Southeast

By

The Portland Tribune, Jun 24, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

From Sellwood to Belmont, Mount Tabor to Buckman, Southeast exudes a relaxed, casual charm that’s made it one of the most popular areas to live for college students and young families alike. Even if you think you know Southeast like the way to the river, there’s always more to discover.

Mondays made easy

Portlanders, cheap as we can be, have no choice but to take notice of a local pub with local beer that promotes its “miser Mondays” during which pints go for $2.50.

But the Lucky Labrador Brew Pub (915 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., 503-236-3555) is a fine hangout the six other days of the week, too, with three to five of its own beers on tap, another cask-conditioned, others on a nitrogen tap and a guest tap showing off beer from another regional brewery. The food menu offers huge sandwiches and addictive chicken bento bowls with three choices of sauce Ñ try the spicy curry.

Founded in 1994 and set in what used to be a warehouse for roofing and sheet metal, the Lucky Lab feels like the Hawthorne scene before all the yuppies moved in. The covered outdoor seating area generally is teeming with dogs of all breeds, and children are legal until 9 p.m.

Ñ JS

Take back the street (corner)

The intersection of Southeast 33rd Avenue and Yamhill Street isn’t just a place where one street crosses another. It’s a piazza.

The centerpiece of the Sunnyside Piazza is a yellow, green and red-orange sunflower painted smack in the middle of the intersection, its unrestrained yet perfectly proportioned outer petals overlapping the sidewalk corners.

Neighbor and community advocate Jan Semenza says it’s based on the number patterns articulated by medieval Italian mathematician Leonard Pisano, known as Fibonacci.

Look up and you’ll see each corner has a tall trellis Ñ three are wood and one is metal. Eventually they may have hanging flowerpots.

The piazza’s kiosk provides a low-tech way to get neighborhood news.

“It gives a feeling of a place,” Semenza says, adding that one of the whole project’s many purposes is to get people outside, walking.

Two large planters, painted in bold primary colors, sit at each corner. Semenza says they’re a traffic control device, located to prevent drivers from parking so close to the corners that others can’t see traffic on the cross street.

He says the project started a few years ago following the backlash when neighbors complained that homeless people being fed at nearby Sunnyside Centenary United Methodist Church were using drugs, drinking and relieving themselves in the neighborhood. That led to local soul-searching and planning to transform the intersection.

Semenza, a Portland State University associate professor of public health, lists the benefits of the result: aesthetics, safety, public health.

And youngsters in this neighborhood start school knowing theFibonacci sequence.

Ñ NE

A snip and a song

Kelly Vachal, who operates Kelly’s Barber Shop (4422 S.E. Woodstock Blvd., 503-774-1477), is a character and his shop is a throwback. This isn’t some kind of newfangled hairstyling salon Ñ it’s a barber shop.

Vachal’s the old-fashioned kind of haircutter (he has been at this location for 36 years) who will share an opinion on the events of the day and get everyone in the shop involved in the discussion before it’s over.

And he’s got an opinion on just about everything.

A few years ago, he decided that his singing voice deserved better than the occasional turn at the karaoke bar. He practiced at home with a tape recorder, decided to write some music for himself and now performs at various retirement homes during the evening Ñ singing his favorite country and western songs.

“I don’t make any money at it,” he says. “But I sure enjoy it. The people seem to like it.”

He gives one heck of a haircut, too.

“Probably the only guy in town still shaving around the ears,” he says.

Ñ DJ

Beer + porch = almost heaven

Californians have decks. New Yorkers have balconies. Here in Portland, we have front porches É or at least, some of us do. For the porch-deprived, there’s Hedge House (3412 S.E. Division St., 503-235-2215). This small pub, which was a shabby craftsman cottage not too long ago, now operates as a satellite to the New Old Lompoc brewpub. It has a real front porch, where you can sit in the sun, put your feet up on the railing and chat with passing neighbors. If the porch is too jammed, a large side deck (partially covered because this is, after all, Portland) can hold a large overflow crowd.

All ages are welcome until 9 p.m., and there’s even a big lawn out front if the kids can be talked into a game of catch. The food Ñ sandwiches, chips and dips and salads Ñ is just the kind of casual, easy to eat and tasty grub someone might make for themselves on a warm summer day. And it’s accompanied best by some locally microbrewed beer (Hedge House’s seasonal choices typically pack an alcohol content and taste wallop), because that’s what we Portlanders do.

Ñ AMD

A taste of Deutschland

Beer and brats are the staples of a German deli, and the Edelweiss Deli (3119 S.E. 12th Ave., 503-238-4411) has plenty of both. This venerable outlet, attached to the Berlin Inn restaurant, has a fantastic selection of German beers like bock and hefeweizen, and, according to at least one self-proclaimed “processed meat connoisseur,” the best sausages in town. Eastern European women shop here for delicacies like pickled herring and limburger cheese. Walls are lined with ornate ceramic steins and German-language magazines, imported chocolates shaped like airplanes and bumblebees, and the ultimate in kitschy timepieces Ñ cuckoo clocks.

