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Rangoon Bistro
Map
Restaurant information
Food typeBurmese
Street address2311 Southeast 50th Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97215
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°30′23″N 122°36′41″W / 45.5064°N 122.6114°W / 45.5064; -122.6114
Websiterangoonbistropdx.com

Rangoon Bistro is a small chain of Burmese restaurants in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The original brick and mortar restaurant operates in southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood and a second location is on Mississippi Avenue in the north Portland part of the Boise neighborhood. Co-owned by David Sai, Alex Saw, and Nick Sherbo, the business initially operated as a pop-up and has garnered a positive reception.

Description[edit]

The Burmese restaurant Rangoon Bistro has two locations in Portland, Oregon. The original restaurant is located in the Breathe Building, a community center at 50th Avenue and Division Street in southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood,[1][2] and a second location operates on Mississippi Avenue in the north Portland part of the Boise neighborhood.[3]

Menu[edit]

Eater Portland has said the restaurant "specializes in Pacific Northwestern-Burmese cuisine, using Oregon-grown produce for thokes and noodle dishes".[4] The menu includes bone-in fried chicken marinated by lemongrass, curry leaf, and mild red chiles,[5] served with a side of coconut rice,[4] as well as salads such as the lahpet thoke with fermented tea leaves.[6][7]

History[edit]

Alex Saw launched Rangoon Bistro at the King Farmers Market in the 2010s, with assistance from David Sai and Nick Sherbo. The three have been credited as co-chefs, co-owners, and "co-everythings" of the restaurant.[8] By 2020, Bollywood Theater, Langbaan, and Malka were hosting Rangoon as a pop-up restaurant.[5][9] Brooke Jackson-Glidden of Eater Portland said the business operated as "something like a takeout-only Burmese cafe" in the Gotham Building,[10][11] before moving into a brick and mortar space.[12] In 2024, owners announced plans to open a second location on North Mississippi Avenue.[3]

Reception[edit]

In 2022, Rangoon Bistro ranked ninth in The Oregonian's list of Portland's best new restaurants[13] and won in the Best New Counter Service category of Eater Portland's annual Eater Awards.[14] The website's Janey Wong wrote: "Rangoon Bistro has definitely become a go-to... The fried chicken ... is as close to my grandma's as I've ever had. Everything on the menu at Rangoon is delicious, but don't sleep on the fried chicken."[15] Ron Scott and Thom Hilton included Rangoon in Eater Portland's 2023 overview of thirteen "real-deal" fried chicken eateries in the city.[4] Hilton also included the business in a 2024 "handy dining guide" to Mississippi Avenue.[16] Bon Appétit included the large dumplings in a 2023 overview of the best dishes at new restaurants.[17] Michael Russell ranked Rangoon Bistro number 34 in The Oregonian's list of Portland's best restaurants.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Russell, Michael (2022-01-04). "Seattle dumplings, seasonal Burmese salads and more Portland restaurant news". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  2. ^ Trueherz, Matthew (2022-06-29). "Beloved Burmese Farmers Market Stand Rangoon Bistro Has Finally Become a Full-Blown Restaurant". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  3. ^ a b Trueherz, Matthew (2024-02-13). "Burmese Restaurant Rangoon Bistro Opens on Mississippi". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  4. ^ a b c Scott, Ron (2015-05-28). "13 Real-Deal Fried Chicken Spots in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  5. ^ a b Russell, Michael (2022-12-06). "Rangoon Bistro's unique take on Burmese food: 'not the way my mom or grandma cooks'". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-05-12. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  6. ^ Wong, Janey (2022-06-16). "Where to Find Salads That Reign Supreme in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  7. ^ Hamilton, Katherine Chew (2022-11-21). "Cult Burmese Pop-Up Rangoon Bistro Finds a Permanent Home". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  8. ^ Hilton, Thom (2022-09-28). "The Team Behind Burmese Favorite Rangoon Bistro Divulge Their Portland Dining Destinations". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  9. ^ Patail, Marty (2020-02-25). "Two Portland Cooks Give Burmese Food a Fresh Voice". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  10. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-02-02). "Rangoon Bistro Began as a Farmers Market Stand. Now It's Selling Its Greatest Hits Like a Takeout-Only Restaurant". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  11. ^ Patail, Marty (2021-02-11). "Rangoon Bistro's Alex Saw on Myanmar's Military Takeover". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  12. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-12-16). "Farmers Market Favorite Rangoon Bistro Will Open Its Own Restaurant Next Year". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  13. ^ Russell, Michael (2022-12-16). "Portland's best new restaurants of 2022". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  14. ^ "Here Are the 2022 Eater Awards Winners for Portland". Eater Portland. 2022-12-01. Archived from the original on 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  15. ^ "Portland Food Writers and Influencers' Go-To Dining Destinations in 2022". Eater Portland. 2022-12-19. Archived from the original on 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  16. ^ "A Handy Dining Guide to North Mississippi Avenue". Eater Portland. 2015-11-09. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  17. ^ "The Absolute Best Dishes We Ate at New Restaurants This Year". Bon Appétit. 2023-09-13. Archived from the original on 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  18. ^ Russell, Michael (2024-02-26). "The 40 best restaurants in Portland you need to try". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-05-12. Retrieved 2024-05-12.

External links[edit]

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