Continuing my several-day adventure back to the Pacific NW, I had a lot of friends to catch up with while in the area. Although I pretty much would only be in Portland on weekdays, one of my friends was available for dinner.
In all my years living near Portland, I never went to O'Dear, and rarely ventured east of where I-205 and Sandy Blvd meet. Good ol' Yelp suggested this one.
It feels like a typical dive bar, no frills and really meant more for the locals than any tourists. Especially on a weeknight, it's very quiet, with few people coming in.
The menu drew me here, a lot of unusual or uncommon twists on bar food. Examples included Mahogany Wings with a spicy Korean sauce ($13); their O'Dear Burger that includes elk, bison, and wild boar in their patty ($18+), and a Mediterranean Lamb Burger ($18+).
If I wasn't still stuffed from the food I had at Hudson's Bar and Grill, I probably woulda dove head-first into any of the above. Alas, to avoid getting wheelbarrowed out of this bar, Mom and I decided to split a meal.
We made room for the Punjabi Tacos ($13): Indian-spiced lamb, red onion date chutney, shredded red cabbage, and tzatziki with grilled house naan. Two tacos with some additional veggies in the center, including sliced cucumbers and radishes.
The chutney or toppings used also may have had mint in it. Tender, diced lamb, not very gamy, with pleasing Indian spice. The naan looked house-made, more irregular shaped or not uniformed. Overall a tasty dish.
Also, beer thirty was a must while visiting friends. Initially I wanted a can of pFriem Hazy IPA, but after learning they were out, switched to the trusty Boneyard IPA. Not a ton of beer options listed, though.
Despite not having a lot of people, I think our server forgot us quite a bit, as we were on the other side of the wall from where the bar was. Either way, it gave me more time to catch up with a friend I haven't seen in nearly four years.
I would love to return and try other menu items. O'Dear was a nice spot well away from downtown and worth a try if you're in the area. 7.5/10
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