Ñ AMD

And we didn’t even mention the soapbox derby

Named for Israel’s Mount Tabor, the nearly 100-year-old Mount Tabor Park (Southeast 60th Avenue and Salmon Street, 503-823-7529) features urban recreation at its best. The 196 acres blanket the extinct volcano that makes Portland one of only two U.S. cities with extinct volcanos in their midst (the other is Bend). Hiking trails, swing sets, five tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a horseshoe pit, picnic areas, an amphitheater, electricity, an off-leash area for dog owners who don’t believe in bondage and that great urban luxury Ñ parking.

Ñ JS

Multiculturalism please, hold the pretension

In spite of its north-of-the-border name, poutine isn’t on the menu at this oddly named Foster Road institution, but the Maple Leaf Restaurant’s (7129 S.E. Foster Road, 503-774-0274) quirky mix of Chinese entrees (think chop suey and chow mein, not that upscale Sichuan-type stuff) and American diner classics (fried chicken, hash browns) may leave newcomers scratching their heads anyway. (Though probably no one’s really missing the poutine, a French-Canadian delicacy of french fries, brown gravy and cheese curds.)

The unusual juxtapositions don’t stop with the bill of fare; dining at the Maple Leaf is a true multicultural experience. Sunday brunch typically features a microcosmic cross section of this melting-pot Southeast Portland neighborhood, with retired loggers, Eastern European families and down-at-the-heel punk rockers all rubbing elbows in pursuit of a filling meal at a reasonable price.

Strictly a breakfast-and-lunch operation, the Maple Leaf prices are hard to beat Ñ a hearty lunch for two can cost less than $12 (before tip). And where else can you find old couples arguing in Russian while chowing down on liver and onions with a side of egg rolls?

Ñ MS

Rock time in the city

No time for Smith Rock State Park? Too nice outside for a stuffy, chalky gym?

No worries.

Rock hounds of Portland need look no further than Rocky Butte Natural Area (Northeast Rocky Butte Road off Northeast 91st Avenue, 503-823-7529) Ñ a fortress-capped cinder cone that looms high over the Madison South neighborhood Ñ to quell their clambering cravings.

The massive basalt cone boasts its fair share of face and crack climbs for the beginner and veteran alike Ñ from the 5.6-rated Passing Lane to the stout 5.12b called Pluto. There are sport and trad routes, as well as idyllic bouldering areas; the fortress walls themselves are great for building endurance.

But what makes Rocky Butte so appealing Ñ that it sits inside the city limits Ñ also lends to its drawbacks. Trash and graffiti often litter the site, and vandals are notorious for trashing anchors and other climbing gear.

It’s nothing a little perseverance can’t overcome, so slap on some shoes, dust off your fingers and hit the rock. It’s just up the road.

Ñ JB

Where the wild singers are

A scan of some of the media outlets in this town might seem to imply that Portland ceases to exist east of 39th Avenue Ñ perhaps stopping abruptly with a high, barbed wire-topped wall, or just petering out into an uncharted wilderness.

The fact is that although things may occasionally get a little rough-and-tumble out on the flats there is life on the east side. And in few places is it lived as large as at the Canton Grill (2610 S.E. 82nd Ave., 503-774-1135), home to one of the most intense karaoke lounges this city has to offer.

The Canton Grill is not the place to attempt “Baby Got Back” with a couple of old frat buddies. The drinks are stiff, the trade is rough and some of the singers are pretty good Ñ a recent visitor found himself moved very nearly to tears by a rendition of the emotionally manipulative Reba McEntire hit “Fancy.” Whether strutting your own stuff or seeing what others have to offer, the Canton is worth a visit. Just don’t, like, order a latte or something.

Ñ MS

Adults in Toyland

Though he has always been a kid at heart, it wasn’t until he grew up that Frank Kidd could lavish toys upon himself.

“I didn’t have a lot of toys growing up,” he says. “I played in the streets. I did have a bicycle and a BB gun.”

Kidd, 73, began rectifying that situation more than 35 years ago when he purchased a Buddy L pedal car and began attending toy expositions around the world.

His amazing collection of vintage toys dazzles kids and grown-ups alike at Kidd’s Toy Museum (1301 S.E. Grand Ave., 503-233-7807) weekdays (9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) and Saturday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Toy trucks, Lionel trains, gumball machines and Disney paraphernalia fill the display cases. The over-50 set will remember playing such toys, or at least wanting to. The museum also features Kidd’s impressive collection of antique mechanical banks.

