Oregon is home to a lot of restaurants, bars, wineries, and breweries, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Portlanders just aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's many food players to share their under-the-radar recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
Image of Hungry Tiger, Too courtesy Facebook
Liz Coleman has been tending bars for nearly a decade. "I moved to Portland three years ago with the intention of working in a different, more progressive food and beverage market," Coleman says, and true to her intentions, she's been behind-the-bar at Biwa for more than two years, recently adding NE Broadway's newly opened Hale Pele to her employer's list. But where can the barkeep be found — nursing either heartache or a hangover? SE 12th Avenue's Hungry Tiger, Too.
I need a diner in my life. Some place where the atmosphere is incidental, the service is friendly and fine, and everything clocks in at under 10 bucks. Not so much a dinner spot as a place for a daytime meal to shore yourself up for the long evening of work ahead. There are very few things from exhaustion, stress, heartache or hangovers that a good burger, fries and a strong cup of brewed coffee can't fix. People write country songs about that for a reason.Southeast Portland's Hungry Tiger, Too is my go-to for this meal. The burger patty is the mid-point of thick and thin, I can add grilled jalapeños and onions, the fries are hand cut and not too greasy, and the coffee, roasted down the road at Portland Coffee Roasters is strong and very hot. They have a good veggie option for when I'm feeling that, and all of the ingredients are thoughtfully sourced and well cooked. Service can be slow at times, but like any good diner, you just have to remember that it means more time for the coffee to set in, and for your mind to clear. One more re-fill, and I'm ready for my night.
· Hungry Tiger Too [Official site]
· All Previous Dining Confidentials [Eater PDX]
