91 replies to this topic

[Al Dente]

We're heading out to the Pacific Northwest for a much needed vacation in August. We're basically doing Seattle, Portland, various coastal areas, and maybe head down to Bend as well.

What should be on the menu in Portland? We'll probably do one upscale dinner, and then search around for some local color for our other meals. Beer, obviously, will figure heavily into the equation.

Thanks,
Al

[DC in DC]

We're heading out to the Pacific Northwest for a much needed vacation in August. We're basically doing Seattle, Portland, various coastal areas, and maybe head down to Bend as well.

What should be on the menu in Portland? We'll probably do one upscale dinner, and then search around for some local color for our other meals. Beer, obviously, will figure heavily into the equation.

Thanks,
Al

We had a great meal at Wildwood in Portland. I don't remember the specifics now, but we sat outside in fabulous weather, had nice wine pairing, fresh ingredients, etc.-- all the right elements of a great meal.
You must go to Lark in Seattle.
Have a great trip! It's a beautiful part of the country.

[ol_ironstomach]

Beer, obviously, will figure heavily into the equation.

August is a smidge early for Märzen, but I remember being amazed by the keg of Widmer's that Michael Jackson brought to one of his DC tastings at the Brickskeller in the '90s...probably the best I'd had outside of Bavaria. Let us know how the brews are out there nowadays?

[cjsadler]

Beer, obviously, will figure heavily into the equation.

Beer
Bridgeport
Rogue Public House

Food
I thought Wildwood was outstanding

[Waitman]

We had four nights in Portland and Clark-Lewis was so good we went twice. Very hip, very tasty. Call early for a res or go in early for walk-in. make this your upscale destination.

Apizza Scholls is a great pizza joint in a funky strip -- Hawthorn Blvd. -- that's well worth knocking around in addition to the good food readily available. Picture Adams-Morgan back when it was still cool. Apizza scholls would be a contender in NYC, the owners are known as the "Pizza Nazis" for their somewhat purist view of how pizza should be served -- just don't try to get more than three toppings and you'll be OK. Another plus: you can cop a beer at the bar and drink on the sidewalk as you wait for a table. For a cheap date there's a movie theater nearby that sells decent wine by the bottle to enhance your viewing pleasure. There's also a brewpub or two in the 'hood.

If you are going to be in Portland on a Saturday morning, treat yourself to the farmers market even if you can't cook anything. Fucking awsome, blows anything in DC away.

If you need a place to camp in Southern Oregon, PM. We got your spot for you.

[dcdavidm]

Hmm. We also are going out to Portland and Seattle to see family, eat good food, and drink good wine. Maybe we will see you wandering from restaurant to restaurant!

Portland: In no particular order, Wildwood; Paleys; Lewis and Clark (though some critical errors have been noted recently); Higgins (for lunch, especially).

Seattle: We have had good luck at most of Tom Douglas's restaurants. Had a nice brunch at Cafe Campagne in the Pike Place neighborhood. If you don't mind waiting in line as the price to pay for an unbelievable lunch (mostly takeout, but a small eat-in table), go to "Salumi," the salumeria run by Mario Batali's father, Armandino. If it is toward the tail end of your trip, ask him about packing up some salumi for you to bring back; you won't regret it, and you will wish you could find a place like that around here!

[dessertdiva]

I went to the Pacific NW in April. In Portland, I had a fabulous meal at The Heathman. Went the Rogue brewpub, and fell in love with their Hefewiezen.

[aklewis78]

My gf and I just returned from a trip to the Pacific NW (just added a SEA-specific post in that thread), and sadly had time for only one dinner in Portland.

We chose Olea, led by a chef formerly of the French Laundry. Like Chef Ziebold's at CityZen, the food at Olea is simply conceived and flawlessly prepared. However, Olea is far more modest in ambition, far more casual and incredibly cheap, relatively speaking of course.

We started with grilled fava beans with serrano and manchego, and grilled dates with parma ham and vanilla-pepper oil. Both were outstanding and -- dare I say -- the dates were comparable to those served at KOMI.

For mains, I chose the duck -- breast and gnocchi accented nicely with sweet potato foam -- and my gf went with the lobster "pot pie", which was basically a whole lobster stewed in what I could only assume was a pound of butter and topped with puff pastry.

All this, plus a bottle of local pinot, for around $130 including tax and tip...a great meal and, comparing quality with cost, quite a bargain as well.

[ferment everything]

Beer:
The Horse Brass - English Pub, excellent ambience and great beer lineup
Hair of the Dog - brand of beers brewed in Portland. If you see them, get them.
Alameda - one of the few Portland brewpubs that stood out
Tugboat - Live music, good beers (although they brew in plastic so lots of other brewers look down at them)

Food:
Higgins - Tremendous (and a great beer lineup to boot!)

Awesome city. I want to live there.

[sandpiper]

Hmm. We also are going out to Portland and Seattle to see family, eat good food, and drink good wine. Maybe we will see you wandering from restaurant to restaurant!

Portland: In no particular order, Wildwood; Paleys; Lewis and Clark (though some critical errors have been noted recently); Higgins (for lunch, especially).

Seattle: We have had good luck at most of Tom Douglas's restaurants. Had a nice brunch at Cafe Campagne in the Pike Place neighborhood. If you don't mind waiting in line as the price to pay for an unbelievable lunch (mostly takeout, but a small eat-in table), go to "Salumi," the salumeria run by Mario Batali's father, Armandino. If it is toward the tail end of your trip, ask him about packing up some salumi for you to bring back; you won't regret it, and you will wish you could find a place like that around here!

In Seattle: For Salumi...to avoid the crowds and get a table (especially for a group), we are there at 11am when they open. They have just started selling their salumi at my neighborhood grocery store, Metropolitan Market, so that makes me happy.

If you like Vietnamese, Seattle is strong in this area. Monsoon for upscale, Tamarind Tree is more casual and authentic and has good 7 courses of Beef, and Green Leaf is more casual yet, but really excellent. Their bahn xeo is the PNW foodie group's favorite.

