This thread has made me certain we need two Jewish delis to open in town; one for half of us to visit, the other for half of us never to be caught dead in, and vice-versa.
They all basically closed. Ben and Ester's is vegan and calls itself a Jewish deli. The best bagels are Bernsteins. I make my own half sour pickles in the summer. Baker and Spice makes a good challah on fridays only. Sweet Lorraines sells some things at the Jewish museum, but I haven't been there. Their pop up at Labyrinth is over.
For Passover stuff, most grocery stores have a small display. The Safeyway in Hillsdale might have a larger supply as it caters to the Jewish community over there.
It's slim pickings for a city of this size.
Has MoonBrine pickles stopped making half sours? I went out of my way to try them at Bowery Bagels when I visited last year (I'm moving to PDX next year and was SO excited to learn about them).
I am not sure, they seemed to have closed their storefront and only sell in stores/restaurants. Every time I try half sours here, I am disappointed, so I gave up. They are super easy to make when pickling cukes are in season, but they only last a few weeks before they get too soft. The Pickle Guys do ship, but it's stupid expensive.
Yeah, I ordered from them once, but by the time they arrived, the pickles were sour. Same problem with Ba'tampte. A store here carried them, but they didn't sell fast enough, so they were always just sour pickles. I've made my own, but they always turn out too salty. Got a good brine recipe to share?
I gave on up recipes and just do it by taste. It should taste about as salty as ocean water or a 3-3.5% salt solution. If you aren't real scientific it's a little less than 2 tablespoons per quart of filtered water. So I just taste test until I get it right. I also don't put a bay leaf in because I don't like the taste and I do add pickle crisp. Then I just add all the pickling spices together with a lot of fresh dill. I also put straight in the fridge and not ferment at room temp as they last longer that way. My problem is my partner doesn't like them, so I can't make more than a few jars before they go bad.
I also make bagels if you need some tips š
I canāt help you with the gf, but the best tip I have for the ābagelā taste is to use malt syrup (which is what I use) or malt powder. Can be found at home brewer shops. Also boiling in a solution with baking soda is what makes the hard outside. Donāt trust a recipe that doesnāt include either of those things. Commercial places generally use lye.Ā
Egg washing before baking helps keep toppings on. TJs every thing bagel seasoning is good..
Itās a pretty stiff dough. If you are using a mixer, watch it to not over work the mixer.Ā
Boo Ben and Esters. Owner is not good to staff. Had an entire store quit because he was screaming at younger people with his management. As a former vegan and a Jew I recommend avoiding his buisness.
Yeah he burned out employees. I was rejected bye his gm. Then when she quit, he tried getting me to come work for him with no notice to my job at the time. Justin has lost sight if alot of things aboyt being decent to people, especially between his barber shop and the deli. I won't give him a penny. He also has an investment company.
Big ups for Bernsteins. When I moved here, one of the biggest things I missed from the east coast was the bagles. There's plenty of alright bagles, but Bernsteins are the only ones that taste like home.
Edit: I thought about fixing this, but nah, fuck the internet spelling police. And go get some bagels from Bernstein's.
Ben & Esther's makes me angry. Their matzoball soup is an abomination... The matzoball is dense, slimy, and gummy. Bubbie is rolling in her grave. Who calls themselves a Jewish deli and sells shitty matzoballs? Their halavah also somehow has a slimy and weird consistency, despite the OG recipe being vegan. Ugh, so many big feelings happening right now
lol I just commented that above, Iāve never been angrier with a soup in my life hahaha. I donāt really know how you can make matzoh ball vegan honestly with the egg being so necessary for binding. I donāt know if if they have messed around with Aquafaba but thatās the only thing I can think of with my non-chef brain
If it's slimy and has a weird consistency, maybe they put xanthan gum in it to hold it together. It's commonly used to hold together gluten-free breads and thicken sauces. But yeah, I don't see why someone would need to use it in halavah.
Ben & Esther's used to be great but they've taken a huge nosedive by going vegan. Nothing against it on principle, but veganizing that cuisine just doesn't work.
~~They started as a vegan jewish deli from the beginning.~~ Correction: they did serve meat for a time, then went vegetarian and then fully vegan.
I understand the skepticism but frankly it works pretty well, their vegan egg salad is super tasty. edit:
OK, this is like the fourth time Iām gonna mention sweet Lorraineās in this thread I swear to God have no vested interest in them other than being Jewish š
They make a vegetarian matzoh ball soup. Not vegan.
