Portland Tip Sheet....
#42
Posted 08 January 2005 - 11:47 AM
ExtraMSG said:
Butcher Boys is the place down on Fourth Plain, not far from de Leon, right? I haven't checked it out for a while. I should again and buy some meat and see what I think.
Viande in City Market NW carries beautiful Kobe/Wagyu flank steak for $18/lb. Phil's has had decent prices on the stuff before, too, but it didn't look as pretty as Viande's. They'll order anything for you, too.
Wow...that was a shopping experience that I'll remember fondly...John @ Viande is a super nice guy. I'd love to do some time as a helper while he was doing some of his charcuterie production. I think I bought a little of just about everything he makes...I can't believe he does Tasso & Guanciale..YUM! I also got my Wagyu steak. John sliced me a nice 2" thick peice off of a whole top sirloin he had in his inventory. The fish market had live Kumamotos on special @ $11.99 for 2 dozen. I picked up several varieties of cheese...including a hunk of Roquefort Societe B. A cannister of Dagoba Xocolatl, some really tasty sweet limes and a few grape-sized Oregon white truffles. There goes my allowance for the week, but at least we'll be eating well. Thanks for the tip!
#43
Posted 08 January 2005 - 12:00 PM
#44
Posted 08 January 2005 - 12:14 PM
American: Shouldn't Acadia be listed under Southern? I'm not sure what I'd recommend to replace it though. Seems like there's a pretty fine line between "American" and "Northwest" since most of the American restaurants here tend to focus on NW ingredients. So maybe Higgins can move out of the veggie category and into American?
Breakfast: Gosh, Portland is such a breakfast town and there are so many great places to choose from! Junior's, J&M, Beaterville, Gravy, Bridges, Milo's, Utopia, Violet's, Genie's, Byways, Henry's -- the list goes on and on... and those are just my favorites! Even though I like the Original Pancake House, it seems a shame to put a chain restaurant on the list, even if it was founded in Portland. My inclination would be to include only those restaurants that are unique to Portland. My breakfast list would be:
1. Henry's Cafe
2. Zell's
3. Junior's
Thai: I've only been to Sukhothai once, but it seemed kind of average to me. I'd pick Sweet Basil or Baan Thai over Sukhothai for sure.
Middle-Eastern: What about Lauro? Maybe change the categaory name to Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern?
African: I'd include Cafe Abol. It's a funky little place with zero ambience, but they make the best dang berbere sauce! Plus they serve this lethal garlic condiment that you'll be tasting for weeks to come. Mudai is only so-so to me. I'd maybe pick Queen of Sheba over it.
Coffee: Are we talking about coffee houses here or coffee roasters? Because some of the other places mentioned to add in this category (Fresh Pot, etc) actually serve Stumptown. If we're talking about roasters, Stumptown has pretty quickly become the only game in town. I fell out of love with Kobos some years ago and Coffee People doesn't really count anymore (and wasn't that great to begin with). Urban Grind roasts their own and it's pretty good. Now, if we're talking about coffee houses, well, that's a different can of worms!
Asian food markets: I'm partial to Pacific Market, myself. It reminds me of the Asian markets of my youth: cheap, no-nonsense, packed with mysterious goodies and haphazardly organized. They have everything: from banh mi to pig uteri (not that I have ever tried the latter). An Dong is pretty basic in comparison.
Oh dear... I guess that was a little bit more than two cents. :oops:
Thanks for this great site! I look forward to reading and posting here!
#45
Posted 08 January 2005 - 01:33 PM
I could certainly break out SOUL/SOUTHERN and CAJUN/CREOLE into categories. I don't know that I would put Acadia into a Southern category just because it might confuse. I don't think people normally think of Creole and Cajun food when they hear the word "southern". They're thinking more grits, greens, chicken-fried steak, and that sort of thing. "Southern home cooking" or "soul food" as its northern moniker.
At some point, though, I may decide to toss or consolidate categories. I'm worried that with something like these two that I can't really get three good ones. That's why I wouldn't break out, eg, Cuban. Sure, Pambiche is great, but Malanga is mediocre and I can't think of anything else, off-hand. But I can always start the list and then decide later.
Honestly, I think Sweet Basil is pretty bad. I haven't been to Baan Thai. That's over by PSU?
