Golden Swan, RIP

I drove all the way out to the other side of Beaverton to eat at my favorite restaurant, the Golden Swan. Few people in Portland know of the Golden Swan. It’s a hole in the wall–the place has no central heating, there’s a quarter inch of grease on all the tables, and the floor gets cleaned once a month. Plus the name of the restaurant changes every couple years, probably because the authorities shut it down for health violations.

At the same time, it’s undeniable–the Golden Swan is the best Chinese restaurant in Portland. Hands down. The stuffed eggplant is amazingly crispy, they serve joong all the time, and the lo bak is fresh. They’ve got stuff that few other places have, including the famous beef brisket. Plus, it’s cheap. For under $20, you can get enough food for two meals.

Anyway, it’s all over. The Golden Swan is no more. I arrived at the restaurant to find that the Mexican grocery next door had expanded and had opened a tacqueria in its place. Check out some of the pictures:

The artwork of the Hong Kong Star Ferry is still there, next to the new menu which proclaims “Bienvenidos.”

The Vietnamese gift shop is still there.  The new restaurant’s decorations include pinatas, which you can see hanging from the ceiling.  On the opposite wall (no pictures, unfortunately), they have some cool looking traditional Mexican outfits.

The picture above is where the roast duck used to hang.

Anyway, instead of the Chinese beef brisket, I wound up eating a great Mexican pork burrito.  The food is still very good and still very cheap; it just has origins in a different country.  Great stuff.  If you’re ever in Beaverton, check out the new Chavita’s Foods.

Now I just have to find a place to get good Chinese food on the West Side of the Portland metro area…

Related posts:

1. The World Outside and the Post-Election Portland Fervor