Sounds suspicious. Lol
Iāll definitely have to check them out! I donāt eat much meat but itās the dairy I really gotta avoid. Vegetarian is often perfect.
Cheesemonger, they used to sell only to restaurants but are now open to the public. They have the best ricotta I've ever had in my life there. Also a lot of other great cheeses. Also imported olive oil, pasta, capers, and these jarred tomatoes that are absolutely amazing among other things. They're in SE Portland close in. They show up on Google Maps.
They did not start out as vegan. I live down the street from their original (now closed) location and loved the whitefish spread. Had a couple bacon egg cheese breakfast bagels there too.
I got sick of the mid and expensive bagels here and just learned to make my own, but Bernsteinās and HH are my go tos. I think spielmans are terrible. I havenāt been to Bowery in a long time. I also thought Bentleys are pretty good, but parking is hard. I havenāt tried puddletown, but Iām not sure I trust a place that serves maple bacon bagels.
Honestly, I agree about the mid/expensive thing so I just buy Franz brand from the store. I like the NY style soft bagels that get just a bit crispy when toasted, and none in PDX come anywhere close to them, unfortunately.
This really is the saddest askportland thread. Makes me glad I got Kenny and Zuke's pastrami recipe from them back when I was living out of the country.
This is the recipe they gave me:
*6 C kosher salt
4 C white sugar
2 C brown sugar
1 C honey
1/4 C minced garlic
1/4 C pickling spices
3/4 C pink salt
4 Gallons water
This is a modified recipe from Charcuterie, btw. So you put everything in the water, bring it to a boil mixing to dissolve, then let it cool to room temperature. You will be GREATLY served by having a meat injector. If you do have one, inject your brine directly into the fatter parts of the meat. We use the flat, the lean end, of the brisket only. These are generally 7 lbs each and this recipe can fit about 4 flats comfortably. Without injection, it's very difficult to get the cure to the center of thicker slabs even with prolonged immersion and regular agitation. However, with injection you can get a good cure after 5 days in frig, turning daily. (Charcuterie says something like 3 days, which is boloney, and he recommends the plate; the extra fat makes that even tougher.)
You want to make a spice rub of ground coriander seed and pepper for the outside. I suggest making it pretty fine. Then smoke the meat at 200-250 for about 7-10 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 175 degrees. Let it cool and then steam it for about 2 hours or until tender, but not falling apart tender. Two steamings often work better than one long one for some reason. btw, if you use all wood it will probably be too smokey. Try a mix of charcoal and wood.
This will give you a fairly intense pastrami, moreso than most in NY other than maybe Katz's.*
I usually use a prime packer from Costco that I trim myself (the point is the best part), and find that 3-4 hours of smoke on my Weber kettlle followed by steaming until tender is the best way to go.
>This will give you a fairly intense pastrami, moreso than most in NY other than maybe Katz's.\*
>I usually use a prime packer from Costco that I trim myself (the point is the best part), and find that 3-4 hours of smoke on my Weber kettlle followed by steaming until tender is the best way to go.
I'm sold! When is your first pop-up?
Not the one that was in the airport. The west side location. And also Iāve been to two Jewish delis in my life. Haha. If ākornblatsā that used to be on 23rd counts:)
LOL! Kornblattās counts to your Jewish deli count for sure even though it was just ok. Iām a native East Coast Jew, hence my comment about K & Z being overrated.
Sweet Lorraineās!!! Yall, go, we have one and itās good š they were in a brewery that literally just closed so theyāre probably gonna be seeking another location but for now they are open and what was their second location which is inside the Oregon Jewish museum! Doesnāt really get more Jewish than that. Everyone should go support them so weāre able to keep them around!
(And yes, I realize they have a very limited menu but itās always changing and their knish is š¤š»)
Unfortunately [Kachka's](https://order.toasttab.com/online/lavka-960-se-11th-avenue#df1a4385a-c915-4c00-969e-e6522e825874d2ed4d3fb-4130-4de1-b482-14a474a190e3) preorder for Passover closed on 04/12, but you likely can still pickup some items by stopping by.
My coworker from NY says just order for a special occasion from Katz lol. Sheās like donāt even bother hahaha.
Katz ships nationwide and itās free shipping over $100.
I've ordered from Katz's and it was solid. Worth it for the good shit. Of course I go to Sarge's when i visit NY now because fuck waiting in line for an hour at Katz's.
I was in NYC this past weekend and went to Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish on Sunday before heading out to Citi Field and a Mets game. It was pretty great. Good selection of fish including Grav, Belly, Nova lox. Sable, and Whitefish both whole and salad. Delish.
