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The 38 Essential Portland Restaurants, July 2011

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It's time to update the Eater 38, your answer and ours to any question that begins, "Can you recommend a restaurant?" This group covers the entire city, spans myriad cuisines, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs, save for those occasions when you absolutely must spend half a paycheck. Every couple of months, we'll be adding pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be open at least six months), or have stepped up their game.

This time around, the 38 bids farewell to Lucky Strike, Kenny & Zuke's, Red Onion, and Ken's Artisan — not because they aren't great spots, but simply because time keeps moving on. Also dropping off the list is Tanuki, thanks to a (temporary) shutter that puts it out of commission for the time being.

That's the bad news. The good: A quartet of new spots have proved their mettle over the past six months, and Eater would like to welcome St. Jack, Grain & Gristle, Aviary, and Little Big Burger to the dancefloor. And making a comeback: DOC returns to the list after dropping off a year ago. All of these changes are reflected in random order here.

And, just in case, rather than a stage-4 meltdown over our having excluded your favorite restaurant from the list, wouldn't it be more productive to just nominate it for inclusion?

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Pok Pok

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Bunk Sandwiches

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The Country Cat

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St. Jack

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Paley's

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Bamboo Sushi

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Screen Door

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Podnah's Pit

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Toro Bravo

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Ocean City

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Park Kitchen

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Nostrana

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Simpatica (Brunch)

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Metrovino

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Beaker & Flask

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Grain & Gristle

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Olympic Provisions

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Bar Avignon

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Apizza Scholls

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Broder Cafe

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Ha & VL

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Ned Ludd

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Castagna

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Little Big Burger

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Genoa Restaurant

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Clyde Common

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Grüner Restaurant

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Jade Teahouse & Patisserie

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Le Pigeon

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Laurelhurst Market

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Lincoln

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Tasty N Sons

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