Farag's makes summer taste better

• Farag's is one of the city's most popular hidden gems: the spacious garden has ample picnic table seating, canvas shades to block the hot summer sun, misters, climbing plants, string lights and occasionally live music.

What to order: Start with the icy shrimp cocktail and the cantaloupe — the dish you've probably seen splashed across Instagram — which arrives beneath a generous snowfall of manchego and Aleppo pepper.

• Next up, the Oregon albacore. It's gently wrapped in grape leaves and comes with soft confit onions, thick-sliced tomatoes, capers and black lime.
• Meanwhile, the date-glazed pork ribs are sticky sweet, smoky and substantial enough to anchor the table.
• To finish things off, order the only dessert on the menu. It's a dense, but warmly spiced carrot cake with whipped labneh and fresh citrus zest on top.

Plus: The fan-favorite "Farag's Frank" is a footlong beef hot dog with harissa, cucumber, peppers and a tangle of fresh herbs.

• Chef-owner Megan Sanchez told Willamette Week she brought it back after receiving "aggressive messages" about it during the off season.

The bottom line: If you manage to be there when golden hour turns into dusk, you might have to do a double-take to realize you're not on a tropical vacation. It's that good.

If you go: Farag's (2821 Northeast Davis St.) is open 4-10pm Thursday through Sunday.