Smallwares
Asian restaurant · Boise
25 N Fremont St, Portland, OR 97227
Highlights
Small Asian fusion plates, CBD drinks, plus fried kale
Small Asian fusion plates, CBD drinks, plus fried kale
"Ware originally developed her reputation at a restaurant in Beaumont, the original Smallwares. In 2016, Ware closed that restaurant, but quickly announced plans to open a more casual version called Wares. After around a year and a half of Wares, Ware was given the opportunity to reopen Smallwares in a new space on Fremont. When she finds someone to take over her lease, Ware plans to introduce lunch a few days a week at her other Fremont restaurant. The chef is considering adding more of the Wares menu to Smallwares lunch, but she’s also playing around with a completely different schtick. “I know people want variety, so I’m thinking we could do Wares food — ramen and rice bowls — but also slutty chicken parm sandwiches,” she says, but she’s not totally committed to that plan just yet. “It’s a fun model, but we want to see what works.” Lunch isn’t the only remnant from Wares; Ware plans to bring a seasonal ramen to Smallwares as well, now that she’s leaving behind the original ramen counter. “It’s kind of like, which child do you choose?” she says. “Smallwares is my heart, so I’m like, let’s just contain it into one place.”" - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Johanna Ware’s beloved “inauthentic Asian” restaurant Smallwares has closed once again." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Johanna Ware’s playful Pan-Asian restaurant, lined with tchotchkes and goofy figurines, will add a 25 mg splash of CBD to any drink for an extra $3. For a vacation in a glass, add it to The Rum, with Plantation rum, coconut, pineapple tepache, and nutmeg." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"The return of Johanna Ware’s somewhat upscale pan-Asian restaurant. Instagram has been aflutter with shots of nori risotto and seared scallops. Both Instagram behemoth Gary the Foodie and Oregonian critic Michael Russell visited and took the pics to prove it; the former emphatically recommended that followers “GET THE BURGER.” Yelp only learned recently that Smallwares had reopened, but the comments have been positive: The two reviews have commended the service and portion size." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Johanna Ware will be featured in the Saturday Grand Tasting." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
Jeff Tabrum
James Kasem
Kasia Sliwinska
Dianne White
Marshall Knight
amy c
Jay Kothari
Pasha
