Slants Restaurant Guide

Introduction
As you flip through this, you might be thinking
“Why an Asian food guide?” or “Why would a local band
even do this?” The answer is simple: food is like art or
sex, it is about pure pleasure. Like music, the food
created by chefs is the song that they share with the
world. And just like local bands, some suck and many are
overrated...but every once in a while, you find a gem that
just rocks your world. This guide is full of Asian eats that
are so good, they make you dance.
Local papers put out restaurant guides all the time.
Have you ever felt disappointed because your favorite
eatery wasn’t mentioned of featured? This whole
concept was inspired because Aron and I were
frustrated that Pho Vietnam (SE 82nd and Foster) was
never listed as one of the better places to get pho in
town...and in our not-so-humble opinion, it’s the best pho
in the Northwest!
We love the food here so much that most of the working
titles on our album, Pageantry, were named after our
favorite dishes or restaurants. “Running with the Dead” was
originally called “Beijing Hot Pot,” “Lucky Strike” retained its
name, and “You Make Me Alive” was created from “Baby
Got Bok (Choy).”
This is our first time doing this. It’ll probably get better, more
organized, edited, etc. as time goes on. But you won’t have to thumb through dozens
of ads to find our recommendations. It’s listed by ever member of the band’s favorite
places to eat. So if you’re a little hungry, you might as well get some Asian tonight. And
if you want some dance rock music...well, you might as well go Asian with that too.
- Simon Young
(bassist)
THE BEST OF THE BEST
As a band, we don’t always agree. But on these places we do.
These are our absolute favorites when it comes to Asian eats.
An Xuyen Bakery
(Vietnamese)
5345 SE Foster Rd
anxuyenbakery.com
This little bakery offers up one of the best deals
in town: $3 for a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich
with fresh jalapeños, cilantro, daikon, and meat)
and an iced coffee. While waiting for your food
from this family-owned enterprise, you can also
pick up an assortment of delicious French and
Vietnamese goods. If they suggest you try
something, listen. They’re great at selling as
well as baking.
Banh Mi: The fresh
vegetables make this baby
crisp and refreshing!
Bamboo Grove
(Hawaiian)
515 SW Carolina St
bghawaiiangrille.com
Our band keeps playing events where Bamboo
Grove is catering. The teriyaki chicken and
macaroni salad here make our mouths water
while we melt you face with rock...and free food
is some of the best payment we can get, but the
truth is that we’ve been fans of this slow roasted
BBQ joint for years. Our advice: Throw a party.
Then, have Bamboo Grove cater it and ask The
Slants to play. Mucho Mahalo!
Beijing Hot Pot
(Chinese)
2768 SE 82nd Ave
thebeijinghotpot.com
Some people call the hot pot experience
“Chinese fondue” but we believe that
explanation falls short, simply because fondue is
never this good. Fresh, hand-made noodles,
thinly sliced meats, a staggering array of veggies...all cooked in broth made from scratch and
dipped into amazing sauces - it’s healthy and
damn good too. Be sure to tell them that The
Slants sent you, you’ll get royal treatment and
an extra discount too.
Good Taste Noodle
House
(Chinese)
8220 SE Harrison St
(with two other locations
around PDX)
When you walk into a restaurant and see a wall
of hanging meat, it’s usually a sign of good
things to come. Skip the usual “Americanized”
like sweet and sour anything and dive straight
into the best bowl of wonton noodle soup in the
city. Our favorite is “N9 “: BBQ pork with wontons, swimming in egg noodles. Other faves
include “3 meat choice over rice” (get the spare
ribs), roast duck congee, and Super Bowl A.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Q: Can life get any better than a bowl of noodles and meat?
A: Yes, simply by adding The Slants to your play list.
Pho Vietnam
SakeOne
(Vietnamese)
5440 SE 82nd Ave
(Sake)
820 Elm St, Forest Grove
www.sakeone.com
When it comes to a great bowl of beef noodle
soup, a few things are required: a superb broth,
fresh vegetables, quality meat, and plenty of
noodles. This place has all of that, combined
with good service and the same soundtrack that
has been on rotation everyday for years. This
has been the meeting place to make slantedworld domination plans since day one. After
ordering the house special (with extra noodle of
course), you’ll feel like taking over the city too!
Pho Dac Biet means “special”
and has many cuts of beef,
meatballs, tripe, and veggies.
Double the noodles for only $1
and you’ll double the fun!
