Love Belizean Restaurant Now Open Downtown

Tiffany Love's spicy Belizean chicken and rice (and crave-inducing pineapple upside-down cake) inspired a loyal following right from the get-go when she opened her Love Belizean food cart in a tiny parking lot near PSU in Downtown Portland.

But the landlord had other plans and the carts were told to go last June. She relocated to Tidbit Food, Farm and Garden on Southeast Division and launched a Kickstarter in July to go brick-and-mortar and bring her spicy Belizean goodness back to Downtown.

Now, much to the delight of PSU students and Downtown office workers, Love Belizean restaurant opened yesterday, just a couple blocks from the cart's original location.

With the new sit-down spot, the tiny menu has expanded a bit. In addition to saucy, falling-off-the-bone chicken, tender tri-tip, and red beans with coconut rice, there are seafood specials like mahi-mahi and shrimp in coconut curry -- all accompanied by the same selection of mouth-searing hot sauces. But best of all, the beloved pineapple upside-down cake, which proved too difficult to do out of the cart, is back on the menu.

Love Belizean Restaurant: 1503 SW Broadway, Portland, 503-901-0421. Open Monday - Friday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. (possibly open until 6 p.m. in the near future).

Love Belizean Cart: Tidbit Food, Farm and Garden, SE Division Street and 28th Place.; Open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.