Portland Restaurants: Reviews & Reccomendations

[tejon]

I'd second (third?) the recommendation for Pok Pok, and add that even without reservations you could have tapas at the bar at Andina. They have some interesting cocktails, and the tapas are enough for a meal if you order several (which you'd want to, regardless).

[malarkey]

For breakfast on Saturday, I would choose Genie's.  You'll probably have to wait (like most places), but I think they do an especially good job.

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for breakfast... not Simpatica?! Wow, I had a fantastic breakfast there last time I visited Portland. Or are you taking into consideration the how-to-get-there aspect?

[ExtraMSG]

They said no brunch places. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but...

For breakfast on Saturday, I would choose Genie's.  You'll probably have to wait (like most places), but I think they do an especially good job.

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for breakfast... not Simpatica?! Wow, I had a fantastic breakfast there last time I visited Portland. Or are you taking into consideration the how-to-get-there aspect?

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[Ling]

Hey everyone, I've been planning our trip over on www.portlandfood.org, but just wanted to let the Portland EGers know that we'll be at Apizza Scholls tomorrow night at 5pm in case anyone wants to join us for some pizza!

Our itinerary is as follows...though plans may change:

Thursday:

Pok Pok's for lunch

Sagahun/Cacao/Alma chocolates (yes, nothing like 3 chocolate shops after lunch!)

Apizza Scholls for dinner

Pix

Friday:

Ken's Artisan Bakery (breakfast)

Pearl Bakery (breakfast #2)

Andina (lunch)

Blueplate (ice-cream?)

Clarklewis (dinner)

after dinner drinks...??

Saturday

any (or all 3) of the following: Le Pigeon for brunch, Kenny and Zuke's, Superdogs

dinner is the smoked prime rib at Podnah's

So if we run into anyone, please feel free to say hi and share some food with us. We'll be at Pok Pok around 12:30pm tomorrow.

[Jim Dixon]

Ling,

You should add Nostrana to your list, if only for a fall back lunch or dinner. It got a lot of bad publicity over service early on, but things have improved, and the food has always been incredible.

I always eat at the counter in front of the pizza oven. You can watch the action, and the pizza cook will be your server. I like the pizzas, but there's are a lot of other great things on the menu, and since you're eating Brian's pizza on this trip, try something else. If the squid-chard (inziminio, I think) is on the menu, get it.

Full disclosure: I sell olive oil and salt to Nostrana (but that's why the food is so good!)

Jim

[Shalmanese]

Sounds like an incredible trip, make sure to take lots of pictures!

[trillium]

Hey everyone, I've been planning our trip over on www.portlandfood.org, but just wanted to let the Portland EGers know that we'll be at Apizza Scholls tomorrow night at 5pm in case anyone wants to join us for some pizza!

Our itinerary is as follows...though plans may change:

Thursday:

Pok Pok's for lunch

Sagahun/Cacao/Alma chocolates (yes, nothing like 3 chocolate shops after lunch!)

Apizza Scholls for dinner

Pix

Friday:

Ken's Artisan Bakery (breakfast)

Pearl Bakery (breakfast #2)

Andina (lunch)

Blueplate (ice-cream?)

Clarklewis (dinner)

after dinner drinks...??

Saturday

any (or all 3) of the following: Le Pigeon for brunch, Kenny and Zuke's, Superdogs

dinner is the smoked prime rib at Podnah's

So if we run into anyone, please feel free to say hi and share some food with us. We'll be at Pok Pok around 12:30pm tomorrow.

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I hope that you get some of the brisket at Podnah's and not just the prime rib. The prime rib is really good, but I don't think you taste as much of the bbq mastery, where you really do with the brisket (and if you like it fatty vs. lean, be sure to ask for the fatty end).

I'm not so sure that Superdogs is worth a special out of the way stop unless no trip is complete without a hot dog. Maybe my view is skewered after living within walking distance of Weiner's Circle for 8 years, but I don't think they're very special. They're just plain old hot dogs (not that that is a bad thing), and I say that as someone who stood in line for 45 minutes at Hot Doug's in Chicago (well, it was for the dawgs and the duck fat fries). I certainly wouldn't pick them over Le Pigeon!

have a good time,

trillium

[ExtraMSG]

If you get an end piece of prime rib, you get a lot more smoke. But splitting a plate of prime rib and a plate of brisket and pulled pork is the way to go.

Personally, I think Superdog's hot dogs are better than Weiner Circle's. I would like to see Ellen cussing out customers, though. But if I remember correctly, they're mostly stopping by to meet the owner and get a snack between the Portland Farmer's Market and the tram. I can't think of anything I'd rather have in that neighborhood for under $5.

Ate dinner with the two of them last night at Apizza Scholls. Great food, of course. Smart and interesting devoted food geeks. Made dinner even better.

