The Oregonian/OregonLive

By MICHAEL RUSSELL | The Oregonian/OregonLive



If you want to know what's best about Portland's food scene, look no further than it's inexpensive restaurants. Here we've simmered our Cheap Eats 2018 guide to the city's top restaurants where you can eat well on a budget to our absolute favorite 15.



A few small caveats: in our big guide, we looked for restaurants where we could eat for $12 or less, often much less. For this list of the cream of the crop, we included a higher percentage of restaurants that brushed up against that ceiling.



This year, we stayed away from bakeries and ice cream parlors, favoring places where you can get a full meal. We didn't feature any food carts -- those will be featured in their own guide later this year. And though our larger survey included inexpensive restaurants from Hillsboro to Oregon City, we kept this tighter list securely within Multnomah County.

Without further ado, here are the 15 best places to stretch your dining dollar in 2018:

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Basilisk

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

I understand why some people might not love the fried-chicken sandwich at Basilisk. At first glance, it looks like a jaw workout, towering above its metal tray, taller than it is wide. And the creamy coleslaw will freak out mayo-phobes. But once you grab it, the sandwich collapses to a manageable size. At first bite, buttermilk trapped inside the crunchy skin cuts through the rich chicken and buttered bun like a knife straight to the adrenal cortex, the griddled Pearl Bakery bun bringing an extra dose of crunch to the party. Stop worrying and give in to Portland's best fried-chicken sandwich.



Order: A fried-chicken sandwich ($8) and some Kool Aid-flavored soft serve ($3).

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Details:

820 N.E. 27th Ave.

503-234-7151

basiliskpdx.com

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Bless Your Heart

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

It should come as no surprise that chef John Gorham, whose burgers at Toro Bravo and Tasty N Alder often rank among the city’s best, would knock a burger-specific stand out of the park. And so it is with Bless Your Heart (BYH) Burgers, a late addition to Pine Street Market with fast-food-inspired burgers, McDonald-esque fries and a cola-friendly cocktail list. The namesake burger ($6.95) comes with a Duke’s mayo coleslaw, while the classic, either single ($6.95) or double ($9.25), has crisp-edged, well-charred patties sizzling under melted American cheese, shredded lettuce and house-made pickles.



Order: The Bless Your Heart burger and a fresh-squeezed orangeade ($4).

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126 S.W. Second Ave.

503-719-4221

byhpdx.com

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Tortilleria y Tienda De Leon's

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

This mini tortilla plant and shop is the granddaddy of east Portland’s Mexican food scene. Head inside to find the main attraction: a long deli case filled with a dozen stews called guisados bubbling in their metal trays. Order, in Spanish if you can, or by pointing through the glass toward the pork, chicken and beef simmering in a ruddy rainbow of sauces from soft green to burnt red. Each meat, from the familiar pork in chile verde to the mound of burnished pig skin, can be made into a sopping taco or an inexpensive plate with yellow rice and larded refried beans.



Order: Carne asada is for amateurs. If you need an entry point, consider the chile relleno ($11 with rice and creamy pinto beans), a golden hunk of ever-so-spicy emerald-green chile wrapped in a blanket of spongy, eggy fry hiding rivers of melted white cheese.

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16223 N.E. Glisan St.

503-255-4356

salsaslocas.com

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El Inka

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Out east, Pollos A La Brasa El Inka has long been one of the best restaurant deals in the metro area, an overachieving rotisserie chicken spot with good fried yuca ($8), beef heart skewers ($9.50) and citrus-soaked fish or shrimp ceviche with the plump, salty Peruvian corn nuts called cancha ($12). The highlight is that roast chicken, marinated for days, rubbed with cumin and black pepper, and, if you come at the right time, rolling on spits behind glass in the dining room.



Order: A whole chicken ($14.50; $22 with fries and salad), a 2-liter Inca Kola ($4.50) and some friends to share them with.

