Willamette Week Restaurant Guide

[Jim Dixon]

The 2003 version hits the streets today. Noble Rot is named the Restaurant of Year, there's a 'family tree' of local chefs and restaurant owners, Roger Porter profiles four new neighborhood eateries, and 107 of Stumptown's finest are reviewed.

WW Restaurant Guide Online

disclosure: I wrote four reviews this year, but may reconsider next year if I can't persuade the editors to never, ever list me as a 'contributing foodie.'

Jim

[ExtraMSG]

Thanks for the heads up. Do you prefer 'Contributing Oily'?

What do you think of Noble Rot as the choice? I haven't been, but from Chowhound and Egullet, it didn't sound like it's deserved.

[Jim Dixon]

Very pun-y....I'll settle for just plain 'contributor.'

I do think Noble Rot deserves the recognition. The food is very good, and the place has a great feel. And they use one of the olive oils I import, so they must have great taste.

Since I have that little bias, don't just take my word for it. The beauty of the whole small plate movement is that you can sample the food without spending too much.

Jim

[nwells]

I'm thrilled that Noble Rot received such recognition! They have done a lot to alter the face of dining in Portland and also to give life to a great neighborhood. I so appreciate all of their hard work.

[Human Bean]

I wrote four reviews this year, but may reconsider next year if I can't persuade the editors to never, ever list me as a 'contributing foodie.'

Picked up the dead tree version of the guide on my way home from work; haven't had a chance to look at much yet.

But I'll note that Jim Dixon wasn't singled out as a "Contributing Foodie;" in fact, ALL the writers are listed in that category. Well, except for the Editor-in-Chief, and the (mere) Editor, who get Editor and Contributing Foodie credits.

Now, on to actually reading the thing, and trying to pick out JD's words from the many others...

[ExtraMSG]

Had my wife grab me the real thing today. Looks pretty nice with good color and a little better design. No cheap eats focus, which kind of sucks. I'd like to have a cheap eats or best values index along with the other two. But it's a great resource nonetheless. Now if I could get it on acid-free paper and about the size of a paperback, I could actually put it on my shelf or take it in my car.

[Jim Dixon]

Cheap Eats get their own guide, sometime in the March, I think. There should be an online version at the WW site. We did go to better paper (than newsprint) and saddle stitching a few years ago so people can keep the RG around longer. Somewhere I've got the very first WW guide from the early '70s (before even my time). It's written completely by Matt Kramer (the wine writer) and shows how far restaurants have come (and it's really catty).

Jim

[ExtraMSG]

It's getting better every year it seems. I don't want to seem like I'm making the perfect the enemy of the good. I just think it would be a huge step up in usefulness if it was on even slightly better paper and was half the size. I don't think it has to be magazine quality. I can't imagine that would be profitable. But I'd love to be able to easily keep it on a shelf or put it in the door of my car. Last years was tossed in my backseat and got wickedly weathered before my wife got pissed and tossed it. With Zagat gone, this might end up being my guide that I keep in my car.

Edit: I wonder, too, if they did produce it half the size and printed a number of them, say 500 or a 1000, on nicer quality paper, I wonder if they could then sell those around town for an amount that could off-set the printing costs, maybe a couple bucks each?

Edited October 17, 2003 by ExtraMSG (log)

[ExtraMSG]

Went through the entire guide today. Man I wish I could get a pocket-sized version. Anyway, below is a list of the restaurants I haven't been to. I'm tempted just to start at A and end with Z. But I'd love it if you all suggested the 5 or so that I should run, not walk, to:

Acadia

Alexis

Amadeus

Alba Osteria

Assaggio

Bernie's Southern Bistro

Capitol Coffeehouse

Caffe Allora

Clarke's

Carlyle

The Dining Room

Eleni's Estiatorio

El Gaucho

Fernando's Hideaway

Fratelli

Farm Cafe

Ginya

Gino's

Grolia

Hurley's

Hiro Sushi

Il Piatto

Jake's Grill

Jo Bar

Le Bouchon

Mint

Marrakesh

Morton's

Mugi

Murata

Le Bistro Montage

Noble Rot

Om Seafood

Park Kitchen

Piazza Italia

Portland City Grill

Portland Steak and Chophouse

Porto Terra

Ripe

750 mL

Second Story Bistro

Shogren

Sinju

The Spirit Room

Syun Izakaya

Tapeo

Tartine

The Vat & Tonsure

Veritable Quandry

Zinc Bistrot