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Meats and tomatoes have eluded me so far! Maybe pickle some cherries, or lotus root pieces.

Tokyo, during my honeymoon. We went to a ramen shop that was all chrome playing John Coltrane. The sign outside had a large pink pig holding a bowl of ramen and licking his chops that said "Pork Bone Nourishment."

So good we ate there 3 times despite all the offerings of the city.

Poppyseed bagel, toasted, open faced with whitefish spread. Pickle assortment on the side (more crunchy than squishy.)

Robiola Tre Latte

T-bone has all the parts I love! A restaurant her in Portland (Toro Bravo) has a coppa steak that I am also enamored with but I'm not sure where he's exactly cutting that puppy off.

While being a resident of Portland and reading that others think the real estate market here is "cheap" made me double over laughing, I do feel we are very spoiled with the great selection we have of restaurants at the moment. Some places not mentioned above or in the NYT article:

Lovely Hula Hands on N. Mississippi - Chef Troy has a pedigree inclusive of a stint at Chez Panisse but his place feels more comfortable, his combinations of flavors are impeccable. The menu reads as though things are very basic, but the manner in which they are combined is surprisingly more upscale.

Savoy/Broder- Two great spaces next door to each other on SE Clinton. Savoy is a bar on one side with a nicer dining area adjacent (but I always like to sit in the bar.) Wood panelling, nice bourbon selection, dim lit, known for a really good burger but don't overlook the rest of the specials as they are often the best thing going as opposed to a way to get rid of extras.

Broder- sleeker and brighter this space has scandinavian food in mind, currently only breakfast (aebleskivvers!) Once the OLCC lets them get their liquor on, dinner should follow.

Brand Spanking New Places (just this last year) that already seem off to a solid start:
1. Toro Bravo - yes it's a spanish tapas place, but no, it's not a pale imitation. http://www.torobravopdx.com/

2. Little Red Bike Cafe- This one is in deep North Portland, barely open a couple of weeks. Bike Thru window, great breakfast specials, Courier Coffee (ludicrously small batch produced by a guy who usually bikes his coffee in jars and places it on doorsteps,) a wide spectrum of milkshakes.
http://blog.littleredbikecafe.com/

3. Nutshell- vegan food, but less crunchy more classy.
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/2007/08/nutshell.php

4. Biwa- Ramen and yakitori place that makes their noodles in house and gets their tofu from mere blocks away at Ota Tofu. They have a rotating nabe pot special every Monday. http://www.biwarestaurant.com/