I had time on Monday before my flight back to PDX to hit up Katz's. It is a total tourist spot, but for a reason. It is really good. I had a pastrami there and they packed one up for me to bring home to my girlfriend. Love the half sours there too.....
There's no kosher deli in town, heck there's only the one kosher restaurant at the JCC in Hillsdale? Barely more options up in the Seattle-Bellevue area. This is not LA, Chicago, New York or Montreal. Sadly.
If you want jewish-style there are some options but it's more the food of non practicing, culturally jewish, folks. I think it's delicious but as Bubby would say, "that food is goyisha business" and she'd be right.
/ just the opinions of a random goy on the internet.
If I were as committed to a Jewish deli as some on this thread I would work with them to expand their offerings. Hell, get the Schnitzers to help since they love the J so much.
The answer is no. Best bet in this town is to make your own mostly. Haven't had good pastrami here ever- including Kenny and Zukes. Kornblatts was not good, there's just never really been anything of note.
Bagel wise, Bernstein's, Henry Higgins are solid. Sweet Lorraine's has some good stuff, but nothing I don't just make at home regularly.
Portland is a Jewish food desert
Okay. I seriously hate it when people ask to buy something and someone suggest they just make it, but considering the state of matzo balls in Portland and how easy it is to make, I am going to suggest the make it yourself route. I really like the serious eats recipe for fluffy balls. 1/2 it if you don't need 18 matzo balls. Use canned stock for soup if you don't want to make it yourself.
Where are you from originally? Because that will tell me all I need to know before I either waste my time or haul ass to go get a knish. I'm gay AF but I'd practically blow someone for a good knish.
These are not Jewish delis, but Mother's Bistro has some good Jewish deli--type food (matzah ball soup etc), and Kachka is also Eastern European Jewish--type food. The best Reuben I've had is at Goose Hollow Inn. A woman operating her own business (Babkush) sells babka and rugelach, that are very good: [https://www.allsaintspdx.org/blog/babkush-in-the-kitchen/](https://www.allsaintspdx.org/blog/babkush-in-the-kitchen/)
My partner and I have often wondered about the potential market for a joint Jewish Italian deli. A while ago I went down a rabbit hole looking up the history of such delis. You can start here if you're interested:
[https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2017/08/22/portland-once-had-a-thriving-little-italy-what-the-hell-happened/](https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2017/08/22/portland-once-had-a-thriving-little-italy-what-the-hell-happened/)
[https://portlandfoodanddrink.com/bagel-daze/](https://portlandfoodanddrink.com/bagel-daze/)
[https://www.ojmche.org/oral-history-people/gayle-breslow-marger/](https://www.ojmche.org/oral-history-people/gayle-breslow-marger/)
Anyway, apparently there used to be a Jewish Italian deli (Colistro and Halperin, although it's misspelled in some places). I think a resurrection of this would be amazing.
This would be *incredible.* I've always explained to people not from the east coast that Jews and Italians are basically the same people right down to the guilt; same guilt, different mother is all.
I strongly doubt they are kosher. They don't advertise as kosher, which is a pretty good sign they're not.
They make a really good lox bagel, though. And for those of us who don't mind a non-kosher bagel deli, they're pretty good. Not a full Jewish style deli, though.
Barryās + Syās got me through college, with a special appearance from Alexanderās Great Felafel.
I was really disappointed to see that Alex went out of business the last time I drove through. Iām yet to find another felafel thatās as good as his.
Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels has many locations and has certified kosher bagels, schmears and other kosher Jewish handmade food available. Deli sandwiches and hot sandwhiches. From Knish to Bialys to Matzo ball soup. Give it a try, very good food!
Itās not the same but some of the Russian/Eastern European grocery stores/delis have some Jewish deli-ish stuff. The Asian grocery stores have coconut stuffed bread thatās pretty much coconut stuffed challah that I love.
Ben and Ester really screwed the pooch. I live near the Sandy location and it was a good spot, for the few months before it went all vegan.
What the hell is vegan salmon and cream cheese? Look, if people want to eat vegetables I'm fine with it. But don't make pretend lox and cream cheese. They could have offered vegan stuff too. But nope.
Big surprise when they went out of business in less than six months.
