Former Food Cart Grilled Cheese Grill Returns Inside The Knock Back

Two Northeast Alberta Street businesses thought to be casualties of the pandemic have been revived. Cocktail bar the Knock Back reopened on Tuesday under new ownership from the team at neighboring Donnie Vegas and with the Grilled Cheese Grill running the kitchen.

Now, cocktails on tap and other inventive drinks like a martini with Shaoxing wine, can be found alongside a menu of sandwiches and burgers, including the Grill’s signature Cheesus, which consists of a burger patty between two grilled cheese sandwiches. The refurbished bar features a kitchen window where customers can pick up their food and a mural by artist Mike Bennett. Known for its dining room within a converted school bus, Grilled Cheese Grill originally operated from 2009 to 2020. The restaurant went on hiatus at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, and owner Matt Breslow had planned to reopen last year before permanently closing last spring. The Knock Back closed in 2020 after a GoFundMe campaign to keep the business afloat failed.

Netflix’s ‘Street Food: USA’ Includes a Portland Episode

On the heels of recent episodes of Somebody Feed Phil, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Beat Bobby Flay, Portland representation in food-centric TV shows continues apace with a Portland episode of the upcoming Street Food: USA. Volume three of the Netflix docuseries, which highlights the stories of street food chefs and previously covered Asia and Latin America, will turn its focus to U.S. cities. Chefs Kiauna “Kee” Nelson of Kee’s Loaded Kitchen and Thuy Pham of Mama Dút appear in a trailer for the show, which is set to drop on Netflix on July 26. The episode will also feature Matt’s BBQ and Ruthie’s, the Oregonian reports.

Salt & Straw Opens a New Scoop Shop in Beaverton

The Portland-based ice cream chain opens its newest location in the Jewel Box building at Cedar Hills Crossing today. To celebrate, the first 100 customers today will receive a free scoop and Beaverton Community Band will perform from 6-8 p.m. tonight. It’s a big week for the company—on Sunday, July 17, they launched the “world’s first” edible and wearable culinary perfume. The fragrance was made in partnership with the Portland perfumer Imaginary Authors, and comes in three scents. It can be ordered as an ice cream topping in stores and is also available in bottles.