Forget grilled salmon. Portland has gone crazy for biscuits -- tall or short, cut or drop, flaky or fluffy. Fanatics may disagree, but everyone seems to want them served one way: smothered in country gravy.
Portland's a bona fide breakfast town. On weekends, people spill out onto sidewalks waiting for pancakes, hashbrowns and waffles. Almost every neighborhood has a place that the locals are devoted to for their bacon-and-egg fix.
But no breakfast dish captures the essence of heart and home better than biscuits and gravy.
The concept is classic: hot, fresh biscuits doused in country gravy.
The best morning kitchens take those ground rules and run with them. Some enhance the flavor and richness of the cream gravy by adding bits of pork sausage or bacon, with thickening rouxs made out of meat drippings. Others turn to the garden, cranking things up with mixtures of herbs and spices.
The biscuits themselves can vary from light buttermilk beauties straight out of the oven to dense and cakey drop biscuits one step removed from cowboy hardtack. Each style has its devotees. Some purists argue that -- as with everything -- fresh is better. The other camp contends that a biscuit that's on the dry side is better for sopping up all that luscious gravy.
We sent our B&G junkies out in a quest for the best and found plenty of plates that were swoon-worthy, as well as a few that took some serious lumps. One thing proved true across the board: No matter how you ladle it, biscuits and gravy is just the thing if you want a filling breakfast.
Banning's Restaurant & Pie House: Loyal locals trade wisecracks with sassy servers at this blue collar diner, which dishes up solidly prepared basic breakfasts. Two fluffy cut biscuits come smothered in peppery gravy -- nothing fancy, just tasty B&G goodness and lots of it. Not to mention that you can get your B&G fix 24/7. (11477 S.W. Pacific Highway, Tigard; 503-244-2558)
--Shawn Vitt
Bertie Lou's: The menu proclaims they serve "Portland's best mediocre breakfast," but not so true about the mediocre part. If you like heaping breakfasts in cramped spaces, served with a dose of humor, Bertie Lou's is your place. The biscuits are soft and delicious, but the gravy is what sells it. It's a little light on the sausage, but it makes up for anything lacking with loads of garlic and a sprinkle of paprika on top. You'll want the full order, which comes with a side of potatoes. The place is usually packed; if you wind up sitting at the bar, the kitchen staff will keep you entertained while you dine. The language and humor tend to be geared toward adults, so if you're taking the family out for breakfast, you're better off waiting for a table in the other room. (8051 S.E. 17th Ave.; 503-239-1177)
--DeAnn Welker
Biscuits: This local chain is known for its biscuits and gravy (and chocolate coffee; order that, too), so you know they'll be good. Ironically, the gravy is what really stands out. The biscuits aren't bad by any means, but they're small compared to the giant portions of everything else that Biscuits doles out. The gravy is creamy with just the right amount of sausage. It's not perfectly seasoned but close, so add a dash of pepper and eat. The portions are huge and they give you lots of gravy, so you'll want to add a side of red potatoes or hashbrowns to soak it all up once your biscuits are gone. (103 N.W. 21st Ave., 503-295-3729; 5137 N.E. Sandy Blvd., 503-288-8271; plus other locations; www.biscuitscafe.com)
--DeAnn Welker
The Bomber Restaurant & Catering: Here's one target that fans of biscuits and gravy need to acquire -- a World War II B-17G "Flying Fortress" parked in front of a low-slung nondescript building. Inside said building they serve tall, square biscuits that are golden-domed and fluffy, with a hint of tang. The creamy-smooth gravy comes in a cup and with a soup spoon if you want to be civilized -- but dunking is faster and more fun. (13515 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd., Milwaukie; 503-659-9306; www.thebomber.com)
--Amy Wang
The Buffalo Gap Saloon and Eatery: Waiting list got you bummed? Cross your name off and head to Southwest Portland for a sunny seat at this dining and drinking institution. Order the half-portion unless you're sharing or famished; the full meal deal is gargantuan. Big ol' dense cut biscuits are ladled with plate-licking-good gravy chunked with sausage. The cook slices the biscuits in half and heats them before serving, which may impart a greasy note. Ask them to leave well enough alone. (6835 S.W. Macadam Ave.; 503-244-7111; www.thebuffalogap.com)
--Shawn Vitt
China Delight: Biscuits and gravy at a Chinese restaurant? That's because from 7 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, the former Raleigh Hills Biscuits Cafe is reincarnated down the road in the China Delight kitchen. The soft, thick biscuits are made with trans-fat-free butter. The nod to health concerns is canceled out by the salty (but addictively delicious) sausage gravy ladled on until the biscuits are marinating in it. If you want something nutritious, order a Bloody Mary. (8975 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway; 503-297-3388)
--Amy Wang
Fat Albert's Breakfast Cafe: This classic neighborhood cafe offers equally classic biscuits and gravy -- solid, but not stellar. The gravy is properly creamy, slightly spicy but bereft of sausage. The $5.50 order comes with links on the side, however, and two fluffy cut biscuits and lots of gravy. A solid foundation for a busy day. (6668 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.; 503-872-9822)
--John Foyston