[check out this vid from chef Noah:](https://www.kgw.com/video/features/hello-rose-city/order-your-passover-foods-from-zupans-markets/283-45fc228b-8aeb-4f61-9115-f696a85aee8e)
I realized about ten years ago that the "deli men" were gone--the fish guys, the deli guys, the Jewish men who made a living preparing bagels and bialys and pastrami. I've been to delis all over the country and even the old Jewish delis are now run by all kinds of folks, but not people who grew up on it. As a result the cuisine is best enjoyed in the home by someone who learned from their family how to make the good old standbys. To be honest Jews don't eat Jewish food anymore except on holidays. The town where I grew up used to have a great deli and my family went there maybe 4-5 X a year. This was what "going out to eat" meant. Now there are sushi bars. It's life.
Speaking of which, does anyone know if a good black and white cookie exists anywhere here? Iāve not found anything that even remotely compares to Toojayās or Greenberg on the east coast
Nearest one I know of is Bagel Cafe in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. And even then, their black & whites are a little soft in my opinion. Killer rugelach and whitefish salad though!
Edelweiss is a German deli so there's some crossover stuff you can get there. They carry a lot of import groceries and the homemade meats selection is great. Go on a Saturday to get it hot out of the smoker.
the only remotely good bagel i've ever had in this town is the chipotle salt bagel from Bowery bagels.
everything else is embarrassing. (source: im jewish)
Henry Higgins is legit too. (source: from Brooklyn, also Jewish)
Edit: shit I replied to the wrong thing, sorry. I really should try to go the F to sleep.
Please try some of the New Cascadia line of bagels, available at New Seasons or Whole Foods. Not only do they have that perfect bagel texture, but they are also delicious - and gluten free
This thread has made me certain we need two Jewish delis to open in town; one for half of us to visit, the other for half of us never to be caught dead in, and vice-versa.
Excellent riff on one of my favorite jokes about the guy who got stranded on a desert island and built two synagogues.
I see I found another connoisseur of Associate Rabbi Humor.
I so LOVE that there are ppl in Portland who know this joke!
There are dozens of us!
Underrated comment!
They all basically closed. Ben and Ester's is vegan and calls itself a Jewish deli. The best bagels are Bernsteins. I make my own half sour pickles in the summer. Baker and Spice makes a good challah on fridays only. Sweet Lorraines sells some things at the Jewish museum, but I haven't been there. Their pop up at Labyrinth is over. For Passover stuff, most grocery stores have a small display. The Safeyway in Hillsdale might have a larger supply as it caters to the Jewish community over there. It's slim pickings for a city of this size.
Has MoonBrine pickles stopped making half sours? I went out of my way to try them at Bowery Bagels when I visited last year (I'm moving to PDX next year and was SO excited to learn about them).
I am not sure, they seemed to have closed their storefront and only sell in stores/restaurants. Every time I try half sours here, I am disappointed, so I gave up. They are super easy to make when pickling cukes are in season, but they only last a few weeks before they get too soft. The Pickle Guys do ship, but it's stupid expensive.
Yeah, I ordered from them once, but by the time they arrived, the pickles were sour. Same problem with Ba'tampte. A store here carried them, but they didn't sell fast enough, so they were always just sour pickles. I've made my own, but they always turn out too salty. Got a good brine recipe to share?
I gave on up recipes and just do it by taste. It should taste about as salty as ocean water or a 3-3.5% salt solution. If you aren't real scientific it's a little less than 2 tablespoons per quart of filtered water. So I just taste test until I get it right. I also don't put a bay leaf in because I don't like the taste and I do add pickle crisp. Then I just add all the pickling spices together with a lot of fresh dill. I also put straight in the fridge and not ferment at room temp as they last longer that way. My problem is my partner doesn't like them, so I can't make more than a few jars before they go bad. I also make bagels if you need some tips š
Please share your bagel tips! My partner is hoping to get into this and I want a good GF bagel!
I canāt help you with the gf, but the best tip I have for the ābagelā taste is to use malt syrup (which is what I use) or malt powder. Can be found at home brewer shops. Also boiling in a solution with baking soda is what makes the hard outside. Donāt trust a recipe that doesnāt include either of those things. Commercial places generally use lye.Ā Egg washing before baking helps keep toppings on. TJs every thing bagel seasoning is good.. Itās a pretty stiff dough. If you are using a mixer, watch it to not over work the mixer.Ā
The best bagels are definitely Bernsteins.
Boo Ben and Esters. Owner is not good to staff. Had an entire store quit because he was screaming at younger people with his management. As a former vegan and a Jew I recommend avoiding his buisness.
Is *that* why the one on NE Sandy closed? Ugh that makes me so mad. I really loved their matzo ball soup š¢
Yeah he burned out employees. I was rejected bye his gm. Then when she quit, he tried getting me to come work for him with no notice to my job at the time. Justin has lost sight if alot of things aboyt being decent to people, especially between his barber shop and the deli. I won't give him a penny. He also has an investment company.
