The family that runs this booth at the Saturday market, truly are the kindest souls. I have been…read morecraving pierogis since I came back from Poland, and these no doubt taste the same. Homemade and super fresh, you can watch them boil and cook the sausages. My boyfriend and I try and come to the market every so often to support them, and this last time we went, the line was a 15 min wait, business is booming and I love that for this family. They are even expanding to Wednesdays at another market (in the photo). I can go on and on, but this is definitely the first booth to check out when you get to the market, and try the 3 dollar lemonade, sooooo delicious.

Saw this Polish stand at the Portland Famer's Market on Wednesdsay and I had to give it a try. The…read morestall's run by a lovely older Polish couple who make delicious Polish dishes from the quintessential pierogies to keilbasa (kiełbasa), and I was so happy to be able to have a taste of something familiar. I got: - Pierogo plate: 6 pierogies topped with grilled onions, served with sauerkraut salad, pickled beets & horseradish (although mine came with coleslaw instead, which I am happy about because I don't like beets), and sour cream. $13.50 The grilled onions were almost caramlised, with the perfect tinge of tartness from the sauerkraut, fresh crunch from the coleslaw, and softness from the sour cream perfectly balanced out the pierogies. - (Polish) kiełbasa & salad plate: Homemade smoked kiełbasa served with sauerkraut salad and grilled onions. It also came with pickled beets & horseradish, and deli mustard. $11.00 Fresh, hot, thick, juicy, and scrumptious, especially with the mustard and saurkraut. I cannot recommend them enough - they accept both card and cash, so please, please go! All of it reminded me of the food I'd eat in Logan Square in Chicago (a Polish-Mexican neighbourhood) and my Polish family. It's all prepared fresh, by hand, with locally ingredients sourced ingredients. The prices seemed to have increased, but I understand that times are what they are, with inflation, etc.,; I'm happy to support small businesses, particularly when the food is this delicious. Pro-tip: If you can, buy their frozen pierogies so you can have some for later! I walked here, so I can't speak to parking, but it's Portland - walk if you can; it's well worth it. We sat at one of the benches in the park where the market was taking place and enjoyed the food while people watching in the amazing cool weather.

I can't deny that I explored the Katchka menu well before finally venturing to this Portland…read moreinstitution. Wanting to experience it ALL, I had to edit my order 4 times. The introduction was a punch to the face from the horseradish martini I had ordered. Horseradish indeed. Just in time came the pickle plate and the bread. Salty and comforting. That horseradish martini. The restaurant is a bit loud, but only because it's full. Conversation is possible. Then came the raspberry beet soup with farmers cheese. Intriguing. Cold. Rich. Refreshing. Incredible. Potato dumplings. Cheese dumplings. Both topped with sour cream. I wanted 30 more. Chicken Kiev...(before we left we ordered a second) So very satisfying. Moist and buttery. The crunch! Cabbage rolls were next and they launched them into the stratosphere. The sauce alone had to have been cooked for at least four hours. Braised rabbit with sour cherry and butter...brown butter. The nuttiness with the richness of the rabbit is exceptional. It took me a week to decide how I would rate this. I'm still thinking about it week later and am ready to make another reservation so that I can measure twice. Maybe a third. And the staff? Incredibly knowledgeable, anticipatory and attentive. We left this place having felt privileged to the experience. A celebration, we'd had. And the $110 per person price tag with the 20% surcharge for tip...was was without question, worth it. I mean, we felt compelled to tip an additional 10%. Excellent!!

My friends and I dined at Kachka after having drinks nearby at Scotch Lounge. We walked in without…read morea reservation for a party of three at 8:00 p.m. on a Thursday evening and we were luckily able to get seated quickly, despite the restaurant being super packed. Between the three of us, we ordered their Instagram-famous dish -- the herring under a fur coat ($15), pkhlovani khachapuri ($16), garlic tvorog vareniki ($17 base + $2 for the garlic), and a golubtsi ($26). I also ordered a horseradish-tini ($14). Every dish was a hit and I would not hesitate to order the exact same items again on subsequent visits. The herring under a fur coat is a very fun dish to explore. The intention is certainly to eat a bit of every layer in a single bite, but it's enjoyable trying out every layer on its own as well. The stuffed khachapuri was hot, fluffy, and the inside had a wonderful mix of onions and chard. This stuffed bread was very enjoyable on its own, even without anything to dip it it. The garlic tvorog vareniki -- their boiled dumplings, was the primary dish we came for, and the ones here are fantastic. The inside is stuffed with a fine cheese and each bite was both savory and tangy. The broth that the dumplings sit in is light, yet flavorful. One order was more than enough for everyone in our party to enjoy a few. Last but not least, the golubtsi -- stuffed cabbage rolls, was the only item off of the "mains" menu we ordered. This was my first time trying out this dish so I didn't really have a good reference point on how the dish should taste. However, even without this knowledge, the dish was absolutely delicious. The broth was sweet and sour, and the stewed cabbage was tender, yet not mushy. If there's a single comparison I could draw, the flavors of the dish reminded me of Russian borscht you might find at a Hong Kong diner. On the side of logistics, a mandatory 22% service fee is included on the bill. After you pay with your card, there's nothing left to sign and you're free to leave when you're done. Overall, I had a great meal at Kachka. Kachka provided a wonderful opportunity for me to try out foods I rarely encounter in a cuisine I'm completely foreign to. I highly recommend a visit if you happen to be in this part of town.