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48 N.E. Division St., Gresham

503-491-0323

elinkarestaurant.com

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Enat Kitchen

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland's best Ethiopian restaurant is also one of its least expensive. Enat Kitchen sits inside a shallow storefront decorated with travel posters from Harar and Addis Ababa just a few blocks from Portland Community College’s Cascade campus. You can sit at the red-and-silver booths and scoop up individual wats or tibs using torn off pieces of injera, the teff-based flatbread, or bring friends or family and get a combo platter meant for three with split peas, crisp fish or spiced beef ($30).



Order: If it's your first time, consider trying the lunch buffet, which offers an impressive selection of Ethiopian stews for just $10.

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300 N. Killingsworth St.

503-285-4867

enat-kitchen.mxstorefront.com

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Frank's Noodle House

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

The spinoff project from former Du Kuh Bee owner Frank Fong brings hand-pulled noodles and dishes bridging China and Korea to both Portland’s Lloyd Center neighborhood and Beaverton. Service is swift, with complimentary cabbage kimchi and cubed daikon radish hitting the table as soon as you’re seated. It’s tough to go wrong, but be sure to get at least one plate of noodles, either stir-fried or in a soup bowl big enough to share (both $9-$13). For vegetable lovers, the baby bok choy ($9) has a tender-crisp texture and is sauced with a light hand.

Order: At lunch, when spicy noodles with pork belly, squid or other meats drop to between $7 and $9.

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822 N.E. Broadway

503-288-1007

franksnoodlehousepdx.com

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Guero

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

For four years, Megan Sanchez and Alec Morrison made great tortas from a petite Silver Streak trailer parked off Southeast 28th Avenue. At their new home, three blocks north, they have room to experiment. The result is a street-style hamburguesa with a disc of crispy American cheese, a breakfast torta dripping braised beef juices and a torta ahogada, a traditional Jaliscan "drowned" sandwich stuffed with tender carnitas and habanero slaw and doused in an achiote-tomato sauce (all $11). Give the cart a bigger kitchen, and they'll throw in the kitchen sink.





Order: Give that hamburguesa a try. You know you want to.

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200 N.E. 28th Ave.

503-887-9258

gueropdx.com

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Hat Yai

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Take the best part of a meal at sister restaurant Langbaan -- the cavalcade of rich curries, jasmine rice, sour soups and braised meats -- and turn it into a counter service restaurant all its own. It’s hard to believe a restaurant of this caliber could be inexpensive enough for a Cheap Eats guide, but yes, I triple-checked: the Southern Thai-style fried half chicken with sticky rice comes in at $12, while the braised beef cheek or chicken thigh in silky red Malay curry costs $11 and comes with flaky-chewy flatbread. If the restaurant is full, Hat Yai will take your food over to Prospect Bottle Shop, the beer bar next door.



Order: A curry and roti set.

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1605 N.E. Killingsworth St.

503-764-9701

hatyaipdx.com

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Nong's Khao Man Gai

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Nong's empire is built on a signature dish: Hainanese-style poached chicken with tender rice and a gorgeous ginger sauce, a perfect meal now served at just two locations. The Portland State University cart near our office closed, and the downtown Portland food cart will soon be replaced by a hotel, but a new downtown Portland brick-and-mortar restaurant is on the way. And the Southeast Portland restaurant has its draws, including cocktails, a few dishes beyond khao man gai and some lemongrass- and pandan-flavored coconut milk soft serve dipped, if you desire, in roast coconut shavings.

Order: Khao man gai ($11; if you have the cash, add fried chicken skins for an extra $2) and a soft-serve cone ($4).

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609 S.E. Ankeny St.

503-740-2907

khaomangai.com

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Otto's Sausage Kitchen

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Otto's Sausage Kitchen: To find Portland's best hot dog, head to Southeast Woodstock Boulevard and look for the guy (it's usually a guy) grilling sausages out front of an Alpine-themed deli. He'll have some pork links and beer sausages ($5) on the grill, but since you're really on a budget, pick out a foil-wrapped bun for toasting and ask for an old-fashioned weiner ($3), a juicy dog with subtle smokiness and the perfect snap. Round out the meal with a $.75 scoop of priced-by-the-pound potato salad from the deli case and a $1.25 Sunkist orange soda from the fridge.



