Note: This is one of the very earliest reviews. The style and content has changed quite a bit since then, but the basic review still stands. I will revisit clarklewis in early 2006 and completely re-write this review at that time.
I went to Clarklewis (aka ‘Dark Lewis’) tonight with a few friends. The previous times I have been there the restaurant had just opened. Those meals failed to impress me. Lately Clarklewis and Chef Morgan Brownlow have been getting so much publicity, I decided it was time to see if my first meals were just an unfortunate fluke. I’ll try to make this short and sweet.
1. Still too damn dark. They give you a flashlight when you sit down so you can read the menu. That’s not cute, just stupid. Sound insulation has been added and helps somewhat, but the noise level is still high. The chairs are still uncomfortable by the end of a long meal.
2. You can order small, medium, and family sizes of each item. Small portions are a few bites. Even with medium, you are going to need to order at least four items. The entrees are nicely sized.
3. Service was very spotty; it took over 20 minutes to get cocktails from when we ordered them — and then they took our food and wine order. Other times it was very attentive. This was rather late on a slow night.
4. The wine list is excellent and well-priced, a huge improvement over their opening months. We had no trouble finding several good choices.
5. Everyone decided on the ‘Chefs Choice’ meal, which means they pick out what they feel is the best food that evening and send it out. With three persons in our party, that meant a fair amount of food: three antipasti, three salads, three pastas, and three entrees. Except for the entrees, the dishes were a few leaves each, so we did not leave feeling bloated.
6. The antipasti and salads were all very good. I’d even go as far as to say fantastic. The salads were small but adequate within the overall scope of the meal. All three of them were about subtlety. One has to stop and pay attention to what they are eating to appreciate the various flavor shadows truly. They required concentration throughout every dish
7. Three pastas came next. The first, pasta with black truffles was perfectly cooked, and the flavors were balanced. A second pasta with wild boar was well composed with plenty of meat without being too gamey. Finally, excellent gnocchi was also served in a very light sauce. All of these dishes were excellent.
8. The final course was Halibut, Lamb, and Beef (to split three entree-size dishes among the three of us). The Halibut was excellent; buttery and perfectly cooked/seasoned with a hint of lemon, simply done. The other two were god-awful: Over-cured, over-cooked, dried-out, and over-salted. We played a game closing our eyes and trying to tell the difference between the lamb and beef by taste. None of us could do it. This was a lead balloon to an excellent meal to that point.
9. Desserts: Hmmm… Just say no. Not even worth commenting on.
In conclusion: If we had stopped before the meat course we would have been blown away by this meal. Everything prior to that was really excellent. If I were to go back, I would stick to antipasti, salads, and pasta. I wonder if the critics that eat there have ever gotten to the meat course.
Because of the weakness in service, noise level, ambience, and the meat courses I’d give the overall experience 2 stars; so much potential gone unrealized.
1001 SE Water ave, Portland, OR. Google Map (503) 235-2294 Ripe/Clarklewis/Gotham Website
Comments
32 responses about Clarklewis – 4.2.05
Apr 19, 05 | 9:55 Hi, saw your post on Chowhound and thought I’d check out your site. While some of the info on Vigne is correct, I’m wondering where you came up with the comments like “some are over their prime” and “the flights are often educational though frequently contain some lesser wines.” I’ve been to Vigne numerous times and their flights are always top-notch and don’t feature many of the low-buck filler wines that some stores insert into their Friday night tastings. And I’ve had many wines and bottles there and only had one disappointing bottle (a ‘64 Barolo that had been heat-damaged before they received it). Have you had any wines there that have been over the hill? PS – Enjoy Vigne while you can…the current owners may not be there very long.Marshall
Jun 10, 05 | 1:01 pmI agree with your review wholeheartedly. Over-rated by my chef mentor and over-priced for the “foodie” experience due to the inconsistency and “see and be seen” experience because I couldn’t figure out the who or where of the host, the bartender(s)/server(s) and restroom (for which, I asked a tenant of the building). I didn’t know we were at ClarkLewis until my adventures to the lou, had me looking everywhere for signage. Noble Rot is by far the better experience for food quality and consistency, atmosphere, and service.
Aug 20, 05 | 10:53 amVery average. Not sure why this place received any awards. Especially compared to Giorgio’s and The Carlyle.
Nov 3, 05 | 11:50 pmI have finally reviewed clarklewis myself. Of course I only went once on a pretty summer day, but look for it November 4.I linked this review to it so people could get more than my view!xo
Nov 6, 05 | 12:16 am Thanks Shuna:)
Dec 14, 05 | 11:24 ami always feel like the three monkeys when i go to clark lewis and sometimes gotham for that matter – no see, no hear, no speak. thats what it comes down to which always leaves me grumpy. when i’m out with friends who i enjoy and am interested in i’d like to be able to not only see what i am eating but be able to carry a conversation with relative ease.not to mention the portions and the service (hello… hostess!!!!) and the chairs. yikes.i wish they would put an entrance at the bar side too. that would make me really happy. or if you could just enter there instead of having to parade thru a whole dining room full of people trying to enjoy their meal. its like the I5 is going straight thru.
