Portland, OR: What ABBAbout Those Swedish Meatballs - Dinner For Two For Just $20!

Ikea Restaurant
10280 NE Cascades Pkwy
Portland, OR 97220
Phone number (888) 888-4532
Website: ikea.com
Prices: $$$$

Ikea has stores in 41 countries, exactly the number of nations I have visited thus far, so you can get a reasonably priced bookcase or meal pretty much anywhere in the world.

Ikea's cafeteria has a minimal selection of simple, Swedish entrees, salads, soups and desserts, but the food is good, the portions decent and the prices GREAT! If you are an Ikea member, free to join, you also get FREE COFFEE and FREE SOFT DRINKS whether you are eating there or not.

Their swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and veggie meal ($5.99) is an excellent value. They also have salmon filet ($6.99) and braised beef ($8.99) dinners, both served with potato or rice and a vegetable, or you can get breakfast for just $2. A full dinner for two, including soup or salad, entree, bread, drinks and dessert will run you around $20.

Do not expect much ambiance at Ikea. It is a cafeteria after all with basic tables and chairs, you serve and clean up after yourself, and it is pretty noisy. But if you are doing some minimalist shopping, it is a quick, easy and cheap place to grab a bite.

CombatCritic Gives Ikea Restaurant and Bistro 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! 

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Shits & Grins"

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Title: Portland, OR: What ABBAbout Those Swedish Meatballs - Dinner For Two For Just $20!

Key Words: Ikea Restaurant, Ikea, Portland, Oregon, Swedish, bistro, meatballs, ABBA, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook

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Portland, OR: This Peacock Has A "Plume" Of Flavor

Thai Peacock
219 SW 9th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
Phone number (503) 228-2310
Website: thaipeacockpdx.com
Prices: $$$$

After going to a matinee play at the Armory a few blocks away, we were feeling a bit peckish and the menu in the window looked interesting, so we decided to give them a try. The place is small on the inside with 6 or 7 tables (one big family table) downstairs and a few more in the small loft above the kitchen. The service was efficient, a little too efficient actually, and friendly, and the prices reasonable, particularly for downtown Portland.

Not overly hungry, hence the term "peckish", we ordered the Chicken Teriyaki Balls (#2 - $6) as a starter and for entrees, my wife the Pad Ruam Mit (#37 - $10) stir fry and I the Kaeng Matsaman (#28 - $10.50) curry. I also had a Ninkasi IPA ($5) that was very cold and tasty.

The teriyaki balls came out post haste. They looked burnt, but it must have been the teriyaki sauce because they were delish, having been drizzled with a creamy garlic sauce and served with fresh, sliced cucumber and zesty sriracha pineapple chili sauce ... YUM!

Then we experienced the sole downer of the meal and one of my primary pet peaves. We had barely started eating our appetizer when our entrees arrived. Fast is usually good, but there is nothing I hate worse in a restaurant than the main course coming before the appetizer has been finished and the plates cleared away. BUMMER!

My wife's meal had broccoli, carrot, baby corn, cabbage, onion, bell pepper, shitake and white mushrooms, bean sprouts and scallions stir fried with garlic and tofu. A little bland by my standards, she thought it was wonderful and that is all that counts. My "matsaman" (spelled "massaman" at every other Thai restaurant I have ever been to) curry was rich, creamy, delicious and just the way I like it with slices of beef, potato, onion carrot and peanuts, both meals accompanied by a side of steamed rice.

Overall, the food, service and prices were excellent, but I have to deduct 2 Bombs (1 Star) for bringing the entrees WAY too soon. Otherwise, this was a "top notch" meal worthy of my highest rating. So, if downtown enjoying a play at the Armory, perusing the books at Powell's (just a block away), or whatever else you may be doing, Thai Peacock is worth a visit.

CombatCritic Gives Thai Peacock 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

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Title: Portland, OR: This Peacock Has A "Plume" Of Flavor

Key Words: Thai Peacock, Thai, Thailand, peacock, Portland, Pearl, district, Oregon, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook

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The Submarine

Great sandwiches and reasonable prices. Fresh breads and fillings of your choice for €3.50 ... MAMMA MIA ... CHE BUONO ... HOOAH!

If the map is wrong, which is likely, ask a local where 42B Merkanti Street is. Itd worth it!

CombatCritic Gives The Submarine 10 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Oregon City: Mamma Mi Famiglia - Decent Wood-Fired Pizza, Good Service

Mi Famiglia

701 Main Street

Oregon City, OR 97045

Phone number (503) 594-0601

Website: mi-famiglia.com

Prices: $$$$

Another Neapolitan pizza wannabe that just cannot seem to get it quite right. Give up. Unless you are in Napoli, it just will not be the same. However, trying is a good thing and Mi Famiglia did an OK job of pulling it off.

The draft beers (IPA) were cold and reasonably priced ($5) and the individual, wood-fired pizzas decent, although a tad on the small side. True Neapolitan pizza is close to 13" in diameter and served on a big plate. These, although advertized at 12" (before baking maybe), were closer to 10" to 11" on the plate.

We started with a $5 bread plate with four toasted pieces of bread accompanied by some alfredo and marinara sauce. Not bad, but not a great value. My wife had the Four Cheese ($11 - aka Quattro Formaggio) and I a two-topping cheese pizza with salami and fresh basil ($13.25).

