The Top Five Places to Eat in Portland This Week

1. Tasty

4055 Mercantile Drive, Suite 180, 503-305-5298, tastylakeoswego.com. 5-10 pm Thursday-Friday, 9 am-2 pm Saturday-Sunday.

The Tasty brand lives again. The latest iteration of Tasty opened early this month in Lake Oswego’s new Mercato Grove development, helmed by two Toro Bravo alumni. If you ever treated yourself to a steak dinner at Tasty n Alder, or took a culinary trip around the globe with shared plates at Tasty n Sons, you’ll be reminded of those experiences at the new suburban location. The menu features large cuts of protein, including a smoked paprika pork coppa and a grilled cowboy steak, as well as European-inspired bites, like Catalan-style shrimp and the always-popular patatas bravas.

2. Birrieria La Plaza

600 SE 146th Ave., tacoslaplaza.com. 10:30 am-7 pm Wednesday-Friday, 9:30 am-7 pm Saturday, 9:30 am-5 pm Sunday.

The birria boom has hit Portland, and the persistent traffic jam outside Birrieria La Plaza signals that it’s the chosen one at the moment. Birria is a rich and aromatic consomme that’s used in every step of production at this bright red food truck. Tacos, quesadillas and tostadas are all familiar offerings that gain a new (and messy) dimension of juicy flavor when dipped in the deep red birria. Load up as many as you’d like à la carte, or go for the Plato La Plaza (includes a mulita) if you’d like to sort out which item pairs best with the broth.

3. Dirty Lettuce

At Shady Pines, 5240 NE 42nd Ave. Noon-8 pm Thursday-Sunday.

An all-vegan food cart hub in Portland seems like a no-brainer, and the popularity of Shady Pines confirms it: Even on late afternoons in the middle of the week, there’s usually a constant flow of people picking up hearty vegan meals. Arguably the pod’s biggest breakout success is Dirty Lettuce. The Mississippi transplant serves up seitan versions of down-home favorites like barbecue ribs and fried chicken with a rotating array of classic Southern sides.

4. Chayo

3601 SE Division St. 11:30 am-2 pm lunch, 4:30-8 pm dinner Thursday-Saturday, 11:30 am-6 pm Sunday.

When he dreamed of opening a loncheria in 2018, David Lizaola imagined serving classic Jaliscan lonches on lime- and beer-enriched birote. When he couldn’t find birote in Portland, he pivoted to ciabatta—and while it may not be traditional, it’s still damn good. In the Hot Oli, Lizaola gives his pork loin an adobado treatment by massaging the cuts with a blend of guajillo pepper, herbs, alliums and warming spices. It’s a perfect sandwich.

5. Jojo

3582 SE Powell Blvd., 971-331-4284, jojopdx.com. 11 am-9 pm daily.

Jojo’s signature Southern fried chicken sandwich was a classic the second the inaugural batch came out of the fryer two years ago: equal parts crispy and juicy; topped with vinegary coleslaw and a not so secret sauce of ketchup and Duke’s Mayo; big enough to bulge the eyes without forcing you to unhinge your jaw. A brick-and-mortar is coming to the Pearl in summer proper, but for now, you can get it from a sky-blue cart tucked in the back of a parking lot next to John’s Marketplace. Few trips are as essential.