I got a beef and feta pastry and I regretted not buying more. The bread and stuffing are delicious…read more I bought a cherry and cream pastry that was in the freezer and it honestly didn't look great but no one was around to help me pick anything out and when someone did come out I felt rushed. Anyway, the quick decision to get the cherry pastry was smart bc I can't stop eating them! My only complaint is I felt like a nuisance when I went in. It took a long while for anyone to come out from the back and when they did I felt rushed. I wanted to ask questions about some of the baked foods behind the counter but felt like I should make an order quickly and leave. So that's what I did. But honestly, everything I got was amazing. So I would rather have rude service and great food than great service and rude food.

Babushka looks like it has a little bit of everything here! While we didn't see a place to sit and…read moreeat, there were certainly options to tempt you. A very friendly employee greeted me, and answered my endless questions about their desserts (I am unfamilar with Russian desserts). I bought some amazing macrons; snickers, coconut and vanilla, and a large piece of cake which I have yet to try. Plus there is an entire deli menu which we still need to try out. I wish I could give it 4.5 stars - the half star off was because the place was a little crowded, and I don't think my walker would have made it up the aisles. But, we will be back soon.

On my 2nd recent trip to Portland, boyfie and I hit up the pods again at Hawthorne Asylum. We both…read morejived with the food options more and I made a beeline to Pelmeni. There's not a lot of Eastern European stuff where I currently live in LA. Only change is that they only offer their "large." I believe it comes with 24 or so dumplings. No options to downsize, but offerings are the same. I got the chicken again with the same condiments as last time: the hot mustard. Added some other stuff on the side like their hot sauce and balsamic vinegar. Tastea as good as I remember! Such a simple meal that's delicious and friendly service as usual.

I tried out this food cart while visiting the Hawthorne Asylum food cart park. They had several…read moredelicious options, but I ended up choosing the potato vareniki. They were loaded with sour cream and onions, and the dill was a nice touch. They reminded me of pierogis. I really liked that they were on the smaller side. Sometimes these types of dumplings are really big, but I liked that these were more bite-size. My only complaint is I wish they had a variety or sampler option so I could have tried all of them! I regret not trying out the sweet cheese and fruit ones for dessert.

Smallish, well lit, clean establishment…read more Note: Grab a number when you walk in if you're going to be using counter service. Friendly and helpful staff. Edelweiss Sausage Company and Deli offers a good selection of imported goods. They are pricey but with tariffs and all I suppose this can't be helped.

We split a pastrami Reuben w a side of German potato salad and a pickle. And it was AMAZING!! I…read moregive it a 10/10. The sandwich was perfectly made. The mustard they use is fantastic, bread wasn't too hard, and the meat was perfect. Serving size was huge. Will definitely becoming back here!

Every once in a while you can find a true gem of a restaurant in an unexpected place. And this is…read moreone of those times. Banderyky is a Ukrainian restaurant in the Vancouver Mall and the food is so exceptional. This time I had the feta and cheese pastry, the cherry pastry, and this delicious unique soft marshmallow dessert flavored with fruit. Strawberry and blueberry. I wish I had a bigger appetite because I would just order every single thing on the menu if I could. I have to admit I'm not really a beet fan but I love the borscht here. And the cabbage and the chicken dumplings. Truly delicious and well priced too!

This is Ukrainian food in the Vancouver Mall Food court. The…read morelady helping me was very nice and patient with me since I didn't know what I was ordering. I got the number 2. The dumplings didn't have much flavor but the cabbage salad(pickled cabbage) made up for it. Just eat it together. I'd come back to try something different.

