Winter is coming, and with it, huge questions for Portland’s already struggling food and bar scene. On this episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, restaurant reporter and critic Michael Russell talks about the state of the restaurant industry right now.

We talked about the big names and brands like Pok Pok and Beast that have closed their doors for good, why businesses are nervous about the long wet winter to come, why some new businesses are opening and a few other reasons for optimism. Yes, cautious optimism.

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