Tom Douglas' restaurants can be hit or miss, but are a good example of Seattle cuisine. Lark is another favorite, as is Union for wonderful food.

I regret I have no recent info on Portland, but 2 websites/blogs that are very Portland centric are extramsg's blog and Jim Dixon Real Good Food

[LittleWing]

anyone have thoughts on Olea or Carlyle - info on food, atmosphere, service? if you had to pick, which one? is either better for dining at the bar?

thanks!

Carolyn

[Joe H]

Of course I didn't ask what Three Pigs have to do with Interstate/Vergos/Gridley's/Payne's/etc. in Memphis although I did address the comment about K. C.

For that which is truly unrelated I had a great meal at Portland's Fore Street last night, a restaurant that I swore I would never return to. And, curiously, there was no hesitation this time to give me a decent sized wine glass.

Fore Street actually good Q, too, although they're not known for it...

...please feel free to delete as you must...

Edited by Joe H, 24 August 2006 - 09:29 PM.

[MugZ77]

I'm in Portland, Oregon right now, and a fantastic spot that hasn't yet been mentioned is the Park Kitchen in the Pearl District. We had a fabulous meal there last night for a fraction of what something of similar quality would cost in D.C. -- i.e., the brillant four-course tasting menu (each composed of a different dish for each person at the table) costs a mere $45. Mine included hangar steak salad, duck and chanterelle dolmas, Carlton Farms pork with pickled watermelon rind over a watermelon sauce, and fresh melon with housemade gelato. The other tasting menu included shaved razor clams with grilled peppers, gnocchi with local corn, Chinook salmon with diced cukes and caraway, and a piece of huckleberry cake.

We got to talking to the bartender there, and he mentioned that he wants to head out to the D.C. area to try one place in particular: Restaurant Eve (not surprising, as Scott Dolich -- the chef at Park Kitchen -- was, like Cathal Armstrong, a F&W Best New Chef). He also recommended that we try a new place here in Portland called Le Pigeon, which has been getting lots of great press among the Portland food community. The chef there is the former souschef at the recently closed Gotham Building Tavern. Le Pigeon reportedly serves the best burger in Portland.

And Anthony Bourdain has been filming here recently. He predictably liked the Heathman, but he also took in the bacon-topped maple doughnuts ("bacon maple bars") at Voodoo Doughnut.

Also, re the comments about Lark in Seattle, believe the hype. Absolutely amazing. Similar in style to Avec in Chicago, Au Pied in Montreal, etc. But that's a post for another topic heading.

Michael

[dcdavidm]

Spent 10 days in Oregon mid-August seeing family and visiting restaurants and vineyards. Herewith a brief summary.

Upon our arrival in Portland and checking in at the retro “Hotel Deluxe,” we walked to Olea (www.olearestaurant.com) in the Pearl District for its Happy Hour bar menu. Airy, open restaurant with competent and friendly service. Not crowded. Van Morrison music playing in the background. Good selection of food at a reasonable price. Veggie pizza was outstanding, as was the salumi plate and cornmeal-crusted shrimp. Lobster “corn dog” could have used a bit more lobster, just as a promising peach tart could have used some more peaches. A-to-Z Pinot Blanc went with everything.

Onward to Astoria, where we tried the funky Columbia Café for lunch. Small; just a couple of banquettes and some counter stools, but it would put any DC-area diner to shame. The chef did a terrific job with a small flat-top grill and two burners. Eclectic food with generous use of spices and hot peppers. We each had the café’s “mercy” selections (so-called because you can specify the amount of seasoning from mild to “mercy”) – seafood for me and veggie for Mrs. Dcdavidm. Mine had a truly outstanding, and large, piece of smoked tuna that the chef had acquired that day. Incredible bargain.

Quick trip to Seattle to see friends. Despite its proximity to the Pike Place Market tourist hubbub, we had an excellent brunch at the Café Campagne (www.campagnerestaurant.com). A bistro menu with simple preparations of excellent-quality ingredients. We had piquant bloody marys, a quiche, and poached eggs, along with selection of rose wines to go with the brunch food.

Spent a few days at Cannon Beach (been there before) and found good cheap eats at the Warren House Pub, which was adjacent to the place where we were staying. The “oyster burger” was head and shoulders above any po’ boy in this area, with succulent oysters arranged on a credible bun with a tasty chipotle sauce. A smoked salmon salad was high quality and generous. Pub has an associated brewery, and beers and ales were outstanding, including a summer-refreshing, raspberry-tinged wheat beer.

Stopped for lunch in McMinnville at the McMenamins Hotel Oregon (http://www.hoteloregon.com). Our string of finding good food at funky places came to an end. Hotel was appropriately funky, with some wonderfully cozy, period-piece eating rooms and great beers, but mediocre burgers, limp fries, and a botched food order. Nice view from the rooftop pub, though.

Spent a few days in the Willamette Valley wine country (can recommend the Tuscan-like Black Walnut Inn as a place to stay), and luckily found out about the restrictions on liquid carry-ons before we had purchased too much wine to bring back to DC. The Painted Lady Restaurant (http://www.thepainte...yrestaurant.com) in Newberg was outstanding. Old-mansion décor; good food; excellent service. Prix-fix menu that changes with what is available. Corn fritter with lime aioli for an amuse bouche; just-out-of-the-garden beet salad; prawn bourride that tasted of the ocean; crispy polenta with vegetables and arugula pesto that sang; and halibut that tasted like it was just caught, complemented by homey fried green tomatoes. Since we are on a rose kick this summer, we had a J.K. Carrier Glass Rose Pinot Noir that went well with the meal.

Back in Portland, had an off-putting evening at the new, trendy, Fenouil Restaurant in the Pearl District. We miscalculated the time it would take to walk to the restaurant and arrived a half hour early for our reservation. Oddly, despite the place being only a quarter filled, the hostess said she could not seat us until our reserved time. In a busy place I could understand that, but at the same time, she was seating walk-ins! We opted to wander around the neighborhood to exhaust our half-hour penalty time, returned at the appointed hour, and were subsequently seated in a lonely second-floor isolation booth devoid of any ambience and the liveliness that characterized the open-air first floor, where tables still were vacant. (We cynically judged that she was punishing us for not wiling away our apparently mandatory wait time buying overpriced drinks in the bar.) We decided not to stay. To her credit, our server offered to put us in touch with the manager, but by then the dining mood had been destroyed and we just didn’t want to argue about it.

