Caldera Public House

I’ve driven by this place at least weekly for the past 2 and a half years, and never actually gone inside, despite thinking I should every time.  Last night, after a wet concert at the Edgefield, I stopped in with some friends for a late-evening rendevous.

We all ordered drinks from the good, but not over-complex drink list; I didn’t stray too far from my regular (a Manhattan), but this one had a twist of muddled ginger.  It gave it a complexity and a bite I rather enjoyed.

There was surprisingly large food selection, and what we ordered off of the appetizer menu was quite good.  I would especially recommend the bourbon-soaked Brie, which was melted Brie topped with a caramelized bouron glaze…supurb.

The only thing lacking at Caldera was the service; the sole bartender/waitress/cook was quite busy, and didn’t really keep up with our table.  She was pleasant enough, and we didn’t notice as we weren’t in any hurry, but it was disappointingly slow.

Caldera is a good choice for the area, but if you go, be sure to have a little extra time on your hands.

Caldera Public House
6031 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97215

potato champion

What to say about a late night food cart serving fried food?  Well, specifically French fries topped with your choice of 9 toppings ranging from Pesto Mayo to Rosemary Truffle Ketchup.  Or you can order their specialty, Poutine (poo-teen), which is fries topped with brown onion gravy and cheese curds.  I opted for the latter, and am very glad that I did. 

Granted, the Belgian-style fries are excellent, crispy on the outside, yet very moist and soft inside, and dusted with just enough salt to tease the palate.  But the topping is what really makes them shine.  The onion gravy is strong, smooth, and very well prepared, and the cheese curds are a nice alternative to the cheese sauce so often seen slathered on fries.  The Poutine is fast becoming one of my favorite late night snacks, and I’m sure that I’ll be visiting often.

The only drawback to Potato Champion is that they are only open from 8 PM – 3 AM.  Clearly, they are catering the late-night cravings in us, and that is OK with me, but I wouldn’t mind being able to get some of their delicious fries for an afternoon snack. 

Potato Champion is a food cart, so you will be standing outside waiting for the fries to come, but they do have a covered seating area and a heat lamp for those cold Portland nights.  They are located in a parking lot on the corner of SE 12th and Hawthorne Ave. on the N. side of the street.

Give them a try next time you are out for a late night on the town, you’ll be glad you did!