Samo's Bistro — Restaurant in Portland

This place is delicious! If you pass by on looks alone, you will be disappointed. Veggies are grilled on an open flame to perfection-still holding the crisp of a vegetable combined with the charbroil of a grilled meal. The onions are perfectly portioned and sweet. There is nothing worse than a kebab with oversized onions or wilted peppers and that ain't happening here. We opted for beef (wished we could have had lamb but you know, COVID) and it was seasoned well, still tender and proportionally balanced to the veggies. The kebabs are served with saffron basmati rice which still retained it's shape and did not come out sticky or wet. The tahini was some of the best I've tasted and to top it off, the baklava was flakey, sweet and savory as well as hard to share. If for some reason you are forced to chose only one thing to order-make it the baklava. And then get back in line and order the kebabs! The Bistro is also a corner store so you are able to chose from a wide variety for your beverage, chips, candy, etc. and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. Located near the Roseway Parkway you actually get to have some greenery to look while dining or walk around after you eat.

Highly...

I really liked this small Bistro in NE Portland.This place is a restaurant, store; coffee and ice-cream shop at the same time. They have beer on tap and wine; Middle Eastern foods at affordable prices and desserts; full coffee and espresso Bar. There's a nice common area with tables and TVs for lunch, dinner or just the occasional beer.

On the store side; they have ready-to-go entrées -so you have a freshly cooked meal-tonight they had Spaghetti with Carbonara sauce and Chicken and Rice entrés. For dessert: Baklava wedges, slices of German chocolate cake; Truffle, etc. A large selection of ice cream is available; but today is cold- so I went instead for a piece of Baklava; with an Americano. For dinner, I got a couple of Kebabs to go. They came with a plentiful order of white and saffron Basmati rice, a generous side of toasted pita bread and that delicious Lebanese garlic sauce. On the fridges you can find beer and wine: and their wine stock includes bottles from all around the wotld. It's my first time; but I am for sure...

I’ve been coming to this place once in a while (1-2 times a month) for many years. It used to be that every time I stopped in it was somehow a tiny bit better- Ira, the previous owner, was always fixing, cleaning, adding or simplifying something. The place felt vital and like someone really cared about making things excellent.

Since the place has changed hands, that is no longer the case. I find it is a tiny bit worse each time I visit. Slightly dirtier, slightly worse service, a favorite menu item changed or gone entirely, the good cook isn’t around any more... pretty clearly just a lottery bar now, and it won’t be long before I give up trying. 3 stars because I feel like they can still turn it around.

UPDATE: I’m back to add a star. Seems like the new owners are hitting their stride- food has been consistent, they’re adding to the menu, the place feels cleaner again. I hope...