Instead, we walked (Portland is made for walking) to our old standby, Paley’s Place (http://www.paleysplace.net), and asked if they could accommodate us without a reservation. In contrast to Fenouil, they were glad to see us, welcomed us effusively, and sat us immediately and graciously. We had a creative mozzarella and tomato “three ways” appetizer with three variations on the summer cheese and fruit pairing; a spicy gazpacho; gnocchi with Dungeness crab; and a Dungeness crab/chanterelle risotto, with chanterelles that had just been picked that day. Wonderful.

We also went to another old standby, Wildwood Restaurant (http://www.wildwoodrestaurant.com), which we were curious about because we had heard rumblings that the place had gone downhill a bit. From our perspective, it had not. The drinks, food, and wine were all terrific. A roasted tomato soup was outstanding, as was an heirloom tomato salad with sautéed chanterelles, toasted bread, and scrambled egg. Main courses were a perfect mesquite-grilled chicken and an outstanding grilled albacore tuna accompanied by a Dungeness crab salad. A Bethel Heights Pinot Noir went with just about everything.

On a day-trip up the Columbia Gorge, we stopped for a late lunch in Hood River at the Columbia Gorge Hotel (http://www.columbiagorgehotel.com). Although a bit warm outside in the sun, we had a nice lunch (generous clam-filled chowder; well-prepared burger; credible pork sandwich; excellent beer) overlooking the gorge and a river filled with colorful wind-surfers.

Back in Portland, we had dinner with a friend at Higgins (http://higgins.citysearch.com/). As an example of good customer service, we had a reservation, but as we were walking to the restaurant, our dining companion called us to say she had been delayed by the extra airline security procedures. When we stopped in at Higgins to explain that our friend probably would be at least an hour late, they were only too happy to accommodate us at a later, indefinite time. When our friend finally arrived and we returned to the restaurant, they welcomed us warmly, even inquiring about the hassle of her flight. Food was excellent. We shared an appetizer special of Lebanese (!) delicacies (which the kitchen bulked up for the three of us). A simply-grilled salmon was outstanding, as was an incredibly rich lamb shank and a simple hazelnut pesto pasta, all accompanied by a Bergstrom Pinot Noir. Service was outstanding, and despite our late arrival, they let us hang around to finish unhurried even as they were closing for the evening.

Finally, on the way to the airport for our return trip, we stopped at a relatively new, urban-French restaurant in the redeveloping Hawthorn neighborhood, Café Castagna (http://www.castagnarestaurant.com/). Good burgers and a well-prepared, if pricey, Caesar salad.

[johnb]

For future reference by those headed to Portland, I thought it would be useful to have this link handy:


http://www.nytimes.c...ing/26port.html

[plunk]

My lovely wife and I will be driving from Seattle to Portland in just a week or so. Any "must stops" along the way?

[dcdavidm]

My lovely wife and I will be driving from Seattle to Portland in just a week or so. Any "must stops" along the way?

We've never found much interesting along I-5. Veer west, though, to the Long Beach Peninsula (Washington) and check out the Shoalwater Restaurant in Seaview; take a walk around Cape Disappointment; cross into Oregon at Astoria and have lunch at the quirky Columbian Cafe. Alternatively, veer east and spend some time (weather permitting) discovering what's left of Mt. St. Helens.

[chickenlover]

It's been a couple weeks, but I am still thinking of the meal I had at Le Pigeon. When I last lived in Portland, East Burnside was full of methamphetamine and prostitutes. Now it's a burgeoning restaurant district and home to Gabe Rucker's (Food and Wine Best New Chef) tiny little restaurant. We got their early and sat at the counter. Gabe discussed nearly the entire menu with us before it got busy. Starters were good but not quite as impressive as the mains. They were tongue bacon and pickled egg salad and seared foie gras with apricots in puff pastry. I felt obliged to order the tongue after hearing how much work it took to make tongue bacon, but ultimately the tongue was kind of bland. The egg salad was nice though and I appreciated the creativity of the dish. My better half had the foie and loved it. For mains I had pork with curried fennel and she had beef cheeks bourgignon. The beef cheeks were the best I've ever tasted, fork tender and great depth of flavor. The pork and curry was really outstanding. The pork chop was sous vide, served on top of the curried fennel, with something else I can't remember. The flavors just worked. Dessert really sent this meal over the top. Profiteroles with foie gras ice cream. This dish was insane, made even more rich by a thick caramel sauce. I could have eaten 2 or 3 plates of these.

If you are ever in Portland, go to Le Pigeon. It rocks. This was one of the best meals I have ever had.

[liam]

I can't say enough good things about Clyde Common which opened in the Ace Hotel in Portland in May of 2007. My wife and I ate there back in June when we stumbled upon the place near our downtown hotel. It features communal tables, high ceilings, knowledgeable service, and seasonal cooking. There was a chicken liver appetizer on the menu back in June that was just exquisite (and I don't even particularly like chicken livers).

I look forward to returning while in Portland on business next Friday evening. I'll report back.

Another must visit in Portland is Pearl Bakery.

[katybean]

After a birthday weekend visit to my hometown, the restaurant visits definitely deserve mention on this board. So I'm breaking down and writing my first post, despite no longer living in DC and having been a member for a couple years...so bare with me if I don't know how to link properly...

Evening #1: Alberta Street Oyster Bar and Grill http://www.albertaoyster.com/ Located in the newly revitalized Alberta neighborhood on the east side. Had an excellent Chateau De Vaudieu, Chateaunuf du Pape, 04. Highly recommend the Squash Soup with Chestnuts, Prunes, and housemade Rabbit Sausage; Diver Scallops with Beluga Lentils and Chicken Liver Sauce (won our vote for best plate); and the Escolar with Brussel Sprouts, Cous Cous, and Warm Bacon Vingaigrette (the last being a surprise winner).

