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In the Portland imagination, Montavilla begins and ends with a picturesque stretch of local businesses that line Southeast Stark Street between 76th (neighborhood mascot Mr. Plywood) and 81st (the cackling laughter emanating from Roscoe’s). As charming as that strip may be, the true power and glory of Montavilla is derived not from a quaint stretch of Stark, but from the fast, cheap and oft-out-of-control 82nd Avenue. The 2 miles of 82nd that fall within Montavilla’s verdant borders host more than 20 used car dealerships, a half-dozen international markets, a community center, a community college, parks, trailer parks and some pervy stuff for pervs. 82nd is the Nile of Montavilla. It giveth and taketh away. Long may it run.
Hidden Gem
Some of Montavilla’s Vietnamese restaurants are hard to miss (the majestic Pho Van and the IHOP-looking Pho Kim being two of the finest). House of Banh Mi (511 NE 76th Ave., 503-254-7074, thehobpdx.com), tucked just north of the particularly accident-prone intersection of Glisan and 76th, is hard to find…but even harder to forget. A hole in the wall with minimal decoration outside of some Blazers posters and an old flat-screen TV, the HOB serves what might be the best banh mi sandwiches in the city at very reasonable prices. It’s run by the same family responsible for the excellent and fast-multiplying Ca Phe coffee shop/banh mi spots, but this is the no-frills original. Who needs frills when the bread is a perfect mix of soft and crunchy, the meat is indulgent, and the veggies are fresh? Throw a fried egg on top of your ground pork banh mi and call it brunch. Better yet, add a trio of gooey, coconutty pandan waffles to make it a feast. Do anything: There are no bad choices on this menu.
Best Breakfast Spot
While it’s facing increasingly tough brunch competition from the likes of its neighbors Lazy Susan and the earlier-rising Hungry Heart Bakery, the cozy and dim-lit Redwood (7915 SE Stark Ave., 503-841-5118, redwoodpdx.com) remains the unique and hearty center of a.m. culture on Montavilla’s main drag. It serves up rich hashes and indulgent fritters, plus a handful of twists on the time-tested mimosa.
Where to Buy Your Foodie Friend a Gift
From the sprawling former Safeway, Hong Phat, to the lovingly curated Stark Street market La Bouffe, Montavilla has a near endless supply of international markets. The store I frequent most is Boo Han (1313 SE 82nd Ave., 503-254-8606), a glorious Korean supermarket that specializes in fresh veggies and housemade fare (bulgogi and kimchi aplenty, rice cakes, addictive checkout-aisle gimbap rolls), and also features an elaborate and gift-friendly housewares section with woks, rice cookers, food storage solutions, and cuteness for the kids. If they don’t have the import you’re looking for, try the more Costco-esque China Food Inc. just across the street!
Favorite Meal
Picking a favorite restaurant in Montavilla is a painful exercise. Do I recommend the perfect tacos at Santa Cruz Taqueria, or give a shout-out to Bai Yok, the excellent Thai cart that literally rose from the ashes where its brick-and-mortar restaurant once stood? The rich and delicately spiced molé at Mixteca? The whitefish dip and tender pork secreto at Lazy Susan? All great choices, but I think the finest night out in Montavilla is at Miyamoto (422 SE 82nd Ave., 503-208-2253, miyamotosushi.com), one of the finest and freshest sushi joints in Portland, with the coolest staff and a decidedly old-school Portland décor (sorta half-finished and loving it). Pro tip: You can order from Roscoe’s elaborate tap list at Miyamoto, and you can also order Miyamoto from the bar. (They’re connected via a series of secret tunnels.) The loaded Chirashi Bowl may be the perfect meal-for-one, while the Jalapeño Ninjas are basically god-level poppers.
Outdoor Adventure
My wife has a daily routine of walking to see the tiny Himalayan chickens on 92nd, and there’s an old Russian graveyard at 90th and Glisan, but come on: The truth is that nature lovers of Montavilla are drawn to the imposing fir trees and impotent reservoirs of that wacky volcano the next neighborhood over, Mount Tabor. Get a very excellent coffee (and cookie) at Coquine Market at Belmont and 69th, then ascend its steps for some of the finest city views and nature trails in town.
Watering Hole
There are certainly fancier (Blank Slate), livelier (Thatcher’s) and more iconic (Montavilla Saloon) watering holes in Montavilla. There are no bars that do more with what they’ve got, though, than Growler’s Taproom (803 SE 82nd Ave., 503-254-8277, drinkbeerhereportland.com). A living room-sized (and -styled) curiosity in the back of Henry’s Market on 82nd, Growler’s is what community looks like. Big dumb movies on the patio, open jam sessions and Star Trek Trivia inside (the owner and primary bartender, who lives in the adjacent house, is a dedicated Trekkie), a great Thai food cart connected at the hip. If more bars were this warm and unpretentious, the world (nay, the entire Alpha Quadrant) would be a better place. I’ve never gone there without getting into a long and unexpected conversation. Last time I went, I signed a birthday card for a stranger.