The Top Five Places to Eat in Portland This Week

1. Fermenter

1414 SE Morrison St., fermenterpdx.com.

The food at this vegan lunch spot is uniformly excellent—not just "good for vegan food," but good no matter what you choose to eat for the rest of your day. The counter offers a prix fixe three-course lunch for $23 that changes daily. On a recent visit, that included a cucumber, tomato and nasturtium cold dish layered over hazelnut nepetella yogurt, followed by a slice of the best tempeh in town, served over quinoa and corn. Put simply, Fermenter rules. And yes, it's vegan. No asterisk required.

Read the full review: With Fermenter, Chef Aaron Adams Changes the Game for Vegan Food in Portland—Again.

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G-Love’s it 🤙🏼 . . . . . #barvibes, #cocktailheaven, #shakeitup, #picoftheday, @uncommoncocktails

A post shared by G-Love PDX (@g.lovepdx) on Aug 17, 2019 at 2:40pm PDT

2. G-Love

1615 NW 21st Ave., 971-229-1043, g-lovepdx.com.

It's a big month for herbivores. At this "reverse steakhouse" from well-traveled chef Garrett Benedict, the vegetables are the star attraction, while the meat is relegated to sideshow status. But given Benedict's pedigree—he's worked in the kitchens of Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning restaurants from San Francisco to Philadelphia—it's all likely to be good. Early entrees include a fish-free chirashi bowl, Tuscan ribollita soup and chefed-up avocado toast (natch), with crispy pork belly, hanger steak and seared Alaskan salmon offered as sides.

3. Wajan

4611 E Burnside St., 503-206-5916, wajanpdx.com.

"Selamat Makan," reads the sign in the flamboyantly decorated dining room at this Indonesian newcomer, a phrase that translates to "bon appétit." The truth of that statement is self-evident. For the uninitiated, an order of nasi campur or nasi uduk sampler plates is a must. Those ready for the advanced course have plenty of options; a starter of rujak serut should be mandatory. Raw fruits and vegetables are anointed with palm sugar syrup and ground peanuts for an all-compass-point ensemble of sweet, tart, soft and crunchy. It's one of the standout local dishes of the year.

Read the full review: Two New Restaurants Are Making a Compelling Argument That Indonesian Cuisine Is Portland Dining's Next Big Thing.

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We did a staff tasting of all our dishes...we finally had a moment to be able to take a moment and reflect on what we just did. We opened a restaurant! We are constantly working to be better everyday and constantly working on refining all aspects of the restaurant. The food is a major focus, of course, but we are always pushing forward firing on all cylinders, to be able to provide the best possible dining experience at the best of our capabilities. We can't be thankful enough for the outpouring support from the community and keeping us packed every night.....we ♥️ you all.

A post shared by magnapdx (@magnapdx) on Aug 31, 2019 at 9:44am PDT

4. Magna

2525 SE Clinton St., 503-395-8542, magnapdx.com.

Oh, it's on now. After multiple setbacks—including a full relocation, from Cully to Clinton—one of Portland's first major Filipino restaurants is finally open. Chef Carlo Lamagna has been teasing the public for months with an Instagram page full of tantalizing images of adobos and bibingka, but it's not just food porn—anyone who's attended his Twisted Filipino Dinner Series knows his stuff tastes as good as it looks.

5. Hak

914 NE Broadway, 503-208-2172, hak-restaurant.business.site.

For anyone easily overwhelmed by the options at other Korean spots, Hak's relatively thin menu is a blessing. In the case of appetizers, it's an easy move to just try one of everything, but make sure to include the fried dumplings and seaweed salad. As far as the Grilled Meat section goes, the heap of beef rib-eye bulgogi is the clear showstopper, with a gentle, warm spice trailing right behind a burst of juicy sweetness from the tender, lightly charred meat.

Read the full review: Not All of the Portland Area's Best Korean Food Is in Beaverton, and These Two New Restaurants Are Proving It.