Portland Restaurants: Reviews & Reccomendations

[Pallee]

I enjoy staying in the little town of Dunsmuir, south of Mt. Shasta along I-5. I love this motel where you stay in an actual caboose - http://www.rrpark.com/welcome-caboose.html It fills up so get reservations.

I've had great meals at Cafe Maddelena - http://www.cafemaddalena.com/

again, reservations a must.

There's a Thai place that's good if you order from the specials - the other side of the menu is bar food, a bit schitzoid, but the specials were great.

The Cornerstone cafe is open for a great breakfast.

I was really surprised to find so much to like in such a little place. I usually like taking 199 over to Crescent City and going down 101, it is so beautiful, but haven't found any really great places to stay or eat.....maybe someone else knows of some.

[John DePaula]

Carolyn,

I really enjoy Andina for Peruvian-inspired cuisine, and Toro Bravo for Spanish-style tapas. They are both SOOO good!

Have a fun trip!

--John

[santo_grace]

We vacationed in Oregon at the beginning of August. You can read about our Wilamette Valley trip here.

As for Portland, we stopped at Pok Pok after we got our rental car at the airport and ate before we started our 4.5 hour drive to Bandon. We were so happy with our meal there that we picked some up to-go before we headed back to the airport to fly home a week later. It held up quite well as we checked our bags and went through security. We loved sitting there eating our delicious hen and watching people eat their airport fast food. What a great way to end a trip!

I also picked up some pastries (a 6-pack of macaroons and a Pixie) from Pix which is about a block or two east of Pok Pok. I really enjoyed the macaroons. I can't say that I'm a macaroon expert though, so I'm not sure how they compare to other places. I thought we would eat these on the plane on the way home, but we were so stuffed from Pok Pok we didn't enjoy them until later in the day.

In Portland, we also had lunch at Andina, which we really enjoyed; dinners at Carlyle and Clyde Common. We would recommend both of these places as well. Though don't get the squab at Clyde Common (or was it quail? I can't remember). I just remember that it was a seriously undercooked bird, which when I sent it back to be cooked for another 1-2 minutes (knowing that it can quickly go from undercooked to overcooked), it came back tough as nails. Other items we had there were very good though, so don't let that dissuade you.

Our meals in Bandon mostly consisted of the restaurant and pub at Bandon Dunes golf course, which were fine. We did get out for one meal in Bandon at the Wild Rose Bistro. We had hoped to go to Alloro Wine Bar but there was no room for us. We really enjoyed our dinner at Wild Rose. It's a tiny space with a husband/wife team - he serves/talks, she cooks. We got a late table and were the last ones to leave. One of my other meals at Bandon was at a fried fish place on the main street near the harbor. I'm a sucker for fried clams, so I was happy. However, the hugest seagull that I have ever seen (and I've seen plenty growing up near Lake Ontario) didn't get anything from me, so he was a little less happy.

Enjoy your trip! We've been raving about ours ever since we got back.

[Jaymes]

I absolutely love meandering the Oregon coast. So much so that I've strongly considered moving there.

From Napa and the Bay Area, I take 101 north, stopping for the first night or two in Eureka and breakfast at the Samoa Cookhouse.

Then the coastal route up to Lincoln City, OR, where I turn toward Portland. Of course, you'd do it in the opposite direction, but I'm usually heading back to the midwest from California. And since I'm Road Trip Girl, I take a circuitous route - north to Portland where I visit friends, and then the magnificent Columbia River Gorge east through Idaho, Wyoming, etc.

Heading north out of Eureka, I always stop for a couple of nights at Gold Beach. Yes, it's touristy, but there is some pretty good food there, and I'm a nut for taking the jet boats up the Rogue. I like these nice folks: Jerry's Jet Boats

And then north to Yachats, a charming little town. There's the Green Salmon Bakery and Coffee House, and Grand Occasions, with homemade pies and other treats made with seasonal berries. Stay in a beachfront cabin here: Shamrock Lodgettes

There's lots to do in Lincoln City, and if you do a search here on eG, you'll find many recommendations for places to eat and stay along this stretch, because it's closer to Portland.

I think maybe I'll plan another one of these marathon road trips for next summer. Writing this out has gotten me Jonesin'.