Take a tour and then ask for the “Sake Shock”
experience, where you can try 5 incredible food
and sake pairings that will blow your mind. Take
it from us, this place is the best thing about Forest Grove. The scenic garden, events year
round, and array of sake offerings make it worth
the drive. The videos of band members being
extra happy as a result of G sake should be
enticing enough for you to try it out for yourself!
Wong’s King
Seafood
(Chinese)
8733 SE Division St.
www.wongsking.com
Pok Pok
(Thai)
3226 SE Division St
pokpokpdx.com
It’s rated as one of the
best places to eat in the country. Yes, it does
deserve all of the rave reviews. Yes, it’s worth
moving to Portland just to be near it’s magical
Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. And we’re not
just saying it because you can often catch one
of the chefs sporting a Slants’ hoodie through
the window either. We’re saying it because it
pretty much is the best Thai food you’ll find on
the continent. Order anything with a whiskey
soda and you’ll see why.
Dim Sum is usually only served until
mid-afternoon and the amount of
choices can be staggering. A good
start includes these staples: Har
Gow, Shu Mai, Char Siu Bao, and
spare ribs.
Wong’s King is the place to get your Chinese
seafood fix or dim sum craving fulfilled. It was
just name top Chinese restaurant in the U.S, is
recognized by the World Association of Chinese
Cuisine, consistently wins Chinese cooking
competitions - in China, and now has the honor
of being in our food guide. You’d think our cue
was the deli out front with the hanging ducks or
the $1500/lb abalone they use just for
display, but it’s just great food...and at a
reasonable price too.
Aron Moxley’s favorites
Aroy Thai
Bombay Cricket Club
(Thai)
506 SW 4th Ave
1925 SE Hawthorne Blvd
(Indian)
“Go for the food, stay for the snake shake.”
Bamboo Grove
(Hawaiian)
515 SW Carolina St
bghawaiiangrille.com
(band favorite)
Bush Garden
(Japanese)
900 SW Morrison St
bush-garden.com
“Great traditional vibe, excellent service. Ask for
Yumi and tip well!”
Bamboo Sushi
(Japanese)
310 SE 28th Ave
bamboosushipdx.com
“There’s a limited menu because everything is
sustainable. They have a high regard for the best
products available.”
Good Taste Noodle House
(Chinese)
8220 SE Harrison St
(band favorite)
“6 big wontons and a
heaping of egg noodles
for only $5 even makes
pho look like a
complete rip off!”
King’s Bakery
(Chinese)
2346 SE 82nd Ave
Kim Jong Grillin’
(Korean)
SE 48th and SE Division
Aron enjoying the fresh, hand-made noodles at Beijing Hot Pot.
Mee Sen
Beijing Hot Pot
(Chinese)
2768 SE 82nd Ave
thebeijinghotpot.com
(band favorite)
Biwa
(Japanese)
215 SE 9th Ave
biwarestaurant.com
(Thai)
3924 N Mississippi Ave.
meesenpdx.com
“Grab a bit here before heading over to Mississippi
Studios across the street. You won’t regret eating this
street styled Thai faire.”
Miho Izakaya
(Japanese)
4057 N Interstate Ave
midopdx.com
Aron Moxley’s favorites
Pho Vietnam
(Vietnamese)
5440 SE 82nd Ave
(band favorite)
“It’s like a mix between Pho Van and Pho Hung. Pho
Van has ‘ghetto broth’ that is cloudy but Pho
Vietnam has better meat. Pho Van has great meat but
the broth is too clean and clear. This place has both
and the garnish plate always has the freshest Thai
basil.”
Pok Pok
(Thai)
3226 SE Division St
pokpokpdx.com
(band favorite)
Powell’s Seafood
(Chinese)
6633 SE Powell Blvd
“When you walk into this cafeteria style Chinese
eatery, look back by the kitchen swinging doors at
the live Crab and Black Conch giving you attitude in
the aquariums. Because you get to hand pick your
dinner! Simply get a
waitresses’ attention and point to the lucky/unlucky
winner in the cold death pool for supper! Also, the
salt and pepper squid is out of this world!”
Samurai Bento Food Cart
(Japanese)
940 SW Alder St.
“Not only more traditional food from Japan ala
KART but this is where Hayao Miyazaki frequents
when doing business from Japan. Nothing like great
Japanese food to get an anime started!”
Yoko’s Japanese Restaurant
(Japanese)
2878 SE Gladstone St
“Not only some of the best fish quality in
Portland, you might have a server in an up and
coming punk, thrash, or indie rock band bring you
the food!”
