Nodoguro Moves Out of the Former Genoa Space

Nodoguro, the omakase destination beloved by everyone from Questlove to Bon Appetit, will not reopen in its current Southeast Portland locale. The Oregonian reports the Roadhouse family is walking away from the space after “failing to come to terms on a lease extension.” As a result, chef Ryan Roadhouse will go back to Nodoguro’s roots and keep the restaurant going as a pop-up throughout the summer, while he looks for a new space. Nodoguro was known for elaborate, high-end tasting menus featuring everything from A5 wagyu beef to monkfish liver; in its early pop-up days, its dinners centered on whimsical pop-culture themes, like Hayao Miyazaki or Haruki Murakami. Nodoguro’s long-awaited casual sibling, Tonari, did not survive; the restaurant was meant to serve as a health-food-centric cafe in the mornings with a record bar izakaya running out of the space in the evenings. Tonari didn’t open until the middle of the pandemic, however; Roadhouse told the paper that “Tonari never had a chance.” Read more about the decision here. [O]

Oregon Bakers Fundraise for the Effort to Recall Ted Wheeler With a Cake Auction

Today at noon, Portland chefs and bakers like Luna Contreras of Nightingale, Jenn Pereau of Tiny Moreso, and Brandi Lansill of Alchemy Desserts will auction off desserts via their Instagram pages in an effort to raise money for a political recall campaign. The cake auction, called “#LetTedEatCake,” is raising money for Total Recall PDX, a campaign to recall Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler funded by the political action committee Total Recall. Bakers like Contreras and Pereau have publicly expressed frustration with Wheeler regarding his recent comments asking Portlanders to “unmask,” “arrest,” and “prosecute” specific protesters often referred to as black bloc protesters, many of whom have been protesting police violence — in particular, Portland Police Officer Zachary DeLong, who shot and killed Robert Delgado in Lents Park earlier this month. Organizations like Don’t Shoot Portland have denounced the mayor’s statements, referring to them as “irresponsible.” The full list of bakers participating in the vent can be found on Instagram; those interested can bid on specific cakes by visiting each baker’s auction post on their personal Instagram and commenting with a price. The bidding ends at 11:59 p.m. tonight. [EaterWire]

In Other News...

• Killer Burger is opening its 13th location in Northwest Portland this summer. [WWeek]
• The Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, a local industry group, put out a public statement calling Gov. Kate Brown’s decision to limit indoor dining in 15 counties “arbitrary.” [PBJ]
• In case you missed it, Oregon-raised author and Japanese Breakfast star Michelle Zauner released a book. It’s out now. [E]
• Jerry’s Pizza has a (tentative) opening date: May 17. [PoMo]