8 Great Stoner Eats In Portland, Oregon
Though the state of Oregon legalized marijuana back on July 1, recreational sales weren't legal until last month. Now that Portland's many medical dispensaries can sell the green stuff to anyone, here's what to eat when the munchies set in:
Kargi Gogo: Acharuli Khachapuri
Anyone who's ever tasted the gooey, cheesy, carby mess that is Georgian khachapuri knows there's no going back. Even a New York slice pales after that. So great news for khachapuri fans: This member of the 9th and Alder food cart lineup downtown revamped itself recently, switching from a varied Georgian menu to one that focuses strictly on khachapuri. Acharuli khachapuri, the most decadent of the four cheesy bread options, is a bread boat filled with a molten mixture of sulguni cheese and butter, topped with a raw egg. After chowing through this, your life (and arteries) will never be the same. Just keep in mind that things close down at 4 p.m. Kargi Gogo, 950 S.W. Washington St., Portland, OR 97205; 503-489-8432; kargigogo.com
Donnie Vegas: Dog JaponLet's face it, munchies are most likely to strike in the late-late hours. That's why Donny Vegas is such a boon, serving daily from 4 p.m. until the bar shuts down. The "Dogs & Such" menu offers various tubesteaks, plus chili, fries and Frito pies. You can't go wrong with the Dog Japon, loaded with cream cheese, scallions and togarashi, or the currywurst, with caramelized onions, veggies and house-made curry sauce. Donnie Vegas, 1203 N.E. Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211; donnie.vegas
Expatriate: Shrimp toast
Naomi Pomeroy's delightfully eclectic drinking-snacks menu at this Northeast cocktail bar offer any number of stoner-friendly snacks (the Chinese sausage corndog and hot and sour Indian-spiced fries are outta control), but the shrimp toast may satisfy best when your taste buds are tuned to 11. Ginger-soy-doused, extraordinarily creamy shrimp is spread atop crisp triangles of white toast, topped with sesame seeds and garnished with basil and chilies. It's like buttah from the sea. Expatriate, 5424 N.E. 30th Ave., Portland, OR 97211; expatriatepdx.com
High Noon: Frybread taco
This downtown newcomer doesn't just serve regular old tacos; it serves oversize versions made from Navajo-style frybread, with your choice of filling (beef brisket, achiote chicken, roasted veggies, et cetera) topped with lots of delicious things, including chili and pickled red onions. Come on, the place is called High Noon! This is something you want to eat. If you time things right, you can show up during happy hour (Monday to Friday, 3-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.-close) and enjoy this delicacy for $4 instead of $7. Have a swoon over the cool Hollywood Western decor while you munch. As a bonus, this place serves late: until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends. High Noon, 822 S.W. 2nd Ave., Portland, OR 97204; 503-841-6411; highnoonpdx.com
Brunch Box: YouCanHasCheeseburger
When is a burger ever not a good bet? Especially a burger that forgoes a bun in favor of two grilled-cheese sandwiches (not a typo). Remarkably, the YouCanHasCheeseburger (presumably named after those classic Internet cat memes) is not even the craziest thing on this downtown spot's menu. (That honor goes to the egg-topped, grilled cheese–swaddled Redonkadonk, with bacon, Spam and ham, among other ingredients.) With American cheese, grilled onions and the rest of the works, the YouCanHas is a little bit tame in comparison — but it definitely wins for best name. Just try to stop laughing at that one. Brunch Box,
Lardo: Korean pork shoulder sandwich
If you're really blazing, you might end up ordering half the menu at Lardo, where sandwich combinations range from badass to gonzo. Porchetta is pretty bomb-diggity, and you can't go wrong with any of the Asian-leaning options. There's the Pho'rench Dip, with shaved steak, hoisin, basil and pho jus for dipping. But you're probably going to want to devour the spicy Korean pork shoulder, with kimchi, chili mayo, cilantro and lime. Three locations: 1205 S.W. Washington St., 1212 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. and 4090 N. Williams Ave.; lardosandwiches.com
Pine Street Biscuits: The ReggieIt's probably not news to any Eastside toker that this Southern-style chicken biscuit joint with several locations, including Alberta and Division, is the bomb, no matter if you're stoned or sober. If you're really, erm, hungry, you definitely want your Reggie sandwich (buttermilk fried chicken, bacon and cheese with gravy) topped with an egg. It's a beautiful mess — you will thank me. Three locations: 2204 N.E. Alberta, 1100 S.E. Division #100 and 125 N.E. Schuyler St.; pinestatebiscuits.comPBJ's Grilled: Spicy Thai sandwichWhat food better exemplifies the improvised nature of stoner cuisine than pimped-out PB&J, whose ingredients are almost always on hand? This food cart at the 12th and Hawthorne pod takes the concept to the next level, with gourmet ingredients like carnitas (on challah bread with peanut butter, pickles, Swiss and white pepper in the Betty). The spicy Thai is another creative one: also on challah, with coconut shrimp, PB, Sriracha, curry, basil and orange marmalade — somehow it totally works. And there's now a second PBJ's at PDX Airport. Not that I'm saying you should be stoned at the airport or anything. 1207 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; pbjsgrilled.com