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101 BEST Restaurants
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best restaurants If you just emerged from a cave in the Himalayas, maybe you haven’t heard about Portland’s restaurant scene. Hot? The buzz is downright equatorial. The national press continues to eat up local ideas about folksy-artisan food and chefs who value good vibes more DINING: WHAT’S IN — AND OUT
than rock-star attitude. Portland is not just The Next Food
In the dining world, trends come and go faster than a three-minute egg. Critic Grant Butler flags what’s fresh, and what’s headed for the Dumpster.
Place — it’s unique in America. In no other large urban city can restaurants get as close to farm-grown goods and impressive vineyards. Nowhere are rents affordable enough to allow so many cooks to explore eateries on their own creative terms.
IN: Happy hours
So what are the best places? That’s always a tough call,
Hot wings
especially in a city where new places are constantly rolling
Using the whole animal — and then some!
out and redefining what constitutes a memorable dining
Communal tables Lamb belly Molecular gastronomy OUT: $40 entrees Bottled water White tablecloths Chinese food
experience. But one thing is clear: The scene has never been more exciting, the menus more daring. Still, much of what makes Portland’s food scene the envy of the country can be found in places committed to local farmers, seasonal ingredients and independent visions that run from Portland-style swank to foodobsessed Houses of Quirk. These are the places to get on your eating agenda this
Pork belly
year. Pull up a chair — and dig in.
Molecular gastronomy
— Karen Brooks, Dining Editor
$ EAT WELL FOR $10$15
$$ MOST ENTREES UNDER $20
$$$ MOST ENTREES $20 +
$$$$ MOST ENTREES $30 + ultimate NORTHWEST 2 3 SEPT/OCT 08
My 28th Birthday $60
Graduated College $55
Vacation in Hawaii $45
My New Job $120
Published My First Article $25
Portland’s Exclusive Gold Level Pandora Dealer.
9875 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway • Beaverton • 503.644.1333
U.S. PAT. NO. 7,007,507
101 b e st re stau r a n t s
EDITOR’S PICKS: restaurants 2008’s
Spanish tapas, Japanese soul food, Euro moods and — everywhere — farm-to-table twists and turns. These are the standouts of the year, in alphabetical order:
BEAST: Last fall, chef Naomi
LE PIGEON: In a tiny
Pomeroy rose from the ashes of her imploded Ripe restaurant group and whipped up some of the most delicious cooking to hit Portland in years. Her carefully composed plates of French home cooking unfold in a choreographed evening of set multiple courses in a tiny rock ’n’ roll bistro. P27
space in a scruffy neighborhood, charismatic young chef Gabriel Rucker cooks challenging, often fantastic, highly original food from ever-changing ideas that pop into his head. He’s having a ball — creating cheeky surfand-turf combos, channeling French bistros and rebirthing American classics — and hopes you will, too. P51
BIWA: Owner Gabe Rosen has helped fuel a new wave by eateries inspired by Japanese izakayas — casual hubs where snacks are shared over sake and beer. In a small industrial space with a recycled Portland vibe, diners dabble in grilled skewers, inventive Asian cocktails and small plates led by swoon-worthy, Japanese-style fried chicken with hot mustard for dipping. P46
CASTAGNA/CASTAGNA CAFE: The cafe consistently pumps out gloriously good casual eats from a seasonal, globe-hopping menu that includes one of the city’s best burgers (and fries). Next door, the mother ship is an elegant, quiet repair for splurge-worthy cooking with a Euro-local imprint and one of Portland’s best wine lists. P48
PALEY’S PLACE: France meets Portland for a date at the farmers market at this 13year-old outpost of graciousness. The best dishes sing of invention and intelligence, and ingredients that show off chef Vitaly Paley’s expansive network of providers. Be it Oregon grass-fed beef or handpicked farm greens, the guy is militant about how it all fits together — not just fresh flavors, but the economics of supporting the growers. P62
POK POK: This tiny outpost of authentic Southeast Asian street food has an unbeatable strike zone for consistency, guts and glorious tastes from
a repertoire of dishes never seen before in this country. The delirious crunch-fest of Vietnamese chicken wings, the startling noodle bowls, the heady-juicy charcoal-roasted game hens — and that’s just for starters. I could eat this stuff every night and call it a great life. P55
SEL GRIS: It’s rare to see design-intensive cooking outside of corporate restaurants. But in one of the year’s most inspired openings, chef Daniel Mondok mingled high-flying food and small-scale swank on a low-key stretch of Southeast Portland, creating a new kind of neighborhood dining destination. Pull up at the amber-glowing bar, with a glass from the thoughtful wine list and a warm frisée salad pumped with braised bacon and lardon vinaigrette. P56
SIMPATICA: The oncesecret Sunday brunch is still the best around, slammed with folks hunkered down on some serious comfort food, much of it perfumed with profoundly smoky bacon. On Friday and Saturday nights, this
industrial space is transformed into Portland’s best supper club, where no two menus are ever the same and an intriguing array of guest chefs experiment in the kitchen. 57
TORO BRAVO: John Gorham’s temple of Portlandstyle tapas — possessed with house-cured meats, deeply inspired by local farms — captures what is lovable about Portland’s dining scene: deep integrity, big heart, affordability. The paella? Let’s just say if the kitchen had only one serving left for grabs, I’d just have to knock you down. You’ve been warned. P31
23HOYT: A rare coming together of cool decor and culinary intrigue. Christopher Israel’s Mediterraneaninfluenced food is artful and satisfying at the same time, and the double-decker, glassenclosed space is about as close as Portland gets to bigcity glam. P65 — Karen Brooks
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northeast [ Eclectic ]
BEAST
5425 N.E. 30th Ave. 503-841-6968; beastpdx.com $$$
From her open-kitchen perch in a sweet storefront set in a scruffy neighborhood, Naomi Pomeroy — chef and Portland supper-club pioneer — likes to set a table, just like Mom. All brunch and dinner decisions are made for you: set multi-course menu, set price, no choices, no substitutions. You don’t even choose your company — tables are communal, and attractively set at that. Your only task is making it through all this lip-smacking French bistro cooking. The changing repertoire includes things like graceful soufflés, artistic charcuterie, superb pot pie and banana bourbon ice cream with caramel.
