Fodor's Expert Review Masala Lab PDX

With a colorful purple-and-green color scheme, soaring ceilings with exposed air ducts, and lots of hanging plants, this modern mashup of Indian cuisine and comfort brunch fare isn't quite like anything even offbeat Portland has ever seen before. Dishes are both pretty and tasty, from the kitchari (savory rice dal with cabbage, herb salad, and bright-purple pickled eggs) to a rendition of shrimp and grits that showcases shrimp in a tikka mole sauce over coconut milk polenta. The owners also operate the popular DesiPDX food cart on North Mississippi Avenue.