two nyc chefs visiting portland

[ktimmy99]

my girlfriend and i (pastry and savory cooks, respectively) are heading to portland for a week next week. looking for cool spots to eat and drink, substance over style, of course. any suggestions??

[syrah girl]

There are several great places we have enjoyed in Portland. Fenouil in the Pearl District is great, Paley's Place, Wildwood, Park Kitchen, clarklewis, Heathman, Higgins, Park Kitchen and the Heatheman are all excellent choices.

Hurley's is also very, very good. If you want some really fresh seafood there is the Harborside, located down by the waterfront. We like to dine on the third tier, it is a very pretty restaurant. Jake's Crawfish is also very good for substantial seafood.

[Jim Dixon]

Google these:

Le Pigeon, Simpatica, clarklewis, Navarre, Por Que No, Pok Pok

Jim

[tejon]

Pok Pok, definitely - especially now that there's dining inside. I'd recommend Andina as well, and I'll second the Simpatica recommendation.

[ExtraMSG]

Start with my tipsheet:

http://www.extramsg.com/uploaded_misc/portland_tipsheet.html

Make sure you look at the Northwest Cuisine section.

Not on the tipsheet are Simpatica for dinner, a fixed price option on weekends only, and Le Pigeon, a funky little place with an always changing menu of items so old they're new again. Great stuff.

Pok Pok hasn't opened their bar/restaurant yet. They're working on it. But they do have heaters in their hut. Their muslim-chinese lamb skewers with pita on special right now are quite tasty.

One place you might not think of hitting is Pix, because it's a pastry shop. But they have a full bar. Go to their North Portland location.

Edited October 25, 2006 by ExtraMSG (log)

[syrah girl]

Another place you may want to consider is Carlyle. Bluehour in the Portland Pearl District is also one of our favorites.

[tejon]

Somehow I had thought PokPok had the dining area open now. Soon, though. The food there is certainly worth eating outside.

Edited October 25, 2006 by tejon (log)

[Cole Danehower]

I second all of the above, especially Jim Dixon's and extraMSG's recommendations (and do check out extraMSG's tip sheet).

I'd also suggest these other good restaurants (at least, I've have very good meals at them, and repeatedly): Andina (creative Peruvian), Alberta Street Oyster Bar (imaginative menu and fresh ingredients), Alba Osteria (fine Italian without much pretense), Giorgio's (also fine Italian) and Lucy's Table (a mainstream "fine dining" favorite). There is also the brand new 23 Hoyt from a proven restaurant team, though it is perhaps too new to have settled into a groove yet (though my dinner there last week indicated distinct promise).

[Rich Pawlak]

my girlfriend and i (pastry and savory cooks, respectively) are heading to portland for a week next week.  looking for cool spots to eat and drink, substance over style, of course.  any suggestions??

←

Dont miss SIMPATICA!! I also second Paley's Place, Higgins, Park Kitchen, clarklewis, and I would personally add Noble Rot to the list.

[trillium]

In the fancy area, I like clarklewis and Wildwood best out of the ones that are mentioned here. I wouldn't recommend Jake's Crawfish, just because it can be so boring and sometimes even bad. If you want seafood, I'd just order it at one of the "nice" restaurants listed.

I love Higgin's bar, because of the perfectly stored flemish ales they have on tap, and while I had a clam dish that blew my mind this summer, I tend to stick to the safety of the pastrami sandwich or the charcuterie plate when I'm eating there because other things can be disappointing and pricey.

Some of the nicest classic cocktails are being served at the Heathman Hotel bar right now, if you're into that sort of thing. They're nothing that is going to surpass Audrey's place in NYC, however.

The Pix on the northside has a better selection of booze, while the one on Division is cozier and a little more funky. Check out one. If you're into chocolate, go to Sahagun (which has been mentioned in the NYT a time or two, for what it's worth) and have a hot chocolate.

Half and Half is nice for a cup of coffee and a slice of pie, Valentine's is nice for cool sandwiches, coffee and some attitude.

Sadly, I can't think of a single local brewery that has good food as well, which is strange. We ran into the same problem when my German uncle-in-law (heh) was in town. The New Old Lompoc Hedge House location has $2 pints on Tuesdays. Good beer, crap food. Rogue is worth a looksee for their beer, and lotsa people love Bridgeport. I like their IPA and not much else, and haven't been to the front of the brewery since they had their swank make-over. I pretty much hate McMinneman's beer and food, but if you must, go to a cool location like the Kennedy School.

Fire on the Mountain has the best wings ever (really), great local beers on tap, and is a nice mellow place to hang out. We have nothing close to what I just ate at Watershed in Atlanta, but if you're into fried chicken and want it old school PacNW, check out Reel-em-Inn (a bar) on Division for fried chicken and jojos cooked to order and cheap or nice (local) beer.

Try to get to a Stumptown to see what all the fuss is about, and then go to Ristretto Roasters too. Ken's Artisan Bakery for some great bread and the best ham and cheese croissant ever, plus tasty sandwiches (soups are hit or miss).

enjoy your visit,

trillium

[ExtraMSG]

Note that clarklewis just lost their chef:

http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?name=N...rticle&sid=1628

[ktimmy99]

wow. thanks so much for all of your suggestions. we're psyched to check out as many things as we can.

[cookthis]

wow.  thanks so much for all of your suggestions.  we're psyched to check out as many things as we can.

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defy check out Le Pigeon. i can't say enough good things about the operation they have going on over there. i went on thrsday and was blwon away. the restaurant is based around the kitchen, its small, about thirty seats, they only take resies for 5 tops or more.

if you are lucky enough you can get a seat at the bar and watch them cook - the kitchen is the bar - at this place.

eric, sous, and gabe, head chef are two of the nicest guys ever. risk taking food - entrails, bacon ice cream, etc - a laid back atmosphere and two guys (and a gal) who know how to work thier craft. it was one of the freshest (in ideas) meals that i have had in portland in some time

[Cole Danehower]

In regards to Le Pigeon, a few weekends ago I was lucky enough to sit next to chef Fergus Henderson for brunch at Le Pigeon when he was in town for the Wild About Game event. I recall that he had the maple braised pork belly on a waffle with two eggs. I remember him examining the pork belly with care . . . and then devouring it and commented with obvious enthusiasm that it was extremely good--high praise from the master of "head to tail" cooking!

My own duck confit hash was unusually good . . . hearty without being overfilling, and with a wonderful carmelized duck crunchiness. The other attendees, mostly chefs, an out of town media editor, and the owner of Nicky's USA, all had the maple braised pork belly. I really felt left out. Now I have to go back with my wife some Sunday and try it for myself: none of my fellow brunchers at the first visit offered to share their belly!

[ExtraMSG]

If he puts the pig tail back on the menu, it's a must, as is the corn meal cake with bacon which trascends the gimmick with premium flavor.

[cookthis]

If he puts the pig tail back on the menu, it's a must, as is the corn meal cake with bacon which trascends the gimmick with premium flavor.

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the pig tail is on there is it is delicious. it comes with a tangy greens, cornichon (?) mustard Vinn. it really sets the palate back into place after the fat from the oinkers tail. you gotta eat it like corn on the cob!

ps - it must have been quite an experience to sit next to mr henderson at le pigeon. he is the master of noise to tail eating, and if he was into the pork belly, well, props to Gabe for that! his opinion is the opinion in my opinion. I noticed on the Portlandfoodandwine.org site, some people were 'dissing' the pork belly, their opinions are their own and imo, they are out the window.

[Joisey]

--Sadly, I can't think of a single local brewery that has good food as well, which is strange. --

Widmer's Gasthaus.