Travel Eats: Portland’s Andina, Cabezon, Gravy & other best bites

This is part of a series of posts about my vacation to Portland, Oregon, in late February 2013.

This post is a bit of a catch-all, to cover the rest of the great food that didn’t fit into any of the other posts. We knew we had to experience a few food carts, which are a big part of Portland’s dining culture, and got to try an Indian naan wrap, a savory gourmet waffle, British chips with curry sauce, and Nong’s khao man gai, the simple Thai dish that came up in our research again and again. And the latter lived up to expectations: humble poached chicken, rice, and sauce, prepared with enough love and meticulous care to turn into something extraordinary. Happy hour and fresh seafood were two other must-dos; those endeavors resulted in boldly delicious Peruvian food and the best cioppino I’ve ever had, respectively. An incredibly decadent bread pudding was a pleasant surprise with our beer flight one evening – it helped that my favorite desserts include caramel, chocolate, or coffee flavors, and this one nailed all three. We also took the suggestion of my beautiful and talented friend by indulging in a biscuit swimming in staggeringly umami-rich vegetarian gravy at Gravy, and also made a few meals out of their fantastic smoked salmon hash.

The details: Andina, 1314 NW Gilsan St.; Cabezon Restaurant & Fishmarket, 5200 NE Sacramento St.; The Gaufre Gourmet, SW 9th and Alder; Nong’s Khao Man Gai, SW 10th and Alder; The Frying Scotsman, SW 9th and Alder; Taste of India, 950 SW Washington Ave.; Deschutes Brewery, 210 NW 11th Ave.; Gravy, 3957 N Mississippi Ave.