This Week in the Mercury
Monday, October 26, 2009
Food / Crime Yam Yam's Was A Drug Front?!
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 11:40 AM
- Yam Yams: Gives whole new meaning to "Ribs and Coke, please!"
The Oregonian has the news from Portland Police today that tasty but shabbily-decorated North Portland barbecue place Yam Yam's was possibly a money-laundering front for a "coke kingpin."
North Portland resident James Ray "Lonnie" Yoakum is charged with running a $300,000 a month cocaine operation in town, using Yam Yam's to make the money look legit. After using wiretaps and other surveillance, police arrested Yoakum with $11,000 in cash on his person. Yoakum told authorities that he was a cook at Yam Yams and officers found $60,000 more in a safe at the restaurant. That's a lot of $5 jambalayas.
Investigators also accuse Yoakum's sons of dirty business. Yoakum's 19-year-old son is accused of having a hand in a Northeast gun fight that left a rival gang member wounded on Killingsworth and the other is accused of robbing two California medical marijuana clinics.
While the Yoakum family waits in jail, the fate of Yam Yams and their delicious savory bbq sauce remains unclear.
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Oh, I suppose it's a crime now to run a $300K/month cocaine money laundering operation.
Fo sho. Yet again, it looks like mr. big government is putting his finger in the pie-hole of an innocent cocaine import/export/distribution point.
I will say, though, that it makes their slogan "To the tooter" make WAY more sense.
"delicious"? I never got around to trying their food, but the reviews I've read online seem to indicate it was re-heated slop.
Just kill ALL my pork and blow dreams all at once, why don't ya! Frick! Next up: PPD finds a way to burn my house down and/or re-instate prohibition...
No wonder I got collard greens and blow as my 2 side choices that one time.
In this economy, I think any restaurant that can make a buck should be given a pass...
That place is just a couple blocks from my office! Man, I always find out about the party after it's over...
Damn they had a hell of a mac & cheese not to mention the fried Okra was scrummy.
Colin, when you outlaw $300K/month cocaine money laundering operations, only outlaws will have $300K/month cocaine money laundering operations.
Does anyone know what "From the rooter, to the tooter means?"
With the name "Yam Yam's", you'd think they were slingin' horse.
tooter -
A tube, usually a cut off part of a straw, used to snort speed or coke with.
Mahimbi - It refers to parts of the pig. Think, think, wait for it . . . there you go.
Maybe someone should find out why the place changed hands and the quality went out the window over night years ago.
From the rooter to the tooter means using the whole hog, from snout to tail. Thats the principle business of a good bbq chef. No waste. Michelle, I think you meant to cite cite the rooter for your cocaine entendre. The tooter is the butt.
They always had a "car wash" outside. Makes you wonder if they were slingin right there...
For a place that doesn't have any business, they sure stayed open a lot. The car washes also made me wonder what was going on. Never trusted them nor the cocktail lounge across the street.
This is pretty lame actually. The best thing about Yam Yam's was the Sunday Buffet. It was all you can eat, and they served stuff not on the regular menu....smothered pork chops, oxtail stew, huge fried wings.....and Hawaiian Punch on tap. MMMGOOD. Took my folks (and grandma) there regularly on Mother's and Father's day. I hope the owner isn't in trouble and it stays open.
Yall just mad cause you didn't think of it first. Damn Damn Damn!
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