Farm Cafe   

You won't find meat on the menu at The Farm. Not that this is stunning news for a Portland restaurant these days, but what is remarkable is that the meat-free menu isn't limited to tofu. Instead, this Southeast neighborhood cafe gives you something else to chew on: fish -- free-swimming, not the netted, pod-raised variety -- along with fresh and vivid seasonal foods. You'll have to circle the block once to find the place: it's located in a renovated century-old cottage off Burnside near the Viscount Ballroom. But in the evening when the neon is on, you can't miss the sign. An intimate dining space with refinished wood floors, cozy seating and a beautiful counter/bar, this comfortable cafe keeps the focus regional with salads, pastas, grilled fish and a selection of more traditional vegetarian foods like tofu and Swiss chard. Most ingredients are local and organic. The fabulous farmhouse burger is a savory mix of breaded eggplant and cheese, grilled and topped with carmelized onions and greens on a Kaiser roll. The Farm has a respectable wine list with a heavy emphasis on Oregon and imported organic wines. -- Jo Ostgarden