About Aron Moxley:
Born on the streets of Saigon in
war-torn Vietnam, Aron was adopted
into a multi-cultural family at a young
age. Aron grew up in the Northwest,
moving from Astoria to Portland.
Aron has been working in the food
business since 1988. In addition to
being the lead singer of The Slants,
Aron is a husband and manager of the
Delta Café Lounge.
Simon Young’s favorites
An Xuyen Bakery
Good Taste Noodle House
(Veitnamese)
5345 SE Foster Rd
anxuyenbakery.com
(band favorite)
“I love stopping in to pick up coconut rolls and fresh
French bread when I’m ordering sandwiches. They
always sweet talk me into trying their newest items
and I’m always happy to be their guinea pig!”
(Chinese)
8220 SE Harrison St
(band favorite)
“I used to think that good Chinese food didn’t exist
in Portland. That was before I went to Good Taste.”
Arawan Thai Cuisine
(Thai)
9610 SE 82nd Ave
arawanthai.com
“If you’re going to Best Buy,
then drop in. Great noodle
classics like Pad Se Ew”
Beijing Hot Pot
(Chinese)
2768 SE 82nd Ave
thebeijinghotpot.com
(band favorite)
“Reminds of me the Thanksgivings I had
growing up...but even better”
Best Baguette
(Vietnamese)
8303 SE Powell Blvd.
Bestbaguettesandwhiches.com
“I could eat their grilled pork sandwiches everyday
if I had to. Who needs a $5 foot long when you can
get a $3 banh mi?”
Bun Bo Hue
(Vietnamese)
7002 SE 82nd Ave.
“I love the grilled plate items
here, especially the house
special. Of course, the real
star of the show is the “Bun Bo Hue,” a Vietnamese
spicy noodle soup that is packed with flavor. It puts a
different spin to the typical pho joint in Portland.
Don’t expect atmosphere here, just good food.”
Karma Cafe
(Coffee/Bubble Tea)
8220 SE Harrison St.
karmacafepdx.com
“Get the best bubble tea in town, not overly
sweetened like other places!”
Lillokoi
(Laos-Hawaiian)
1324 N Killingsworth
lilikoiportland.blogspot.com/
“This newly opened restaurant has the best meals for
less than $5 each. Super generous owners with a
huge heart for the community.”
Lucky Strike
(Chinese)
3862 SE Hawthorne St
“I can get all of my favorite dishes that no on else
serves like dan dan mien. Of course, an order of their
Guinness spare ribs is a must. It’s like tasting a little
bit of heaven with every bite.”
Malay Satay Hut
(Malaysian)
2850 SE 82nd Ave.
www.malaysatayhut.com
“I’ve had almost everything on the menu here- that’s
how often I come here and how much I love it.”
Mee Sen
(Thai)
3924 N Mississippi Ave.
meesenpdx.com
“Honestly, I first came here because I heard the
owner was a fan of our band. Now I can say I eat
here because I am a fan of their food”
Simon Young’s favorites
Pho Vietnam
(Vietnamese)
5440 SE 82nd Ave
(band favorite)
“I bought my house because it was close to Pho
Vietnam. That’s true love.”
Siam Society
(Thai, Asian Fusion)
2703 NE Alberta
siamsociety.com
“Everything they have here is perfect.”
Sinju
(Japanese)
1022 NW Johnson St.
sinjurestaurant.com
“Warning: this place is not cheap...but makes a great
date! My favorite fish is Hamachi (yellowtail). They
have a dish: ‘Yellowtail Heaven’ that makes me
happy to no end.”
Sorabol
(Korean)
7901 SE Powell Blvd.
cuisinesorabol.com
“The first time I came here, I was traumatized by
videos of cars meowing Christmas songs on loop (in
the summer). I’ve never seen it since. Nowadays, I
enjoy their amazing lunch specials while they show
K-pop music videos on the screen.”
About Simon Young:
Originally a San Diego native, Simon
was born to a celebrated chef and grew
up in a family of Chinese restaurants in
California and Taiwan. Simon relocated
to Oregon when he joined PDX-based
punk rock band, The Stivs.
Takahashi
(Japanese)
10324 SE Holgate Blvd.
thetakahashi.com
“Insiders know: go on Wednesday or Sunday to get
40% of sushi and 25% off tempura. I always overeat
when I come here. It’s so good!”
