As the Delta Variant Spreads, Some Oregon Restaurants Are Holding Onto Their Walk-Up Windows
Although Oregon restaurants can serve customers inside without mask or vaccine requirements, some Portland food businesses have decided to stick to takeout and outdoor dining, hoping the delta variant begins to subside
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Molly J. Smith / EPDX
When Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced that the state would lift the majority of its COVID-19 safety mandates, Steven Nguyen, the owner of the SE Hawthorne boba cafe Fat Straw, began to prepare. He planned to reopen the interior of his cafe two weeks after the restrictions disappeared, which would give him the time to staff up and clean up the space.
This sandwich combines a little bit of Sicily, a little bit of New Orleans, and a little Pacific Northwest in every bite. The Montavilla deli bakes their own fennel-sesame round bread, hand-stretches their own mozzarella, and chops up their own olive relish; the muffuletta then gets stacked with Olympia Provisions mortadella and sweetheart ham, sided by housemade paprika potato chips. There s also a vegetarian version made with eggplant that s a hit with meat eaters, too. No wonder Sebastianoâs easily made our Best Restaurants 2020 list.
BBQ pork banh mi from An Xuyen with an Apicco Spritz (sold separately)
This bakery is a go-to for banh mi sandwiches, and for good reason: where else can you get a banh mi with bread straight from the source, perfectly crisp and airy and fluffy? The ratios of meat to pickled veggies to egg butter are dialed in just right, making for a sandwich that youâll want to inhale in minutes. The barbecue pork is a classic, but you canât go wro