Edited August 31, 2007 by Jaymes (log)

[duckduck]

I would go to Portland City Grill just for a drink in the bar for the view. I second Clyde Common for anything but the squab. Their drinks are great and the burgers rock. Enjoy your trip!

Edited September 1, 2007 by duckduck (log)

[bbqboy]

Hi Carolyn, Novak's in Albany-Hungarian Bakery and restaurant open early to late.

Growers Market in Ashland on Tuesday,

Medford on Thursday, Grants Pass on Saturday.

http://www.rvgrowersmarket.com/

The Applegate Valley has a number of small wine producers and it's a beautiful drive-

http://www.sorwa.org/

as is the rest of the RV,

and...after reading your bio, Ashland and the Rogue Valley are right up your alley.

A bay area connection, artists, theatre, outdoors, 3 congregations, and food & wine, both producers

And purveyors.

+ Blue Dragon Books has a pretty good crowley collection.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/roadtrip/b...hp?id=15&bid=36

http://www.sustainabletable.org/roadtrip/b...hp?id=53&bid=45

Edited September 1, 2007 by bbqboy (log)

[Katie Meadow]

I wish I had had more time in Portland. Lauro was highly recommended but I didn't get there.

We also ate at a sweet little French place called Le Bouchon, recommended by the same person. My husband and my nephew declared the snails very good--for American snails--and I had a very good steak/frites. The waiter was adorable and flirtatious, the room was full of charm. The kind of meal that makes you feel your money is well spent, because the experience is so all-around nice. Neither pretentious or too pricey.

Besides Lauro and Bouchon my source recommended Sungari Pearl and two bbq places: Clays on SE Division and the Delta Cafe, for low-country soul. We didn't have time to visit them. We ate at Jakes with a big party; my salmon was first-rate and the sampler of northwest oysters was good as well. Most everything else at the table was mediocre.

We had breakfast at Bijou, downtown and thought it was great. It was crowded, but we were seated quickly. Two blocks away is Mother's bistro, also an oft-mentioned breakfast place, raved about by a friend of mine. There was a long line, so we went on to Bijou. Big portions, homey food, clearly a place for oyster hash, if you go for that sort of thing. This is the kind of place I wish I had in my neighborhood; the kind of place that's perfect if I am going hiking for the day. Delicious fresh squeezed juice. Both these places are on all the local "best breakfast" lists.

Alberta Oyster bar sounds great and has an interesting website.

We stayed overnight in Newport. The old part of town along the water is corny and lovely at night. Our meal overlooking the water was awful.

We passed through Ashland on our way home to the Bay Area. It was very hot, we had been on the road for hours (plus ten days) and I needed something restorative and COLD. We stopped on the main drag at a big crowded ice-cream place. They served an espresso shake that made me weep it was so fabulous. Can't remember the name of the place, but it gave off an aura of being, well, the place to go.

Not to be missed in Portland: the Japanese Garden. It's simply spectacular. Not huge, just perfect. it was amazing in rain/shine in spring, and would be incredible in the fall.

[ExtraMSG]

Don't take this too harshly, but you need a new source.

Delta and Clays are just okay at best.

I've never been to Le Bouchon, but just based on the type of menu, I wouldn't recommend it to a visitor.

Lauro is decent, but not among the best restaurants and not a destination.

Sungari is really only worth going to if you're really desiring Chinese and you want a wine list.

[Caitlin]

Hi Carolyn - I just moved back to the Bay Area after being in Eugene, OR for 3 years for law school. Your posts in the CA forum have been really helpful to me as I've been getting back into the food scene down here, so I'm happy to have the chance to share my Oregon knowledge with you. Here are a few of my favorites:

Portland: Apizza Scholl's 4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd., (503) 233-1286. Only open for dinner. Their pizzas are excellent. My favorites are a white pizza with bacon, and one with sausage and Mama Lil's Goathorn Peppers (these peppers are seriously amazing).

Eugene: Beppe & Gianni's 1646 E. 19th Ave., (541) 683-6661. This Italian restaurant has some of the best - and maybe even the best - homemade fettuccine I've ever had - it's paper thin and very delicious. They also have a great appetizer - warmed Cambazola cheese served with grilled bread slices brushed with olive oil and roasted heads of garlic.