Afternoon #1: Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessan http://www.kennyandzukes.com/ Located next to the Ace Hotel/Clyde Common. Open till 3am Fri/Sat with a late night menu. Seriously THE BEST pastrami I've ever had in my life. My boyfriend almost declared defeat with the Pastrami Eggs Benedict but managed to put down the last bite. I had the Pastrami on Rye Sandwich (with the mustard and special sauce on the side). Coleslaw and housemade pickles are worth an add on, as are the Latkes. I thought I was crazy until today when The Oregonian came out with its review. http://www.oregonliv...enny_zukes.html Their catering is top notch as my parents used them for their annual holiday party.

Evening #2: Le Pigeon http://www.lepigeon.com/ Located on E. Burnside, just across the river from Downtown. With all the press and recommendations to boot, my parents, boyfriend and I squeezed into a communal table with an 8 o'clock reservation. Note they do not take reservations for the counter or for anytime between 6:30 and 7:30. Everything, and I mean just about every detail, lived up to expectations. There are only 3 communal tables that fit approx 12-14, and while the I understand the point of sharing your eating experience with others, there is no way you could fit as many guests in that tiny space with individual tables. The place was packed on a Sunday night and had to turn away guests, which is no surprise to outsiders but for the city of Portland, that's amazing. Not a single plate proved a disappointment, but the highlights include: Sweetbreads with Parsnip and Fois Gras (my favorite, if only for the parsnip/fois accompaniment); Beef Neck Terrine with Truffles; Venison with Blue Cheese and Hazlenuts; and Gnocchi (the menu has already changed, but ours was Bone Marrow Gnocchi with Snails and Parsley).

Afternoon #2: Bush Garden, Japanese restaurant (not the theme park) http://www.bush-garden.com/ (website not that helpful) Located next to the MAX station at 9th and Morrison in Downtown. I've been going there for years and while under new ownership, still a family favorite. I usually sit at the Sushi Bar but they have super comfy Tatami rooms. Both Sushi Chefs were new but I ordered the Broiled Mackeral, Yellowtail Sashimi, and Miso Soup.


Evening #3: Amnesia Brewing Company, website down, located on corner of N. Beech and Mississippi on the east side. One of my favorite places in the city, if not the country. Beers are brewed on site and they have a huge (permanent) tent outside. Desolation IPA is outstanding, as is their ESB. They rotate some other local brews as well. Only serve sausages/burgers and while dog friendly, no kids allowed. You can purchase quarts ($7) to go. Might be wise to bring your own container, they sometimes run out.

That does it. Portland puts my new home of Denver to shame.

[ferment everything]

Le Pigeon is a must-hit if you're in Portland. Oxtail, Foie, Fried Beef Tongue. All rich and delicious, and a bargain given the quality and quantity of food.

The Horse Brass continues to be one of the best places in the country to drink beer. Multiple casks, all of my favorite hoppy beers from the area. Full English breakfast that starts at 9am on the weekends. Stellar.

Belmont Station continues to be the best beer shop in the city, although it moved 4 blocks up from the Brass and now has a bar of its own. I picked up a 12-bottle styrofoam shipping box at Liner and Elsen at jparrot's recommendation, and stocked up on some tasty treats at Belmont.

Bailey's Taproom was a new one for me, and a great find. Right downtown, excellent tap list, and friendly propietor (most nights, he's the only one on staff, but he brings in another bartender on the weekends).

Clear Creek Distillery is making some really excellent eau-de-vie, and the tour is informative and fun.

New Old Lompoc is a cool brewpub in a city awash with cool brewpubs. Nothing stands out exceptionally here, it's just a solid brewpub with unusual beers on nitro (a personal weakness of mine).

Tugboat is a brewpub across the street from Bailey's. I had been impressed by the Chernobyl imperial stout a couple years ago, but found it seriously lacking this time around. They have boardgames and occasionally live music...the ambience is the only reason to go here.

Green Dragon (on Yelp) is a relatively new taphouse, and I wasn't impressed. They were really low on stock both times we stopped by here, and the stuff they had just wasn't impressive. Hopefully this picks up, it has great potential.

It was a good, good, good weekend. I'm probably forgetting a place or two, and I could go into more detail on each, but the gist is that you should go to Portland. Like now. Beers, even at the big multi-tap places, almost never reach above $4. The average 20oz pint was $3. Seriously. And with a $250 round trip from BWI, the weekend didn't put as much of a dent in the wallet as it could have.

[ferment everything]

One notable place I forgot: The Carlyle - really nice cocktails and bar food (charcuterie plate, pork ribs) here. He's got several good rye whiskeys, and I was unlucky to arrive only a day before a shipment of Carpano was scheduled to arrive. Still had a couple delicious drinks.

[plunk]

[Clear Creek Distillery is making some really excellent eau-de-vie, and the tour is informative and fun.

Did you have their Douglas Fir eau-de-vie? I thought it was interesting, but not anything that I'd want to drink regularly.

[mtpleasanteater]

Here is a pizzeria in Oregon that is similar in concept.

It's pretty poor, nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet. OK beer on tap.

[Mrs. B]

It's pretty poor, nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet. OK beer on tap.

Which is pretty poor Apizza Scholls or Pete's? And why so?

[mtpleasanteater]

Which is pretty poor Apizza Scholls or Pete's? And why so?

The place in Portland is expensive (especially by Portland standards) and really average. Good but not great ingredients, and the pizza didn't have the kind of char that really good pizza has. I was kind of bummed I used one of my meals in Portland on it because it's was nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet and I lost a chance to get something I couldn't get at home (which was DC at the time).

[Waitman]

The place in Portland is expensive (especially by Portland standards) and really average. Good but not great ingredients, and the pizza didn't have the kind of char that really good pizza has. I was kind of bummed I used one of my meals in Portland on it because it's was nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet and I lost a chance to get something I couldn't get at home (which was DC at the time).

