Eater Portland’s Top Posts of 2015

Also according to the O, Eason then left the restaurant and tried to forget about the whole incident but couldn’t. He returned to the restaurant 30 minutes later and asked two white diners if they’d been asked to prepay. Eason said that these parties had responded in the negative. Now, Eason has filed a lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court against the Elmer’s franchise for $100,000.

Elmer’s has not commented on the litigation, but director of restaurant support Jill Ramos has said, “We are disappointed to hear about the complaint which occurred at one of our franchise-operated restaurants.” Since opening in 1970, Elmer’s has grown to 25 diner-style locations.

After this summer’s onslaught of restaurant and bar openings, what could Portland’s restaurants possibly throw at you this fall? Well, new projects by Ataula and Stray Dogs, to start, along with a huge food market downtown with nine restaurants inside. And like we said, that’s just to start. Here are our most anticipated Portland 2015 fall restaurant openings.

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It’s almost unthinkable. Besaw’s has been a Northwest Portland institution since opening as a logger’s tavern way back in 1903. It’s one of Portland’s oldest restaurants, steeped in the kind of character that only comes after more than a century in business.

But the development company who owns the building has refused to renew the restaurant’s lease. Besaw’s, which would have celebrated its 112th anniversary this summer, will have to close its doors after dinner service Friday, May 29.

If only we could all get $100,000 for a date night gone awry. The Oregonian reports that a women who dined alone on Valentine’s Day has filed a $100,000 lawsuit against Enzo’s Caffe Italiano on Northeast Alberta for rude service.

The article says Kathleen Hampton, who is representing herself, had made a reservation for two but her husband “was still full from lunch and decided not to go.” Hampton went anyway, and claims she was forced to wait while couples who arrived after her were seated first. And once she did get a table she says she was ignored. According to the article, “She then told a waitress she was ready to order, but the waitress replied that she would not be taking her order and that Hampton had to leave the restaurant and give up the table.”

As Alton Brown traverses the country on his Alton Brown Live tour, he happily documents his #ABRoadEats on Twitter, Instagram, and his blog. And the guy has good taste, or at least does his research. [Before hitting Portland he gobbled up some of Vancouver, B.C.‘s best casual eats, including the iconic porchetta sandwich at Meat & Bread.]

But he documented more meals on his trip to Portland this past Monday and Tuesday, than he has for most other towns. And though it doesn’t look like he had time for upscale dining, he did hit some of the best coffee shops and fast-casual places our city has to offer, prompting him to declare two dishes the best he’s ever had. Read on for details:

Tucked up high in the hills with staggering views, towering evergreens, and outdoor barbecues, the saloon-like Skyline Tavern had all the potential to be the dive bar of everyone’s dreams. The only trouble was it had crap beer, even worse food, and took cash only. Service didn’t usually come with a smile, either.

When it went on the market in December, complete with 2.2 acres, everyone feared the worst: All that promise would be torn down to make way for a McMansion. Well, Portland, we dodged a bullet. Environmental filmmaker Scott Ray Becker, whose own mother used to hit the tavern after sneaking away from Miss Catlin’s School (as Catlin Gabel was once known), has purchased the nearly 100-year-old tavern and the only thing he wants to do is, well, make everything better.