Delicious little food truck in a really cool food truck pod! The pod had plenty of covered seating…read moreand misters to cool you down in the summer. There is also plenty of street parking, and a free parking garage across the street. The lamb kebab was very good, and I already want to come back and try some other items on the menu. Staff were friendly and the prices were reasonable. Highly recommended!

I'm married to a German. Döners are hard to come by in the U.S. when we saw a food truck here in…read morePDX metro, we had to try it. First time there, we ate every morsel. When we went back (last weekend), it was not as good. The bread was dry like it had been cut open and left on the counter all day. I get the chicken, and the hubs gets the beef & lamb mix. We are sad that the quality (which was ok level before but now is missing), it does not taste authentic and we won't be back unless desperate. The shared restrooms in that food truck lot are disgrossting, and inspired me to ride with a full bladder nearly an hour to get back to Beaverton rather than use their facilities. Parking is terrible.

If you're looking to try something new in Portland- GO HERE!…read more Homemade pita bread with grilled meats are amazing, everything was seasoned well and tasty. I don't have much experience with Balkan food, but I can tell everything here is made with care and attention. Service was prompt and kind. Will be gladly adding this place to my regular meal rotation is in Portland

2 words - Cheese Burek!!!…read more You don't wanna miss out on the cheese Burek. It's of course cheesy, buttery, and flaky. It's great enjoyed any time of day. *Very Limited* They also have meat and cheese/spinach. Enjoy it at the restaurant, or take it home and pop it in the air fryer for 15 minutes, melt a little butter on top and sprinkle a little salt and you are in Balkan in heaven.

The sausage dogs at Prost are a must-try. There's a satisfying crunch when you bite in, and the…read moresauerkraut, tang mustard and ketchup combo is genuinely delicious -- salty, tangy, and just right. And there's nothing like a cold, kolsh crisp beer to go with it. Service could be amplified a bit but overall a great experience along with the outside seating experience

If you ever find yourself on Mississippi Ave and you're looking for a delicious lunch and maybe a…read morenice cold beer, this is a terrific place to stop. It's all German fare and it's absolutely amazing. I tried the Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut. I choose the smoked brat. It was delicious. I also had a cup of their Bier Cheese Soup. Oh my goodness! It was the best cheese soup I have ever had. When I tell you I wanted to lick the bowl, I'm not kidding. Best ever. My friend had the Pretzel Sandwich and she loved it. Also, she had a bowl of the cheese soup and also thought it was the best she had ever had. We sat outside at a shared picnic table and it was lovely. The service was excellent, fast and friendly. I highly recommend this wonderful German restuarant.

Having been to places like Leavenworth and Mt. Angel so frequently (not to mention my trip to…read moreGermany a few years back) apparently made me a bit elitist when it came to Bavarian cuisine, and almost completely forget about Gustav's as a consequence. It was only today, when my boss took our department out to lunch here, was I reminded of how many things Gustav's does right, despite being a chain restaurant. The first reminder came in the form of the interior décor; I forgot how charming it is here: from the entrance to the bar and to the dining halls, there are few restaurants in Vancouver as immediately evocative and immersive in their aesthetics. Our server was friendly, welcoming and helpful in her suggestions, particularly for those members of our party to whom German cuisine is very unfamiliar. The food, by and large, is excellent, although the prices are a bit steep for some of the offerings: for example, the goulash is tied for the most expensive item on the menu, along with the Bavarian Feast. One of these dishes makes sense for the price point; the other does not. It's hard to go wrong with the feast, the wurst platter (in any combination), or any of the schnitzels, but sadly, the Kohlrouladen that I ordered (one of my absolute favorites) didn't quite live up to the high bar set by the same dish at Baren Haus in Leavenworth. The two rounds of fondue with sausage that we ordered as an appetizer were well-received (and thoroughly ravaged) by our party of eight in record time! And although I didn't partake (as I have a negative sweet tooth), a trio of desserts finished off our group's meal, and left everyone satisfied. Overall, Gustav does far more right than I remembered, or gave them credit for. Other than my nitpicks about one particular entrée, and some questionable pricing, everything else about Gustav's punches far above its weight class, especially when considering the fact that it is a chain. By that metric, they have no business being as fantastic as they are! With a couple of tweaks, such as a firmer commitment to embracing German authenticity, and toning down the prices a bit, Gustav's will absolutely have a lock on that fifth star that lies just barely outside their reach.

Food is amazing, service is super nice and enthusiastic, and the restaurant music is the perfect…read morevolume I love this place so much I think it's one of my favorite restaurants