I violently disagree regarding Apizza Scholls, would prefer it to either 2A's or Comet, and recall my pie being properly -- possibly perfectly -- charred. Could just be night-to-night standard deviation, but that mine was one scrumptious apizza.

[robert40]

The place in Portland is expensive (especially by Portland standards) and really average. Good but not great ingredients, and the pizza didn't have the kind of char that really good pizza has. I was kind of bummed I used one of my meals in Portland on it because it's was nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet and I lost a chance to get something I couldn't get at home (which was DC at the time).

Pizza may very well be the one food item where opinions vary the most. Case in point. I have often read complaints from those who believe Apizza Scholls has to much char on their pizza. It is even addressed on the Apizza Scholls website.
I can't say one way or another because I have not been. But I have heard from those in the industry from pizza makers to nationally known chefs that Brian Spanlger is well respected. Word on the street so to speak is, he is one of a handful of Pizzaiolo's in the country who is fanatical about his product and ingredients. But like I said I have no first hand experience.

[Mrs. B]

The place in Portland is expensive (especially by Portland standards) and really average. Good but not great ingredients, and the pizza didn't have the kind of char that really good pizza has. I was kind of bummed I used one of my meals in Portland on it because it's was nowhere near as good as Two Amy's or Comet and I lost a chance to get something I couldn't get at home (which was DC at the time).

I agree with Waitman and think you hit Scholl's on an off night. My vivid memory is that that pizza was perhaps the best pizza I have ever consumed though Totonno's on Neptune Avenue near Coney Island is in close competition for 1st place.

[mtpleasanteater]

It sounds like I must have. I may give it another whirl when I'm out there in August. I'm dying to try The Pigeon which my friends out there say is great.

[chickenlover]

Here's a little back story on pizza in Portland. When I lived in Portland from '98 to '02 there was no good pizza in town as in literally not one place worth going. I have regrettably moved away and haven't had a chance to try Apizza Scholls on any of my trips back. I have read about it though and I think that some of the hype, long waits etc. is due to the fact that the place is an oasis in what was previously a pizza desert. (It's worth noting that another recently opened place, Ken's Artisan Pizza, is also highly regarded by locals.) As I said, I haven't dined there so take my comments with a grain of salt.

[cjsadler]

Heading out to Portland next month and narrowing down the options. I think Beast is a must for us. Looks fun-- set menu only, all communal tables.

Here's what looks to be the DonRockwell.com of Portland.

[zoramargolis]

But I have heard from those in the industry from pizza makers to nationally known chefs that Brian Spangler is well respected. Word on the street so to speak is, he is one of a handful of Pizzaiolo's in the country who is fanatical about his product and ingredients.

Here's his bio from the Portland food board:

http://portlandfood....p?showtopic=994

[begusa]

I'm originally from PDX and head back every year. For great pub food and beer make sure you check out one of the many McMenamins http://www.mcmenamins.com/ in the area. I highly recommend the Kennedy School, the Mission Theater, or Bagdad Theater for some great food, beer and cheap movies. Cold Creek Distillery is a great tour and it serves tons of samplings. Call ahead for reservations. Deschutes Brewing Company is opening up a brew pub in PDX and this is a must see as they serve some of my favorite beer. Also, you should think about heading down to Yahmill County for some wine tasting for some great Pinot Noirs. Food-wise, you cannot go wrong with Le Pigeon, Olea, Ole-Ole (cheap, good mexi-food), Oba, Ken's Artisan Pizza (SE), Jake's Grill...so many others mentioned above in other posts

[jiveturk21]

Since I have now selected Portland as my base for my wine trip out there in August, any helpful hints on hotels to stay at or areas of the city to stay in? We are only going to stay in Portland one night, the rest of the time we will be out in wine country, so something relatively central to the major sights of the city would be nice.

[chickenlover]

Since I have now selected Portland as my base for my wine trip out there in August, any helpful hints on hotels to stay at or areas of the city to stay in? We are only going to stay in Portland one night, the rest of the time we will be out in wine country, so something relatively central to the major sights of the city would be nice.

If you priceline a 4 star hotel, you can get a good deal on hotel downtown (west side of the river). All of the 4 stars are centrally located. If you want something "hip" you can try the Ace Hotel. More importantly, eat at Le Pigeon.

[mtpleasanteater]

I just spent some more time in Portland and managed to have two meals at Le Pigeon and two meals at Pok Pok. I really enjoyed my meals at Le Pigeon, because we went twice I managed to try most of the menu & liked everything I ate except the fish dish. The kitchen has a deft hand with red meat with a lamb "BLT," a piece of chicken that had been brined like an oyster & a beef cheek dish being the highlights for me. For dessert I had a piece of cornbread with bacon in it that was served with a maple ice cream that was one of the richest most decadent desserts I've ever had and reminded me of a less subtle version of the desserts at Momofuku. The food was extremely well cooked but a few of the dishes were lacking something conceptually, I'm sure the restaurant will only get better. A word of advice on ordering & portion size - the dishes are huge and 2 apps, 1 main & a dessert each was a staggering amount of food (even for my gluttonous 230lb self). I would definitely stick to three courses.

As much as I liked Le Pigeon Pok Pok really blew me out of the water. The restaurant serves Issan Thai cuisine at a very high level, easily the best Thai food I've had. There was a clarity of flavor that really amazed me and I liked everything we had at both meals, with a pork clay pot being the highlight. The milder dishes have a really incredible depth of flavor, for the second meal we ordered a mix of spicy & mild dishes and had a nicely balanced meal. I've been to SriPraPhai twice this summer and there is no comparison, the saucing at Pok Pok is out of this world. They also use better ingredients that any Thai restaurant I've eaten in. It is also really cheap.