Bandon: If you're in Bandon for dinner, I recommend Alloro Wine Bar 375 2nd Street SE, (541) 347-1850. I had an excellent meal there in February. My entree was grilled sturgeon that had been marinated in balsamic vinegar, and it was wonderful.

Langlois (15 minutes or so south of Bandon): If you pass through Langlois, stop at the Langlois Market for one of their famous hot dogs. They use Hill Meat Company frankfurters, but they peel off the casing after cooking them and serve them skinless (which didn't make sense to me until I tried one with the casing and discovered how tough and chewy it is). But the hot dogs have great flavor and they're served with the market's homemade secret-recipe mustard.

48444 Highway 101, Langlois, OR, 97450 (on the right hand side if you're heading south) - (541) 348-2476.

Enjoy your trip!

[Loosecanon Dolph]

I just moved to Portland and I'm wondering if there are any cooks out there with the whats what for Portland's restaurant scene? Who's cutting edge? Who's pushing the limits? Who's over rated? etc. Any townies out there with the scoop?

[John DePaula]

Some of my top places to try are: Toro Bravo, Sel Gris, and Carlyle.

Lots of good places to go.

Check out PortlandFood.org

[syrah girl]

Lots of great places! A few of our favorites include Paley's Place, Wildwood, Park Kitchen, Carlyle, Fenouil, Higgins, Olea, Ten 01, clarklewis and the Portland City Grill. Lovely Hula Hands over on N. Mississippi is also great, housed in a restored Victorian home with great service. Enjoy!

[little ms foodie]

not a chef but I'd say the Le Pigeon is pushing the limits by using offal most prominently. Also Teardrop Lounge in the cocktail arena as they make a lot of their own bitters, tonic, etc.

Will look forward to getting your take on things as you eat and drink around town!

[Loosecanon Dolph]

Lots of great places!  A few of our favorites include Paley's Place, Wildwood, Park Kitchen, Carlyle, Fenouil, Higgins, Olea, Ten 01, clarklewis and the Portland City Grill.  Lovely Hula Hands over on N. Mississippi is also great, housed in a restored Victorian home with great service.    Enjoy! 

←

Yeah, I ate at Ten 01 and Clark lewis and had pretty lackluster meals. At Ten 01 I had some plates that were under seasoned and seemed un-thought-out. And at Clark Lewis we had great appetizers but all the main courses we got were really not good, over cooked fish, boring veg entree, terrible service, etc. The best meal I've had was at Le Pigeon, has anyone heard anything about Gabriel Rucker opening up another (perhaps larger place) it seems they fill up all night every night, and the space he has, although really homey and nice, seems better suited sizewise to be a check cashing store or a mini-mart, I think there's like 36 seats and everyone is crammed in. But yeah the food at Le Pigeon was pretty fantastic, I'm pretty sure everything we ordered was phenomenal, it'll be interesting to see what that guy can do when he gets into his thirties, sheesh, plus I think with his popularity a larger place has got to be in the works.

[chamekke]

Hello all,

I'm visiting Portland, OR for the first time next week, to attend a conference at a hotel in the Pioneer Square area. Because the conference timetable is so crammed, I won't have much opportunity (or energy!) to wander too far from the immediate area in search of good food.

Can anyone kindly recommend a good restaurant or two in the neighbourhood? My epicentre is SW 6th Ave and SW Salmon St (Portland Hilton), so anything that's walking distance from there is ideal.

I love Asian food especially, but any restaurant with tasty food is of great interest

Thank you!!

P.S. Realized I should have mentioned Portland in the subject line - oops. Crazy Canadian!

Edited March 9, 2008 by chamekke (log)

[SMMiller]

2-3 blocks walking distance:

Heathman (Continental)

Typhoon (Thai)

El Gaucho (Steakhouse)

Better restaurants are a few blocks further:

Veritable Quandary (NW)

Higgins (NW)

Carafe Bistro (French Bistro)

The Pearl is also walking distance

Ten 01 (NW)

Andina (Peruvian)

and many more

Some of the best in town are a longer walk, or a very short drive across the river

Sel Gris (French)

Le Pigeon (French influenced NW)

Or walk toward the Pearl and grab a ride on the Street car

Paley's Place (NW)

Bewon (Korean)

[chamekke]

Thank you, Steve! I'll definitely try some of your recommendations.