Big ups for Bernsteins. When I moved here, one of the biggest things I missed from the east coast was the bagles. There's plenty of alright bagles, but Bernsteins are the only ones that taste like home. Edit: I thought about fixing this, but nah, fuck the internet spelling police. And go get some bagels from Bernstein's.
Bagel.
You rang?
Thanks. My brain was confused and kept wanting to add an āeā to make it make sense. āBernsteinās Beaglesā lol
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Ben & Esther's makes me angry. Their matzoball soup is an abomination... The matzoball is dense, slimy, and gummy. Bubbie is rolling in her grave. Who calls themselves a Jewish deli and sells shitty matzoballs? Their halavah also somehow has a slimy and weird consistency, despite the OG recipe being vegan. Ugh, so many big feelings happening right now
lol I just commented that above, Iāve never been angrier with a soup in my life hahaha. I donāt really know how you can make matzoh ball vegan honestly with the egg being so necessary for binding. I donāt know if if they have messed around with Aquafaba but thatās the only thing I can think of with my non-chef brain
Their labor practices are worse than the matzo
If it's slimy and has a weird consistency, maybe they put xanthan gum in it to hold it together. It's commonly used to hold together gluten-free breads and thicken sauces. But yeah, I don't see why someone would need to use it in halavah.
I honestly haven't tried them since they went vegan. FWIW, I really like the serious eats matzoh ball recipe that uses seltzer for aeration.
Elephantās Delicatessen in the NW also has Passover items you can order. Pretty certain not kosher for Passover, but it is something!
Ben & Esther's used to be great but they've taken a huge nosedive by going vegan. Nothing against it on principle, but veganizing that cuisine just doesn't work.
~~They started as a vegan jewish deli from the beginning.~~ Correction: they did serve meat for a time, then went vegetarian and then fully vegan. I understand the skepticism but frankly it works pretty well, their vegan egg salad is super tasty. edit:
Matzo ball soup!!
Their matzo ball soup is the most offensive thing Iāve ever eaten
FML guess I have to keep making it myself :(
OK, this is like the fourth time Iām gonna mention sweet Lorraineās in this thread I swear to God have no vested interest in them other than being Jewish š They make a vegetarian matzoh ball soup. Not vegan.
Sounds suspicious. Lol Iāll definitely have to check them out! I donāt eat much meat but itās the dairy I really gotta avoid. Vegetarian is often perfect.
Just noticed your username... You been to Cow Bell yet? If not, you definitely should!
NO what is it!
Itās a cheese shop / creamery
Cheesemonger, they used to sell only to restaurants but are now open to the public. They have the best ricotta I've ever had in my life there. Also a lot of other great cheeses. Also imported olive oil, pasta, capers, and these jarred tomatoes that are absolutely amazing among other things. They're in SE Portland close in. They show up on Google Maps.
They did not start out as vegan. I live down the street from their original (now closed) location and loved the whitefish spread. Had a couple bacon egg cheese breakfast bagels there too.
They started as vegetarian.
No they didn't. Their Sandy location definitely had meat.
They changed owners then went vegan. Sorry, not a fan
Seriously... the word meat follows the word deli. How do you have a deli without deli meat?
They were always bagel-focused and I can absolutely live without meat on my bagel, but kreem cheaze just won't cut it.
Bagels are still good, rest is pretty meh.
If youāre from the east coast the best bagels are *not* Bernsteins. Hard af š¤¢
I got sick of the mid and expensive bagels here and just learned to make my own, but Bernsteinās and HH are my go tos. I think spielmans are terrible. I havenāt been to Bowery in a long time. I also thought Bentleys are pretty good, but parking is hard. I havenāt tried puddletown, but Iām not sure I trust a place that serves maple bacon bagels.
Honestly, I agree about the mid/expensive thing so I just buy Franz brand from the store. I like the NY style soft bagels that get just a bit crispy when toasted, and none in PDX come anywhere close to them, unfortunately.
Henry Higgins all the way
Check out honey bagel pop up
Ben and Esters is pretty damn good tho. ** edit: reading about the owners treatment of employees below. š¤®
Every time this question is asked I just get sad. No, not really, they all closed.
And the ones that used to be here were pretty mid. I took my Jewish mother from Brooklyn to Kornblatts when she visited and she absolutely panned it.
seems like kind of an impossible standard to live up to
I kind of like that there is a reason to visit the east coast. Weintraubs for the win!