[jiveturk21]

Only had one night in Portland last week and used it to go eat at Le Pigeon. In short, the food was AWESOME, especially the honey, apricot and bacon cornbread with maple syrup ice cream that mtpleasanteater talked about earlier. Other dishes included the lamb blt (very rich and well done), some sweetbreads (the sweetbreads were perfect, the stuff with it not as much), a foie gras dish that escapes my memory (but I remember liking it) and a salad that was dressed perfectly (good to get some vegetables along with all that other stuff). The wine list was good, although lacking on wines from Oregon, which surprised me, but we were able to get something affordable that tasted quite good.

So, while the food was awesome, the atmosphere was a mixed bag. Communal tables are fine, but when you are sitting next to a group of four pretty drunk 50 year olds, it gets pretty old pretty quickly. Once they left, I warmed up to the idea, but it isn't for everyone. I also felt that having communal tables took away from the service some. I don't need formal service, but it was too casual, not sure if that was the server or the style of the restaurant. Either way, both of these slight disappointments didn't take away from the wonderful food, it really is worth the hype.

[jiveturk21]

Decided to put these comments about eating in the Willamette Valley here as opposed to in the Beer and Wine topic that covers the area. If anyone wants to move it, be my guest.

We were in the valley for two nights and stayed at A'Tuscan Estate in McMinnville. I really liked the place, the breakfasts were outstanding, but the purpose of staying there - the ability to walk to McMinnville and stroll around the town - didn't really work because there isn't much to the town. Yes, it is the biggest one out there, but all the stores close by 5:30 or so, so when you are done drinking at the wineries all day, there really isn't much to do. So, if you are headed out there, I would suggest staying at a place that is truly beautiful and out in the countryside somewhere.

Anyway, with that being said, we ate at two places during our two nights out there, La Rambla and the Painted Lady, and couldn't have had a more different experience if someone scripted it.

La Rambla, simply put, was the single worst dining experience I have had all year. In fact, I labeled it the worst decision, not just dining decision, but worst decision I have made in 2008. I could have just gone to Nick's like we planned or walked into Bistro Maison as we strolled by it, but I had some weird notion that Spanish food in the middle of McMinnville would be good after drinking for six hours, so that is where we went. But, other than a relatively cute interior, the place was terrible. Our five dishes were all pretty much inedible. Crouquettes that were just huge balls of crap that had no discernable flavor. A baked chickpea dish that had no seasoning at all. A flatbread of vegetables which was nothing more than a store bought piece of pita bread with some cut up squash on top. Meatballs that were like hockey pucks and a salad that came without many of the vegetables that it listed. Cries for help from the server went unresolved, no manager was in house that night, at least we were told so, and any time we complained about something the server simply stated, "We have a new chef and still are working out some kinks." OK, that's fine, but I don't want to pay for a guy that is fumbling around in the kitchen. Hell, the people sitting next to us actually walked out without paying the bill (they ordered 10 dishes, got 4 and tried to get the bill for 30 minutes to no avail). While I can't condone what they did, I almost didn't blame them. Truth be told, it really was bad, bad, bad, almost made me want to cry, not because I wasted the money or ate bad food, but because instead of coming here and writing a good review about Nick's or Bistro Maison, I have to spend 10 minutes writing a bad review about this place.

Whew, glad that is done.

Anyway, on the flip side, the Painted Lady was wonderful. On par with Le Pigeon or other places we love in DC, no, but great for the environment. Very comfortable, solid service with lots of good experience and suggestions, and just plain well executed food. I don't remember all that we ate, because I was just happy to be eating something good, but I do remember the chevre cheesecake being one of the best renditions that I have ever had. The pastas that we had as well, which of course I cannot recall, were perfectly cooked and creative. Just a solid restaurant all around.

On a side note, for those who have been out to the Willamette Valley, does anything about that place surprise you? I mean, you have a lot of amazing wineries, good restaurants, beautiful B&Bs, but everything else around there is just run down. I am just a bit surprised that the money from all the nice places hasn't filtered down yet. Not sure if it is because the region is still growing into itself, but I just wanted to mention that it was pretty noticeable to me, someone who really doesn't notice stuff like that very often.

[dcdavidm]

(snip) So, if you are headed out there, I would suggest staying at a place that is truly beautiful and out in the countryside somewhere.

Try the Black Walnut Inn in Dundee...out in the countryside and beautiful. Or, next time you are in Newberg, try the Lions Gate Inn, a 10-minute walk from the Painted Lady restaurant. (We were there last month and enjoyed both immensely)

(snip)
On a side note, for those who have been out to the Willamette Valley, does anything about that place surprise you? I mean, you have a lot of amazing wineries, good restaurants, beautiful B&Bs, but everything else around there is just run down. I am just a bit surprised that the money from all the nice places hasn't filtered down yet. Not sure if it is because the region is still growing into itself, but I just wanted to mention that it was pretty noticeable to me, someone who really doesn't notice stuff like that very often.

My spouse, who is from the area, describes the valley as Oregon's Appalachia. The state's per capita income ranks 28 out of 50, but is below the national average despite the hoopla that Portland receives as a city for the future. The valley is basically a farming community dependent on the availability of a lot of low-cost labor.

[ferment everything]

Heading to PDX tomorrow to visit a friend for the weekend. Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to be bogged down with work for much of the daytime hours this weekend, so I'll be flying solo. I get in at like 11:30...any lunch ideas downtownish? Someone recommended Pok Pok but it's pretty far SE and I'm not sure I'd be able to get down there in time.

[dcdavidm]

Heading to PDX tomorrow to visit a friend for the weekend. Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to be bogged down with work for much of the daytime hours this weekend, so I'll be flying solo. I get in at like 11:30...any lunch ideas downtownish? Someone recommended Pok Pok but it's pretty far SE and I'm not sure I'd be able to get down there in time.

Higgins 1239 SW Broadway
Phone: (503) 222-9070

[Treva]

There is no mention of Stumptown Coffee in this thread. Well… Portland is blessed with a great specialty coffee community. Stumptown started Portland's coffee 'revolution' in 1999 and keeps a high profile in the specialty coffee world. Founder and owner Duane Sorenson was profiled in Michaele Weissman's recently published book "God in a Cup."



Is there a good coffee thread somewhere on DR? I haven't found it, yet.