Sukhothai has a few dishes that really shine. But they're not as consistent as Arawan or Typhoon, eg. Their khao soi, for instance, is excellent as are several of their other dishes. Not sure where to rank them, though, but I'll probably keep them in the top 3. The problem is with making three choices. I'd be tempted to drop Typhoon and add Arawan, but Typhoon really is the only upscale, somewhat fusiony, Thai place in Portland and deserves some respect for that, imo. It adds diversity to the list. Cha Ba consistently has some of the most interesting and best dishes because of their rotating specials menu. Arawan has about the most consistent execution I've seen in town, though. Tough choices for me in Thai.
#47
Posted 10 January 2005 - 08:32 AM
I'm sorry I couldn't make it to dim sum yesterday -- I was in Idaho for the weekend. Thanks, by the way, for pointing me to Nick's article about Boise. It was most helpful. And thanks, Nick, for writing it!
Hmmm... you think Sweet Basil is bad? Really? It's true that I haven't been back there for a while, not since I became really obsessive about Thai food, but I remember it being one of the few places in town with a proper pad thai and a truly great -- and spicy! -- pad kee mao. Baan Thai, on the other hand, excels at pretty much everything. I knew I was in the right place the first time I went and most of the clientele was Thai. I don't know if I'd ever seen Thai customers in a Portland Thai restaurant before! (uh... besides me and my family, that is!)
#48
Posted 10 January 2005 - 11:39 AM
#50
Posted 10 January 2005 - 02:29 PM
Does anyplace in town really do a good job at New Orleans French-Creole, like Antoines or Galatoires? I know you can't begin to capture the ambiance, but maybe some of the food?
Go ahead and add Wild Abandon to the good breakfast joints---really wonderful service, ambiance, drinks and healthy yet just greasy enough hangover food!
#51
Posted 10 January 2005 - 02:48 PM
thakrza said:
No. The most authenic "Southern" cooking only happens around here when I have a fish fry or crawfish boil at my house...of course that's just my opinon...but what do I know? I'm from Texas! :roll: :wink:
Seriously though, I don't know of anyplace that even comes close to authentic NOLA-style French-Creole cooking between S.F., CA and Vancouver, B.C.
#52
Posted 10 January 2005 - 05:17 PM
I would keep an eye on Hurley's - I heard they had a big shake up in the kitchen - I think a lot of people quit.
I would recommend Costello's Travel Cafe for the coffee shop hangout category - I don't drink coffee so I can't comment on that but everything else about the place is great.
#54
Posted 11 January 2005 - 08:33 AM
How's the exercise plan going - running, biking, sit-ups?
PS - I discussed Elmira with you ions ago - Bigs Hi Yu Hee Hee and the Applegate Fair - two emblems from the deep past.
#55
Posted 11 January 2005 - 10:14 AM
Diet starts tomorrow. I'm trying to get over a cold, so I really haven't even prepared myself. I guess that means more weight loss, mainly in the form of water weight, though, to begin with.
Yep, I still have family in the Veneta/Elmira area. People on this list always laugh when I tell them about Big's Hi-Yu-Hee-Hee. Every male who grew up in west Lane County probably has some sexual awakening story to tell about the fair and all the nude hippy chicks.
#56
Posted 11 January 2005 - 09:41 PM
#58
Posted 07 March 2005 - 12:50 PM
http://extramsg.com/uploaded_misc/portland...d_tipsheet.html
There are places on there I haven't been. I'd love any comments, recommendations for changes, recommendations for dishes, etc. Or if you want to critique it more broadly, be my guest. I'm trying to narrow it and you'll see that I've combined some places, just to make the first version more managable. Thus, eg, I re-combined Chinese and Korean, though once some people have more experience with the Korean options and can comment, I'd love to break them out.
