“I’m so hungry!” is the all-too-relatable catchphrase from The Korean Mama, a digital creator who documents her food adventures with her son on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Creators Jane Kim (aka the Korean Mama) and her son, Ed, were on City Cast Portland last month to discuss The Korean Mama’s origin story and to dish out the best dishes in Portland. Here’s what they recommended:
Jane’s Picks:
Concordia
At the top of Jane’s list of favorites is Gabbiano’s, the neighborhood Italian restaurant. Offering classics like chicken parm and spaghetti with marinara, they’re also known for creative concoctions like their Dungeness crab alla vodka — which includes a pistachio chili crisp — and their liz-agna. “I really love it,” Kim gushed.
Montavilla
Offering a wide variety of specialty pies like their spicy eggplant and capicola pizzas, what sealed the deal for the Korean Mama was what she dips her pizza into. “[They have] a ranch dressing. They make it homemade. It was really good with the pizza.”
Tanasbourne & Beaverton
The Korean Mama's followers know well that Jane loves chicken wings, especially when they're extra crispy. It makes sense then that one of her top spots for wings is the family-owned Prime Tap House. “The chicken is so crispy, even though a lot of the sauce [is] outside, I still…taste the crispy. There's a juicy inside that is really, really good.”
Ed’s Picks:
Buckman
Aside from their tasty vegetable dishes like their cabbage side dish, what Ed Kim particularly admires about Warsugai is that their dishes remind him of the Chinese restaurants he grew up with — like their almond chicken. “Their menu is inspired by a lot of old-school Asian dishes that were in the Beaverton-Portland area,” Kim said.
Belmont
If you’re looking for a spot specializing in soups that are constantly innovating, look no further than Annam VL. The Vietnamese eatery seems to have a new soup almost every day. You can even make your own spring rolls, which is what Jane did when she went with Ed for a late-night meal. “I wrapped it, and rolled up, and it was so fun, and it was really fresh inside.”
Raleigh Hills
Located in a strip mall, the family-owned restaurant is actually Ed’s favorite place to get pho in the city. Period. Aside from offering variations of the popular rice noodle soups, Pho Nguyen’s appetizers and sides are also noteworthy, especially their chili oil. “[It’s] up by the front register; it's self-serve. It's incredible. I want pho now,” Kim said.
Other tasty picks:
