Bit House Collective
727 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
In this new pandemic world thing are getting better. Vaccines are rolling out, long closed restaurant and shops are reopening, and the foodie world is starting to innovate again. Things are turning around in all the best ways. No better example of this can be found with Bithouse Collective! Previously known as Bithouse Saloon, this East Portland location was a fairly popular spot, providing good drinks and atmosphere.
But now they have stepped it up to the next level.
The interior for one has been brightened up with a few Portland style touches. From the bright and vibrant murals on the previous brick and mortar views, giving a joyful look to the main dining room.
To simple fixes like bright plants and refinished work done to enhance their already distinguished bar. The interior still has the feel of somewhere to hang out for late night drinks with your friends, but has been elevated to a stylish place you can take a date you want to impress.
And with the sunny days we have been enjoying this week, we cannot forget to mention their outdoor patio dining. Found in the back this enclosed dining space is lovely with plenty of natural light, but shaded enough so you won’t burn here in summer and with a built in fire pit for chilly evening drinks.
The drinks again are another thing which has been elevated with the addition of their new bartender Natasha Mesa who is bringing on the creativity with the new cocktails menu featuring a variety of interesting mixes to imbibe. Such as the Slim Shady ($13) which is a fruity and spicy cocktail having Pineapple, Mango and Citrus notes, blended with Pineapple Express, Ancho Verde and Patron Tequila. Making for a fun tropical drink but with a kick of fighting spirit all served with an artistic flair of presentation.
And if spicy isn’t your style they also offer the Halo-Halo ($14) cocktail, made with Banana, Coconut, Taro and Ube to give you that tropical taste with an Asian twist. Then finished with Gin, Sherry and Coconut Jellies to make this drink strong and fun. Vibrant colors and wonderful presentation, the foam topping is cooling and the jellies give a burst of flavor and texture during all come together to make this the perfect drink for a sunny day.
Of course first and foremost we have to talk about the food! For starters we had to try the Crab Fat Fries ($17) these poutine styled fries are made with Waffle cut fries served with a rich and flavorful Crab fat gravy, then topped with Corn relish, fried Garlic and surprisingly a hard boiled Egg.
Coming in a huge portion easy for sharing at the table. These fries were fantastic, with just the right amount of citrus and seafood coating the fries without them being soggy, the corn was a surprising addition that gave a freshness to the whole plate and all the flavors were not just balanced but worked to enhance the others. One of the best fries we have ever had!….which is good because at almost $20 an order it’s not something we will be buying for ourselves all the time.
We also tried the Bringhe ($12) which is a crispy Coconut and Turmeric Rice cake. Topped with Mushrooms and fresh veggies. Honestly though. It was disappointing. We liked the idea behind this and the flavors sounded good, but the cake’s texture was very soft like congee and not crispy enough on the outside to make up for it. Not just that but the turmeric and coconut taste was not strong enough to really come through. We did not finish half of this dish.
But they made up for it with their signature burger. The Isla Hambuergesa($13) is a delicious version of the Smash burger. With two patties of quality Beef and a grilled Crispy Cheese on top giving it a crunchy component. Along with Fermented Habaneros with just that right tang of spicy offset by Filipino style Pickles, and a Roasted Pineapple BBQ Glaze!
This burger was a beast in both size and flavor. We have had a our share of good smash burgers in Portland this year, but Bithouse again had managed to elevate the flavors to another level. We ate and cherished every bite!
When all is said and done. Bithouse Collective has changed from a decent bar into a culinary playground. Having fun with their dishes and flavors and sharing that with the people. It’s a bit on the spendy side for foodies on a budget. But it is hard to argue with the results. So save up for date night!
We give Bithouse Collective 9 fancy cocktails out of 10 🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹
Sibling Grubbery 