[ Creole ]
ACADIA Acadia
1303 N.E. Fremont St. 503-249-5001; creolapdx.com $$ Regulars pack the front tables in this storefront space split between buzzing bar and trim, modern dining room. And they come, always, for two-fisted eating and drinking on fullfrontal Creole cuisine: shrimp Creole, featuring spiced mammoth gulf shrimp, slightly underdone to plump perfection, atop fresh spinach and al dente popcorn rice. Recommended: The seared French-cut chicken breast arrives atop roasted sweet-potato-fiddlehead-fern hash with fresh whole morel mushrooms, adrift in a fragrant pan gravy. Or go “light” with a mammoth frisée salad roiling with thick-cut bacon lardons, bourbontinged pecans, Medjool dates and goat cheese. The few, the brave, will try the
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triple-cut pork chop, an apple-brined tower in corn-bread dressing. Wine and beer choices are ample, but don’t miss the house cucumber martini. Ditto for the inspired desserts of praline baconstudded ice cream or vanilla-bean bread pudding with warm caramel sauce.
[ Seafood ]
ALBERTA STREET OYSTER BAR AND GRILL
2926 N.E. Alberta St. 503-284-9600; albertaoyster.com $$ Chef Eric Bechard lays out a fine selection of oysters on the half shell, along with a culinary vision squarely focused on seafood and offal, sometimes on the same plate. Don’t be surprised to see pork jowls nestled alongside your mussels. The best dishes here are unexpected — stimulating and unforgettable. The least of
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PHOTOS BY RANDY L. RASMUSSEN, TIM LaBARGE, JONI KABANA AND DANA E. OLSEN
Recommended: Your only choice: pick five or six courses from a preset menu generally served at 6 p.m. or 8:45 p.m. If you’re with a group, here’s the wise move: Let half of the group order the excellent cheese plate; the other gets dessert — and share away. Four-course brunches include French-pressed coffee and juice.
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Beast
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Recommended: To start, oysters on the half shell; crispy, panko-fried oysters in a salad with bacon vinaigrette; crab “two ways,” a juxtaposition of delicately fried crab balls and a pristine crab salad finessed with avocado butter. The burger is the real sleeper — dabbed with blue cheese and caramelized onions on a crispy ciabatta bun. The modest wine list is well-considered for seafood, with plenty of drink-worthy rosés, champagnes and muscadets.
prosecco, then dig into the Germancentric cooking of chef Sandro Di Giovanni. Recommended: A warm salad of lentils and arugula; an onion quiche with bacon and caraway; fork-tender lamb shank with cheesy dumplings; the Swabian mac and cheese of egg noodles mixed with caramelized onions and melted Emmenthal cheese. Wine list, heavy on Alsatian and French choices, is the star, with many by-the-glass options thanks to the bar’s high-tech dispensing system.
[ Mexican ]
AUTENTICA Alu
[ Wine bar ]
ALU WINE BAR & LOUNGE
2831 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 503-258-9463; alupdx.com $$ Open Alu’s massive butterfly front door, and you enter what looks like an Old Europe boudoir, with an abundance of crystal chandeliers and surfaces painted crimson and gold. Plush upholstered settees seem like castoff furnishings from “Moulin Rouge.” Plop down on one, drink in the setting, sip from a flute of sparkling 28 ultimate NORTHWEST SEPT/OCT 08
5507 N.E. 30th Ave. 503-287-7555; autenticaportland.com $$ Chef/owner Oswaldo Bibiano’s selective menu draws on dishes from his native state of Guerrero on Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast. Fish plays a big role, from mouthwatering ceviches to expertly cooked entrees. But the kitchen also turns out grilled meats (paired with smoky beans), different kinds of mole and familiar foods like tacos and tostadas full of refined touches. On weekends, chilaquiles, menudo and eggs poached in chile broth should tempt you away from the usual pancake houses. Recommended: Anything with the kitchen’s heavenly trinity of lime, cilantro and serrano peppers is a sure bet: scallop or fresh prawn ceviches; fiery shredded spinach or roasted cactus salads; tender, moist, flaky catfish in a blazing-hot sauce with a salad of lime-spiked beets. Don’t skip dessert, especially the decadent tres leches cake or lime-infused, cheesecakelike pastel de Maria. Bathtub-size margaritas come blended or on the rocks, and the hotpepper version is fantastic.
[ Italian ]
CIAO VITO
2203 N.E. Alberta St. 503-282-5522; ciaovito.net $$ Ciao Vito evinces more of a Northwest feel than almost any other Italian restaurant in town. From antipasti to gelato, you can find well-prepared versions of Italian staples, but also grilled, braised or smoked meats and fish that wouldn’t be out of place in a regional steak-and-chop or seafood house. The impression is Mediterranean-meets-Pacific, and it comes off with just the right blend of precise tradition and casual charm. Eat and drink: Fried meatballs (a blend of pork, veal and beef) with marinara sauce; the sugo of pork served over polenta; a classic linguine with clams; seasonal fried razor clams alongside a punchy coleslaw. Other pleasures: a garlicky pork chop, crispy polenta wedges with a perky blend of spinach, pine nuts and lemon. Wide variety of Italian and Northwest wines by the glass; especially strong selection of grappas.
[ American ]
FIFE
4440 N.E. Fremont St. 971-222-3433; fiferestaurant.com $$ Since chef/owner Marco Shaw opened it in 2002, Fife has grown beyond a “neighborhood place” into a destination. The menu embraces the regions of American cuisine: Eastern Seaboard-style crab cakes, Southern fried chicken, buffalo steak from the Plains, oysters out of our own Northwest coastal waters. Inventive comfort food? Yes, but also comfortable: The dining room welcomes, beverages and plates arrive at an enjoyable pace, service is attentive and seating throughout is cozy. Bonus: Fife’s commitment to organic, sustain-
PHOTO BY MICHAEL RUBENSTEIN
them are merely odd, with too many ingredients mooshed together. But if you want to fly with downtown panache on restaurant-happy Alberta, step right in.
able agriculture and Northwest provisioners goes way beyond the buzz. Recommended: The daily-changing menu is compact, with first courses (beet and chèvre salad; house-made charcuterie plate) and mains. Farmraised game and fresh seafood are usually the money ticket. Pastry chef Jessica Howard takes familiar endings like apple cake and coconutcream pie to a higher level, without getting too sugary. From the bar: Try The Woody, an Old-Fashioned made from premium Woodford Reserve bourbon. Organic wine choices like La Grolet and Brooks Amycas are fitting choices for the house philosophy.
[ Thai ]
LEMONGRASS
1705 N.E. Couch St. 503-231-5780 $$ Dishes here are just as intricate and flavor-packed as you’d expect from Thai cuisine but show a respect for nuance. Appetizers sparkle with freshness; pad Thai comes as thin, delicate, sweet noodles with a smattering of butterflied shrimp and a dusting of ground peanuts; and the chile-flecked tom kha gai soup resembles a French bisque. Chef/ owner Shelley Siripatrapa’s gorgeous khao soi arrives as chewy egg noodles in a creamy coconut-milk sauce with chile, curry and star anise, all topped with an artful tangle of fried noodles. Recommended: Crunchy-tangy green papaya salad; miang kam — toasted coconut, lime and peanuts in lettuce cups with a drizzle-your-own ginger syrup; lively, spicy larb; standout khao soi; and Thai basil vegetables, a garden of bright, tender-crisp veggies. Wimps take note: Heat levels here reach authentic (aka atomic) levels. The house-made Thai iced tea is just the way you want it: delicious, rich and thoroughly caffeinated.
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n o rt h e ast 101 b e st re stau r a n t s [ Mediterranean ]
NAVARRE
10 N.E. 28th Ave. 503-232-3555; navarreportland.blogspot.com $$ With its bare-bones chairs, homemade pies on the counter and Mason-jarred goods everywhere, a beyond-relaxed attitude and spontaneous moments of happy chatter, Navarre feels somewhere between a coffee shop, a French roadhouse and an underground music club. But make no mistake: This is a serious kitchen. Owner/chef John Taboada is obsessed with serving real, affordable food in a social setting. Who else serves hunks of crusty bread with an entire half stick of French butter — clearly at no profit? Taboada just wants us to eat really good butter, and he hopes we’ll take the leftovers home for breakfast.
Zilla Sake House
Screen Door
Recommended: The best option is to go for the kitchen’s modestly priced “We Choose” plan for food or wine. Definitely check out the farm-fresh vegetables. But also dig deep into the inspired, extensive blackboard specials focused on whatever territory Navarre is obsessing about at the moment, perhaps the Loire Valley or Basque country. Homemade pies and Opera Cake are a must. The wine list is full of unusual finds, well-chosen and tenderly priced.
[ Cuban ]
PAMBICHE
2811 N.E. Glisan St. 503-233-0511; pambiche.com $ You can dine at this Cuban place a dozen times and never have the same meal twice, from croquettes, empanadas and fritters to the many sandwiches. Add the entree list and overwhelming selection of wonderful desserts, and it’s an embarrassment of riches. Recommended: Croquetas stuffed with ham or shrimp; pan frito, a Caribbean
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bruschetta of fried bread with salad topping; ensalada de aquacate, a pungent salad of avocado, onion and vinaigrette; ropa vieja, a Creole pot roast; croqueta preparada, a classic Cuban ham, pork and cheese sandwich with croquettes stuffed inside; rabo encendido, spicy oxtails served over rice; simply amazing cakes and pastries; perfect flan; bread pudding with pineapple salsa; a selection of Caribbean and South American beers and an informative list of sherries.
[ Barbecue ]
PODNAH’S PIT
1469 N.E. Prescott St. 503-281-3700; podnahspit.com $ Podnah’s sure don’t look like much, tucked in an Alberta neighborhood strip mall. Then, like with any good ’cue spot, the smell hits you: smoldering wood, slowly sizzling flesh — and you have no doubt why Podnah’s has a cult following. This is pure central Texas style — so, no tangy or sweet sauces, it’s all about the smoke. On weekends, the kitchen rolls out trout ▼ hash and biscuits and gravy with their own following. Recommended: Pulled pork po’ boy (the sweet meat is piquant with a hint of vinegar, more Carolina style than Podnah’s Texas leanings); brisket; salt-and-pepper lamb ribs; pork ribs, dry-rubbed and smoked for more than five hours. The iceberg lettuce wedge salad will help you feel better about that whole Food Pyramid dealy. Microwbrews on tap, though iced tea or a Coke feels just right.
[ Southern ]
SCREEN DOOR
2337 E. Burnside St. 503-542-0880; screendoorrestaurant.com $ Planning an outing to this popular Southern joint presentsVino a few deciParadiso
PHOTOS BY ROSS WILLIAM HAMILTON, MOTOYA NAKAMURA AND TIM LaBARGE
Navarre
101 b e st re stau r a n t s n o rt h e ast sions: Dinner or brunch? Go with a group so you can reserve a table or brave the inevitable wait? Whatever the approach, satisfaction is likely the outcome. Go for brunch and you can feast on impeccable biscuits, snappy vegetable hash and crispy bacon smothered in brown sugar and pecans. Wait until dinner and you’re rewarded with farm-fresh sides (get your fill with the Screen Door Plate: a trio of sides plus a slab of corn bread), goose-egg-sized hush puppies and herby shrimp and grits. Recommended: Pecan-dusted praline bacon; apple coffeecake; fried green tomato BLT spiked with mustardy rémoulade; hush puppies; sides, especially macaroni and cheese; crispy catfish and fresh-sheet specials; bourbon-braised pork shank. Well-crafted regional cocktails such as the Sazerac, hurricane and mint julep conjure vine-covered antebellum verandas, which is especially comforting on cloudy days.
[ Japanese ]
ZILLA SAKE HOUSE
1806 N.E. Alberta St. 503-336-4104; zillasake.com $$ In college, while his peers were downing cheap beer, Blaine Cline received an education in sake. A food-forward friend from Seattle turned him on to the nuanced brew, which he had tasted only piping hot — the customary way to serve low-quality sake. It was a life-changing revelation, and Cline and Allison Lowe are spreading the gospel with Zilla Sake House. This small, moody alcove fosters the communal vibe characteristic of Tokyo sake bars, with the city’s largest sake selection and rotating monthly cocktails. Recommended: Appetizing light fare such as dried squid jerky, gyoza dumplings and mochi ice cream. ✴
[ Spanish ]
TORO BRAVO 120 N.E. Russell St. 503-281-4464; torobravopdx.com $$
The doors open at 5 p.m. and it’s instant prime time. By 5:20 this natty little storefront in the middle of Nowheresville feels like a rock concert: packed and intense, popping with energy and louder than a bullring. At-the-ready servers whirl from tables to counter seats, delivering plate after plate of Toro Bravo’s inspired, pig-happy, Oregon-crop-loving, Spanish-sparked tapas. Recommended: Meat, meat and more meat — from lusty oxtail croquettes to fantastic fresh-smoked coppa steaks to booze-infused “drunken” pork with white beans. Other finds: fried anchovies; salads; seasonal vegetables. Paella is a must. Sip on sangria or sherry — the wine list has some good options, but the number of choices is below-par given the exciting possibilities coming out of Spain these days. PHOTOS BY RANDY L. RASMUSSEN
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Biwa
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southeast
Alberta Street Oyster Bar and Grill
[ Japanese ]
BIWA
215 S.E. Ninth Ave. 503-239-8830; biwarestaurant.com $-$$
Apizza Scholls
Although it lacks the red lantern in front, which in Japan identifies an izakaya, or drinking establishment that serves small dishes, the year-old Biwa is the genuine article: not as elegant as Hiroshi but not your shoji-screen cliché, either. Owner-chef Gabe Rosen is a butcher alum of respected Viande Meats & Sausage, so he has a way with protein, whether it’s the silken beef tartare sprinkled with sesame oil and topped by a quail egg, or super-succulent Korean short ribs. Portions are small and prices moderate, so order an assortment from the four categories: cold plates, hot plates, “basics” and yakimono, or “grilled things.”
Broder
Recommended: Don’t expect sushi, teriyaki or tempura. Think heaping noodle bowls with multiple ingredient add-ons and broth from bonito flakes or kelp; or smoky, earthy kimchi made in-house. Don’t miss kara-age — these nuggets of lacy-crisp fried chicken with hot mustard on the side could make Colonel Sanders contemplate hara-kiri. Impressive sake list; the drink list embraces plum wines and Asian-inflected cocktails like ginseng and ginger with shochu distilled from sweet potatoes. [ Pizza ]
PHOTOS BY RANDY L. RASMUSSEN AND MOTOYA NAKAMURA
APIZZA SCHOLLS
4741 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. 503-233-1286; apizzascholls.com $ An archetypal instance of an obsessive dream becoming a reality, Apizza Scholls specializes in a very specific, very pure style of Italo-American pizza, circa Little Italy, 1905. They hand-make the dough, use the freshest possible ingredients and then apply a precisely attuned baking technique. The finished product is perked up judiciously with intense flavors; the crust is slightly chewy yet yields a satisfying crunch. Unfortunately, a finite number of pizzas are made each day, there’s no takeout and the long waits for tables are infamous.
Recommended: The base of the pies is truly addictive, and the toppings are first rate, too: a slightly pungent tomato sauce, house-made bacon and sausage, a variety of carefully chosen cheeses, fresh herbs. You really can’t go wrong. Cannoli, served with chocolate shavings and crushed pistachios, may be as much a triumph as the pizzas.
Cava
[ Breakfast ]
BRODER
2508 S.E. Clinton St. 503-736-3333 $$ When you devour the prodigious Scandinavian breakfast here, you feel an obligation to do something equally heroic, like play Leif Ericson and go discover a country, or at the least go
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s out h e ast 101 b e st re stau r a n t s whaling. The Swedish Breakfast Bord of salami, smoked trout, grapefruit, granola, yogurt, hard cheese and homemade lingonberry jam offers ample fortification for hearty deeds. Broder’s charming little space is dominated by structures of angled wood resembling antlers of enormous Nordic elk, and the food is utterly different from any wake-up meals around.
[ Northwest ]
CAVA
5339 S.E. Foster Road 503-206-8615; cavapdx.com $ Cava is a magnet drawing you in from the creepy shadows and windy, chainlinked, empty lots of Southeast Foster. Inside you’ll find good cheer and a vibrant atmosphere. Lots of wood, a warm amber light and deep booths with wide tables ensure you’re set for a comfortable experience. The culinary ▲ geography converges on but is not limited to the Mediterranean; and the restaurant prides itself on serious, experimental but basically homey cooking. Recommended: Mussels in cream and pancetta; silky potato soup; Moroccan chicken bathed in onions, on a bed of couscous and perked up with an authentically peppery harissa; a good rendition of cassoulet, almost enough to serve two. The juicy burger is right up there with the best. Lots of European wines priced in the $20 range and pub beers like Old Speckled Hen and Wisconsin favorite Old Style. 4 8 ultimate NORTHWEST SEPT/OCT 08
PHOTO BY DANA ROMANOFF
Recommended: Aebleskivers, miniature pancakes topped with luscious lemon curd or lingonberry jam; platters of delicate salted fish; baked eggs on top of hearty hash; Swedish meatballs in sherry cream. Finish with a slice of the splendid cherry spice cake. If you don’t have to be on hyper-alert for the afternoon, try one of Broder’s aquavits — strong distilled liquors flavored with caraway seed, coriander or anise and served chilled.
Castagna
[ Northwest ]
[ Italian ]
CAFE CASTAGNA
CASTAGNA
1758 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. 503-231-9959; castagnarestaurant.com $$ For years, food lovers have poured into this noisy but understated cove for that rare trinity of superb service, unwaveringly good cooking and creative cocktails. The seasonal menu roams from Emilia-Romagna to Provence to Morocco, yielding wide ribbons of pasta curled around braised beef, mushrooms and sheep’s milk cheese; frisée salad topped by outrageously good duck cracklings; and a lemon-herb stew of shrimp and chickpeas. While the bulk of the menu changes frequently, Cafe Castagna keeps a fixed short list of favorites such as the tangy butterlettuce salad, a faultless burger with wispy fries, thin-crust pizza and golden arancini oozing fontina cheese. Recommended: Any salad (butter lettuce, Caesar, frisée, arugula, etc.); insanely good roast chicken with fresh sides; arancini (fried risotto balls); homemade pork sausages; seasonal pastas; lamb-almond meatballs; the burger with fries.
1752 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. 503-231-7373; castagnarestaurant.com $$-$$$ Castagna is beloved by devoted patrons who, for years now, have recognized it as one of the city’s most outstanding restaurants. The Shaker minimalism provides the perfect ambience to focus on the superb cuisine — or your partner. The cooking is intelligent and innovative while avoiding the chic of the moment, and longtime sous-chef Elias Cairo has taken over the reins from Kevin Gibson without missing a beat. The quiet sophistication, pitch-perfect dishes blending French, Italian and Northwest lineages, and the lovely wine list all make for a great evening out. Recommended: Agnolotti enhanced by truffles and chives; sautéed sablefish in coriander, wine and butter sauce with celery-root purée; lamb chops with tiny balls of ground lamb and “purgatorio” beans; mussels treated in Norman fashion with cider and crème fraãche; zuppa di pesce crammed with crustaceans and fish. Don’t miss the signature side dish — a lacy mountain of crisp shoestring potatoes. For dessert, orange-blossom-honey semifreddo, enhanced with orange caramel sauce and pistachios. Beautifully chosen and highly reasonable international wine list.
[ American ]
THE COUNTRY CAT
7937 S.E. Stark St. 503-408-1414; thecountrycat.net $$ What sets Adam Sappington’s kitchen apart is its bull’s-eye execution of regional American comfort foods — some classic, some rendered creatively. The fall-off-the-bone molasses and hickory-smoked duck legs are definitely not native Oregonian, but it is a superb, hearty entree, with an orange-blossom honey glaze that yields a deeply caramelized result. Cast-iron fried chicken, served with a biscuit and greens, invites a Southern icon across state lines to distinct benefit. Sappington’s most endearing endeavor arrives on Sunday evenings, when children under 10 eat free.
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL LLOYD, FREDRICK D. JOE AND STEPHANIE YAO
Recommended: Focus on the entrees: smoked duck legs; fried chicken; Cattail Creek lamb. The “whole hog” plate, with rolled belly, brined chop and smoked shoulder, is a great way to pig out. The buttermilk-bathed, thin-cut onion rings, served in an enormous golden pile, are mandatory. Bar dwellers (and diners) can choose from 15 varieties of bourbon, perfect to open the palate.
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[ Italian ]
GARDEN STATE
Southeast 13th Avenue and Lexington Street 503-705-5273 $ On a dirt lot at a Sellwood corner, Kevin Sandri serves “Italian street food from the Willamette Valley” (as his sign declares). SouthernItalian-meets-East-Coast staples like sausage with peppers, chicken diavolo and chickpea sandwiches are resurrected into tastier seasonal versions here. Although it
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Recommended: Meatball sandwich; arancini with mozzarella and seasonal vegetables; panelle (chickpea fritters); sausage and peppers; chickpea sandwich with radish slaw and lemon aioli; grilled chicken sandwich with goat cheese, preserved lemon and arugula; salad with farm greens, onion and fennel.
[ Italian ]
GENOA
2832 S.E. Belmont St. 503-238-1464; genoarestaurant.com $$$$ For 35 years, Genoa has been producing high-level, seven-course meals in a low-profile location. While the restaurant’s kitchen has kept up with the changing culinary times in lurches, its position now, with Jeff Sprague recently confirmed as executive chef, is both strong and reflective of modern times. Aside from the pasta, the menu is less explicitly Italian and more reflective of Sprague’s interest in French cuisine and contemporary regional preparations. So the fish course might mean roasted sablefish with apple and ginger, the main course roasted squab breast with foie gras. Sprague also can flex impressive Italian chops, with porchetta in a bacon broth or a light, singing version of vitello tonnato. Recommended: You can order a fixed-price four-course, seven-course or grand tasting menu from a list that changes almost entirely every couple of weeks or so. Persistent 50 ultimate NORTHWEST SEPT/OCT 08
[ Eclectic ]
LE PIGEON
738 E. Burnside St. 503-546-8796, lepigeon.com $$
The narrow space typifies how Portland’s independent restaurant culture aspires to be fun but deep. Here, on a gritty but gentrifying stretch of Burnside, retro-grandma plates live alongside high-ranking wineglasses, and customers sit elbow-to-elbow at communal tables listening to rock music and digging into some of Portland’s best, if not most outrageous, food. Gabriel Rucker’s whimsical, I-dare-you-to-order-this Frenchinspired cooking is deployed with taste-bud-pushing extremes. Come in an adventurous mood, for this is original, complexly flavored, inspired food you won’t find elsewhere — from foie gras tartlettes drizzled with pinecone syrup to the Church of Satan chocolate cake. Recommended: Menu changes frequently, but look for the signature beef cheek Bourguignon, inspirations with pigeon and outrageous desserts, including profiteroles with foie gras ice cream. Salads, such as lamb belly with percorino or fried duck neck with lentils and over-easy egg, can be exceptional. Don’t overlook one of the city’s best wine lists, focused on France and full of insightful finds. highlights include the pasta course and the desserts’ historic fascination with meringue. The wine cellar is now bolstered by a shrewdly selected six-glass wine package to go with each menu.
Recommended: Oven-roasted vegetable plates; salad with Rogue River blue cheese. For pizza: amatriciana (diced pancetta, onion and pecorino cheese) or fennel sausage and roasted onion. Add Calabrian chiles to any pie for serious heat. Long, var▼ ied list of pizza-friendly red wines.
[ Pizza ]
KEN’S ARTISAN PIZZA
304 S.E. 28th Ave. 503-517-9951; kensartisan.com/pizza.html $-$$ For local pizza enthusiasts, the only question is whether this is Portland’s best pie or merely in the top three. Arrival means a few steps up a narrow ramp that deadends in front of the massive wood-fired oven. Co-owner Ken Forkish is a baker, so his pies begin with an artisan-style dough that hints at sweetness. Each thincrust foundation receives a light smear of piquant sauce and top-shelf mozzarella, with modest quantities of toppings added to all but the basic margherita. The tight 40-seat dining room (be prepared to wait) is framed by tall, light-loving windows that are opened to welcome cooling summer breezes.
[ Mediterranean ]
LAURO KITCHEN
3377 S.E. Division St. 503-239-7000; laurokitchen.com $$ It’s amazing to think that Lauro is a mere 5 years old, so widespread has been its eastside dining influence and example in the Portland restaurant boom. Recently the eclectic menu has subtly transformed to accommodate more influences from the Arab side of the Mediterranean as well as Portugal, familial homeland of chef/owner David Machado. Greek, French, Spanish and Italian dishes are still present, as is a solid cheeseburger with fries.
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Vino Paradiso
PHOTO BY RANDY L. RASMUSSEN
references his New Jersey birthplace, “Garden State” also speaks to Oregon and Sandri’s stance as a devout apostle of eating sustainably. The menu board lists ingredients sourced from nearby farms such as Sauvie Island Organics, along with beef from Stayton’s Highland Oak Farm. Local, organic Eye-talian food? Now that’s amore.
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The view of Whale Cove, from the balcony of a three-bedroom suite at the Whale Cove Inn, is incentive to start driving to Depoe Bay immediately.
Aofwave luxury
At the Whale Cove Inn, high on a cliďŹ&#x20AC;, special touches include ďŹ replaces, hot tubs, granite counters and an expansive view B Y J E F F K U E C H L E | P HO T O S B Y F R E DR IC K D. J O E
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he impact of the waves on the rocky ramparts guarding the mouth of the hidden cove can be felt in the very foundations of the quiet inn perched high above. Inside the tapering headland, the waters of Whale Cove are calm — a perfect sanctuary near Depoe Bay. A new luxury boutique hotel, the Whale Cove Inn, is connecting lucky guests to the sea, the sky and the sounds of surf and seabirds in this gorgeous spot 2½ hours from Portland. Like the cove below, the inn is a mesmerizing refuge of beauty and quiet. Bold design choices create an atmosphere of tranquil sophistication in the eight guest suites of this cliff-top retreat: sea-green carpeting, sculpted in a wave pattern, matching walls and draperies; high-tech gas fireplaces; slab granite counters; graceful oval coffee tables; flat-screen TVs. There’s a kingsize memory foam bed, warmed by a white goose-down comforter and bodycaressing cotton linens. As you would expect from Carl and Vicki Finseth, owners of the Whale Cove Inn and proprietors of the renowned Channel House Inn in Depoe Bay, thoughtful touches abound: Each room has binoculars to observe passing whales and ships, and beautiful windows framing a front-row view of the storm-tortured rocks sheltering the
bay. The elegantly tiled deck supports a sculpted hot tub just right for two. At night, with candles burning at either end, it provides the most romantic of vantages to observe the constellations blazing in a cobalt-blue sky. In the enormous bath, an artisantiled, glass-walled shower features European jets that surprise the user from multiple angles. Elegant lighting sets a mood of tranquil romance; like the other design choices here, it’s evocative of decades of innkeeping experience and passion. The inn’s generously sized public spaces are equally refined: A standalone gas fireplace separates the lobby from the breakfast room, while a ceiling-high water feature, tiled in Italian glass, contributes a quiet, musical rill.
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WHA L E COV E INN 2345 S. Highway 101 • Depoe Bay • 800.628.3409; 541-765-4300 • whalecoveinn.net
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Siletz Bay
“ Everybody wants a view, everybody wants a fireplace, women love big showers and everybody loves the outdoor tubs.” Carl Finseth
Hig hwa y 10 1
Inn
Boiler Bay
Depoe Bay
Whale Cove Inn 10 miles south of Lincoln City
Otter Rock
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Beyond the huge cherry-trimmed windows is The View: the expanse of the bay, with spray from the restless Pacific waves curling over the rocky headland. “I’ve had the vision for this place in my head for a long time,” Carl Finseth said. “Everything we learned about design at the Channel House, we incorporated here. Everybody wants a view, everybody wants a fireplace, women love big showers and everybody loves the outdoor tubs.” The Finseths fell in love with this setting years ago, when a restaurant and guest house occupied the spot, and Carl Finseth used to sit in the restaurant admiring the view. “The view says it all, really,” Finseth said. “It’s captivating.” So enamored were they, in fact, that they incorporated an owner’s suite into the floor plan. “We also have homes in Tualatin and Depoe Bay, but I think we’ll be spending a fair amount of time here as well,” Finseth said. The property was designed by Portland architect Jack Lyon, formerly with Waterleaf Architecture.
“Carl and Vicki showed me some magazine clippings to give me a sense of their vision for the interior design — very contemporary, very sophisticated,” Lyon said. “I told them, ‘Why don’t we make the exterior of the building reflect your ideas for the interior?’ Basically, we took their vision of a serene retreat and tried to create an environment you never want to leave. We wanted something unique. I don’t know of any other hotel this modern on the Oregon coast.” Adding to the overall tranquillity of the lodging experience is the protected status of Whale Cove itself. “Bald eagles nest here, and it’s not uncommon for pods of orca whales to come right into the bay,” Finseth said. “It’s a very beautiful place.” (So seriously do the residents around the rim of the cove take the designation that one unsuspecting fisherman, unaware of its status as Oregon’s only officially designated marine refuge, recently found himself surrounded by a SWAT-like phalanx of local police almost before his line was wet.)
The inn’s restaurant, 44 Degrees — a reference to Whale Cove’s approximate north latitude — features Northwest cuisine in an intimate atmosphere. // The Whale Cove Inn’s public spaces are beautifully appointed.
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The rates at the Whale Cove Inn are commensurate with its status as a luxury boutique inn but include a gourmet breakfast. The inn also will offer weddings and, eventually, inhouse spa facilities. Recent archaeological evidence — the remnants of an ancient timber stockade, an English shilling dated 1564, the corroded remnants of a 16th-century cutlass — suggests that, in 1586, Sir Francis Drake took refuge at Whale Cove to reprovision and refit his ship, the Golden Hind, before setting off across the Pacific on his circumnavigation of the globe. Had the Whale Cove Inn been here when he arrived, he might never have sailed off into history. ✴
Our passion is
FABR IC!