The bread plate was overpriced and the pizzas (pizze) not bad for an American attempt at pizza Napolitana. The place is quaint in a surprisingly cute downtown Oregon City with a large, wood-fired pizza oven and freindly, efficient service.

CombatCritic Gives Mi Famiglia 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

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Title: Oregon City: Mamma Mi Famiglia - Decent Wood-Fired Pizza, Good Service

Key Words: Mi Famiglia, mi, famiglia, pizza, pizzeria, wood, oven, fired, Oregon City, Oregon, Portland, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"

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Camas, WA: Non-Discretionary "5% Surcharge For Non-Tipped Employees" Is An Outrage!

Feast At 316
316 Dallas Street
Camas, WA 98607
Phone number (360) 210-7498
Website: camasfeast316.com
Prices: $$$$

I do not usually write reviews of places I have not frequented, but I feel compelled on this occasion to do so due to this statement printed on their menus (posted online): 

"Please note that a 5% surcharge is being added to each check to ensure equal pay for non-tipped employees."

I will not be eating at Feast At 316 anytime soon because of this absurd policy. I have actually heard decent things about the food, but when you have to pay $25 for "Meatloaf" ala carte (no soup/salad) PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 5% FOR NON-TIPPED EMPLOYEES (in addition to 20% expected by the servers), you have lost my interest and custom.

Get a clue and pay your employees a fair wage as I am sure there is plenty of "fat" in the price of your $25 meatloaf, a $42.50 shot 12 year old whiskey, and other not-cheap dishes/drinks to pay your employees commensurate with their duties. Another possibility, having worked in the restaurant industry for many years, non-tipped employees could always be taken care of by servers out of their own tips. After all, with 20%+ "expected" these days for even the most mediocre service, servers are the ones who benefit from kitchen, bus and host/hostess staff's professional and efficient duty performance. Let them pay the 5% if you are too cheap to pay your employees properly. Employee pay is considered overhead and your responsibility, not the responsibility of your customers.

CombatCritic Gives Feast At 316 1 Bomb Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Feast At 316 on Yelp

 

Title: Camas, WA: Non-Discretionary "5% Surcharge For Non-Tipped Employees" Is An Outrage!

Key Words: Feast At 316, feast, at, 316, restaurant, menu, Camas, surcharge, non-tipped, Vancouver, WA, Portland, Yelp, YouTube, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Wall of Shame

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

"CombatCritic", "TravelValue" and "BOOAH" Are Protected Under U.S. Copyright Laws And Are Exclusive Property Of 3rd Wave Media Group, LLC and CombatCritic

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Camas, WA: Hey Portland, Twilight Is Worth A Trip Across The River!

Twilight Pizza Bistro
1905 SE 192nd Ave, Stuie 101
Camas, WA 98607
Phone number (360) 833-1919
Website: twilightpizzabistro.com
Prices: $$$$

A good friend of mine recommended Twilight, having only good things to say about them. Being new to the area, we decided to give 'em a shot.

They changed the TV channel so I could watch my Dodgers versus the Diamondbacks (NLDS Championship Series) and our server was extremely friendly, helpful and efficient. She even told me about their 20% Military Discount, a generous savings and 10% more than most places offer ... HOOAH!

The garlic bread ($6) was pretty good, but overpriced by at least $2 and the Caprese salad  ($7.95) lacking enough mozzarella, but otherwise the food good and prices reasonable.

Garlic Bread $6

Caprese Salad $7.95

The place is comforting to the eye and the food good. What more could you ask for? My wife had the Baked Mac and Cheese ($11.50) with penne pasta in a rich, creamy Tillamook cheddar sauce, topped with breadcrumbs, then baked ... savory and tasty ... YUM!

I built my own pizza ... I'm so proud ... a 12 inch "The Cheese Stands Alone" with a tomato sauce and mozzarella base on hand tossed crust ($11.75), adding Italian sausage for $1.60 ($13.35 total). Excuse my French, but there was a shitload of sausage on the pizza. Big slices of whole sausage covered the pie, probably 1 1/2 - 2 sausages in total. Can you say sausage fest? This pie was pretty damn good! 

Draft beers are $4.75 to $5.50 for a pint and my IPA was cold and frosty, making me extra hoppy (get it?). For two appetizers, two meals and a draught beer, the total came to around $47 with tax, but the 20% military discount brought the total to just under $37 plus tip ... whatta bahgain!

They even have Happy Hour Sunday through Thursday from 2 to 6PM and Friday and Saturday from 2 to 6PM and 9PM to close (dine-in only-available throughout the restaurant). You can save $2 on an appetizer or glass of wine and all draught pints are $1 off.

The only reason I deducted 2 Bombs was because of the overpriced garlic bread, much more tomato than mozzarella on the Caprese, and a total lack of salami. No salami in an Italian joint? Salami pizza is my favorite, so add some damn salami to the topping menu and mozzarella to the Caprese, and maybe I will upgrade my rating ... CAPISCHE?

CombatCritic Gives Twilight Bistro 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Twilight Pizza Bistro on Yelp

Title: Camas, WA: Hey Portland, Twilight Is Worth A Trip Across The River!

Key Words: Twilight Pizza Bistro, twilight, pizza, pasta, bistro, Italian, Vancouver, Camas, WA, Portland, OR, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Copyright 2017/2018 - 3rd Wave Media Group, LLC and CombatCritic - All Rights Reserved