Southern Goodness at Screen Door

Now that Southern food has become a fully-certified hot trend in the Portland restaurant scene, I thought it was worth taking a look at one of the most skillful practitioners of this butter-drenched, belt-bustingly wonderful culinary tradition. Screen Door on East Burnside is a relatively new restaurant, but you wouldn’t know it from the way this place functions on a busy Friday night. Veteran servers effortlessly sweep across the room while the bartender shakes drinks and cooks happily shout orders and perform their cramped ballet from an open kitchen. Everything happens so fluidly you almost forget these people are actually working. Coming from a former bartender who has worked at places far less efficient, the Screen Door team is very impressive indeed. And I haven’t even mentioned the food yet!

The philosophy at Screen Door, like so many recently successful Portland restaurants, is simple: fresh local organic ingredients, seasonal specials and simple authentic staple recipes. Screen Door takes these basic tenets and slam dunks them all. I’ve tried all the classics: fried chicken, shrimp and grits, pulled pork, brisket, fried oysters, collard greens, fried green tomatoes, etc. They are all remarkable, can’t-go-wrong dishes. And the portions are ridiculously huge. Lately I’ve been more inclined to delve into the Screen Door “Local/Organics” menu, a constantly evolving produce-based seasonal side menu. For $12.95 you can select three of these items or mix and match them with the tried-and-true House Sides. My last visit I had a roasted beet salad, homemade griddle cakes and fried catfish. I can’t say I’ve ever been disappointed with anything from Screen Door. To top it all off, they have a strong regional wine list (with a very reasonable mark up, it’s worth mentioning) including a few Owen Row selections, fantastic original cocktails like the Rhett Butler (Makers Mark, ginger puree and fresh lemon juice), and a good selection of local microbrews. The atmosphere at Screen Door is relaxed but classy, with dim lighting and old-wood decor. It is a great place to take a date or to meet up with a larger group of friends. Oh, and they have a wildly popular brunch on the weekends. But that’s a whole different story… Screen Door 2337 E Burnside (503) 542-0880