Entertaining Guide

These One-Bite Snacks Will Rule Your Next Party

Try these next level hors d'oeuvres from Portland caterers.

By Benjamin Tepler August 27, 2019 Published in the September 2019 issue of Portland Monthly

1. Bliss House Vegan Nigerian

Portobello and fried plantain suya with red onion
Salimatu Amabebe serves up vibrant vegan-and-gluten-free fare at their Nigerian pop-ups and a monthly Black Feast dinner series, plus they cater parties with bites like this spicy, peanut-saucy skewer. 

2. Buenos Dias Catering

Chimi-roja masa bite
The catering branch of Verde Cocina, the farmers-market-born Mexican-Pacific NW restaurant group, fries up this round of Three Sisters Nixtamal Masa, served up with zucchini and radish, and topped with red chimichurri sauce. 

3. Nightwood Society

Cured-and-smoked chinook salmon wrap, with cucumber, herbed fromage blanc, purple radishes, and basil
The women-run event space and incubator is a great place to throw a hands-on cooking party. But if you’re feeling indulgent, there’s no shame in having chef Sarah Schneider do the heavy skewering for you. 

4. Tournant

Flower-petal-coated chèvre and olive “bombs” on a nasturtium leaf
“Experiential” caterers Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster (p. 40) rarely go the traditional passed- app route. But when they
do
... damn. 

5. Buenos Dias Catering

Pequeños rellenos Colorful, sweet mini peppers stuffed with Willamette Valley quinoa

6. Buenos Dias Catering

Carne asada with chimichurri

7. ChefStable Catering

Pork meatball banh mi slider with pickled vegetables, Sriracha mayo, and cilantro
The restaurant mega-group behind spots like St. Jack, Ox, and Lardo makes miniature versions of its ChefStable eateries’ best dishes, from Nostrana’s insalata in “cups” to a slider variant of Lardo’s legendary banh mi. 

8. Bliss House Vegan Nigerian

Chocolate puff puff This gluten-free take on the traditional Nigerian sweet fried dough uses white and brown rice flour, chocolate, and a hint of nutmeg. The whole thing’s
showered in maple syrup, toasted coconut, and fresh strawberries.

9. Crown Paella

Blistered padrón and watermelon skewer with black olive salt
Owners Scott and Emily Ketterman are best known for cooking up kiddie-pool-size skillets of the finicky live-fire rice dish, but their tiny, Spanish-inflected
bites are no less delicious. 

10. Nightwood Society

Sungold tomato skewer with baby zucchini, prosciutto chip, and a tempura-fried squash blossom stuffed with ricotta and pickled mustard seed

11. Crown Paella

Charcoal-grilled pork skewer with stone fruit chutney

12. ChefStable Catering

Harissa chicken with red pepper, herbs, and tzatziki

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