Avocado toast was the perfect menu item for Port Side when it opened just three months ago. "The menu had to be very curated because we have such a tiny space," explains chef Chris Bell. "It's been on the menu since day one and it's definitely our most photographed dish."
At Port Side, breakfast sells. What used to be Huckleberry Roasters was converted into the restaurant, though they still offer the coffee. Their morning menu is simple: sandwiches, oatmeal, and smoothies. But the avocado toast is the clear favorite. "We wanted to offer a vegan option, and this was an easy choice."
The dish starts with toasted bread from Grateful Bread. The avocado gets mashed because Chris likes to make sure the saltiness is even. "If you slice the avocado and then salt it, you get all that flavor up front."
He slices radishes and mixes them with spices and lemon juice before topping the toast. A sprinkle of togarashi adds a ton of color and flavor.
"We wanted to keep it simple, but make sure it had layers. The radishes have a little heat, which only increases with the togarashi. But the fat in the avocado tames the heat."
Though the dish is simple, making sure they have the avocados they need is not. "You would be shocked how difficult it is to find avocados and then keep them ripe."
Get the toast at Port Side any morning of the week.