Fat City: Amid the clutter of bric-a-brac and the elbow-to-elbow regulars crammed expectantly in, it hardly seems possible that the place can hold the massive platter of the breakfast classic that the kitchen puts out. Three fluffy biscuits, each bigger than a tennis ball, come smothered in a thick gravy that's perked up by generous lashings of sausage bits but which still retains a homey gentleness. Doesn't matter how much coffee you wash it down with: Clean this plate and you'll need a nap. (7820 S.W. Capitol Highway; 503-245-5457)
--Shawn Levy
Genie's Cafe: Hipster (groan) brunch heaven, so be prepared for a line. At least there's good Stumptown coffee to sip while you wait. Skip the vegetarian version -- seriously?! -- and go right for the carnivore's B&G. Dense, crispy drop biscuits stand up to a dousing of the hearty sausage-dotted gravy. Yes, the servers have tattoos and cool hair. Get over it and dig in. (1101 S.E. Division St.; 503-445-9777; www.geniescafepdx.com)
--Shawn Vitt
Gravy: This rustic cafe has a farmhouse feel, with its mismatched silverware and tractor seat barstools. And there's nothing more homey -- or affordable -- than the biscuits and gravy. A single order runs $3.50 and is enough for a meal. A baseball-size biscuit is covered with sausage-studded, slightly orange-hued gravy that is supple and light. You can order a two-biscuit plate for $5.75, though I've yet to see someone successfully finish it. (3957 N. Mississippi Ave.; 503-287-8800)
--Grant Butler
Industrial Cafe & Saloon: A gathering place for gearheads shows off its mechanical bent with its gear-shaped biscuits, which sit in a pool of delicate cream gravy dusted with paprika, lending the dish even more visual pop. Flake off one of the biscuit's spokes and dunk it in, marveling at how the gravy perfectly coats the carbs. Pure comforting perfection. (2572 N.W. Vaughn St.; 503-227-7002)
--Grant Butler
Mother's Bistro: In a sense, a bistro is just a diner in nicer digs. Lisa Schroeder's bustling downtown hub establishes its down-home bona fides with a hefty portion of four caky buttermilk biscuits buried under a blanket of khaki-colored creaminess, with a couple of eggs riding shotgun. The golden-domed biscuits come face-down but are crunchy on top or bottom with a pillow-soft interior that hints at sweetness. The gravy's smoothness is punctuated by crumbly chunks of mildly spiced sausage and a sprinkle of finely diced flat-leaf parsley. Too much savory at once? Try half-orders of these and the French toast, another textural marvel. (212 S.W. Stark St.; 503-464-1122; www.mothersbistro.com)
--Marty Hughley
Pine State Biscuits: Though almost as small as its wildly popular Portland Farmers Market booth, Pine State's new digs offer the same impressively tall, layered, golden biscuits with a buttermilk tang. More chewy than melt-in-your-mouth tender, they offer a sturdy base for the mild sausage gravy or the slightly more savory shiitake mushroom version. If your arteries can take it, add eggs, cheese, bacon and fried chicken, otherwise known as the Reggie Deluxe. (3640 S.E. Belmont St.; 503-236-3346; www.pinestatebiscuits.com)
--Danielle Centoni
Podnah's Pit Barbecue: With copious house-made pork sausage, the super-spicy gravy will awaken your taste buds. Unfortunately, it's super-salty, too. So while the flaky, buttery biscuits were perfect (rivaling Pine State Biscuits as among the best sampled), you might want to cover them instead with their lip-smackable Miranda's jam. Or at least remove any rings from your fingers before going in with a fork. (Breakfast 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; 1469 N.E. Prescott St.; 503-281-3700; www.podnahspit.com)
--Shawn Vitt
Screen Door: This busy Burnside spot serves the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had, and I've had me a plate or two. You can assemble two buttermilk biscuits and gravy off the build-a-breakfast menu for about $5, or cheat a little and order the new cathead biscuit and fried chicken sandwich ($8.95). You'll get a split herb-inflected golden biscuit that is -- praise the Lord! -- flaky, not caky, like so many of the world's biscuits. The sausage gravy is perfect: chunky and just a bit spicy. Grits or taters accompany the order along with a piece of spicy, crispy fried chicken. It's hard to imagine a better breakfast. You'll likely wait for a table for the weekend-only brunch. It's worth it. (2337 E. Burnside St.; 503-542-0880; www.screendoorrestaurant.com)
--John Foyston
Simpatica Dining Hall: For my money, Portland's best B&G can be found at this temple of down-home cooking, where butcher boy chefs showcase their own hand-cured meats. The buttermilk mounds arrive as fat, tender souls full of flaky goodness. But the moment of profound deliciousness hits home with the gravy, a slow-cooked white lake positively bumpy with homemade pork sausage crumbles and deeply smoky bacon. The whomping-size $9 dish -- served with roasted potatoes, which you certainly won't need -- riffs off a recipe co-owner Jason Owens found in Saveur magazine years ago, adding a little sweetness, not to mention Simpatica's exceptional meats. Owens mixes the butter and flour first, then puts it in the walk-in cooler so that it gets really cold before he adds chilled buttermilk. "It's as much method as recipe," he says. Who are we to argue? (828 S.E. Ash St.; 503-235-1600; www.simpaticacatering.com)
--Karen Brooks
Tin Shed Garden Cafe: This popular Alberta kitchen offers a meaty version of biscuits and gravy, but insiders know that the vegetarian Rosemary's Gravy Baby is the real find. Two fresh buttermilk beauties are topped with mushroom gravy that's loaded with rosemary; each bite feels like a stroll through the garden. And with the potato cakes or cheese grits on the side, you've got an authentic taste of the Deep South. (1438 N.E. Alberta St.; 503-288-6966; www.tinshedgardencafe.com)
--Grant Butler
Burp! Did we miss your favorite plate of biscuits and gravy? Let everyone know where they really should go.