I love Korean food, by the way, so the suggestion of Bewon is especially welcome.

Thanks again

[duck833]

You forgot Kenny & Zuke's Deli, 11th and Stark. Best pastrami this side of Katz's in New York.

[little ms foodie]

friends of mine were just luke warm on Kenny & Zuke's but we all have really enjoyed Clyde Commons next door to the Ace Hotel. And if you get a sweet tooth stop in for a cup of wonderful hot chocolate at Cacoa Drink Chocolate

[syrah girl]

Higgins, Heathman, Ten 01 are all good option, also in the Pearl we have enjoyed great meals at Park Kitchen and Olea. Silk is great in the Pearl for Viatnamese food. Fenouil is also a favorite in the Pearl District.

[chamekke]

Thank you all for the many dining suggestions! I will write them all down (well, print them off, anyway ) before I go.

And little ms foodie, I need very little encouragement to go and get chocolate. If Cacao Drink Chocolate is even remotely within walking distance, I will check it out.

How long does it take to get to the Pearl from downtown, by the way? I've seen maps, but I still have a very hazy sense of the scale of the city. Is it walkable to get from Pioneer Square to the Pearl, or is it more a "streetcar" kind of thing?

[SMMiller]

The Pearl is very walkable. If it's a rainy day you might want to. We locals wear columbia or REI rain jackets so we don't really care.

Ten 01 is right next to Powell's the amazing portland book store. Which is a must visit for anyone who likes to read.

I've heard great things about Park Kitchen but have yet to dine there. The portland food scene has exploded and there are many fine choices.

[John DePaula]

Thank you all for the many dining suggestions!  I will write them all down (well, print them off, anyway  ) before I go.

And little ms foodie, I need very little encouragement to go and get chocolate. If Cacao Drink Chocolate is even remotely within walking distance, I will check it out.

How long does it take to get to the Pearl from downtown, by the way?  I've seen maps, but I still have a very hazy sense of the scale of the city.  Is it walkable to get from Pioneer Square to the Pearl, or is it more a "streetcar" kind of thing?

←

The Pearl is roughly 10 city blocks; not that far, really, but if you're time constrained you may want to take a cab.

Kenny & Zuke's (~8 blocks) is worth a visit - best pastrami in the city - kind of a unique place, really. Food can be very rich, depending on what you have: Chicken fried in duck fat anyone?

Cacao (~10 blocks) is the best place to find a variety of chocolate in the city. They have all kinds of bars and bonbons from all over the world: Oriol Balageur (Spain), Cluizel (France), Theo (Seattle), DePaula Confections (that's me! Portland). They are famous for their drinking chocolate - closest thing to Angelina west of the Rockies.

Edited March 12, 2008 by John DePaula (log)

[Clover]

Just wanted to add my thanks. I too am coming down from Canada for a conference in the same hotel with similar time constraints. This thread was *exactly* what I was looking for -- thank you!

[Ling]

My pick would be Kenny and Zuke's--their pastrami Reuben is something I daydream about regularly. I heard consistency a bit of an issue at the beginning, but they've been open for months now and should have worked everything out. They hired a baker from Pearl Bakery to develop a hearty rye (with caraway) to stand up to the fat-streaked pastrami. I liked it a lot more than my pastrami on rye at Katz's.

I would definitely visit Teardrop Lounge in the Pearl district for cocktails. They have an extensive selection of homemade bitters and make the best cocktails I've had outside of NY.

I also really enjoyed Toro Bravo (tapas which are more based on what tastes good, than what's "authentic"--you must get the oxtail croquettes with the spicy mayo!) and Apizza Scholls, but they're not walkable distance. Definitely worth the trip though.

At Cacao, I think I ate one of each from Oriol Balageur's line, and my favourite was the corn nut praline truffle. I do like the drinking chocolate as well. I also like the salted caramel chocolates from Sagahun.

I didn't really care for Sel Gris.

Edited March 26, 2008 by Ling (log)