Wong’s King Seafood
(Chinese)
8733 SE Division St.
www.wongsking.com
(band favorite)
Simon is the bassist as well as the
brains behind The Slants and loves to
keep a pulse on Asian American
culture, food, and advocacy issues
across the country. You can read
Simon’s food reviews restaurants on
Yelp and Citysearch.
Johnny Fontanilla’s favorites
An Xuyen Bakery
Karma Cafe
(Veitnamese)
5345 SE Foster Rd
anxuyenbakery.com
(band favorite)
“Even though I am diabetic, I’ll still eat the sweet
breads here until it kills me (literally). The honey
croissants, the Swiss rolls, and of course, their Vietnamese sandwiches are so good!”
(Coffee/Bubble Tea)
8220 SE Harrison St.
karmacafepdx.com
“I like to sneak over here and get bubble teas when
I’m waiting for my food at Good Taste Noodle
House.”
Beijing Hot Pot
(Chinese)
2768 SE 82nd Ave
thebeijinghotpot.com
(band favorite)
“Simon and I ate here one stormy and rainy
afternoon to take a break from songwriting for the
new album. After filling up this, we were so inspired
that we went back and wrote a new song. At the time,
we called it ‘Beijing Hot Pot’ but now it’s known as
‘Running With the Dead.’
Pho Vietnam
(Vietnamese)
5440 SE 82nd Ave
(band favorite)
“One of my favorite things to do after a long tour is
to come here and order a huge bowl of pho. It always
makes me want to get back out on the road again.”
Good Taste Noodle House
(Chinese)
8220 SE Harrison St
(band favorite)
“I got dragged here to try their roasted duck congee
one day. It was the best day of my life. Now, I’m in
love with their BBQ pork wonton noodle soup bowl.”
Sushi Sushi
(Japanese)
5428 SE 82nd Ave.
“If you want to eat cheap, it’s one of the better conveyor belt places. Every plate here is only $1 so it’s
good for the budget.”
Johnny Fontanilla’s favorites
Tambayan
(Filipino)
6014 SE Foster Rd.
“This is the best Filipino restaurant in town by
default...it’s the only one in town. Great traditional
dishes that you won’t be able to get anywhere else in
Portland like Tapsilong, Tocilog, Sinigang, and
pata.”
Takahashi
(Japanese)
10324 SE Holgate Blvd.
thetakahashi.com
“There’s nothing in this world like raw fish on rice.
Takahashi is kind of crazy: there are souvenirs from
Japan all over the place. I like to fold origami while I
wait for my food. Even though it’s a long wait, it’s
always worth it. The sushi master personally inspects
every plate before it goes out to make sure that it is
up to the very best of standards.”
Johnny was born and raised in San
Diego, CA. Celebrating a shared
heritage of Filipino and Mexican culture,
he experienced the Latin side of Asian
culture. He quickly learned that the best
Chinese food was made by Simon’s
parents...and ended up eating there
almost everyday after school while
honing his guitar playing skills.
Today, Johnny is the guitarist for The
Slants. He’s also known for falling
asleep at the worst of times and is often
subject to the pranks of his band mates.
Tyler Chen’s favorites
Tyler says he offers the more sophisticated choices
Beijing Hot Pot
(Chinese)
2768 SE 82nd Ave
thebeijinghotpot.com
(band favorite)
“I’ve never had hotpot from anywhere
else...although I don’t see a reason to go
elsewhere...delicious!”
Fong Chong
(Chinese)
301 NW 4th Ave.
“Fong Chong has been my favorite restaurant since I
was a kid. Simply amazing dim sum!”
Dok Koon
(Thai)
3414 NE 52ND St (Vancouver)
http://www.dokkoon.com/
“Dok Koon’s drunken noodle dish is addictive. Good
thing the portions are huge!”
Eastland Sushi & Asian Cuisine
(Japanese, Chinese)
16519 SE McGillivray Blvd. (Vancouver)
eastlandcuisine.com
“I go to Eastland for the sushi...get a dragon roll
that is the size of a dragon.”
Pho Vietnam
(Vietnamese)
5440 SE 82nd Ave
(band favorite)
“Pho Vietnam is nearby Simon’s house…I wonder if
he’s caught on why I visit him so frequently?”
