|
Dining in Portland
On warm days, street-side
cafes downtown are a popular dining choice.
To accompany all that good beer, Portland
has some excellent restaurants to further satisfy one's taste sensations.
Up until last year, Oregon had a law requiring bars to serve a certain
percentage of food in order to stay open. As a result, some of the best
food is found in the pubs. In fact, it's tough to go wrong with just
about restaurant choice in this city.
The West Bank Saloon (at the Morrison Bridge across from
City Center), for example, serves a full menu from breakfast through
dinner and it's all good. Two blocks away is Caswell, which dishes
out what may be Portland's finest pasta at a third the price of more
elegant restaurants. Caswell is Portland-cool, a place that at first
glance appears to be a classy boutique restaurant but is actually as
casual as a pub. The Brazilian seafood plate is outstanding – and
it's only $14. The pizza is also among the best in Portland.
Yet no place in the city defines Portland dining like Jake's Famous
Crawfish (401 SW 12th Ave., 226-1419). The place is so popular that
before coming to town, one had better make reservations before making
them with the airline. Seafood is Jake's specialty; when it began serving
crawfish in the 1920s it earned a national reputation for excellence.
Waiters in white coats bring the food to patrons in oak booths surrounded
by turn-of-the-century paintings. Your best bet for getting in is on
a Tuesday.
If Jake's is full, its sister McCormick & Schmidt's (235
SW First Ave., 224-7522) is almost as good. Again, the seafood is the
star, served here with imagination. Jake's also operates Jake's Grill
(10th and Alder), a "classic American grill" specializing
in steaks.
For modern elegance, Huber's (3rd and Stark, 228-5686) is the
place. All the waiters wear tuxedos and diners sit under an arched,
stained skylight. It's recognized locally for its roast turkey as well
as its signature flaming Spanish coffee.
For family tradition, and not to mention oysters, Dan & Louis's
Oyster Bar (2nd and Ankeny) serves oysters on the half shell, fried
or stewed. It's a small, intimate, family-owned establishment that has
been around since 1907. Ssteins, plates and marine arts fill every corner
of the restaurant. No beer or wine license, though, so so much for "oysters
and beer, every day of the year" here, unfortunately. It's across
the alley from Berbati's, another good dining choice that's also
a good place to hang around for after-dinner drinks at the bar.
Post-pubbing dining in Portland is not confined to fast-food joints.
Here, one can eat well as late as 4 a.m. Montage (3rd and Morrison)
has linen picnic tables and gets packed after the bars close. It's a
late-night party and by the time you leave, you will know everyone in
the place.
One of Portland's unique dining experiences is Marrakesh (1201
NW 21st Street). It's an authentic Moroccan restaurant where you sit
on the floor and eat with your hands. It's a great choice for dates
or groups.
Marrakesh is located in the NW 23rd Street area, which is lined
with several upper-middle end restaurants separated by funky shops and
high-price boutiques. This is where the girls on "Friends"
would hang out if they lived in Portland. This area – conveniently
serviced by bus from downtown (but only until midnight!) – is pretty
much defined by its bookend restaurants, Sammy's near Burnside
and Santa Fe at the far end. The bread at Sammy's is so good
it will make you forget about any diet you may have planned and Santa
Fe is about the only true restaurant/bar in the area. On warm nights,
pitchers of beer flow very freely at Santa Fe's outdoor picnic tables.
The Iron Horse (6034 SE Milwaukie) is a city landmark Mexican
restaurant located in a large white building in an otherwise obscure
part of town. Be sure and have a margarita with the meal.
Cafe Lena at 2239 SW Hawthorne is about as low-keyed a dining
establishment as one can find in America. It's known citywide for its
great breakfasts and along with the food it features poetry readings.
Be patient here – it's definitely not fast food.
On the casual side, the Blind Onion is a pizza pub with a pair
of locations in town (3345 NE Broadway and 415 SW Montgomery). Be sure
and tell them your name is Fred. Don't ask; just do it.
 Continue
on the Party Bus to Seattle
|