Do you like to eat at new places? Whether it’s a bakery, restaurant, or a fusion of both, I’ll be showing some places around Portland that you should give a try.

Caiman Cafe

Cuisine: Cuban & Mexican

Cuban food for me runs on my dad’s side of the family. In South Florida, Cuban food is literally everywhere, which feels like I’m in heaven. But it can be hard to find quality Cuban food here in Portland. I’m proud to say I have found a place.

Caiman Cafe has a bunch of different Mexican and Cuban dishes as well as pastries and drinks. The place itself is a homelike comforting environment. I love all the Cuban and Mexican decorations inside the restaurant. The dish that I enjoyed the most was their Cuban Lechon Asado lunch plate. The beans and rice paired so well with the very flavorful pork–one of my favorite combos. Also their empanadas filled with cheese and guava is a must try.

Pho Hung on 82nd

Cuisine: Vietnamese

If you like Asian food, I recommend trying Pho Hung on 82nd. They serve a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes. The restaurant scenery is also something you have to look at.

My favorite food to get is phở gà (chicken pho). You can order with vegetable broth, chicken broth or beef broth. I like to get the beef broth because it has more flavor. It comes with a side of bean sprouts, mint leaves, a lime piece and some jalapeno slices, as well as pieces of what seems like rotisserie chicken. When I got my food, I instantly felt comfort. The warm steam rising up from the bowl, the smell was indescribable. I added chili oil and hoisin sauce. Everything was delicious.

Meianna Bakery

Cuisine: Asian

Meianna Bakery is a small bakery located in the Fubonn Shopping Center. They have various Asian style pastries and deserts. 

If you don’t like the thick buttercream American cakes, you’re in luck. All their cakes have very light cream. To describe it, it’s basically whip cream but a tad thicker. The cake part is a sponge cake. They have slices of cake and whole cakes. The whole cakes have fruit on top which I personally love. Also you can customize a cake to your liking, just come back and pick it up when it’s ready.

Noho‘s Hawaiian Cafe

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Noho’s is a restaurant that serves local Hawaiian-style plates. They have inside and outside seating if you’re dining there. And let me tell you, the vibe is top notch. Especially the outside seating when it’s sunny. It makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii. 

Whenever I go there, I always get their Noho’s teriyaki chicken. The regular comes with two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. The sauce the chicken is grilled with is just so tasty. It’s savory and sweet and pairs perfectly with the rice and macaroni salad.