Cozying up to The Bye and Bye
April 13th, 2011In these evenings of early spring, when the air is cool and an occasional raindrop makes its way to our green earth, there’s nothing cozier than donning a fleece and dining on comfort food.
And dare I say that the single best plate of comfort food in the entire city is found in a barely-marked watering hole in northeast Portland known as The Bye and Bye.
There on any given night – and many a weekend afternoon – you’ll find a house full of hippies, hipsters, bike riders, barflys and assorted friends seeking good drinks and a hearty plate of reasonably priced food. Some enjoy the messy, tomatoey meatball sub, others the Frito-laden chili pie. My favorite: the BBQ platter, with its chewy cubes of smoky seasoned tofu alongside creamy black-eyed peas and a heap o’ greens sautéed in just enough spice to give ‘em kick, topped with a crusty baguette. There’s no more ideal cozy meal.
While others relax at the candlelit Formica tables and on comfy couches, my favorite spot to enjoy The Bye and Bye’s delights is at the lovingly poured concrete bar, chatting with the friendly co-owners who mix and serve the drinks. As portraits of Evel Knievel and Montgomery Clift beam at me from the low-lit walls, I dab BBQ sauce from my lips, wash down my meal with an eponymous cocktail in a mason jar, and feel right at home.
Address: 1011 N.E. Alberta. Phone: don’t; just come on by. Hours: open ’til 2 a.m. daily. Music: jukebox with all the faves; DJ’s picks on Sunday afternoon. Cost of best plate of comfort food in town: $8. ’Nuf said.
Tags: alberta, northeast, vegan, vegetarian
