Going Out No. 44: Street Disco
SE Foster's favorite spot.
Welcome to Riley’s Recs! A place for people who love to talk about what they eat, drink, and do in Portland. This is the Going Out edition, where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity. Every Sunday, I also share Staying In recipe recommendations for your week. Don’t forget to follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!
To eat: Bread Plate, Bleu Butter Radishes, Roasted Carrots, Green Goddess Roasted Asparagus, and Ahi Tuna Cannolis
To drink: Angelo Negro White and Marigny White Ferrari
Cost for two including tip: $124 (get $30 off using inKind)
Address: 4144A SE 60th Ave
I enjoy a specific type of restaurant. Maybe you like it, too: the kind that serves small, neo-European plates like marinated white beans, roasted carrots, and steak frites. It usually has a natural wine list and a handful of signature cocktails. But only one dessert. And it’s probably an olive oil cake.
In Portland, I can think of a few spots that meet this description. Bellwether Bar, Someday, OK Omens. I love them all. And now, I’m adding Street Disco, the FoPo favorite, to my list.
What started as a pop-up from two former Dame team members, is now a neighborhood darling brick-and-mortar off SE 60th and Foster. Since expanding into their own space, the Street Disco team has experimented with new dishes, late hours, and reservation policies —settling on a few classic plates, a mix of walk-ins and bookings, and a respectable 10:30 pm closing time.
It took me too long to find Street Disco. But now that I have, I can’t stop going. It’s my kind of spot.
The Street Disco team is giving a Master Class in how to balance a chef’s personal taste with diners’ demands.
The menu includes crowd favorites—oysters, steak, a burger. These are the money makers. The menu items that sell themselves. But I’d skip the oysters (gasp) and the steak (I said what I said!!). Out of these more pedestrian options, I prefer the salads. Always seasonal and fresh, but with pieces of flair. The citrus salad, for example, contains one of my favorite ingredients, pistachio butter, and imparts an important lesson: read the menu closely before you underestimate the potential of a plate.
The menu also includes more creative options like boar ribs tossed with colatura (anchovy sauce) and ahi tuna cannolis with yuzu mayo. These are the dishes that get a chef out of bed in the morning. And what keep you coming back for more. But be warned, the menu changes quickly. What might be here today could be gone tomorrow as seasons change. That being said, here is my perfect order.
Begin with a plate of Fairbanks Bread followed by the whipped radish butter or a plate of tinned fish. Sure, you can buy tinned fish at the store, but you’re really here for the accompanying fried saltines. A snack turned delicacy through the power of oil and heat.
Follow with a salad and a roasted vegetable (the carrots with puffed grains and whipped ricotta currently on the menu is outstanding). I’d stay away from the heavier mains, like the ribs or meatballs. Keep the plates small and plentiful. You’d be wise to order the octopus served with a Spanish pimenton. Or the ahi tuna cannoli. If your appetite persists, any of the homemade pastas are a sensible finale.
And I do mean finale. You’ll hear a lot of talk about the Basque Cheesecake. But it is cloyingly sweet. And I can’t let your time here end this way. Instead, order another glass of wine. Call your Uber. And eat some ice cream on the couch.
And then come back in a few weeks for more.
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Oooh I’ve been wanting to go here so bad!!