Quote
AMERICAN
1. Fife Restaurant: Elegant and interesting food for carnivores. Lightly southern-influenced dishes. Very open dining room and good bar in front of open kitchen. Great desserts. Dinner Tu-Sa; 4440 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR 97213, 971.222.3433; http://www.fiferestaurant.com/
2. Mother's Bistro & Bar: Mid-scale comfort food with a slight emphasis on Jewish traditions. Rotating specials menu highlights a different country of origin each month. Don't pass on the daily mac and cheese. Very good breakfasts with bagels flown in from NYC. Good value. Dinner Tu-Sa, Lunch Tu-F, Brunch Sa-Su; 409 S.W. Second Ave, Portland, OR 97204, 503.464.1122; http://mothersbistro.citysearch.com/; online reservations via savvydiner.com
3. Acadia: Neighborhood Cajun/Creole restaurant with well-executed dishes. Offers a "cheap eats" menu on "Mardi Gras Mondays" with many dishes under $10. Dinner M-Sa, Lunch W; 1303 NE Fremont Street, Portland, OR 97212, 503.249.5001; http://www.creolapdx.com/; online reservation via Acadia
BAKERIES
1. Pearl Bakery: One of the first and still one of the best artisan bakeries in town. Focuses on Italian loaves. Excellent olive ciabattas and fig-anise paninis. Limited, but good, lunch and pastry options. Lunch M-Sa, Breakfast M-Sa; 102 NW 9TH Ave, Portland, OR 97209, 503.827.0910; http://www.pearlbakery.com/
2. Ken's Artisan Bakery: Possibly the best breads in town. Used by many restaurants. They spend three days to make each batch of croissants. The country brown has great depth of flavor. Lunch M-Su, Breakfast M-Su; 338 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR 97209, 503.248.2202; http://www.kensartisan.com/
3. DiPrima Dolci: Italian bakery and pastry shop. Several substantial items like stromboli and sausage bread. Fabulously light pignoli and tasty cannoli filled to order. Pizzas on weekends. Lunch M-Su, Breakfast M-Su; 1936 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217, 503.283.5936
BBQ
1. LOW BBQ: Easily Portland's best BBQ, but only open one day a week. Each meat is sublime -- brisket, pork and lamb ribs, pulled pork, and hot links. But sides are quite good, too. Dinner M only; 4741 SE Hawthorne, Portland, OR 97215, 503.233.1286; http://www.apizzasch...com/LOW_bbq.htm
2. Campbell's: When good, brisket is tender and smoky with a nice bark. Same with pork ribs. Good sides and sweet potato pie. But can be quite inconsistent. If they give you a bad cut, complain. Dinner Tu-Sa, Lunch Tu-Sa; 8701 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97266, 503.777.9795; http://www.campbellsbbq.com/
3. Cannon's Rib Express: Two words: "rib tips". While some of the tips will be chewy or fatty, the huge bucket-o-tips is a fabulous deal and some of those tips will be fantastic. Outdoor seating only. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su; 5410 NE 33rd, Portland, OR 97211, 503.288.3836
BREAKFAST
1. Zell's: Busy for a reason. Many say they have the best pancakes in town. Especially loved are the German Apple pancakes. Very good eggs Benedict and specials, as well. Interesting old soda fountain interior. Free scones. Lunch M-Su, Breakfast M-Su; 1300 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214, 503.239.0196
2. Daily Cafe in the Pearl: Their second location with a larger menu, plus dinner. Well-executed gourmet breakfasts in a bright and casual cafe. The fixed-price brunch is a must. Dinner W-Su, Lunch M-F, Breakfast M-F, Brunch Sa-Su; 902 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209, 503.242.1916
3. Gramma Lucy's: A relatively unknown neighborhood gem for classic no-frills breakfasts in a quaint diner setting. Near-perfect pancakes. Lunch T-Su, Breakfast T-Su; 5026 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97206, 503.236.4868
CHINESE & KOREAN
1. Wong's King Seafood: Comparable to good Cantonese and dim sum offerings in San Francisco and Vancouver, BC. Favorites include Peking duck, crispy pork, salt and pepper squid, and house special won ton soup. Dim sum every day. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su, Brunch M-Su; 8733 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97266, 503.788.8883
2. Sungari Pearl: One of only a few Szechuan restaurants in Portland -- and possibly the only truly good one. Mid-scale (they have wine) with another location downtown. Executions are impeccable. Nice seafood dishes. Try the Dragon and Phoenix or wintermelon soup. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Sa; 1105 NW Lovejoy St, Portland, OR 97209, 971.222.7327; http://www.sungarirestaurant.com/