[trillium]

I don't think it's all about smoke, I'm talking more about smoke+time+connective tissues. Not just smokiness, but the mouthfeel you get when something with lots of connective tissues has been cooked low and slow for just the right amount of time. You get to taste that in the brisket, pulled pork and ribs but not so much in the prime rib.

Everyone has a different take sausages in a bun. I suspect ours are diametrically opposed, I thought the offerings at Good Dog Bad Dog were pretty awful the one time I went when I first moved here. I remember that you were a fan of their stuff. Superdog isn't a place I would go out of my way to eat at if I was on vacation, whether or not it's the best snack in that area for under $5 is a different conversation and one in which I would be inclined to agree with you. However, if we're going to talk about the best hotdog in Portland, my money goes to Otto's every time.

I hope that they are not going to the Portland Farmer's Market tomorrow, since it doesn't start until next weekend (April 7).

regards,

trillium

[ExtraMSG]

Hmm, I've never been overly impressed by Otto's. I like the fact they grill them, but overall they're ho-hum. I would go with Zach's or Superdog.

I had a string of misses with GD/BD before they closed, but prior I thought they were a good hot dog fix. They had a couple of good sausages (though I discovered through others' choices that they had some really poor ones, too) and the thing I really loved about them was the grilled onions. They were a little spendier than some places, but not ridiculous, and overall pretty good. Nicely caramelized onions, as they often had, can do wonders. Problem was, sometimes the onions were just barely browned. Night and day. Also, I believe they toasted their buns nicely, which matters to me.

Edited March 31, 2007 by ExtraMSG (log)

[syrah girl]

Busboy, I agree about Ken's bread, we had some really yummy bread at Park Kitchen for lunch yesterday. It was Ken's Bread with good olive oil. Our lunch was fantastic as was our dinner at Lovely Hula Hands on N. Misissippi, I have a new love with that place which I'll post more in detail later on!

[Ling]

Hey everyone, we had an incredible short trip in Portland. It was lots of fun meeting some of the local food geeks. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to stop by Superdogs (sidetracked by Powell's.) But we'll be by to say hi to Ellen next time, and there surely will be a next time because there's so much we enjoyed down there. I'll start a new thread for the pictures now.

BTW trillium, I saw your post about the brisket, but couldn't reply since the Wifi at the hotel was acting up. We did indeed get the brisket and it was delicious. I liked it even more than the prime rib (though I liked that a lot as well. And yes, we got the smoky end!) I wish we had Podnah's up here!

[trillium]

BTW trillium, I saw your post about the brisket, but couldn't reply since the Wifi at the hotel was acting up. We did indeed get the brisket and it was delicious. I liked it even more than the prime rib (though I liked that a lot as well. And yes, we got the smoky end!) I wish we had Podnah's up here!

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I'm glad you got the brisket. And I wanted to tell you to be sure to try the ham and cheese croissant at Ken's Artisan but decided I was being too bossy, but I'm glad you got your mitts on one. I love how savory it is.

Next time you'll have to check out the hotdogs in this town and decide for yourself. "Just a hotdog" is never a bad thing...even when it's really bad (and I haven't had a really bad one in this town).

regards,

trillium

[Ling]

And I wanted to tell you to be sure to try the ham and cheese croissant at Ken's Artisan but decided I was being too bossy, but I'm glad you got your mitts on one. I love how savory it is.

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Feel free to recommend anything. I have the feeling after reading your posts in the other thread that we have similar tastes. That was a particularly good ham and cheese.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks so far, everyone. My schedule is still unclear bc of work, but so far on the google map are Andina, Farmer's Market, Pambiche, Karam, Pok Pok Whiskey Lounge, Autentica, La Calaca Comelona -- and the Heathman (quality) and Portland City Grill (view) for drinks.

[syrah girl]

I think you will enjoy the Heathman, we had a great dinner there last summer. We stayed at the hotel which was really cool, also enjoyed a nice brunch there the next morning. Yummy crab cakes and poached eggs, a real fun buzzy atmosphere.

Enjoyed another great meal in Portland this past Fri., Ten 01 in the Portland Pearl is doing great things right now. We had the soup of the day which was a Spring Vegetable soup, I enjoyed the arugula salad with lemon pressed EVOO, champagne vinegar and sua maesta. Garden fresh and unique flavors going on in the salad.

My entree was amazing, the risotto with roasted sweet garlic, thyne, almonds & bread crumbs. Very creamy and I savored every bite of this. My husband had the entree salad of the tenderloin, grilled and served over greens tossed with blue cheese dressing and topped with the house made onion rings. I had a small bit of the tenderloin which was melt in your mouth perfect and full of flavor.

