Hop Capital Brewing, Based in Yakima, Will Open a Taproom in South Portland

A Yakima Craft Brewery Will Bring Its Beers to South Portland This Weekend

This is going to be a big year for brewery expansion. Beyond the new taprooms coming from Migration and Breakside, a Washington craft brewery from one of the largest hop-producing regions will open a taproom in Portland, New School reports. Hop Capital Brewing, formerly known as Yakima Craft Brewing, will take over the space once home to Etc…Eatery, with the former owners of that restaurant running the food side of the taproom. The brewery will start with nine beers at the taproom, eventually growing to a 24-tap list; the brewery is known for its Berliner-style Weisse, chocolate stouts, and hazy IPAs. The taproom opens at 6500 S Virginia Avenue January 29, from 2 to 10 p.m. [NSB]

Jojo and Matta’s Chơi Luôn Pop-Up Returns Today

Food cart owners Justin Hintze (Jojo) and Richard Le (Matta) had only hosted their collaborative banh mi pop-up, Chơi Luôn, for a few months before the coronavirus pandemic shut them down. The two had developed a menu of beefy bò kho banh mi and fried chicken for the cocktail bar Lulu, but when dining rooms closed, so did Chơi Luôn. The short-lived pop-up will return today at Matta, with a menu split into sandwiches and rice plates. Both dishes come with a choice of braised beef with carrot-chili hot sauce, rice vinegar pickles, or hot honey nuggets. The rice plates also come with jasmine rice and “Viet mac salad,” a classic sort of dish from the Việt Kiều cart. The pop-up runs from noon to 4 p.m. [EaterWire]

Amy’s Drive-Thru Could Be Coming to Portland

Amy’s, the brand spotted in the frozen food aisle making everything from vegan tortilla casserole to gluten-free roasted vegetable pizzas, is eyeing a potential drive-thru location in Portland, according to a recent newsletter email. Amy’s currently operates a few brick-and-mortars in California, selling veggie burgers and burritos handed out of drive-thru windows. “After countless requests to bring Amy’s Drive Thru to the Pacific Northwest, we’re thrilled to till the ground and work to plant our new location in Portland,” the newsletter copy reads. Amy’s, beloved by crunchy Eugene parents and exhausted college students alike, got a lukewarm review from former Portlander and San Francisco Chronicle critic Soleil Ho, who said she didn’t hate the idea of seeing more Amy’s Drive-Thrus as potential road trip stops: “I’ve taken countless road trips, and I believe if there were more Amy’s Drive Thrus around, those drives would have been a little more tolerable,” she writes. “I wouldn’t get the burrito again, but those burgers would be a welcome alternative to the fare at the dominant road food institutions.” The Amy’s team is taking requests for feedback regarding potential locations, and is asking people to subscribe to the mailing list to learn more. [EaterWire]

In Other News...

• Beer bar Loyal Legion has landed on a place to open in Beaverton, complete with a cocktail bar on the second floor. [O]
• The restaurant group at the center of a major reckoning this summer will open two restaurants in a hotel taking over a former temporary homeless shelter. [O]
• Throughout February and March, the Star will donate $5 for every small and $10 for every large pizza ordered to Oregon Food Bank. [EaterWire]