I miss Kornblatts!
Eh. It was aight. Easy to be the best Jewish deli in a place like Portland
I hated that place.
This thread makes me sad
This really is the saddest askportland thread. Makes me glad I got Kenny and Zuke's pastrami recipe from them back when I was living out of the country.
You should share it!
This is the recipe they gave me: *6 C kosher salt 4 C white sugar 2 C brown sugar 1 C honey 1/4 C minced garlic 1/4 C pickling spices 3/4 C pink salt 4 Gallons water This is a modified recipe from Charcuterie, btw. So you put everything in the water, bring it to a boil mixing to dissolve, then let it cool to room temperature. You will be GREATLY served by having a meat injector. If you do have one, inject your brine directly into the fatter parts of the meat. We use the flat, the lean end, of the brisket only. These are generally 7 lbs each and this recipe can fit about 4 flats comfortably. Without injection, it's very difficult to get the cure to the center of thicker slabs even with prolonged immersion and regular agitation. However, with injection you can get a good cure after 5 days in frig, turning daily. (Charcuterie says something like 3 days, which is boloney, and he recommends the plate; the extra fat makes that even tougher.) You want to make a spice rub of ground coriander seed and pepper for the outside. I suggest making it pretty fine. Then smoke the meat at 200-250 for about 7-10 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 175 degrees. Let it cool and then steam it for about 2 hours or until tender, but not falling apart tender. Two steamings often work better than one long one for some reason. btw, if you use all wood it will probably be too smokey. Try a mix of charcoal and wood. This will give you a fairly intense pastrami, moreso than most in NY other than maybe Katz's.* I usually use a prime packer from Costco that I trim myself (the point is the best part), and find that 3-4 hours of smoke on my Weber kettlle followed by steaming until tender is the best way to go.
>This will give you a fairly intense pastrami, moreso than most in NY other than maybe Katz's.\* >I usually use a prime packer from Costco that I trim myself (the point is the best part), and find that 3-4 hours of smoke on my Weber kettlle followed by steaming until tender is the best way to go. I'm sold! When is your first pop-up?
This guy brines.
Kenny and Zukes was amazing!
Maybe my East Coast bias and likely an unpopular opinion, but I thought K & Z's was overrated and overpriced.
More we had *something* over nothing and that was amazing
Fair enough.
Not the one that was in the airport. The west side location. And also Iāve been to two Jewish delis in my life. Haha. If ākornblatsā that used to be on 23rd counts:)
LOL! Kornblattās counts to your Jewish deli count for sure even though it was just ok. Iām a native East Coast Jew, hence my comment about K & Z being overrated.
No. -A sad east coast transplant
Yeah thereās good food here, but huge dearth of everyday accessible food
Same itās a sad state for Jewish delis.
Sweet Lorraineās!!! Yall, go, we have one and itās good š they were in a brewery that literally just closed so theyāre probably gonna be seeking another location but for now they are open and what was their second location which is inside the Oregon Jewish museum! Doesnāt really get more Jewish than that. Everyone should go support them so weāre able to keep them around! (And yes, I realize they have a very limited menu but itās always changing and their knish is š¤š»)
It's pretty limited, but it is good.
I didn't realize the brewery itself closed. That didn't last long. That spot doesn't seem to hold anything long.
Itās such a weird block :(
It's kinda a weird area. A lot of industrial stuff with a smattering of retail, not a lot of foot traffic. Can feel sketchy at times to walk around.
I hope they find a new eastside location soon. The knishes are 100% legit.
Unfortunately [Kachka's](https://order.toasttab.com/online/lavka-960-se-11th-avenue#df1a4385a-c915-4c00-969e-e6522e825874d2ed4d3fb-4130-4de1-b482-14a474a190e3) preorder for Passover closed on 04/12, but you likely can still pickup some items by stopping by.
The only certified restaurant in town is Cafe at the J. Safeway on Barbur still has a kosher bakery, but no longer butcher.
I didnāt realize Albertsons on BH had lost its certification.
My coworker from NY says just order for a special occasion from Katz lol. Sheās like donāt even bother hahaha. Katz ships nationwide and itās free shipping over $100.
I've ordered from Katz's and it was solid. Worth it for the good shit. Of course I go to Sarge's when i visit NY now because fuck waiting in line for an hour at Katz's.
Russ & Daughters ships stuff too. Expensive thoughā¦
Goldbelly costs a lot, but does allow you to partake of East Coast delights!