For dessert we shared the black and white creme brulee which was perfectly prepared.

Beautiful building and the inside ambiance is very upscale and contemporary. We will be back!

[hummingbirdkiss]

my absolute favorite real breakfasty breakfast in Portland ..if you want a real good breakfast with people from Portland not pretentious not upscale ..just very local and great food!!! go here ... I do ..every time I go there ..and that is a lot...

Fat Albert’s Breakfast Cafe

6668 SE Milwaukie

Portland, Oregon

503-872-9822

open 7 days

Edited April 10, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Alas, I had very little time to select places on my own while in Portland.

I had two breakfasts at Mother's for oatmeal and at Bijou Bistro for oyster hash. Some locals touted that as the ne plus ultra of hash, and I was there early, so I was a bit disappointed that the oysters had clearly been breaded, fried, and sliced far in advance of my sitting down.

My two dinners: several decent dishes at an upscale Chinese place in the Pearl (forgive me if that's not idiomatic) whose name I have forgotten, and a few different things at Tacqueria Nueva that were quite good, most notably the wild boar soft tacos.

Having said that, the best food I had in Portland was the pizza and pig-in-a-blanket that Mark Doxtader of Tastebud made in his mobile wood fired brick oven at the Portland Farmers Market on rainy Saturday morning.

Thanks to everyone for their help!

[ExtraMSG]

several decent dishes at an upscale Chinese place in the Pearl (forgive me if that's not idiomatic) whose name I have forgotten

Hopefully not PF Chang's, so I'll assume it was Sungari.

Glad you got to the Portland Farmers Market, even if still early (and rainy) in the season.

[Chris Amirault]

Yes, that's it: Sungari Pearl. It certainly wasn't bad, but, well, it wasn't $20/dish good.

The Farmers Market was fantastic. Y'all should be very grateful you have such a thing. I ate beautiful radishes while flying 30K feet over Wyoming.

[guzzirider]

Just had to spend 10 days in the Portland area for work... miserable, miserable work. I barely found time to breathe while I was out there, working crazy long hours, but I did manage to find time to hit a few great places for some food.

Saturday, I made my way to the Portland Farmer's Market, which was wonderful! Sampled around, and picked up a few things to bring back to Philly.. not the least of which was some fantastic smoked fatty lox from the Smokery. After the market, I visited the Japanese Garden - not food related, mind you, but after the hellish work week I had, the garden was the perfect place for me to clear my head.

That day, I also called and left a message @ Park Kitchen, hoping they somehow would be able to fit me in. 5 o'clock rolled around, and I hadn't heard anything, so I figured I'd start making my way towards my plan "B" - Alberta Street Oyster Bar. Just a few blocks before I got there, PK called back offering me an 8 o'clock seat. Perfect! I stopped in for a snack at Alberta Street (oysters, some of the best sweetbreads I've had, followed by more oysters ) and then wandered back to PK.

Park Kitchen was wonderful - lived up to my expectations. Lamb tartare, hand rolled pici pasta w/ peas, morels, and tripe (loved it!), and for a main - seared salmon, w/ black lentils and nettles. Normally, I generally only eat salmon sashimi style, but I figured that while I was in the Pacific NW, I'd get all I can... and I'm glad I did. Everything was wonderful... however...

It was Alberta Street that really intrigued me... so much so, that I decided to go back the following night for a full-blown dinner. Another 6 oysters, and the Chef's tasting menu. I *really* like this place... the sort of place where you can show up in jeans and a t-shirt, have a pint of ale and sup on something called "dueling foie gras" or really good veal sweetbreads (the tasting menu version of which was served on braised oxtail, with gnocchi - awesome). A wonderful gastropub, for sure... and I hope I have a chance to make it back.

As I was actually staying and working in Hillsboro, I also had a chance to do lunch a couple of times at Syun Izakaya. My kind of sushi place - and having a sushi lunch out on their patio on a sunny afternoon was a real treat!

Anyway, this was my 2nd time to the area, but the first time I had a chance to actually take advantage of what it has to offer, and I feel I've barely scratched the tip of the iceberg. Thanks for casting a few rays of sunshine (yes, sunshine even!) on my otherwise painful business trip! Hope to see you again soon...

__Jason

[balomi]

the tasting menu version of which was served on braised oxtail, with gnocchi - awesome

Were the gnocchi pan fried (potsticker-like) after the boil? The two best gnocchi I've had was in Portland at Giorgio's and Heathman, and they both pan finished it for the most amazing texture.

[guzzirider]

No, I don't believe these were pan fried.

__Jason

[Loveskiing]

I am traveling to Portland in July and am would like some restaurant recommendations for Portland preferrable something new, trendy, fine dining etc. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Lenski]

Oregon or Maine?