A Local Player Is Debuting Both Coffee and Ramen Shops Along Mississippi Avenue

A Portland business owner is opening not one but two new spots back-to-back. Cafe Rosetta and the second location of Matsunoki Ramen open on Tuesday, April 22, and Thursday, April 24, respectively. Both will open at the confluence of North Fremont Street and North Mississippi Avenue. Owner Grant Macdonald, formerly of Afuri Ramen & Izakaya, told the Oregonian that the cafe came as an addition to the second ramen location he’d been scouting for, and he thought, why not?

Fans of Matsunoki Ramen can expect the same items on the menu, big bowls of vegan Tokyo-style shoyu next to hardy pork belly tonkotsu. In addition to the fan-favorite wings, there’ll be a cocktail menu at this location. Cafe Rosetta is inspired by Macdonald’s time in Italy, serving Portland’s powerful Heart Roasters in a pretty pink cafe space. There’ll be house-baked pastries and focaccia sandwiches, too. Everything on the menu will run less than $10. “We want to be a space that’s welcoming and price inclusive,” Macdonald told the paper.

Local industry dynamos are set to open a dining club

Whitney Burnside, Doug Adams, and A.J. McCafferty are opening the Bitterroot Club in May. Writer Ron Scott tipped off Eater Portland, noting the project within Grand Fir Brewing will be a big deal. Burnside is the brewmaster at Grand Fir, Adams the chef, and McCafferty an accomplished ceramicist. Details are scant so far, but each evening Adams and McCafferty will host meals of locally sourced fare. Already diners can join the restaurant’s supper club for $500 a year. That deal includes priority access to collab dinners, six tickets to dinner at the Bitterroot Club, and more.

Baja-style fish taco joint closes

One of Portland’s destinations for crispy tacos and homages to Ensenada cuisine is leaving Nob Hill Food Carts. Bajala’s last day at the food cart outlet is Sunday, April 27. Then the business will go back to pop-ups. In an Instagram announcement, owners Lizbeth Sanchez and Juan Flores told fans not to worry as the business has exciting changes coming down the pipeline.

Longtime Peruvian restaurant welcomes new chef

After 23 years on NW Gilsan Street, multi-generational family affair Andina has brought on a new head chef. Owners Peter, Victor, and John Platt tapped chef Robert Newton, formerly of New York City’s buzzy Seersucker and Nightingale 9. Already Newton’s overseen new menus and a new brunch service. The Platt brothers will take the Southern-raised chef to Lima this June for culinary inspiration.