Screen Door

name
Screen Door

website
http://www.screendoorrestaurant.com

cuisine
southern comfort food

quadrant
East Burnside

where exactly
2337 E Burnside St.

what's unique
praline covered bacon strips for breakfast - order it!

what to order
praline bacon and anything on the breakfast menu

fun fact
???

my short and sweet opinion
i have only had breakfast here and i highly recommend it for a fabulous weekend brunch

pros
brunch is offered on both saturday and sunday, until 2pm; even though it is crowded (and you will have to wait for a table), they move people through very quickly, so while a large lingering crowd outside the restaurant may discourage you, the wait is

cons
like i said, it is crowded for brunch but the wait isn't too bad and it is definitely worth the wait; other than that, not much else i can think of ... enjoy!

Bay 13

name
Bay 13

website
http://www.bay13restaurant.com

cuisine
seafood, sushi, northwest

quadrant
NW (the pearl district)

where exactly
701 NW 13th Ave.

what's unique
this trendy restaurant used to be a loading dock and offers both a sushi bar and fresh seafood, with a late night sushi sake happy hour

what to order
raw oysters and ceviche

fun fact
the owners of Bay 13 are the same people who own Paragon which is located just a block south

my short and sweet opinion
pearl-esque atmosphere with a great bar that offers yummy specialty cocktails and a welcoming environment

pros
raw oysters are very fresh, as is the ceviche which changes daily

cons
they are on their 3rd chef in a year, which isn't necessarily a good sign but it appears they may have found a good one this time; the cuisine i have indulged in has been fresh and delicious thus far

Nuestra Cocina

name
Nuestra Cocina

website
http://www.nuestra-cocina.com

cuisine
upscale mexican (yes i realize this is an oxymoron)

quadrant
SE

where exactly
2135 SE Division St

what's unique
specialty margaritas are served in wine glasses but oh so delicious

what to order
anything with the red mole sauce - spicy and flavorful; for dessert, definitely order the chocolate pound cake with cinnamon ice cream

fun fact
restaurant is designed to have an open kitchen - you can eat at the counter overlooking the kitchen, which i definitely recommend for a fun experience

my short and sweet opinion
great upscale mexican cuisine, which can be hard to find; great atmosphere

pros
menu, nightly specials, margaritas, open kitchen, dessert

cons
they provide complimentary, small, handmade corn tortillas with salsa - very good but they don't give you enough tortillas

Ken's Artisan Pizza

name
Ken's Artisan Pizza

website
http://www.kensartisan.com/pizza

cuisine
Sit-down pizza restaurant

quadrant
SE

where exactly
304 SE 28th Ave (at corner of Pine St.)

what's unique
Ken's also has a bakery located in the NW (Ken's Artisan Bakery)

what to order
any pizza - they are all amazing; make sure to pair with a bottle of red

fun fact
voted #10 restaurant in Portland for 2007 by Portland Monthly magazine

my short and sweet opinion
yum! yum! yum! and great in the summer when all the windows are open

pros
great atmosphere, high quality pizza, variety of wine options, yummy desserts

cons
hmm, it's far from the bakery? (not really a con, it is definitely worth the drive)

Blossoming Lotus

name
Blossoming Lotus

website
http://www.blpdx.com

cuisine
Vegan cafe

quadrant
NW (the pearl district)

where exactly
925 NW Davis St.

what's unique
located inside the Yoga Pearl studio

what to order
spicy avocado sandwich

fun fact
there are only 2 Blossoming Lotus locations - Portland & Kauai

my short and sweet opinion
great for lunch on a sunny Portland day

pros
yummy food that's good for you, and conveniently located inside a yoga studio

cons
limited seating, especially since this is a popular place