Kate McMillen started with a Portland Farmers Market stall in 2011 and now has two brick-and-mortar bakeries in Portland. Lauretta Jean is her late great grandmother. I enjoyed McMillen’s handiwork at her tiny pie and biscuit destination with red tables and chairs and a Nuova Simonelli espresso machine on a downtown corner. Supple, buttery crust was in evidence on my slice of tart cherry pie and on the kale & onion handpie. Cinnamon oat scone was also better than any scone has a right to be.

Tim “Little T” Healea, a Pearl Bakery veteran, debuted Little T American Baker in 2008 in Southeast Portland. He built on that success with Little T Baker, a smaller outpost in Union Way, an airy shopping alley across from the Ace Hotel that’s lined with framed living wall panels. The diminutive cafe houses a wood banquette with three tables, two tables in the hall, and Coava coffee program. Little T Baker offers a smaller, but still compelling menu. I steered savory, ordering silky, house-smoked steelhead lox served on spelt toast with scallion cream cheese, capers, and dill. Ham & Gruyere pretzel croissant also hit the mark.

Nong Poonsukwattana started with a Thai chicken and rice stall downtown and now operates three outposts across Portland. I visited her only full-service restaurant, just east of Willamette River. The space features benches under Singha umbrellas out front, a roll-up garage door, wood chairs and benches, and scratched steel tables and counters. Order from an overhead menu. I enjoyed the juicy poached chicken, which joined rice cooked in chicken stock and Thai herbs, cucumbers, cilantro, and a small bowl of chicken broth. Accentuate with chicken liver, and if you’re lucky, limited-edition fried chicken skins. Regardless, you’ll be tempted to dive headfirst into a vat of savory, umami-rich sauce, which Poonsukwattana crafts with hand-peeled ginger and garlic, Thai chilies, vinegar, house made syrup and soy sauce. Beyond that, food choices are limited to steamed veggies and KMG ice cream, soft serve flavored with either green tea or a blend of coconut milk, lemongrass and pandan.

Chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton debuted this wood-fired Argentinean grill north of the Oregon Convention Center in April 2012. A red facade and black awning gives way to a U-shaped wood counter facing a hearth with glowing embers. This hand-cranked grill burns oak, maple and alder woods and raises and lowers to ensure even cooking. If you can’t sit at the grill (preferred), a dining room touts brick walls, exposed rafters, and covered patio with plantlife and green walls. Grillman Adam described flanken-style beef short rib as a chewier cut with “more robust flavor.” A trough at the front of the grill catches pan drippings and also features herbs, lemon and olive oil. Chefs baste the meats regularly, yielding a juicy, savory result. Coarse house-made chorizo incorporated smoked paprika, cumin, marjoram, and maple. House morcilla (blood sausage) joined parsley, almonds and Thompson grapes. Seasonal maitake mushrooms were served simply with sea salt. Creative grilled cauliflower co-starred tahini feta puree, fried lemon, arugula, and Mama Lil’s pickled peppers. Pan-roasted cabbage complemented chestnut cream, duck jus, poached quince, and fines herbes. Ox is popular and only takes reservations for 6+, but adjacent Whey Bar is a pleasant holding pen with patio and roll-up garage door that dispenses snacks and drinks.