we'll be home for christmas, but its been years.  staying out by the airport, and mom lives over in the southeast powell and division area.  looking for breakfast, lunch and dinner spots.  also looking for a place to watch the saints game while in town.  any and all suggestions?  will be taken seriously.

The Observatory for Dinner.

The Observatory is somewhere in between there.  Go there for happy hour.

JINX

Matt-We're sure not to be the only ones to mention the Observatory.

Jinx is in the Pearl, Matt. You're way off.

Wait, it let me caps my response?

Quirky but good, Cameo Cafe for breakfast. It's korean-style breakfast food. Hearty portions and yummy!

Lizzie, I'm intrigued, what is Korean style breakfast food? Bulgogi omelets? Isn't the Cameo known for the yard long pancake or something like that?

Observatory, Country Cat.

Ya Hala.  Tim, you are on a diet pal.

@Mardi: Check out "EaT: An Oyster Bar"--I could have sworn they did something for Saints games, with all the "WHO DAT" and what-have-you: yelp.com/biz/eat-an-oyst…

(They have more than oysters--and if you're into these sorts of things, I think you'll thoroughly enjoy what we've got here in the Pac NW.)

By the way, I'll be in NOLA starting Friday this week through Thursday next between the French Quarter and Faurborg-Marigny area (my hotel is by Vaso Ultra Lounge--I figured I can manage an eight yard commute home while drunk).  Any tips would be cool!

Oh yeah: if you're out-and-about check out My Brother's Crawfish as well.  Avoid Montage, unless you're really into ambiance (and am willing to forgive a sub-par cajun/creole food experience).  If you're into shellfish, definitely try a freshly-cooked (to-order) Oregon Dungeness Crab.  I believe it's peak season right now and relatively cheap.

@Mardi: They should still be selling Abita beer there--and apparently have Dixie for a limited time.  We've got a lot of great microbrews here (my faves are Ninkasi, Rogue, and Full Sail, found on tap in many places), but a little taste of home is sometimes just the right thing...

Listen to these dudes about the Observatory.  Also awesome in that area are Ya Hala, Country Cat, Roscoe's (super cheap Southern-ish bar food), an old-school pizzeria (Flying Pie), and the sushi joint Bud F mentions.  You could post up all day on that street, eating and going from one $3 movie at the Academy after the other!  

And second Lizzie's Cameo, that was my very first thought when you said airport.  Not all of the food is Korean, per se... they have a full (huge) breakfast/brunch menu with all the usual suspects (eggs benedict, omelets, and whatnot) but also some amazing ramen, Korean pancake, and a whole bunch of Korean-inspired twists on classics.  The whole place is a trip, too.  Really fun decor and service.

Ya Hala.  GOOOOOOD.

Namaste. Indian buffet. YUMM

What is a Korean Pancake?

@ Tim: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko…

Thanks Lizzie!

Who stole Pete's IQ?

Korean food is awesome.  I'm not a huge fan of the pancake thingy but I've never had them in the breakfast kinda way.

Cameo is a trip, and the food is actually pretty darn good.

thank you all for your suggestions.  I'm originally from portland, and hubers is of course on my list.  DIM SUM also, but I'm looking for new spots.  the observatory sounds good, $3 movies?  yes, EAT, yes...   not looking for anything southern because my man is a chef, from the south, and he's cooking xmas dinner for my mom.

mainly looking for spots I haven't been to.  and y'all have listed many!  thanks!
mardiclaw

You may be disappointed in Hubers, it has skyrocketed downward and is not at all what it used to be. As far as Dim Sum goes, everybody here seems to think Kings Wong is da bomb, but I gotta say I've been there twice, I thought the carts had extremely limited selection and the steamed things I love so much at other Dim Sum places were gloppy and sad. I would recommend Fong Chongs in Chinatown, really best selection I have ever found in Portland, most items are house made and all are tasty.

Can I come to your Mom's house for Christmas dinner? I love 'Cajun food and other Southern cookin', and I love to cook it. I've always been a huge fan of Justin Wilson, your husband may know who that is. Sho' 'nuf damn guarantee!!

Oh and the Cameo, Haven't been there for years, looks like I must go now. Are they open for lunch?

no mention for ha & vl, pho oregon, namaste?

Yes Tim, Cameo is open for lunch but I love the kimchee omelet for breakfast. If you do go there for lunch seriously consider the Soldier Soup (it doesn't have soldiers in it)

HaVL is incredible, and Pho Oregon makes a mean bowl. Definitely great additions Jim.

Ha VL is really excellent.  As for dim sum, while Wong's King is ok, as is Fong Chong, I've always preferred Legin over both...but I may really be in the minority on this one...

Yummy Seafood is pretty kickass as well...their S&P Squid rivals Thien Hong's...

hubers is strickly a spanish coffee thing.  I used to work in the basement of the building for photocraft, and generally meet my friends there for an afternoon of spanish cofffee's.   never ate there.  fong chong?  always go there, and have also been to the dim sum out on division street.  it was okay, but fong's is the spot, I've always made a trip there.

cameo?  looks interesting.  

and xmas dinner at my moms, won't be too cajun, as I'd rather have salmon!  LOL,  I'm sure we'll do some bbq shrimp, and I'm sure we'll have a few southern things since my stepfather is southern as well...     I'm actually thinking of doing turkey roulaude.  a yummy spicy dish that is unusual, and tasty.    maybe some red potato and spinach salad, with blue cheese and walnuts....   we learned it from emeril lagasse.   very rich, and OH the bacon...!

there's another spot I've been wondering about... is the ringside still open?  and the other spot I wonder about what a tex mex spot that was unusual, not downtown, the east side, but not too far out.  can't remember the name for the life of me.

I'm sure we'll also make a stop at dan and louis oyster bar, since my mom loves that spot.
and I found a dive bar last time in portland, on 82nd and division, that was a saints bar.  worst comes to worst, I can walk up there for the game.  wherever the hubby and I go for that game?  new orleans will be in the house.  we're bringing mardigras saints beads to share, and who dat!

Both Ringside and Esparza's are still running and both, in their own ways, are pretty damned good...  And if you want a taste os N'Awlins, head north on 28th (just a couple of blocks) up from Esparza's to Tapalaya...I think you'll find it a nice addition to the Bayou scene in Portland.

If you're talking about Ringside downtown, I believe they have moved to Fox Tower, 805 SW Broadway, at least for now, it was supposed to be a temp thing.

You may be disappointed at the Spanich Coffee at Hubers, they are no longer made at your table, at least that's the way it was the last two times I went there. I haven't been back since.

what they don't make them tableside?  well then.  no point.

waitasec!

Ringside West moved?

Damn...I have really lost touch with that joint...

Ringside west only moved temporarily during the remodel. They'll move back into the original spot when the remodel is done.