Tyler Chen’s favorites
Taste of Asia Chinese Buffet
(Chinese)
2605 East Fourth Plain Boulevard (Vancouver)
“I normally cringe when thinking about an Asian
buffet, but Taste of Asia puts a majority of
Chinese restaurants to shame with any one of
their buffet items! High quality food, low price,
excellent selection! “
Thai Little Home
(Thai)
3214 E. Forth Plain Blvd. (Vancouver)
“I can’t help but dream about how great it would
be if Thai Little Home was open 24 hours…”
Even though Tyler was born halfChinese, he had never identified as an
"Asian-American" until he joined The
Slants. Tyler laments, "One of the perks
of The Slants is all of the new foods that
I get exposed to!" As the drummer and
newest member of the band, Tyler
brought a harder hitting edge to the
band’s already energetic show - and his
invaluable drum tech, Ken Simon, who
has become the road crew lead.
Tyler grew up in the Northwest, lived in
Europe during high school and currently
lives in Vancouver, WA. When he isn't
rocking the world with The Slants, he
has a state job, does copious amounts
of freelance work in web development
and media production(tylerchen.net),
and spends time renovating his house.
Special Awards and Mentions
Most Sadomasochistic Meal
Experience in Portland
Best Place to Get Shot at While
Filming an Asian Mafia Movie
Lucky Strike
Hung Far Low
(Chinese)
3862 SE Hawthorne St.
(Chinese)
2410 SE 82nd Ave
Portland Monthly Magazine named Lucky
Strike one of the Best Restaurants in their 2009
feature issue. We liked the place so much that
we named a song after them on our album,
Pageantry. Even though our accolade is a little
more enduring, they were first on the scene to
discover the Hot Pepper Chicken Bath: a dish
that is definitely more hot peppers than
chicken. The tasty meals served here are a
pleasure-pain experience. Don’t always expect
quick service, a well-stocked kitchen, or even
regular hours (biggest complaints about the
place). Just look forward to a sweaty bath of
delicious, authentic, Szechuan spicy Chinese
food.
Look for “The Slants and Syndication” on
YouTube and you can check out our brush with
death from the man. When we decided to make
a cameo in the a local Portland film about Asian
mafia,the Director forgot to notify the police that
we’d be in and out of the area carrying replica
weapons. So imagine our reaction when a half
dozen police cars pull up with snipers, officers
carrying fully automatic weapons, and attack
dogs thinking that there was an actual gunfight
taking place. While our memories of Portland’s
iconic restaurant will never be of their food,
we’ll always treasure the fact that we escaped
out of the place alive. As it is, it seems that
most people go for the stiff drinks not the eats.
Hot Pepper Chicken Bath. Delicious treat or
cruel joke?
Little did we know that this could have been our
very last video blog!
Special Awards and Mentions
Best Name for an Asian
Restaurant
Top 5 Restaurants That You’ll
Most Likely See Members of
The Slants
Hung Far Low
(Chinese)
2410 SE 82nd Ave
1.
We like taking on stereotypes. Whether or not
the origin of Hung Far Low’s establishment took
on the concept to fight ideas about Asian male
genitalia, the original sign still attracts people
from all over the world. It’s a big sign too.
Runner Up: Kim Jong Grillin’
2.
Pho Vietnam
3.
Good Taste Noodle House
4.
Beijing Hot Pot
(Southern) 4607 SE Woodstock Blvd.
(Vietnamese) 5440 SE 82nd Ave.
(Chinese) 8220 SE Harrison St.
(Chinese) 2768 SE 82nd Ave.
5.
Favorite Asian Deli
The Delta Café
SakeOne
(Sake) 820 Elm St., Forest Grove
Fubonn
(Pan-Asian Market)
2850 SE 82nd Ave
fubonn.com
Fubonn proudly boasts that they are the largest
Asian shopping center in Oregon. They
certainly don’t have much competition. The
heart of this behemoth is the Fubonn
supermarket, a spectacle of Asian groceries
and convenient pan-Asian deli. Their focus is
on Southeast Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine:
roast duck or pork, banh mi, etc. but there’s
quite a variety and the prices are very
reasonable too.
Runners-Up: H-Mart and Uwajimaya
Best Asian Owned, Non-Asian
Cuisine Restaurant
My Brother’s Crawfish
(Cajun)
8220 SE Harrison St.
mybrotherscrawfish.com
Order a crawfish boil. It’ll be one of the best
meals of your life. ’Nuff said.
You Probably Have an Opinion
Too…
Did we miss your favorite place? Think we’ve
got it wrong on something? Or maybe there’s
some secret restaurant that we haven’t made
our way to yet (there’s plenty of those).
If that’s the case, then let us know! We’d love to
chat food. You can send us an email at
[email protected], drop a note on
Myspace, or post to our wall on Facebook!