[chef tell]

Just got back from a trip to Portland and Seattle and went to a number of the places listed here.

Voodoo doughnuts: had the best caramel and smoked bacon doughnut, strange combo but it worked.
Le Pigeon: fabulous meal, hung out with the chef after service and drank a bottle of wine. nice guy, cool setup of the kitchen and seating area
Higgins: our last meal in town, did a quick tasting menu. great food and service
Bluehour: cute place. had a few nibbles at the bar.

In Seattle

Poppy: brand new place featuring a neat twist on Indian food featuring cool spice combinations. found the place hadn't even been open a week. we wish them well.
Flying Fish: had one of the best tuna pokes there

[ferment everything]

Just got back from a trip to Portland and Seattle and went to a number of the places listed here.
Le Pigeon: fabulous meal, hung out with the chef after service and drank a bottle of wine. nice guy, cool setup of the kitchen and seating area
Higgins: our last meal in town, did a quick tasting menu. great food and service

Nice. I was at Pigeon early Saturday night, and Higgins later Saturday night for beers. Pigeon continues to be the best food I've had in Portland...whole grilled eel, rabbit in puff pastry, and pork shoulder were all fantastic. Other food stops included a very good lunch at Pok Pok (I made it out there after all, thanks to the buses), dinner at Beast (6 courses for $52, wine pairings an additional $35. quite good, but not amazing. except the fois bon-bon. that was amazing). Beer bars included Green Dragon, Belmont Station, Bailey's Taproom, Horse Brass, and Morrison House. Brewpub-wise, hit Hopworks (great concept, so-so beers), Lucky Lab (good) and Roots (another disappointment, and I've liked their stuff before).

Another weekend in Portland studded with the regular haunts but with a few impressive newcomers to the fray. Love eating and drinking in this city. Now it's time for a little detox.

ETA beast and green dragon.

[Arlene Ivana]

Dined at Beast this past weekend, which I highly enjoyed for the comfort food, the execution, the atmosphere and the price. Carrot soup with saffron and fresh steamed mussel (HUGE mussel, btw), charcuterie plate, braised shortribs with raisins and baked pumpkin, three fine cheeses (one from VA whose name I misremember and can't seem to find via Google), and then chocolate pots de creme with coconut sorbet and almond cookie. It's not the most innovative meal but it was very very good.

I thought it was actually quite a deal for five courses and wine pairings. Note that if you get the five instead of six courses, they are more than willing to allow two people to share the cheese and then dessert plate AND will split the wine tasting among both of you as well. It's a great way to stick with the five courses/wine pairings price but still try all six things.

Here's the charcuterie plate, if you click through to my flickr page, I noted each individual item.

Otherwise spent time at Horse's Brass, Henry's Tavern and Rogue Alehouse, sampling beers. I thought the food at Rogue was quite good, standard bar fare but executed well; had a beer cheese soup and a meatball sub made with "kobe" beef stuffed with blue cheese that was killer. The only problem is they only have Rogue beer, granted a much bigger selection than you can get in DC. Henry's was fine for what it was but nothing special except for the beer tap selection. Horse's Brass was "british" food and generally unremarkable, plus they were out of a lot of listed beers when we arrived, which was annoying since it was a good $15 cab ride from where we were staying. But the list was full of a lot of rare beers and cask ales. If only they'd actually had them.

Love Portland. Highly highly recommend for anyone interested in food/alcohol. Looking forward to returning and trying Le Pigeon (which our tablemates at Beast highly recommended. Apparently they make only five burgers a night and they are supposedly AMAZING).

[dcdavidm]

Taking a shortcut through an industrial section of Portland late in the afternoon on a recent Saturday, what did I spy out of the corner of my eye but a large sign announcing Clear Creek Distillery. The street and parking lot were eerily empty but, I thought, "What the heck; might as well find out what their hours are." Surprise! They were open for tastings (although tours were much earlier in the day) and invited us in when they saw us peeking through the windows. This is a place that delights in the magic of capturing the essence of fruit in a bottle. Already familiar with the poire william pear brandy, another sniff and taste reminded me of a perfect pear on a perfect day. Other Clear Creek products -- six eaux de vie, several brandies, six or seven liqueurs, four grappas -- were well worth tasting, even the "Doug Fir," which deserves a try, though perhaps only once. The staff was generous with the pours, used good glassware, and was only too willing to talk at length about the nuances of each of the products, encouraging comparison tastings.

It is a remarkable operation (eight employees; four stills; knowledgeable and friendly staff) well worth a visit.

Clear Creek Distillery

[Pool Boy]

More on Portland and Oregon in general later...but, just got back.

After trying to get in to Le Pigeon (failing for all 3 days), we opted for Clarklewis, Paley's Place and then (after we were kind of mislead by the Le Pigeon folks on the phone...) at Castagna. Paley's was the best of the three we tried.

Glad to have west coast coffee, Peet's was quite nice.

Voodoo donuts are indeed great. The maple bacon lives up to the hype, too.

Outside of Portland, we dined all over.

Peerless in Ashland is very good. And, if you stay at the hotel, the breakfast is amazing.
Sammy's New Cowboy Bisto (in Talent), is as good as they say and we were only able to get in for lunch.

Yachats River House in Yachats is quite, quite good.

Bay House in Lincoln City (just south of actually) is also quite good. And, one of their waiters there, Mac, is a true professional and also very engaging. ANd the lamb that I had here was truly outstanding.

Joe Palmer House in Dayton is mushroomy good, but more so in a n old school way. Not a terribly disappointment, but a bit of a let down from my trumped up hopes. Nick's Italian Cafe in McMinnville just a bit west of Dayton is far, far superior.

In the Columbia River Gorge area, in Hood River, the Full Sail Brewery is located there and they have a pub and tasting area. Their beers are very good, but they made one of the best fish and chips I have ever had for lunch there.

[ferment everything]

Just got back from a long food weekend in PDX...a friend from DC is planning on opening a sandwich truck there, and this was an excuse to eat our way through town and scout out the competition.

