Ava Gene's Former Chef de Cusine Overhauls The Alameda Cafe

The Alameda Cafe, a neighborhood joint on NE Fremont St. in the  Alameda/Beaumont area, has a new owner and a new lease on life.

Cameron Addy, the former chef de cuisine of Ava Gene's and Papa Haydn and former owner of Belly (which was about a mile west on NE Fremont and MLK and closed in 2011), purchased the cafe with partners, remodeled the dining room and kitchen, and completely overhauled the menu, giving it a Mediterranean focus with occasional Southern influences.

The 30-year-old cafe was best known as a breakfast spot, but the new incarnation, which officially opened last week, is currently only open for dinner, Wednesday through Sunday, with breakfast and lunch planned for the near future.

The menu is stocked with accessible classics like steamed mussels with salsa verde aioli and grilled bread; braised beef and dumplings with roasted root vegetables and horseradish gremolata; and barley risotto with creamed leeks, winter squash, chanterelles and crispy shallots. Nightly specials have included coq au vin, lasagna built on housemade pasta, and roasted pork with cheesey grits -- a nod to Addy's Southern roots.

The drink menu features a smattering of classic cocktails and an affordable wine list, plus craft beers (and a hard cider) on tap.

The Alameda Cafe: 4641 NE Fremont St., Portland, 503-288-8365

Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.