3. Bewon: Could be the restaurant in Portland most deserving of more business. Best choice here is the fixed-price 7-course dinner, han jung shik. From butternut squash soup as an opener, to your choice of entree with a myriad of perfectly-prepared pan chan, to the finishing apple cider, it's a wonderful experience and a great value. Dinner M-Sa, Lunch M-Sa; 1203 N.W. 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97210, 503.464.9222; online reservations via dinnerbroker.com
DESSERTS
1. Pix Patisserie: Funky, fanciful, and French pastries. Chocolate rules along with fruity mousses. Do not overlook the interesting and well-made ice creams, such as the chocolate-habenero. The Amelie is one of their signature desserts. Sunday "dim sum" is a good way to introduce yourself to Pix. As is Bar Pastiche, where you can get smaller versions of their desserts. Open late. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su, Brunch Su; 3402 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202, 503.232.4407; http://www.pixpatisserie.com/
2. Criollo Bakery: Owner's travails are chronicled in a thread on eGullet. Cases are filled with mostly baked items -- croissants, cakes, tarts, rugelach, etc. Seasonal ingredients shine in sweets. Savory items are quite good, too. Dinner Tu-Sa, Lunch Tu-Sa, Breakfast Tu-Su; 4727 NE Fremont, Portland, OR 97213, 503.335.9331; http://www.criollobakery.com/
3. Papa Haydn: Decent NW cuisine restaurant with large dessert case filled mostly with cakes and pies. Walk right up to the counter for to-go orders. Nice platings if you eat in. Standouts include the chocolate cube, St. Mortitz, and seasonal items. Wedding cakes made-to-order. Open late. Second smaller location in Westmoreland. Dinner M-Sa, Lunch M-Su, Brunch Sa-Su; 701 NW 23rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97210, 503.228.7317; http://papahaydn.citysearch.com
FRENCH
1. Hurley's: Portland's most luxurious restaurant. Very good service, creative and perfectly executed dishes. Have at least one dish with truffles, caviar, or foie gras. Order a savory flan. Expensive. Dinner W-Su; 1987 N.W. Kearney St, Portland, OR 97205, 503.295.6487; reservations online via dinnerbroker.com and savvydiner.com
2. Carafe: Top-notch bistro in a casual downtown location next to Keller Auditorium. Free valet parking, but packed when there's a show. The cold appetizers and braised rabbit stand out. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-F; 200 SW Market St, Portland, OR 97201, 503.248.0004
3. St. Honore Boulangerie: One of Portland's several artisan bakeries. Croque monsieurs and a variety of sandwiches made with their baguettes and for lunch. Nice pain au chocolat and beautiful pastries. Lunch M-Su, Breakfast M-Su; 2335 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210, 503.445.4342
GREEK & MIDDLE-EASTERN
1. Karam:
2. Eleni's Philoxenia:
3. Ya Hala:
HAMBURGERS
1. Foothill Broiler:
2. Mike's Drive-In:
3. Cafe Castagna:
HAPPY HOUR
1. Saucebox:
2. Aura:
3. Portland City Grill:
HAWAIIAN
1. Patrick's Hawaiian Cafe:
2. Noho's:
3. Salvador Molly's:
ICE CREAM
1. Mio Gelato:
2. Alotto Gelato:
3. Sheridan's Frozen Custard:
INDIAN
1. Curry Leaf:
2. The Chaat House:
3. Plainfield's Mayur:
ITALIAN
Portland may have more Italian restaurants per capita than any other cuisine, and many are regional Italian, not Italian-American. There's even a stretch of NW 21st that has five regional Italian restaurants in a fewer number of blocks. There's also a movement to create a "Little Italy" in Portland.
1. Alba Osteria: Piedmontese dishes that go far beyond typical pastas. Ask for center dining room. Far left room can be rather cold and bare. Get the carne cruda, agnolotti, and duck. Good wine list. Dinner Tu-Su, Lunch W-F; 6440 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239, 503.977.3045
2. Genoa: Portland's only true multi-course meal (7 dishes for $75) and four-star Mobil-rated restaurant. Relatively rustic food which leaves some underwhelmed compared with the style of restaurant. Service is very attentive and professional. The sitting room is more inviting than the dining room. Menu changes often. M-Su; 2832 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97214, 503.238.1464; http://genoa.citysearch.com/
3. Mama Mia Trattoria: Red sauce, East Coast, Sopranos-style Italian by the owner of Mother's Bistro. Huge, tasty portions in very nice downtown location. Housemade mozzarella. Lunch M-F, Dinner M-Su; 439 SW Second Ave, Portland, OR 97204, 503.295.6464
LATIN-AMERICAN
1. Pambiche:
2. Andina: ; online reservations via opentable.com
3. (The Salvadoran Place on Foster)
MEXICAN
1. Tortilleria y Tienda de Leon:
2. Taqueria Nueve:
3. La Ochoa:
MEXICAN-AMERICAN
1. Esparza's Tex-Mex:
2. Mexico Lindo:
3. Cha, Cha, Cha:
NORTHWEST CUISINE
Oregon has wonderful agriculture. Livestock in the east, produce and wines in the west, and orchards throughout the Columbia Gorge. These restaurants focus on local and seasonal ingredients, often sourcing their menus through Portland's great farmer's markets.
