Cava

I’m really sad to see that Cava is closed. This place, like Fusion (formerly on Division), was a welcome addition to the neighborhood — reliable, great food in a comfy environment.

Doh, they closed their doors. They will be missed. The last night was awesome and they sold out of everything. Too bad for the neighborhood and the surrounding area.
Poop.

I’m glad we didn’t give up on trying to find this place. Its a real gem. They have a not very visible sign in their window that vertically says CAVA. Their in a big green building. There is a bakery just to the right side of their building. I hopes that helps you find this place.
Now we must talk about the food. Their oh-​so-​glorious food. They start things off right by bring your fresh baked bread that has a lightly salted crust. I am not a fan of salt. I NEVER salt my food, but this was PERFECT! There was almost blood shed at our table during our epic battle over the last slice of bread. My girlfriend won. I hang my head in shame.
I got the BBQ pulled pork sandwich. It came with fries and coleslaw. The pork had great flavor and when I would take a breath with the sandwich near my mouth I would get a slight burning tingle. I like a BBQ pork sandwich that has a little kick. The coleslaw matched the slight heat of the pork nicely. They fries were good, but I was denied the Godliness of ranch to dip them in. They don’t serve ranch, but the waitress offered up some garlic aioli. The aioli was good, but not on my fries. I would love to have a burger covered in it though.
Speaking of burgers… My GF order a bacon burger. It was really good. A little on the rare (dripping blood) side, but good. They used what looked like was fresh ground beef, so they can make it a little more rare. If you just want a little pink like traditional burger joints, make sure to ask for medium well.
This is a great place. Cool vibe and great food. I can’t wait to go back.

Cava is a diamond in the rough. Foster isn’t exactly known for its roadside attractions, and you have to look carefully to even see Cava (it’s in a building shared by a trophy place which dominates in signage). It’s a cute, reasonably sized restaurant with nice atmosphere, friendly and familiar but sophisticated.
The menu isn’t very large, but everything on it seems good. I had the pulled pork sandwich, and even though they ran out of buns (they bake them daily based on an approximate demand), they were accommodating in serving fresh bread as an alternative to «combine as you go.» The food was tasty, although a bit high-​priced for what I’d consider comfort food ($ 11 for a sandwich with fries). The beer options were not plentiful either, but a solid list of reliable standbys and imports.
The service was attentive and friendly, and our party of 8was happy the whole time. We also were celebrating a birthday and ordered a chocolate cake made by the resident pastry chef, which was again somewhat high in price but really delicious. Not necessarily ideal for an on-​the-​cheap night out, but for mid-​priced fare or a fun occasion it ended up being a great choice.
On a side note, beware of the area a little — it’s not a bad area by any means, but my front tire was slashed by someone while we were inside. I was parked right outside the restaurant on Foster…

I totally loved the ambiance in here. The warm colors and care in design made the place very homey on a winter’s night. There’s even an essence of how Foster may have been years ago, when it was more country-​esque and classy and less, you know, foster-​powellish. I’m glad they made the entryway triangle into a waiting area, because, while it takes up a lot of space, those triangular angles are hard to settle into. A drunk guy hit on my on my way in the door, but he was so charming that I felt flattered.
Our service was wonderful, even though our party ordered light and stayed long. My favorite was the soup: sweet potato that somehow wasn’t sweet, but incredibly savory and satisfying, with walnuts and delicious oil drizzled on top. The menu is small, but entrees are made with care. The happy hour menu looks great (Sun-​Thurs. 5 – 6:30). They even have private rooms for parties or meetings.

I recently heard about Cava, and it’s across town from me, but I met a friend and tried out this place. I really enjoyed my meal, but first, I started with the Margarita, which was unique, a chipolte infused tequila which gave both a smoky and spicy taste.
We shared their special salad which was a warm salad with pancetta, and it was too good to split, making me wish I had ordered one just for myself.
For an entrée, I again chose an evening special, gnocchi, pan friend with trumpet mushrooms, and that was a hit too.
My friend ordered the burger and I had just a taste and it had a great flavor and I’ll give it a try again.
I enjoyed this restaurant and the atmosphere was inviting. I’ll be back again.

Why isn’t Cava’s burger on more of these damned «Best Burger» lists I keep seeing pop in local rags? Seasoned perfectly, cooked perfectly, not too big, not too small, divine bun to hold it all together. It doesn’t require fancy, gimmicky crap to make it sing. No brioche bun, no frilly cheeses, no expensive additions (foie gras, truffles, anyone… anyone?). One bite set my heart a-​flutter. The pulled pork sandwich was sweet and sassy and served on the same delicious bun as the burger. Seriously, the buns are so good, you want to spank them. The sauce on the pork is zingy and pleasantly peppery, a nice foil to the creamy cole slaw. My only complaint is that it could have used a little more sauce, but then, I like pulled pork dripping, so that’s mostly a personal issue.
The wine list is always very reasonably priced and lovingly curated. I have yet to be disappointed by my selection. Happy hour pours and prices are hard to beat. I dig this place, it needs to be a few blocks from my humble home. I mean, they played the S/​T CheapTrick record. How can you not love a local that spins Cheap Trick and pours tall?

