Restaurants not to miss in Portland

[wood]

My husband and I are headed up to Portland for the Valentine's Weekend.

We have reservations at Lucy's Table and Bluehour. We are looking for a few more recommendations. Any ideas?

Thanks a lot.

[SeattleGrrl]

Just out of curiosity, where are you staying?

I had one of the best meals of my life at Pambiche. It's a Cuban restaurant - in what the concierge at our hotel said was a "weird part of town." It's a $6 cab ride from downtown. Beautiful empanadas, braised oxtails, fried plaintains. You could eat all night and not spend more than $75. You could even get away with being a vegetarian (Although I don't know why you would want to.) I wish I could give you more info, but I don't really have it. Time and pleasure have turned it all into a dream.

I truly found this place to be a revelation. So did my fiance - he wants to move to Portland, just for this restaurant (well, that and Powell's.)

P.S. Save room for dessert.

[trillium]

Don't know if these are too late, but if you're looking at downtown

Southpark -- mediterranean inspired seafood

Higgins or Heathman -- "northwest" food

Typhoon -- fusion Thai (disclaimer: I can't stand the food, but I'm a purist)

Murata -- old school Japanese food (where the Japanese business men eat)

Canita -- sister restaurant to Pambiche, on Burnside so technically not downtown, but close enough (and picture an ~ above that n)

regards,

trillium

[Jim Dixon]

wood

Hope you're enjoying Portland (even if the weather today sort of sucks...big surprise there). On Sunday you may want to hit Fong Chong for dim sum brunch (NW 4th and Everett). For more traditional breakfast, head across the river to Junior's (on 12th couple blocks south of SE 12th and Hawthorne...next to historic Ladd's Addition, the first planned residential neighborhood west of the Mississippi) or Small World Cafe (inside Big City Produce, N Mississippi and Sumner, a block north of N Alberta...oooh, wrote Mississippi twice, et, thrice).

If you're sticking around for dinner, try Lucere in the Riverplace Hotel. Good French rustic menu (cassoulet on menu now) and you can walk along the river before or after dinner. (disclosure: I sell them olive oil).

Jim

edit: Genoa is now open on Sundays, too

[trillium]

wood

Hope you're enjoying Portland (even if the weather today sort of sucks...big surprise there). On Sunday you may want to hit Fong Chong for dim sum brunch (NW 4th and Everett). For more traditional breakfast, head across the river to Junior's (on 12th couple blocks south of SE 12th and Hawthorne...next to historic Ladd's Addition, the first planned residential neighborhood west of the Mississippi) or Small World Cafe (inside Big City Produce, N Mississippi and Sumner, a block north of N Alberta...oooh, wrote Mississippi twice, et, thrice).

If you're sticking around for dinner, try Lucere in the Riverplace Hotel. Good French rustic menu (cassoulet on menu now) and you can walk along the river before or after dinner. (disclosure: I sell them olive oil).

Jim

edit: Genoa is now open on Sundays, too

Jim,

Why do you like Fong Chong so much? I've heard how much it stinks from two different gwailos I trust and non of the southern Chinese I know like it. I've had so much yucky dim sum in Seattle that I haven't even bothered to go there...is there something I don't know?

regards,

trillium

ps We need the rain...and there were lots of rainbows this weekend...how could that suck?

[Jim Dixon]

To be honest I haven't eaten much at Fong Chong in the last year or so...maybe it's slipped a bit. But it once was the only place for serious dim sum, and other people who'd eaten farther afield dim sum-wise backed me up. I also tend to eat the same 10-12 items (and if I eat them all, I'm way too full), so that may color my opinion, too.

And sorry, but you haven't lived here long enough to say we need the rain (I would insert a smily deal here to indicate wry humor, but have pledged to never use them). I don't care what the state climatologist says, I'd rather ride to work on a dry day anytime. I do like rainbows, though. But since I always wanted to live on the east side of mountains, I'm okay with our verdant little paradise getting brown around the edges every few years.

Jim

[trillium]

To be honest I haven't eaten much at Fong Chong in the last year or so...maybe it's slipped a bit. But it once was the only place for serious dim sum, and other people who'd eaten farther afield dim sum-wise backed me up. I also tend to eat the same 10-12 items (and if I eat them all, I'm way too full), so that may color my opinion, too.

And sorry, but you haven't lived here long enough to say we need the rain (I would insert a smily deal here to indicate wry humor, but have pledged to never use them). I don't care what the state climatologist says, I'd rather ride to work on a dry day anytime. I do like rainbows, though. But since I always wanted to live on the east side of mountains, I'm okay with our verdant little paradise getting brown around the edges every few years.

Jim

What I get out of conversations about Fong Chong presently is that if you're really desperate for dim sum and can't drive to Vancouver or SF then it'll do. If not, skip it.

I was born and bred in the PNW (most of it in the very town col klink referred to as the boonies) with a 5 year break in eastern washington (hello wheat fields)...think of me as a prodigal daughter returning after a 12 year sojourn of college, grad school and a post-doc....so....we need the rain (neener neener)!

regards,

trillium (I'm with you on the smilies...I have them turned off for egullet, which along with not liking French food all the much makes me feel like a real rebel here)

[Jim Dixon]

trillium,

I think this calls for a trip to Fong Chong...we can also compare our webbed toes.

Jim