Indian and African
The breadth of this category, covering a barely creditable area of the globe, reflects the shameful dearth of choice in Portland for both Indian and African (in this city, this means Ethiopian) cooking. Indian restaurants in particular are very, very poor. If you have a desperate craving for a tikka masala or daal, your best option is probably one of the downtown Indian food carts (a handy food cart map can be found here: http://www.speakeasy.org/~aeschright/maps/). There's no real consensus as to which is the best, but people generally take their pick between Real Taste of India, Gandhi's, and Chaat House. Their menus may be modest, but prices are wonderfully low and portions heaping, so whichever you try, you'll almost certainly be satisfied.
The only problem is that the food carts are only open for lunch – which leaves us at night with the opprobrious SE trio of Bombay Cricket Club, India Oven, and India Grill. The first is so unjustifiably pricey, and the second so deplorably icky, that India Grill wins just by virtue of its sheer mediocrity. A further option – recently-opened Vindalho – can't decide whether it wants to be a prim contemporary Indian eatery or sprawl promiscuously across culinary borders like chef-owner David Machado's other venture (the rather more successful Lauro). In any case, Machado's deployment of spices is so lacking in verve or precision that the food ends up being negligibly better than similarly-priced Bombay Cricket Club.
It's safe to say that the culinary reputation of Ethiopia is less distinguished than India's, but Queen of Sheba offers far better value than any of Portland's Indian choices. The colossal vegetarian platters are little short of a jaw-dropping bargain. If you can't make it as far as NE Portland, Jarra's – probably not as good, but much closer – is another frequent choice for an inexpensive meal.
Bombay Cricket Club: 1925 SE Hawthorne Blvd $$$
Chaat House: 12th and Yamhill $ V
Gandhi's: 2nd and Taylor $
India Grill: 2924 E Burnside St $$
India Oven: 3862 SE Hawthorne Blvd $$
Jarra's: 1435 SE Hawthorne Blvd $$
Queen of Sheba: 2413 NE M L King Blvd $-$$ R V
Real Taste of India: SW 5th Ave between Oak and Stark $