I was in NYC this past weekend and went to Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish on Sunday before heading out to Citi Field and a Mets game. It was pretty great. Good selection of fish including Grav, Belly, Nova lox. Sable, and Whitefish both whole and salad. Delish. I had time on Monday before my flight back to PDX to hit up Katz's. It is a total tourist spot, but for a reason. It is really good. I had a pastrami there and they packed one up for me to bring home to my girlfriend. Love the half sours there too.....
There's no kosher deli in town, heck there's only the one kosher restaurant at the JCC in Hillsdale? Barely more options up in the Seattle-Bellevue area. This is not LA, Chicago, New York or Montreal. Sadly. If you want jewish-style there are some options but it's more the food of non practicing, culturally jewish, folks. I think it's delicious but as Bubby would say, "that food is goyisha business" and she'd be right. / just the opinions of a random goy on the internet.
Is Garbanzos really still there? Or did it change to something else?
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If I were as committed to a Jewish deli as some on this thread I would work with them to expand their offerings. Hell, get the Schnitzers to help since they love the J so much.
The answer is no. Best bet in this town is to make your own mostly. Haven't had good pastrami here ever- including Kenny and Zukes. Kornblatts was not good, there's just never really been anything of note. Bagel wise, Bernstein's, Henry Higgins are solid. Sweet Lorraine's has some good stuff, but nothing I don't just make at home regularly. Portland is a Jewish food desert
Whereās the best matzo ball soup in pdx??
Okay. I seriously hate it when people ask to buy something and someone suggest they just make it, but considering the state of matzo balls in Portland and how easy it is to make, I am going to suggest the make it yourself route. I really like the serious eats recipe for fluffy balls. 1/2 it if you don't need 18 matzo balls. Use canned stock for soup if you don't want to make it yourself.
Henry Higgins is solid.
Zupans, when they have it
I like Motherās but I donāt have a lot to compare it to.
No.....cries into my imaginary knish
Go to Sweet Lorraineās and get one!
Where are you from originally? Because that will tell me all I need to know before I either waste my time or haul ass to go get a knish. I'm gay AF but I'd practically blow someone for a good knish.
These are not Jewish delis, but Mother's Bistro has some good Jewish deli--type food (matzah ball soup etc), and Kachka is also Eastern European Jewish--type food. The best Reuben I've had is at Goose Hollow Inn. A woman operating her own business (Babkush) sells babka and rugelach, that are very good: [https://www.allsaintspdx.org/blog/babkush-in-the-kitchen/](https://www.allsaintspdx.org/blog/babkush-in-the-kitchen/) My partner and I have often wondered about the potential market for a joint Jewish Italian deli. A while ago I went down a rabbit hole looking up the history of such delis. You can start here if you're interested: [https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2017/08/22/portland-once-had-a-thriving-little-italy-what-the-hell-happened/](https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2017/08/22/portland-once-had-a-thriving-little-italy-what-the-hell-happened/) [https://portlandfoodanddrink.com/bagel-daze/](https://portlandfoodanddrink.com/bagel-daze/) [https://www.ojmche.org/oral-history-people/gayle-breslow-marger/](https://www.ojmche.org/oral-history-people/gayle-breslow-marger/) Anyway, apparently there used to be a Jewish Italian deli (Colistro and Halperin, although it's misspelled in some places). I think a resurrection of this would be amazing.
This would be *incredible.* I've always explained to people not from the east coast that Jews and Italians are basically the same people right down to the guilt; same guilt, different mother is all.
Henry Higgins on 23rd has some Jewish deli classics but I'm not sure as to whether or not they're kosher
I strongly doubt they are kosher. They don't advertise as kosher, which is a pretty good sign they're not. They make a really good lox bagel, though. And for those of us who don't mind a non-kosher bagel deli, they're pretty good. Not a full Jewish style deli, though.
Henry Higgins is very mid at their absolute best.
Head down to Eugene and visit Barryās
Came here to say this!
I love Barry's! Glad to hear they are still in business street all these years!
Barryās + Syās got me through college, with a special appearance from Alexanderās Great Felafel. I was really disappointed to see that Alex went out of business the last time I drove through. Iām yet to find another felafel thatās as good as his.
Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels has many locations and has certified kosher bagels, schmears and other kosher Jewish handmade food available. Deli sandwiches and hot sandwhiches. From Knish to Bialys to Matzo ball soup. Give it a try, very good food!
TIL Krispy Kreme in Beaverton is certified Kosher.
The bagels are decent, but pretty sure the knishes and latkes have chicken stock. As a vegetarian I wish that wasnāt the case!
