Portland and Seattle vacation, need suggestions

[Phish Food]

I will be visiting both Portland and Seattle from August 29 to September 7. I was looking for dining suggestions. Right now I have reservations at a few places in Portland for dinner. My reservations include Le Pigeon, Park Kitchen, and Vindalho. I canceled ten01 after seeing a lot of very mixed reviews. I also plan to hit up Pok Pok, Apizza Scholls, and what I heard is the super touristy voodoo doughnuts. The only meal I think I have figured out is breakfast. Here is my list of breakfast places:

Broder

Byways Café

Flavour Spot

Genie's Café

Mother's Bistro

Muddy's Coffeehouse

Beths Café

Coastal Kitchen

Crave

Where should I eat? Are there any places I named that I should avoid? Please feel free to suggest any place regardless of cuisine or price. Thanks in advance.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Phish Food (log)

[rockdoggydog]

I really liked ten01, but you can also pop in to the bar for some bar food and the cocktails are stellar. I would add Screen Door to the breakfast list for Portland and I woudl suggest Beast for diner.

In Seattle Beth's and Coastal are missable. Beth's a fun and goo dgreasy spoon but there's nothing special about it. Coastal Kitchen is meh, it's not bad and it's popular, but it's not exciting at all. Kingfish Cafe, Monsoon, Rover's and Steelhead Diner would probably be my recs for breakfast/brunch. What are your dinner lineups for Seattle?

Where will you be staying?

Rocky

[eatenmess]

please let us know how Beast was, I've been told if you are to have only one meal in Oregon it should be there. Im hopefully going to Oregon (and the rest of the west coast) in January for the first time ever so will have to book myself in if i hear anything else as positive.

[John DePaula]

From the Portland entries in your list above, I'd recommend Broder for breakfast. I haven't been to dinner there yet, but the breakfast I had was unique and excellent.

Other places not to be missed in Portland:

• Toro Bravo for really excellent tapas (doesn't take reservations but I think they have a lounge upstairs (Secret Society Lounge?) while you wait)
  
• Sel Gris for fine dining (reservations recommended)
  
• Teardrop for great cocktails
  
• Ten01 for good food and cocktails - new chef but so far so good
  

New kid on the block:

Beaker & Flask - great food and drinks

[tsquare]

Rocky forgot to mention that Crave has been closed for some time. His other comments are spot on.

There are some other breakfast spots in Seattle that are quite nice, depending on what you are looking for. I always vote for Geraldine's Counter (daily!) and brunch at Verve - but that may be because I can walk to them. Springhill has had mostly excellent reviews. Monsoon is so good - weekends only for brunch - with a wide range of offerings.

[d+d]

For breakfast in Seattle, I like Cafe Presse, 611 Supreme, and Volunteer Park Cafe. (all in capital hill area)

[syrah girl]

Check out Cafe Campagne in Seattle for breakfast. In Portland, the Bijou Cafe is pretty cool. Love the oyster has there!