Chow Breakfast & Lunch sits just off the 405 loop in NW Portland.  You can’t miss it being that you don’t often see restaurant in a converted gas station.  They promise to ”…provide you with fresh, fast food, made from quality ingredients. We use as much local produce as possible and are committed to using the best, all natural meats and cheeses.”   

They have a small dining area with a couple picnic tables outside.  If the weather cooperates you’ll find the old “mechanics shop” rollup door up giving you that outside feeling inside.  You can find them online at http://www.cafechow.com/.

505 NW 14th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 274-CHOW
Chow Website

I had the Chow Ciao Hero, a delicious sandwich consisting of prosciutto (one of my favorite cuts of ham), salami, smoked Gouda (so good), red onion, oregano vinaigrette on a tasty baguette. I held off on the roasted red peppers. As good as they taste they kill my stomach – my problem not yours.

“Smoked cheeses on a sandwich take them to another level…”

Two things about this sandwich that set it apart from similar sandwiches. One, the smoked Gouda. Smoked cheeses on a sandwich take them to another level and this proves true here. The second thing is the oregano vinaigrette, which nicely softens the bread while adding another flavor dimension. My first thought was shouldn’t this sandwich have a condiment (mustard or mayo perhaps). In hindsight I think that would have ruined the taste of the salty prosciutto. Nice work Chow!

I got bagel chips with my sandwich and they were fair. I give Chow props for doing something other than chips – the defacto boring standard – but they were very dry as bagel chips often are. I’d have loved to see something to dip them in… some tasty sauce using the creativity of the sandwich spreads that they use.

4 out of 5 tomatoes

My wife thinks I’m crazy that I can walk into my home at night and often guess exactly what’s been cooked for dinner.  I’ll walk in and say “Scallops!” or “Enchiladas!”  or I’ll name a spice “oregano!” and wait for the “nope” or the ”no way, how do you do that?!”  The latter is the more common comment.  So why do I say all that?  Um…I’m not sure I lost my train of thought…anyways…

This chicken sandwich, the Mighty Aphrodite, is everything the name insinuates.  It packs a massive punch in a very simple sandwich.  Distinctive flavors like feta, oregano, and olives on top of a spiced up chicken breast just kick your tastebuds in the sweet spot.

My Dude, Sweet! moment was chomping into a chunk of feta cheese on the very first bite.  I think the fresh ingredients make this sammy good’n all but that feta oregano spread was the real deal.

The only negative thing I have to say is that for $7 bones I should at least get a baggy of fried potato chips.  The housemade dill pickle is good, really good, but I left there feeling like I needed a little somethin’ else.  I guess I could’ve ordered a side and a drink for an extra $2.5 but I was feeling a little frugal that day so I got the water.

The Mighty Aphrodite is a 4 out of 5.

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