Order: Like the winner you are.

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4138 S.E. Woodstock Blvd.

503-771-6714

ottossausage.com

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Pho Oregon

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Pho Oregon, which sits just across Northeast 82nd Avenue from Madison High School, is cavernous and often packed, giving off the vibe of a big-city pho house. It’s our regular go-to on weekend mornings, not just for pho, but mostly for pho. Bowls ($9.95-$10.95) arrive quickly and piping hot, with nicely cooked noodles, well-rendered brisket and a rustic-yet-elegant broth that has a strong hint of cloves and lots of caramel flavor from the beef bones.



Order: Rice plates and noodle bowls (most $12) are good, and the crispy half-moon crepe known as banh xeo ($13) is big enough to be shared, though like most everyone else here, you'll probably be eating pho.

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2518 N.E. 82nd Ave.

503-262-8816

phooregon.net

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Pure Spice

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

For some, carts are an essential part of the dim sum experience. If all you care about is getting the freshest possible dumplings, head to Pure Spice, where dim sum favorites and more come fresh from the kitchen. Pork siu mai and shrimp har gow arrive in their baskets, still steaming; a fried, meat-stuffed seaweed-and-chive wrap stays crisp under a teaspoon full of chili oil. In the afternoon, the dim sum menu disappears in favor of Cantonese classics including a salted fish- and duck-fried rice that will have you dreaming of a ferry ride across Kowloon Bay.



Order: As much dim sum as your heart desires (most dishes $3.15).

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2446 S.E. 87th Ave. Suite 101

503-772-1808

purespicerestaurant.com

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Rose VL

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Rose VL and its sister restaurant Ha VL specialize in a dozen-odd Vietnamese soups (most around $10), including but not limited to pho, with two served per day. Ha VL is still a destination, but I like going to Rose VL to chat with Ha (Christina) Luu and William Vuong, the restaurants' founders. Go on Saturdays, when Ha VL serves its spicy bun bo hue and peppery pork ball soup and Rose VL doubles up with turmeric noodles and an ambrosial chicken curry. Beyond soup, you'll find occasional specials (including cao lao noodles at Rose VL, also on Saturdays), iced coffee, tea and tropical fruit smoothies.





Order: On a Saturday.

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6424 S.E. Powell Blvd.

503-206-4344

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Scottie's Pizza Parlor

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Owner Scott Rivera opened this pint-sized pizza nerd's paradise after spending time at Baby Doll Pizza, East Glisan Pizza Lounge and Handsome Pizza. His passion for the craft shows through both in the good pizza and the decor, the white walls accented with red and adorned with boxes from some of America's most blogged-about pizzerias. The restaurant is impressively fast at turning out slices, with your cheese or pepperoni often hitting the table piping hot before you've properly settled into your seat. Yes, Checkerboard took home our March Madness slice Championship. But when it comes to great pizza at low-low prices, Scottie's can't be beat.



Order: A cheese slice ($2.50), a pepperoni slice ($3) and an RC Cola ($2.50) from the fountain.

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2128 S.E. Division St.

971-544-7878

scottiespizzaparlor.com

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XLB

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

At Jasper Shen’s narrow, stylish Chinese restaurant, the walls are covered with a gold-on-black zodiac and the Shanghai-style soup dumplings called xiaolongbao ($11) come with super-thin, stretchy skins trapping rich broth made from pork aspic that melts as the dumplings steam. The old-school lightboard menu hides other intriguing options, including sauteed greens ($5 small/$9 large), chili shrimp wontons ($9), various bao ($10 for three) and wok-fried beef ho fun ($12).



Order: No visit to XLB would be complete without a lychee-lime soda ($3.50) and a steamer basket of the namesake dish.

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4090 N. Williams Ave.

503-841-5373

xlbpdx.com

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Stephanie Yao Long

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