Ñ RB

Meatballs worth banging elbows for

“Where’s that place again? That place with the meatball sandwiches?”

One visit to Eugenio’s (3584 S.E. Division St., 530-233-3656) might not be enough to make sure you remember how to get back there. The modest deli doesn’t stand out from the street, in part because it shares its storefront with a florist (a landmark to look for Ñ it’s just across the street from a reptile shop, which is well worth a visit for the unbelievably intense smell alone).

But once Eugenio’s has been found, the meatball sandwiches are unforgettable. A roll toasted crisp in a little oven, filled with fresh, spicy ground beef, rich tomato sauce and oozing mozzarella. It’s topped generously with aromatic green ribbons of fresh basil. They also sell perfectly pulled espresso, thin-crust pizzas, big simple salads and assorted panini in the tiny space. As owner Eugene Gray says, “You get six people in here, and it’s a party.”

Ñ AMD

Red and Black coffee for a blue state

The area around Southeast 20th Avenue and Division Street could probably make a legitimate claim to the title of Most Politically Left-Leaning Neighborhood in the United States.

Biodiesel-fueled cars (not to mention Pabst-fueled Frankenstein bicycles) raise fewer eyebrows here than Hummers, whose drivers are likely to be greeted with open sneers of eco-haughty derision.

In this climate, one almost forgets that worker-owned collectives like the Red and Black Cafe (2138 S.E. Division St., 503-231-3899) are most definitely the exception rather than the rule.

The Red and Black flies its collectivist colors proudly Ñ a sign displayed prominently behind the bar features a picture of Bruce Springsteen with the legend “We Only Listen to One Boss” Ñ and the shop’s longevity, popularity and efficiency do more than any anarchist’s harangue to prove the point that there’s more than one way to run a railroad.

The friendly, bohemian staff serves up the usual array of coffee drinks, a small but well-chosen selection of microbrews, and pastries, sandwiches and hot meals from a menu where, it’s almost unnecessary to note, organic and vegan options abound.

The live music hosted here several nights a week tends toward the folky or jazzy side (safely leave your earplugs at home); by day, free Wi-Fi draws a healthy crowd of laptop-toting artistic types. Outdoor picnic-table seating further establishes the Red and Black as a near-ideal warm-weather hangout Ñ as long as you voted for the losing candidate, if you voted at all.

Ñ MS

Go ahead Ñ take ’em for a ride

There are few cities in which it’s truly feasible to live without a car. It’s possible in Portland, and Flexcar makes it a whole lot easier.

Thanks to Flexcar (503-328-3539) there’s no need to actually buy a car. For a reasonable fee, occasional drivers can borrow a car whenever they need to make a trip that would involve making three bus transfers, hauling 10 bags of groceries and getting the kids home from the dentist. Members are provided with access to a fleet of cars and a way to save money on parking, insurance and maintenance.

Flexcar isn’t unique to Southeast Ñ in fact it’s now based at 921 S.W. Morrison St. Ñ but the company was founded in the neighborhood and still maintains the highest concentration of vehicles in inner Southeast: three cars on Division Street, five on Hawthorne Boulevard and four on Belmont Street.

Ñ AMD

Looking for stewed ginger bouillon?

One of Portland’s best qualities is the way cultures can bump together but not clash. A terrifically authentic Asian market can be found just blocks away from the bars, stores and coffee shops abutting the sleekly trendy Southeast Belmont Street and 34th Avenue intersection.

The coral-colored Phu Hoa Market (3811 S.E. Belmont St., 503-238-2599) offers a multitude of edibles imported from the Far East, including large bags of sweet or sticky white rice at the front of the store on sagging shelves. Rows of canned, bottled and boxed products include hoisin sauce and coconut milk, as well as lesser-known items, such as 25 varieties of bouillon Ñ from stewed ginger to barbecue lemongrass.

The assortment of tea includes favorites like jasmine and oolong, as well as the unexpected chrysanthemum and dried lily flowers. Fresh produce is stacked up neatly near the front at the far end of the cashier stand, with bunches of tiny bananas and bags of baby bok choy sitting alongside more exotic vegetables, such as wrinkled, bitter melon. Don’t miss the frozen food section that carries tasty potstickers, gigantic tiger prawns and addictive custard buns. The meat case at the rear of the store displays entire racks of ribs, tripe, entrails and whole catfish, so vegetarians steer clear, but they also have one of the largest displays of fresh, fried and prepackaged tofu around.

Ñ SR

Hot dog philosopher

Say what you want about the health value of a Coney Island hot dog, loaded with sauce, cheese and onions.

You can’t dispute that the proprietor of Nick’s Coney Island (3746 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., 503-235-4024), Frank Nudo, is one of this area’s most well-known and beloved characters. He’s worked in the place for 48 years and has owned it for 46.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit