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 The
Pacific Northwest climate is a food grower's paradise. Lots of
hot weather in the summer and cool/damp springs and falls. Seafood
is fresh since Portland is 60 miles from the Pacific Ocean and Oregon has
thousands of acres of ranches devoted to beef and lamb.
Thirsty and hungry? Visit one of the many brewpubs
in Portland. Make sure you eat Bento (i.e., Japanese box lunch) for
one of your lunches.
This excerpt from a September 2007 story in the New
York Times Dining Out section entitled "Portland: Chefs Flock to a City
Where Food Stars," says a lot about restaurants in Portland.
They come but they don’t go.
In the way New York drew artists in the ’50s, this city at the confluence
of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers seems to exert a magnetic lure
on talented chefs who come from almost anywhere else and decide to stay
right here. About the hardest thing to find in Portland these days is
a homegrown chef.
Portland may seem an unlikely place for such status, a city destined
to play second string on the West Coast to San Francisco and Seattle.
But in the last five years or so Portland has grown and evolved.
At first it was a sort of underground stop for food and wine lovers
who had heard word of small, fascinating restaurants run by young, talented
chefs serving a bounty of local produce. It’s underground no more. Portland
has emerged from its chrysalis as a full-fledged dining destination.
Portland chefs dominate James Beard Award finalists
for Best Chef Northwest For the first time in the 20-year history
of the James Beard Foundation Awards, Portland chefs dominated the competition
for Best Chef Northwest honors, taking three of the five finalist slots
that were announced in March 2010 in New York City. Naomi Pomeroy of
Beast, Cathy Whims
of Nostrana, Andy Ricker
of Pok Pok are contenders
in the category, along with two Seattle chefs, Ethan Stowell of Union and
Jason Wilson of Crush. Pomeroy, whose restaurant has a meat-centric menu,
was named one of Food & Wine magazine's
2009 Best New Chefs last spring. Ricker, whose Thai restaurant celebrates
Southeast Asian street food, got a spread in last
June's Food & Wine. The Best Chef Northwest category traditionally
has been dominated by Seattle chefs.
Online Dining Guides
Below you will find the local publications that have online
dining guides:
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The Oregonian
The state largest newspaper has extensive coverage of Portland restaurants.
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Willamette
Week Food Finder You select the location, meal, and cuisine
and they're bring up a list of matches online. Here is
the link to their
2009 Restaurant Guide. Their annual
Cheap Eats Guide
will save you money and give you some enjoyable dining.
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Portland Monthly The monthly magazine online 'Food and Drink'
has a selection guide for restaurants and for bars. Their annual
print edition of The Food Lovers' Guide will keep you full for the entire
year.
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Gluten
Free Portland This blog was started because although it
seems like there are a lot of places to find information on things
to eat when you’re celiac or gluten intolerant, there’s no way to
know whether or not any of it is good. The site also lists a number
of gluten free restaurants in the Portland area. The site also lists
a number of gluten free restaurants in the Portland area.
Eating Downtown
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The Heathman Fundamentally French, with influences from
the Northwest to Asia to Italy. The Heathman in Portland's big-deal,
big-celebrity hotel, Chef Philippe Boulot, the French-trained former
head chef at New York's Mark Hotel, revels in the fresh fish, game,
wild mushrooms, and other ingredients of the Northwest. Address:
1001 SW Broadway.
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Gruner
In the January 2010 issue of GQ magazine, Gruner was chosen
one of the 10 best new restaurants in the country. Gruner features
potato dumplings, pickled beets with horseradish, buckwheat spaetzle
− the types of German delicacies that
you expect from its name, which means 'greener' in German.
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Higgins
An avid organic gardener, chef Greg Higgins grows his own herbs, vegetables
and fruits with an eye for finding the finest heirloom varieties which
he passes on to his growers. Higgins is an active proponent of sustainable
food practices. Open more than 20 years, Higgins has a national
reputation. Address: 1239 SW Broadway.
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Huber's
Cafe Portland's oldest restaurant since 1879. Known
for its turkey dinners and Spanish coffees, pour right at your table.
Location: 411 SW 3rd Avenue, inside the Historic Oregon Pioneer Building.
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Kenny & Zuke's
Deli They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their pastrami
sandwiches are famous along with Grandma Zukin's goulash. Kenny
Gordon grew up in Queens, graduated from La Varenne cooking school in
France and cooked French food for 30 years before he opened the restaurant
in 2008. Kenny smokes 2,500 pounds of pastrami a week.
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Portland
City Grill This expensive, lavish restaurant has been made
into one of the most romantic spots in Portland. If you are
lucky enough to get a table or smart to reserve a table next to a window,
you can enjoy your meal overlooking the city of Portland. The menu offers
steak and seafood and you get as good as you pay. Lunch is not expensive
and offers the same view and good food. Happy Hour is even cheaper (budget
range; 4:30pm to 6:30pm) for the same good food, but much more crowded
than lunchtime. Address: 111 SW Fifth Avenue on the
30th floor of the Unico/US Bancorp Tower.
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Tabor This cart made its name with its
schnitzelwich − a breaded cutlet tucked
between a ciabatta roll and smeared with horseradish and a red pepper/eggplant
spread. Located at SW Fifth Avenue and Stark Street.
Eating in the Pearl/Old Town
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Andina
A Peruvian restaurant with a good selection of platas
(like Spanish tapas) as well as contemporary and traditional Peruvian
entrees. Live music is performed most evenings in the lounge, a popular
date destination. Address: 1314 NW Glisan Street.
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Park Kitchen
Chef-owner Scott Dolich is so dedicated to locally grown food that he's
on the board of directors for the Portland Farmers' Market. His passion
for all things local continues at his restaurant, in the chic Pearl
District, where the menu changes daily based on ingredients procured
from as few miles away as possible.
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Ping The menu draws significantly from Singapore and Malaysia,
with some discoveries from China. The Oregonian's"Rising Star
of the Year" in 2009. Address: 102 N.W. Fourth Avenue in
Chinatown. Telephone: 503-229-7464.
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Prasad This cozy restaurant is located in the same
building as Pearl Yoga. The menu is an offering of sustainable
organic cuisine. Everything on the menu is gluten-free except
the wraps. Address: 925 NW Davis Street in the Pearl.
Eating in Northwest/Nob Hill
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Papa Haydn
If you like dessert, this is the place to go. Although the entrees aren't
all that impressive, sometimes there are four different lemon desserts,
not to mention a wide selection of chocolates of every kind. Address:
701 NW 23rd Avenue.
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Paley's Place
This eating establishment helped define early on what Portland’s restaurants
would eventually be known for—local, fresh, seasonal food, attentive
to each individual ingredient, served in a Continental style adventurously
adapted to its surroundings. Address: 1204 NW 21st Avenue.
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Red Onion Thai
The stylish lime-and-brick-colored dining room serves a long list of
off-kilter favorites—all served in sharable portions. The Willamette
Week runner up for "Restaurant of the Year." Address: 1123 NW 23rd
Avenue.
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Ringside
Portland's original steakhouse. Autographs from famous musicians, athletes
and movie stars line the walls. Great steak, dim lighting and excellent
service. Address: 2165 W Burnside.
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Wildwood
If you want Pacific Northwest Cuisine, Wildwood is the place to eat.
The menu offers the freshest veggies off the trucks of Wildwood’s many
farm partners. Address: 1221 NW 21st Avenue.
Eating in Southwest Portland
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Corbett
Fish House Separate gluten-free menu available
plus gluten-free beer. Address: 5901 SW Corbett Avenue, Portland,
Oregon 97239.
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Seasons
and Regions Specializing in fresh northwest seafood &
shellfish. Their
special menu ($2.95) is served from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. and late
night 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. and it is a bargain. Entire gluten-free section on dinner menu.
Address: 6660 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, Oregon 97219.
Eating in Southeast Portland
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3 Doors Down
Café Located at 429 SE 37th Street (Hawthorne neighborhood)
serving American/Mediterranean cuisine.
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Beakers and
Flash While the food shines, the drinks do not disappoint.
The Willamette Week's "Restaurant of the Year." Address:
720 SE Sandy Boulevard.
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Bamboo
Sushi Southeast Portland’s Bamboo Sushi, the first Marine
Stewardship Council-certified independent sushi restaurant in the United
States, is tackling the question of whether sushi can still wow and
delight using seasonal and sustainable ingredients. The answer is a
resounding yes. Address: 310 SE 28th Avenue.
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ClarkLewis
The Oregonian's 2004 Restaurant of the year. Order their
three course $30 meal and be surprised. Located at 1001 SE Water
Avenue in the eastside industrial area. Telephone: (503) 235-2294.
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Delta Cafe and
Bar Southern food (chicken fried steak, jambalaya, grits,
etc.) on the cheap. The food is excellent and in large portions.
Address: 46th & SE Woodstock Street.
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The Farm Cafe
What a bargain! You can get two entrees, share a salad and dessert,
and enjoy a decent bottle of French wine for about $50. It's in a gingerbread
house just one block off East Burnside Street. Reservations for
parties of six or more. Located at 10 SE 7th Avenue. Dinner and
Saturday/Sunday brunch. Telephone: (503) 736-3276.
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East Bank Saloon The best place in town to watch the
game! The East Bank's menu includes pub food and full course meals.
Try the fish and chips - made with wild caught halibut. Address:
727 SE Grand Avenue. Telephone: (503) 231-1659.
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Esparza's Tex Mex Cafe An upscale Mexican with a festive atmosphere.
The tequila list rivals some wine lists. Located at 2725 SE Ankeny Street.
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Lauro Kitchen
Sitting at a bar stool, beneath the chalkboard scrawled with daily specials,
splitting a dish of olives and a half-carafe of something red, Spanish
and spicy until a table opens up—that’s how one ought to start a meal
at Lauro. Address: 3377 SE Division.
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Le Pigeon
The NY Times called Le Pigeon "an informal slightly manic spot
with seasonally changing, nonconformist dishes like braised port belly
with creamed corn." The dining area is small, seating about 40
patrons. Located at 738 East Burnside Street, just across the river
from downtown.
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Nostrana
Chef Whims was nominated for Best Chef Northwest last year, and her
Italian kitchen Nostrana, known for its wood-fired ovens and pasta dishes,
is the most-mainstream of the Portland nominees. Address:
1401 SE Morrison.
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Pok Pok
Its menu and aesthetic sit a tier above your average travel poster-adorned
pad Thai purveyor—as does its price point. Address: 3226 SE Division.
Eating in North and Northeast Portland
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The Beast The food at Beast, one of The Oregonian's
two Restaurants of the Year 2008, is inspired by France. Located
at 5425 NE 30th − just off the corner of NE 30th and Killingsworth to
the South.
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Laurelhurst
Market Willamette Week's runner up for "Restaurant
of the Year." During the day − a butcher shop offering the finest fresh,
all natural meats, sausages made in house and artisanal charcuterie.
At night − the restaurant. Think steakhouse. Address: 3155 E. Burnside.
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Laurelwood
Public house & Brewery 1728 NE 40th Street. Solid pub
fare to include burgers, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. Plus
a play area for kids and large beer tanks behind glass walls to entertain
them.
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Mississippi
Pizza The reason we include this restaurant is
because they serve gluten-free pizza and gluten-free beer.
Plus they have musical entertainment every night. Address: 3552 N. Mississippi.
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Navarre
Located at 10 NE 28th Avenue. Phone: (503) 232-3555.
The Navarre serves farm-fresh, European-style meals. It was
The Oregonian's Restaurant of the Year in 2009.
Fun Places to Eat
 Lunch
with former Portland mayor Bud Clark at the
Goose Hollow Inn.
As mayor, "Bud" Clark created the nationally recognized 12-Point Homeless
Plan, supported the growth of mass transit, including the MAX Light Rail
line to Hillsboro, Oregon, aided downtown development, and initiated and
led the campaign to build the Oregon Convention Center. Clark also sanctioned
The Mayor's Ball, an annual charity event featuring independent musicians
from all over the Northwest. It could be argued that The Mayor's Ball was
instrumental in building a music scene that helped to fuel the Nineties'
grunge movement. The tavern owner served eight years (1985 - 1992) and now
has returned to running his tavern. It has a pleasant deck where you
can drink away your frustrations with the rest of the City Hall roustabouts.
The Hollow Reuben sandwich is always a winner. The Goose Hollow is located
at 1927 SW Jefferson Street, telephone 503-228-7010.
 Dockside
Saloon Located at 2047 NW Front Avenue (industrial area),
you can get a good lunch or breakfast (they open at 5 AM). Try their
hash browns! The Dockside gave 63 interviews to various newspapers, magazines,
and TV shows in January 1994. All because of their garbage. On January
30, 1994, Kathy Peterson (waitress, dishwasher, bookkeeper, and owner along
with her husband Terry Peterson) was emptying the garbage when she came
upon several bags of trash that somebody had left in the dumpster.
Kathy examined the garbage and among the items found was an envelope with
information concerning Nancy Kerrigan's practice schedule at her home rink
(Tony Kent Arena). The handwriting was that of Portland's Olympic
skater Tonya Harding.
She had earlier denied any involvement in the "club" incident when her husband
(now former) and a friend did the 'knee-cap' job on Nancy. The Dockside
garbage proved otherwise. Neither Tonya Harding nor any of her cohorts
had ever visited the Dockside − they most likely
found the dumpster convenient as they drove by and unloaded the evidence.
To quote from the backside of the menu at the Dockside,
"Please remember this... be careful where you dump your trash, you never
know who will find it."
 Stanich's
This is the place to eat if you dying for a burger. You can repent tomorrow.
Billed as the "The World's Greatest Hamburger," the Special has beef,
cheese, egg, ham, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. As you savor every
bite, cast your eyes on the walls plastered with old newspaper clippings
and the pennants of bygone sporting seasons. Stanich's is located
at 4915 NE Fremont Street and at
5627 SW Kelly Avenue.
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