Shenzhen

707 NE 82nd Ave, Portland, 97220
*This is a Plain Jane favorite.*

When I was in Madrid I used to go to a Chinese restaurant that was literally underground. Known by the locals as "the Blade Runner restaurant," the place was small, cheaply decorated, not super clean, and run by actual Chinese people. A silent TV hanging from a corner of the ceiling showed Chinese karaoke music videos. There was almost always a line to get in, but it never took long to get seated because the abrupt-mannered staff would rush you out as soon as they'd cleared your last plate.

There were two menus: one for the Chinese customers written only in Chinese that contained traditional dishes, and one for the Spaniards and ex-pats written in Chinese and Spanish that contained dishes more palatable to foreigners. The display case up front contained enormous white chicken feet, the bloated purple bodies of octopi, and several things I could not (and probably wouldn't want to) identify. There were additional menu items on posters tacked up on the walls--at least I assume that's what they were, because they were written only in Chinese, which I do not read or speak.

And the food. was. delicious. Addictive as crack-cocaine: we couldn't get enough of it.

When I walked into Shenzhen for the first time and saw a larger version of that little Chinese restaurant--saw the whole roasted ducks hanging behind glass by the front door, the aquarium tanks of large fish and lobsters that were destined to end up on someone's plate, the posters on the wall that no one had bothered to translate into English, saw that I was the only non-Asian person in the place--I knew I had struck gold. It has been my go-to for Chinese food for the last three years.

Shenzhen's self-proclaimed specialty is seafood (hence the fish in tanks), but they have plenty else to offer as well. Although I almost always end up ordering the same thing, I take delight in flipping through the huge, hard-bound, glossy-paged menu. Here I can see full-color photos of such house specialties as "chilled white chicken feet," "couple pieces lungs," and (my personal favorite) "pepper with pig rectum." Someday I will get drunk enough to actually try eating these things.

Of the dishes I have tried, some of which actually contain vegetables, nothing has disappointed. My favorite, though, is the combination dinner #6: fried rice, BBQ pork, fried shrimp, and sesame chicken. Probably my least favorite part of this meal is the BBQ pork, which tends to be on the dry side and lying in a little pool of grease. Pity. But the rest of it is delicious, and the shrimp--oh my god the shrimp--practically melts in your mouth. Sometimes I'll throw in an appetizer of pot stickers, which are at once crispy and a little doughy. All this costs about $13, and I consistently get two, sometimes even three, meals out of it. The price is right.

If you, like me, appreciate a cultural experience when you eat out; if you like Chinese food that is greasy enough to make your lips shiny but not so greasy as to leave a puddle on your plate; and especially if you think it right and proper that your Chinese food should come all in that special shade of golden brown which indicates being fried to perfection--then I highly recommend you give Shenzhen a try.

Tin Shed

1438 NE Alberta St, Portland, 97211

I brunched here for the first time on Sunday. When I arrived a little before 10am there was already a crowd of people huddled on the sidewalk, drinking coffee out of cups that could've come from my dead grandmother's cupboard and waiting for their names to be called. Good thing that I wasn't starving when I got there, 'cause it took a little more than the standard 30 minutes to be seated.

When it was finally our turn, we got a table on the patio, which at this time of year is enclosed in green plastic and heated. That's cool.

My brunch companion and I didn't see much of our server during the meal, but she was there for the important bits (ordering the food, paying the bill) and her timing was awesome.

Part of what made her job easier was that the coffee is self-serve, even after you get a table. I did not particularly like having to wade through the waiting crowds to refill my own coffee, but I suppose I am just spoiled. I will say that the coffee was decent and the staff did a pretty good job of keeping the pots full despite the fact that it was being drunk at a rapid rate.

What stood out most to me about the Tin Shed was the fact that the menu was loaded with interesting (read "creative and somewhat suspect in my book") items. A good example of this is what I had, which was a twist on the breakfast sandwich: deli ham and swiss between pieces of French bread and served with syrup. It was better than I expected, but didn't blow me away.

My companion had smoked salmon eggs benedict. The taste I got was pretty good, and I was especially excited about the fact that the accompanying potato pancakes were served with sour cream and chives.

Why Tin Shed is popular: the creative menu, the heated patio, the competent wait staff, the funky vibe (helped on as much by the patrons as by the building's unique design).

What I'm no so keen on: no hashbrowns or home fries (only potato pancakes), self-serve coffee, long wait, no booths (at least outside), average food at slightly higher than average prices, and the noise level (too loud for comfortable conversation).

If you're in the neighborhood and looking for something a little different, Tin Shed has its appeal. For me, though, it wasn't worth the wait.