1. Wildwood Restaurant & Bar: Established Grand Dame of Portland NW Cuisine. Great bar overlooking the open kitchen with friendly cooks. Booths provide some privacy. Prices are high for Portland, but portions are generous. Very good gourmet pizzas and dessert. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Sa, Brunch Su; 1221 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR 97209, 503.248.9663; http://www.wildwoodrestaurant.com; online reservations via dinnerbroker.com
2. Park Kitchen: Semi-casual with interesting flavors and a very good pastry chef. Small dining room that only recently started accepting reservations. Do not overlook the "cold plates". Dinner Tu-Sa, Lunch Tu-F, Breakfast Tu-F, Brunch Sa-Su; 422 NW 8th Ave, Portland, OR 97209, 503.223.7275; http://www.parkkitchen.com
3. clarklewis: Noisy and semi-industrial interior, but excellent food. Dishes can be ordered in small, large, or family portions. Look for spit-roasted items and pork. The peasant salad, too. Desserts can be inconsistent. Dinner M-Sa, Lunch M-Sa, Espresso Mornings M-Sa; 1001 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214, 503.235.2294; http://www.ripepdx.com
PIZZA
1. Apizza Scholls:
2. Hot Lips:
3. Pizzicato:
SEAFOOD
Despite Portland's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, seafood-specific eateries aren't as common here as in Seattle or San Francisco. (Quality fish options, however, are on nearly every top restaurant's menu.) But here are some seafood-centered restaurants anyway. Also see the sushi section below.
1. Jake's Famous Crawfish: One of Portland's oldest restaurants -- a restaurant that spawned the McCormick & Schmick's chain. Dishes are marginally better than the chain's, but the restaurant has more character. Get something that's local and in season. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-F; 401 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, 503.226.1419; http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/
2. Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar: Falls short in execution of being truly good. Nice uses of Mediterranean flavors and local ingredients. Pleasant high-ceiling interior and good location downtown. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su; 901 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205, 503.326.1300; http://southpark.citysearch.com/; online reservations via dinnerbroker.com and savvydiner.com
3. Corbett Fish House: Overpriced, but decent fish and chips. Flavors are inconsistent, but they get points for good texture and lack of greasiness. Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su; 5901 SW Corbett Ave, Portland, OR 97239, 503.246.4434; http://www.corbettfishhouse.com/; No reservations
STEAK
1. Ringside:
2. El Gaucho:
3. Morton's: ; online reservations via opentable.com
SUSHI
1. Syun:
2. Murata:
3. Saburo:
THAI
1. Sukhothai: 2014 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232, 503.331.1235; http://sukhothairestaurant.com/
2. Cha Ba Thai: Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Sa; 5810 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213, 503.282.3970
3. Typhoon!: Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-F; 2310 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97210, 503.243.7557; http://www.typhoonrestaurants.com/; online reservations via savvydiner.com
VIETNAMESE
1. Yen Ha: 6820 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213, 503.287.3698
2. Pho Van: Dinner M-Su, Lunch M-Su, Breakfast M-Su; 1012 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209, 503.248.2172
3. Pho Dalat:
VEGETARIAN
1. The Farm:
2. Calendula:
3. VegeThai:
MARKETS
ASIAN MARKETS
1. Uwajimaya:
2. An Dong:
3. Phu Hoa:
GOURMET MARKETS
1. City Market NW:
2. Pastaworks:
3. New Seasons:
MEAT MARKETS
1. Gartner's:
2. Phil's:
3. Otto's:
MEXICAN MARKETS
1. Su Casa Imports:
2. Winco:
3. Salvador's:
WINE SHOPS
1.
2. Oregon Wines:
Nick Zukin, Kenny & Zuke's Deli

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