Every so often, I organize a happy hour meet-up for Portland food bloggers and writers. I'm always searching for a good venue - one that can accommodate a big group coming and going, which, with Portland's tendency towards small buildings, is one that's hard to find. Of course, it helps if the place tends towards the "foodie" to assuage the demands of the bloggers (just kidding, they're not demanding at all). In the past, we've gone to Salvage BBQ and Bayside Bowl, and this time, I hit on Ebb & Flow as the perfect spot for our most recent gathering.
I am shocked (shocked!) to find that I haven't written about my love for the new-ish Mediterranean place here on the 'ole web log. I had dinner with Professor A. there for their opening a year ago and very much enjoyed it. I've gone several times since for drinks and snacks, always getting the flatbread with dips - if you ask nicely, the servers will make a sampler plate of all four of their dips.
The dips (or mezze) all full of flavor - there's the htipiti (whipped goat cheese with chiles and tomatoes); taramasalata or whipped roe; revithia, a green humus; and melitzanosalata or an eggplant and sweet pepper dip. The dips come with a flatbread, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with savory spices and salt.
Other hit menu items perfect for happy hour are the zucchini fritters, the lamb keftedakia (aka meatballs), and the beet and ricotta salata salad.
The cocktail menu is certainly a creative one, making Ebb & Flow a nice place to join a friend for some snacks and a cocktail before dinner. Happy hour runs from 4-6pm, Monday through Friday.