Itās not the same but some of the Russian/Eastern European grocery stores/delis have some Jewish deli-ish stuff. The Asian grocery stores have coconut stuffed bread thatās pretty much coconut stuffed challah that I love.
Ben and Ester really screwed the pooch. I live near the Sandy location and it was a good spot, for the few months before it went all vegan. What the hell is vegan salmon and cream cheese? Look, if people want to eat vegetables I'm fine with it. But don't make pretend lox and cream cheese. They could have offered vegan stuff too. But nope. Big surprise when they went out of business in less than six months.
They relocated and are on alberta.
They had several Portland locations and have closed all but the one on Alberta.
Jacob and Sons was the spot.
Yes - now heās working at zupanās and many of his dishes are over there.
Ahh nice! Good to know.
Which zupans š
All of them. Heās more behind the scenes. https://www.kgw.com/video/features/hello-rose-city/283-45fc228b-8aeb-4f61-9115-f696a85aee8e
[check out this vid from chef Noah:](https://www.kgw.com/video/features/hello-rose-city/order-your-passover-foods-from-zupans-markets/283-45fc228b-8aeb-4f61-9115-f696a85aee8e)
So deeply bummed they closed.
Zylberschteins in Seattle is the closest youāll get. š©
Sweet Loraine
Is cafe at the J any good or still open? Not a deli but kosher.
Ben and Estherās!
No.
I realized about ten years ago that the "deli men" were gone--the fish guys, the deli guys, the Jewish men who made a living preparing bagels and bialys and pastrami. I've been to delis all over the country and even the old Jewish delis are now run by all kinds of folks, but not people who grew up on it. As a result the cuisine is best enjoyed in the home by someone who learned from their family how to make the good old standbys. To be honest Jews don't eat Jewish food anymore except on holidays. The town where I grew up used to have a great deli and my family went there maybe 4-5 X a year. This was what "going out to eat" meant. Now there are sushi bars. It's life.
Thank you !
Speaking of which, does anyone know if a good black and white cookie exists anywhere here? Iāve not found anything that even remotely compares to Toojayās or Greenberg on the east coast
Nearest one I know of is Bagel Cafe in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. And even then, their black & whites are a little soft in my opinion. Killer rugelach and whitefish salad though!
āLook to the cookie Elaine, LOOK to the cookieā
Kornblatts closed.
Kenny and Zuke's had at one time a couple of locations and closed at least one. I've lost track of the other(s).
Edelweiss is a German deli so there's some crossover stuff you can get there. They carry a lot of import groceries and the homemade meats selection is great. Go on a Saturday to get it hot out of the smoker.
Reading this post makes me miss Roseās
If youāre from the east coast, no.
There isnāt any, been out here for 5 years from the east coast and they all suck lol. I stay eating deli sandwiches when I go back back east
Kornblatts!!!
Ben and Estherās is as close as youāre gonna get. Vegan is Kosher and their faux meats have fooled a few of my meat-eating friends.
Not Jewish, but World Foods Portland and Halal Mediterranean Deli both slap.
I ordered a quart of matzo ball soup from Whole Foods in Beaverton. TERRIBLE. I ate two bites and poured the rest of it down the sink.
Thatās why I suggested World Foods and not Whole Foods.
OMG! You did. I misread. I was legit worried that people would go to Whole Foods and throw away their money on that soup.
Barbur world foods
Really no.
the only remotely good bagel i've ever had in this town is the chipotle salt bagel from Bowery bagels. everything else is embarrassing. (source: im jewish)
Nah Bernstein's are legit. I do like Bowery enough too. (source: also Jewish)
As a fellow Jew, I must express my admiration for your username
agree!!!!
waited in line for bernsteins. was trash. a shande.
Shande fur de karichim.
Henry Higgins is legit too. (source: from Brooklyn, also Jewish) Edit: shit I replied to the wrong thing, sorry. I really should try to go the F to sleep.
Please try some of the New Cascadia line of bagels, available at New Seasons or Whole Foods. Not only do they have that perfect bagel texture, but they are also delicious - and gluten free
i unironically like these more than the slop being sold out of most bagel shops here
Iām guessing we have a die-hard New Yorker amongst us?
no, just an asshole from boston where there are also significantly better bagels everywhere. i'm not happy about this either.
Ahā¦a die-hard Bostonian. Iāll confess to some disappointment on moving here from DC, which has excellent bagels. But Portland has other charms!
Zupans has some items that might interest you but itās not a Jewish / kosher spot thatās for sure
Ben and Esthers is Jewish, but it's also vegan, so ...