Dec 14, 05 | 1:02 pm Again, I feel obliged to chime in. And, again, full disclosure: In addition to being one of Salty Jim Dixon’s kids, I used to work for the Hebb/Pomeroy empire, and a brother of mine still does. With that out of the way, I’ve gotta say: I don’t think that clarklewis, Gotham, or family supper are trying to emulate Giorgio’s or the Carlyle. clarklewis, especially, is Michael’s (perhaps misguided) attempt at something, for lack of a better term, “non-Portlandy”. Yeah, it’s a little dim, a little loud, perhaps a bit uncomfortable (although this has never been my expereince- must be those 24-year-old ass muscles I’ve got). But, really, so what? If it’s that excruciating, don’t go. If the food underwhelms you, don’t go. It seems a lot of folks are nit-picking what would be in NY or SF non-issues (I mean, at least you get those flashlights, right? And it’s not like the place is built around the gimmick of being too dark… it just is, and that was a solution, not a pre-meditated bell or whistle). Portland can be so provincial that way, can’t it? I think the truley bizzarre thing is watching a town full of foodies smack-talking a couple of genuinely challenging, innovative people. Yeah, they can be a little pretentious, but, honestly, this town needs it. I mean, do we really want to take a 10-year step backwards?And, yes, I’ve eaten my way through a few missteps at the ripe establishments, but I can’t think of a place in town where that hasn’t occasionally been the case.
Dec 14, 05 | 2:13 pmA LITTLE pretentious?
Dec 17, 05 | 9:28 pmLOLif it were sf or nyc it would quite possibly be closed by now — or — god forbid!!! problems fixed.see… in sf and nyc they hire ‘professional’ restaurant designers (as well as consultants) like Adam Tahani and even then there is a margin of error.don’t get me wrong – I love the concept, love the chefs. Can do without the execution. they need to get it together!!! I don’t care how pretentious or down to earth they are. I just want a good restaurant to go to. In Sf and Nyc you can step out your door and go anywhere and have a great time – here, you have to “think” about what you are willing to put up with or do without everytime you want to go out for a meal. I don’t know about you but one of the reasons I go out is b/c I don’t want to think.
Jan 9, 06 | 11:27 pm[…] This restaurant is right across the bridge from downtown (you could walk across the Hawthorne – honest) and apparently is very poorly lit. See https://portlandfoodanddrink.com/?p=44. It makes everybody’s list of best Portland restaurants. […]
Feb 28, 06 | 2:15 pmI ate lunch there today and I was so dissapointed that I felt like adding to the commentary. I felt that the food was ok – I liked the fresh and local fare – however the portions were so small that I cringed at the bill. 20 bucks for a salad, 5 raviolis, and a coke! At that rate it’s a total rip off. I guess I’m just not hip enough to appreciate this place.
May 26, 06 | 12:05 pmWe ate at this restaurant and while the location and quality was fine, the quantity was terrible. A large order of Ravioli ($16) consisted of *5* pieces! Ridiculous. We won’t be back and neither will our friends.
May 26, 06 | 1:26 pmNow there’s something I’ve always wondered about: Why is it that when you order ravioli in a restaurant, you get so much less than if you order any other pasta dish? Happens everywhere. I’ve gotten to the point where I only order ravioli if I’m not really hungry. Can any restaurant pros answer that question for me?
May 26, 06 | 1:29 pmtry caffe allora – nw 9th between glisan and hoyti crave the ravioli there – they do a mixed ravioli or you can order one styleits in a simple brown butter sage sauce —– yum. and its only like 9 bucks or something.great wine, good company, good ravioli… what more could you ask for.
May 26, 06 | 1:31 pmps.they should call the portion options at clark lewissmallest smaller small
May 26, 06 | 2:07 pmThose little pockets of love require a lot of labor to produce. Lots of labor = more costs = smaller portions on a plate. That’s my guess anyway.
May 26, 06 | 2:51 pmStop being so cheap. If you refuse to go to a restaurant because the portions are small, you might be better off at Cheesecake Factory or another chain restaurant. Chain restaurants have huge portions. Got to love America. That’s why we are such an overweight country…
May 26, 06 | 2:55 pmQ:”great wine, good company, good ravioli… what more could you ask for.”A: An owner that didn’t use “being Italian” as an excuse for staring at every woman’s chest.
May 26, 06 | 2:55 pmI’m not a chef, but I have made homemade ravioli, and they are one big A-1 pain; between making the dough; getting it the right consistency (too dry, it falls apart and will not seal; too wet and your pasta-rolling machine seizes); making the ravioli and sealing them; chilling them (so they don’t, you know, explode when you cook them) has a time ratio of about 300:1, compared to tossing some spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water.
May 26, 06 | 8:47 pmJusta Pasta on 19th and NW Pettygrove also has a nice sized portion of ravioli.Mostly running, What????????
