + ginger + fish sauce, poured over tender chicken and fragrant rice—fresh and flavorful. The chicken is so tender it shreds easily. The Braised Pork Leg Rice is “sinfully satisfying”: soft pork leg soaked in thick sauce, every grain of rice absorbs the flavor. It’s a bit greasy, but perfect after hiking Multnomah Falls! 6. 🌯 Luc Lac｜Overhyped, 1-Hour Wait Isn’t Worth It This Vietnamese fusion spot is huge on Xiaohongshu, but the taste doesn’t match the hype. We waited an hour on a Friday night, and the Lemongrass Chicken was dry, the Spring Rolls had tough skins, and the only “okay” dish was Pho (broth was fresh, but not better than Vancouver’s pho spots). If the line is over 20 minutes, walk away—totally not worth it. #PortlandEats #PortlandTravel #LongWeekendIdeas #JapaneseFood #ThaiFood #BrunchInPortland #FoodTrucks