From Fashion to Decorating – You’ll find it here! Woolens, silks, microfiber, tencel, velvet, satins, brocades, faux furs & the hot new sustainable natural fabrics: hemp, bamboo & soft luxurious organic cotton knits.
Family Owned Since 1918
No bigger display of fabrics in America
OPEN DAILY 9701 SE McLoughlin Blvd. Milwaukie 503-786-1234 5th & Western, Beaverton 503-646-3000
www.millendstore.com
Congratulations, Ron Kuiper of Vancouver, Wash., the winner of Ultimate Northwest’s Readers’ Survey Giveaway. Ron and a guest will enjoy a three-day getaway to Sisters Country.
503-624-1368 • Toll Free: 800-401-1309 www.leeeastman.com LOWY Sectional Available in a variety of Colors and Ultrasuedes
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The relaxing suites feature memory foam beds and goose-down comforters.
18035 SW Lower Boones Ferry Road • Tigard Off I-5 at Exit 290 just South of Bridgeport Village behind REI ultimate NORTHWEST 8 1 SEPT/OCT 08
RUNWAY REALWAY fa ll fas h i o n
There was a time when designers said, “Miniskirts!” and customers asked, “How high?” Today, designers shout to be heard above the fashion din — and customers re-interpret these costume-y looks for their own closets. Are dresses short or long? Heels high or flat? Skirts pencil-thin or full and floaty? Fall fashion is a multiple-choice test. And the only right answer: All of the above.
B Y VI VI A N M cI NERNY |
KNITS When the days grow crisp, knits are it — and sweaters are just the start. Kneelength, fine-gauge knit dresses look professional and pulled together for the office but not as stuffy as a suit. Solid knit tunics over wide, menswear-style trousers of the same color prove comfort clothes can also be elegant. Wrap sweater coats and knit caps recall the pre-disco ’70s when Ali McGraw starred in “Love Story” and supermodel Twiggy was beginning to branch out.
Missoni dress, $725; Prada booty, $695; earrings, $295, and silver bracelet by John Hardy, $1,495; Botkier bag, $375, all at Saks Fifth Avenue. // STUDIO PHOTOS BY MOTOYA NAKAMURA
« GIVENCHY // AP PHOTO/JACQUES BRINON
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GATTINONI
MIXED TEXTURES When done to extreme, a combination of textures, fabrics and patterns looks chaotic. It’s best mixed with a gentle hand. Think herringbone jackets with cashmere trim; subtly striped skirts with ruching; quilted metallic bags; a plaid vest over a striped shirt in the same tones; or stamped leather boots with studs and buckles. Done right, this looks as rich and classic as an equestrian tweed jacket with suede patches, velvet collar and leather trim.
Jacket, $149, and tie, $24, by BellaSisters; skirt by XCVI, $98, at Dazzle. Bracelets, $9-$10, at Target. Ports 1961 bag, $1,200 (Souchi and Nordstrom carry select Ports 1961). Stuart Weitzman boots, $580 (Nordstrom carries Stuart Weitzman). 88 ultimate NORTHWEST SEPT/OCT 08
ELIE SAAB
JOSEP FONT
RUFFLES
Ruffles come and ruffles go. Usually, the feminine flounce is focused on a specific area — a ruffle on a sleeve, for example — but this season, ruffles trim everything from dress hems to coat collars to shirt fronts to fancy party shoes. (Please, not all at once, unless you want to look like a walking wedding cake.)
Dress by Carol Peretz, $1,865, coat by Redux, $1,825, at Jeri Rice. Maddalena peep-toe pump by Hollywould, $450, at select Nordstrom stores. Necklace, $58, at White House/Black Market. Chain flap clutch, $15, at Target.
PHOTOS BY MOTOYA NAKAMURA
AND PROVIDED BY RETAILERS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHRISTIAN LACROIX
JEANPAUL GAULTIER
GIVENCHY
BRIGHT COLORS
Consider it a blacklash. After years of black-onblack collections, designers embrace Sundaycomics color: saturated purples, berry reds, greens, blues and fuchsias. Worn head-to-toe, they look a bit garish; paired with a neutral such as gray, black, camel or brown, brights are quite sophisticated.
Blue coat by Piazza Sempione, $2,795, green cashmere sweater by Loro Piana, $735, black gloves by Max Mara, $150, at Jeri Rice. Hot pink tote, $75, at Guess. Earrings by Kendra Scott, $108, at Nordstrom. Green Moccasins, $24, at Target.
JOSEP FONT
CHRISTIAN LACROIX
FLORALS Like fruit trees, fashion typically flowers in the spring — but any gardener worth her green thumb knows autumn can be blooming glorious. Some of the most elaborate runway creations looked like Rose Festival floats parading past. The 3-D florals won’t be nearly as popular as large, floral print fabrics for dresses, tops and coats. In dark, murky colors, they look mysterious and grown-up.
Dark floral dress by Nanette Lepore, $335, coat by Elle Tahari, $648, at Saks. Black flower pin, $10, at Target. Floral shoes by Linea Paolo $100, exclusively at Nordstrom. Pompon bracelet bag by Hollywould, $295, at select Nordstrom stores. ultimate NORTHWEST 8 9 SEPT/OCT 08