[sonick]

Just got back from 4 nights in Portland.

Yes food carts were great. Food wasn't crazy outstanding or innovative 'fusion' like some places here, but definitely tasty and cheap. Also open late unlike the ones here which are only open at lunch for the suits.

It was a bit more 'ghetto' than I had imagined in terms of bums and cleanliness, but you get used to it. Also people there are super friendly overall. We were wandering around oldtown/chinatown and ended up in this super white biker bar (note we are a group with 2 chinese, a filipino, an indian, and a russian guy) but didn't feel out of place at all and the waitress was super friendly; even gave us all a keychain Jaegermeister bottle openers.

Also if you smoke or have a pack of smokes handy, super easy to just meet people and strike up a convo on the patio when someone inevitably asks to bum a smoke off you.

Here's a few places that stood out for us:

• Deschutes Bar (awesome place. Like Yaletown Brewing Co. but 5x better food and beer)
• Hobo's Bistro (classy, woody joint. Great value, tender, nicely done 12oz NY strip for $21),
• Huber's Cafe (another classy-feeling old school joint. huge, moist turkey dinner for $12),
• Berbati (for clubbing, good classic rap, ambiance like a Donnelley place but authentic and no douchebag/pretentiousness)
• Shanghai Tunnel (super hip/cool underground speakeasy-type place for drinks)