Cava is closed on Tuesdays, but open every other day of the week. Just wanted to put that out there in response to the person who tried them on a Tuesday and wondered if they were closed down.
(Also, here’s a hint: Cava’s business days and hours are listed here on Unilocal and also on Cava’s website. Portland restaurants tend to take their weekly closed-​day on Mondays, but a growing handful of them are closing on Tuesdays these days instead, so it’s always wise to check that a place is scheduled to be open that day before heading there ;-)

OK. I’ve been thinking about this one for a little while, but you know if you think too long about a thing, sometimes you miss the window? So before I let it go entirely… let’s talk about Cava.
I like it. Quite a lot. I had my birthday party here in their very fancy, yet homey, new private dining room. The environment was just what I was seeking — something quiet and private and classy. The timing of the courses was perfect, and the service was wonderful.
The appetizers are killer and I’d venture to say the strongest contenders on their menu. The main courses were solid and over-​filling, and made for some mighty fine leftovers, and the tartlets for dessert were impossible to finish, what with the full stomachs, but equally impossible to resist.
The prices are on the slightly high side, preventing me from becoming a regular, but I am ecstatic at just the idea of a slightly spendy restaurant hidden away on SE Foster!

On a whim and an empty stomach, we pitched South to find this little eatery. We were so glad to find great comfort food, and one of the best burgers I’ve had in my life. I’m no Julia Child (and if I were, well, that’s a problem right there), but I can cook up a mean burger. This one was better than what I could produce (for now). Buttery-​crisp kaiser rolls, and a slightly herbed patty (I couldn’t tell if it really was, but it sure tasted that way), and an great little garlicky-​aioli-​like mayonnaise made this gourmand-​worthy. Hadley’s chicken was roasted nicely on a bed of perfect spätzle.
Drinks were great without being overly foofy-​frou-​frou.
Highly recommended.

What a delight that Cava is a pleasant walk from my place — I find myself here weekly (sometimes more — pretty close to engraving my name on a barstool). Favorites are the refreshing, seasonal salads, Randymanhattan, seared tuna, desserts, bread, interior, people… actually, this place rocks all around. Now with the patio, it is harder than ever to resist!

I was taken here for my birthday and was blown away by the selection of unique deliciousness. I tried a little of all four entrees at our table and was definitely impressed by it all. The fresh bread they serve was pretty wonderful. We shared a cheese sampler and a cookie sampler after the meal. It was all fantastic. We haven’t made it back yet, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.

Finally, a neighborhood restaurant where my handsome husband, Joe, and I can go for a date OR we can take the kids if we want to get out. I love the atmosphere, variety of dishes and the potato soup is divine! My son, Toby, is very partial to the pulled pork sandwich.
It’s nice to just stroll in… very casual, homey, the artwork is awesome!

Now, I’m a little biased because I live nearby and know the owners. But this place is fabulous. It has a wonderful atmosphere, the food is delicious, and the wait staff is about the best around, just really very nice.
Plus, it’s quite affordable. You could easily get dinner and a drink for $ 20. Highly recommended!

This place is quickly building a following. We were suprised by the wait on a Saturday night, but it was well worth it. Mussels with perfect pommes frites and aioli was superb. Mussels huge, plump and delicious. Since finishing the last drop of my Smokey Margarita I have longed for another. We had a number of items on the menu and each was nearly perfect.

This is a new restaurant that just opened this past weekend. I had heard some good things about it from some friends who stopped in, so we decided to give it a shot!
It is in a neighborhood that definitely NEEDED something. It’s surrounded by industrial buildings and just down the block from Devil’s Point. The inside is very warm and inviting, using what looked like church pews for seating on their larger tables.
At first glance, the menu is pretty basic, using local NW ingredients with some flair in their dishes. I ordered a Morocaan spiced roasted chicken over cous cous, and my partner had roasted pork loin, cranberry beans, corn, green beans, and a basil purée. Both were very good, except I felt my chicken could have used some more spice. The pork loin was excellent. Very fresh tasting and moist.
I will definitely be back, I hear their sandwiches and burgers are awesome! It’s a great addition to the neighborhood :)
EDIT: Yep. Burgers are freekin awesome. MMMMMM.