Thursday:
Le Pigeon - very good (sweetbreads and confit'd/fried pork shoulder were standouts) but not as stunning as I remember it being. Gabriel wasn't cooking, fwiw.
Beaker and Flask - a great manhattan-ish drink with an ice sphere anchoring the center. I've heard great things about the food here too, but we were stuffed from Pigeon and had to run.
Belmont Station - quite possibly the best bottle shop in existence, especially if you're a hophead like myself.
Horse Brass - a hophead's fantasy bar, still among the top in the country

Friday:
Toast - grilled muffin amuse bouche, pork belly and egg with squash/potato hash. great brekkie.
Deschutes Pub - Abyss on tap? yes please.
Olympic Provisions - a newcomer on the scene, and our favorite meal of the weekend. prices are still low (they haven't been reviewed by any of the papers yet) and quality is top-notch. among other things, we had amazing dry-cured chorizo, some great terrines, brussels sprouts salad, and the best chicken salad i've ever had.
Bailey's Taproom - like the Horse Brass's cleaner, smaller cousin. not as many hop bombs, but a great 20-tap lineup and a friendly proprietor.
Paley's Place - literally gluttons for punishment, we went for a late dinner at Paley's, generally regarded as one of the best places in town. it did not disappoint. we ordered charcuterie (the testarossa = insane, also a good boudin noir and a stellar plum/quail terrine), sweetbreads, clams/shrimp with preserved citrus rissoto, braised elk shoulder w/polenta, beets, brussels, and a burger. the chef sent out an extra plate of rabbit ravioli because "he likes the way you are ordering". by the time the burger came, we were so stuffed we barely managed to put a dent in it before asking for a to-go box. stellar meal.

Saturday:
Pho An - great pho. nuff said.
Laurelhurst Market - the beginning of a 3-stop, 10-sandwich ordering rampage. all in the name of competitive analysis. we ended up giving away several half-sandwiches at the end of the night when it became clear that it was a ridiculous amount of food for two people. Here we ordered a porchetta, a panini reuben, and a chicken salad. reuben and porchetta were fantastic.
Bunk - an italian sub, a broccolini+cheese, a cuban pulled pork, and one i can't remember. tied with laurelhurst for our favorite, especially the broccolini and the cuban pork.
Meat Cheese Bread - a smoked trout, a bacon and beet, and a pulled pork? our least favorite (crappy bread, and flavors weren't great)

Sunday:
Country Cat - brunch here was tasty, and prepared by an old sous chef friend from DC. fried chicken, burger.
Lanvin Bakery - i've only made it through one of the banh mi sandwiches (lemongrass beef) so far, but it was fantastic. got two more (pork skin, pork belly) for tomorrow.
Laurelwood Brewing - Horizon Airlines gives you free craft beer on board, and there's a Laurelhurst Brewpub in the airport terminal that they occupy. Win.

Pass the tums.

[Pool Boy]

Just got back from a long food weekend in PDX...a friend from DC is planning on opening a sandwich truck there, and this was an excuse to eat our way through town and scout out the competition.

Thursday:
Le Pigeon - very good (sweetbreads and confit'd/fried pork shoulder were standouts) but not as stunning as I remember it being. Gabriel wasn't cooking, fwiw.
Beaker and Flask - a great manhattan-ish drink with an ice sphere anchoring the center. I've heard great things about the food here too, but we were stuffed from Pigeon and had to run.
Belmont Station - quite possibly the best bottle shop in existence, especially if you're a hophead like myself.
Horse Brass - a hophead's fantasy bar, still among the top in the country

Friday:
Toast - grilled muffin amuse bouche, pork belly and egg with squash/potato hash. great brekkie.
Deschutes Pub - Abyss on tap? yes please.
Olympic Provisions - a newcomer on the scene, and our favorite meal of the weekend. prices are still low (they haven't been reviewed by any of the papers yet) and quality is top-notch. among other things, we had amazing dry-cured chorizo, some great terrines, brussels sprouts salad, and the best chicken salad i've ever had.
Bailey's Taproom - like the Horse Brass's cleaner, smaller cousin. not as many hop bombs, but a great 20-tap lineup and a friendly proprietor.
Paley's Place - literally gluttons for punishment, we went for a late dinner at Paley's, generally regarded as one of the best places in town. it did not disappoint. we ordered charcuterie (the testarossa = insane, also a good boudin noir and a stellar plum/quail terrine), sweetbreads, clams/shrimp with preserved citrus rissoto, braised elk shoulder w/polenta, beets, brussels, and a burger. the chef sent out an extra plate of rabbit ravioli because "he likes the way you are ordering". by the time the burger came, we were so stuffed we barely managed to put a dent in it before asking for a to-go box. stellar meal.

Saturday:
Pho An - great pho. nuff said.
Laurelhurst Market - the beginning of a 3-stop, 10-sandwich ordering rampage. all in the name of competitive analysis. we ended up giving away several half-sandwiches at the end of the night when it became clear that it was a ridiculous amount of food for two people. Here we ordered a porchetta, a panini reuben, and a chicken salad. reuben and porchetta were fantastic.
Bunk - an italian sub, a broccolini+cheese, a cuban pulled pork, and one i can't remember. tied with laurelhurst for our favorite, especially the broccolini and the cuban pork.
Meat Cheese Bread - a smoked trout, a bacon and beet, and a pulled pork? our least favorite (crappy bread, and flavors weren't great)

Sunday:
Country Cat - brunch here was tasty, and prepared by an old sous chef friend from DC. fried chicken, burger.
Lanvin Bakery - i've only made it through one of the banh mi sandwiches (lemongrass beef) so far, but it was fantastic. got two more (pork skin, pork belly) for tomorrow.
Laurelwood Brewing - Horizon Airlines gives you free craft beer on board, and there's a Laurelhurst Brewpub in the airport terminal that they occupy. Win.

Pass the tums.

Wow, terrific write-up. We missed out on Le Pigeon last fall, but got to Paley's Place -- we agree, it is ridiculously great.