Greek and Middle-Eastern
Fans of Lebanese cooking are spoilt for choice in Portland, with their pick of four or five exemplary establishments. The usual recommendation is Nicholas – one of the culinary mainstays of SE Portland. Portions are generous (as you almost have a right to expect in a Lebanese restaurant) and a few dishes like the lamb kabob with rice are stunning. Some prefer nearby La Villa, but Nicholas is an inimitable institution, much like Uruapan or Saburo's. If you're discouraged by the inexorable wait for a table at Nicholas, Riyadh's over on Hawthorne is less well known – and some items like the superbly smoky baba ghanouj are even better.
For those willing to venture further beyond Reed, Ya Hala and Karam may well be tied for the best Lebanese in Portland. Both feature a menu that's more eclectic and interesting than the typical falafel-heavy Middle Eastern restaurant (dishes include an “upside-down” eggplant casserole and goat stewed in red wine). Karam's quaintly plush downtown location reflects a stately approach to the cuisine. Ya Hala, on the other hand, is rather more cheap and cheerful, crammed with families enjoying the casual atmosphere and outstanding vittles.
Greek food is represented with distinction and no little sophistication by Eleni's Estatorio. Plenty of pleasure exists in the small dishes alone. Indeed, the appetizers – including a literally and figuratively spectacular dish of flaming cheese – can make the many pasta-based main dishes seem prosaic. Lamb dishes are generally excellent.
Eleni's Estiatorio: 7712 SE 13TH Ave; also at 112 NW 9th Ave $$-$$$ V
Karam: 316 SW Stark St $$-$$$
La Villa: 719 SE Morrison St $-$$
Nicholas: 318 SE Grand Ave $-$$ V
Riyadh's: 1318 SE Hawthorne Blvd $-$$ V
Ya Hala: 8005 SE Stark St $-$$ R V