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1444 NE Weidler, Portland, Oregon, 503.288.1614
Gwenyth Bassetti baked her first loaves of rustic Italian bread in Seattle's Pioneer Square more than ten years ago, and the bread we eat in the Northwest hasn't been the same since. Grand Central's slow-rising loaves have been recognized across the country as some of the very best. Son Ben Davis brought the operation south to Portland and runs the company from the flagship bakery on SE Hawthorne; daughter Piper Davis tends the hearth at this bakery and cafe in the Lloyd District.
The gentrification of the NE Broadway-Lloyd Center area has been a mixed blessing to people who live nearby. Parking on Broadway is no longer easy to find, and the cars spill over into the Irvington neighborhood. Traffic on the once uncrowded cross streets such as NE 15th backs up for blocks at rush hour. The small businesses that sold window coverings, fixed typewriters, or gave haircuts have been replaced by trendy restaurants, clothing boutiques, and shops that sell French soaps or kitchen gadgetry.
Of course, there are many opportunities to find a good meal, something that wasn't true only a few years ago. In fact, the area's restaurants are usually crowded, drawing customers from all over town and leaving the locals grumbling about the interlopers. But there's one place where you can almost always walk in and eat without waiting, where the food is simple but good and the price is right.
It's not that everyone is ignoring the Grand Central Bakery & Cafe. Mornings bring a flurry of traffic as commuters stop by
for coffee and roll. Others linger over the more substantial offerings, like French toast made with the bakery's signature Como bread. The informal businesspersons' gathering has migrated from the near-deserted Holiday Market and occupies a large table almost every day.
Lunch draws a respectable crowd, too. They come for the hearty sandwiches, including a killer meat loaf, pizza by the slice, soups, and the grilled tostis. These are thinner, with interesting combinations such as caramelized onions, sharp cheddar, and cranberry chutney. The hinged grill actually flattens the tostis slightly, compressing the ingredients together in a very satisfying way. (I'll cop to a special affinity here; the tostis remind me of the grilled tuna sandwiches my mother used to cook in the waffle iron.)
But at the dinner hour, when the restaurants a short walk away are filling with hungry customers, Grand Central is quiet. It's not exactly empty. A small but steady stream trickles in, people who already know they can find a bracing bowl of hot soup on a cold night, which together with a chunk of fresh bread can easily make a meal. Maybe they've memorized the nightly specials and have a hankering for Monday's Sloppy Jill, a mix of ground beef and pork in a spicy tomato sauce served on a fresh roll that evokes memories of school lunch but tastes better than anything ever served on a compartmentalized green melamine tray.
Other nights feature a baked chicken hindquarter with a spicy jambalaya-like rice, a Mexican strata-black beans and rice layered with jack cheese, chipotle chiles, and tortillas-or a chunky lamb stew. Thursday is curry night, and you might find something like alu gobi, a traditional blend of cauliflower, potatoes, and peas in a fragrant tomato sauce. Served with rice, cranberry chutney, and a cooling dollop of raita, the Indian yogurt and cucumber salad meant to balance the heat of ginger and garlic.
The servings are more than adequate-they border on huge. You won't go away hungry.
If you're looking for something even more casual, that same como bread reappears after 5 pm as a very substantial pizza crust. Even rolled thin and topped with sauce and cheese, the chewy bread retains its integrity. There's a nightly slice, and whole pies come with the expected toppings, but they're not overwhelmingly goopy so you can avoid the mozzarella overload.
There are a few microbrews in the bottle and Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale on tap. The two whites and two reds cover the basic wine options nicely, and they're served in straight-sided stemless glasses so you there's no illusion of pretense
This is bakery, so don't skimp on dessert. Apple crumb cake, kuchen, or lemon cake follow the same theme as the rustic Italian breads; they are straightforward, without frills, and delicious. The crust on the all-American pie strikes the perfect balance between flaky and tender, and the dense chocolate cake is about the only thing in whole place with frosting.
Service is basic. You order at the counter and pick up your food when your name is called. Pick up your silverware and find a table. There's not much in the way of ambiance beyond casual comfort, but if you're looking for a romantic dinner spot you shouldn't be here anyway.
You don't have to live in Irvington to take of advantage of the Grand Central. But if you do, you'd better hurry.