May 28, 06 | 12:36 amThe portions of everything I’ve had at Ernesto’s are way over into generous, and that includes the ravioli. One can safely order the “lighter side” version and be decently fed.(The restaurant is on the west side of town in Raleigh Hills, and its ownership is related to that of the once-famed Monte Carlo on the inner east side. It’s been around for quite a few years; they moved some time back from the basement of the nearby Fred Meyer into a newer and larger space down the street near Zupan’s. There’s also a satellite Ernesto’s in Bend these days.)
May 28, 06 | 1:59 pmDjonn–as a denizen of Raleigh Hills (and frequent diner at Ernesto’s) I will agree with you about the portion sizes at Ernesto’s. however, I think it should be said that this is 1950’s style Italian food, not the same style as Clarklewis, Fratelli, Cafe Allora, etc.
May 28, 06 | 3:36 pmYeah, Ernestos is pretty bad…
May 28, 06 | 3:39 pmI’d prefer an appreciative Italian to an objectifying American any day.Heck, I’d have them whip up a little carbonara on my chest if they would.
May 28, 06 | 3:40 pmThat’s a point well taken; Ernesto’s is definitely old-school as opposed to “gourmet” Italian fare (for that, the Raleigh Hills solution being La Prima Trattoria up the street and around the corner).OTOH, which league should we put Justa Pasta in, from singingpig’s post? That’s not one I’ve visited, but based on the grapevine I’d have pigeonholed it as a close cousin of, say, Pastini Pastaria (I’ve visited the Pastinis at 23rd & Raleigh and at Bridgeport Village).
May 28, 06 | 4:44 pmJusta Pasta leans towards more traditional Italian, especially with their specials. They update the menu daily on their website here. One of my favorite places to go for a simple dinner. I think it is MUCH better than Pastini.
May 28, 06 | 11:09 pmI can’t speak to Pastini as I have never been there.Justa Pasta makes all of their own pastas from ravioli to bucatini to the lasagna noodles. They started as a wholesale business making pastas for fine dining restaurants. As they have grown their own restaurant business from lunch only to lunch and dinner, they have backed away from wholesale. You can buy their housemade fresh pasta by the pound at the counter. They buy as much local food as possible.They have maybe 4-5 wines by the glass. I had a nice chianti and a barbera the other night.The dining area is split into 2 areas. One side is for all ages and the other side is over 21 only and is a little more romantic.
It isn’t the best Italian in town, but it is consistent, reliable and very resonably priced especially for all housemade fresh pasta.
May 29, 06 | 10:02 amThanks for the enlightening descriptions (and the menu link); looks like Justa Pasta definitely goes on the must-try list for the next time we wander through Northwest — which isn’t really often enough.[Second try at posting this; the comment engine didn’t like my math the first time. FWIW, it’s the first time I’ve had it throw a two-digit number at me — “add 2 and 10″, I think it was. Might double-check to see that it isn’t getting confused on the higher numbers….]
May 29, 06 | 12:08 pmI would have to give Pastarini on 23rd a slight edge over Justa Pasta on ambiance alone. Also an excellint tuna and white bean salad. Both are good spots consistently and very affordable
May 30, 06 | 12:29 amI would hate to give Roland a bad name by posting something positive about him, but Justa Pasta has the best pasta in town besides those who are truly rolling it out by hand. To compare Justa to Pastini is inapt. Their dishes don’t always sing, but they are truly crafted from the ground up to please. Before they scaled back their wholesale accounts many restaurants took credit for incredible pasta that was brought in on a Justa Pasta account.
May 30, 06 | 10:14 pmMR, please don’t give Roland a bad name. He buys a lot of product from me.You bring up a good point–the pasta is made by machine. Roland brought over some beautiful pasta and ravioli machines from Italy. There is also the way cool pasta cooker thingy he brought in from Italy.
Mar 11, 07 | 4:48 pm15 years in the food/hospitality industry as a chef in SF and Washington DC is where I’m coming from.Four of us went to CL on Saturday and were impressed and baffled immediately. I had no clue what to expect as I haven’t read a single thing about the place beforehand. It was very dark, but only a problem while reading the menu. Otherwise, the candle lighting was ok by me. I LOVED the open kitchen and watching the chef’s doing their thing. Pretty cool to see things being made fresh.To keep this short, summary of my observations:- Menu probably too confusing for most people (complex ingredient list coupled with tiny, small, family sizing)
– Service was better than most places in Portland, but not an A grade (waiter wanted to bring my beverage out while the women were still pondering wine choices – be a gentleman huh?)
– Salads were EXCELLENT. Seared scallops were best I’ve had, a true crust made the difference.
– Pasta dishes were also good, but do you have to grate the same cheese on EVERYTHING?
– Entrees were the weak link. Grilled pork was way too salty and the beans it sat on were bland at best. I will say that my wife’s seared tuna was excellent.
$180 for four of us (3 glasses of wine and two beers). Reasonable enough for a great meal and experience. I’m sorry, but this will have to be a mixed review. I’d love to love this place, but need a better experience next time.
El Scott