As the Pythons used to say, “…and now for something completely different.” There is traditional American cuisine – featuring the usual roll call of comfort food classics – and Modern American, blending hyperlocal and global ingredients with whiz-bang tricks from the 21st century world of food science and technology. The American Local has a foot – Read more…
Restaurant Reviews for the Portland Metro Area
These are in-depth restaurant reviews for the Portland area which we have written over the years. You'll find every restaurant we have covered in this archive. You'll find them in alphabetical order. As restaurants close, we do our best to keep the list current.
Review: Blue Star Donuts
When I was in college, I had a passion for bear claws. Working nights, I had an hour to kill before my next job, which happened to take me past Venice Beach and its line of donut shops. Over the course of a year, I tried every bear claw in the area, and got to – Read more…
Review: Hot Pot City
[Updated 10/10/09 – Hot Pot City continues to give the same level of quality and service as we discussed in the original review we did here in 2007. However, the restaurant seems to have been “discovered”. There are often long waits, especially for counter seating and during prime lunch hours (12-1:30pm). Weekends often fare a bit better. Service can be brisk or completely overwhelmed.]
Review: Little Bird Bistro
Little Bird – is the child restaurant to Le Pigeon, one of the most highly regarded restaurants in Portland. In 2011, Owner Gabriel Rucker won the “James Beard Rising Star Chef Award – Age 30 or Younger” and in 2013 he won the “James Beard Award Best Chef Northwest”. Justifiably, the restaurant has a large, passionate following. The – Read more…
Review: Ringside Fish House
In 2011, the Ringside Fish House opened downtown, on the second floor of the Fox Tower. The space had previously housed Ringside Steakhouse during their extensive remodel. It overlooks Director’s Park, and in the evening when the shades go up, it’s fun to watch the lights dance through the glass canopy, occasionally with startling effect, – Read more…
Review: Biwa
Reader Survey Best Restaurants in Portland 2012 #16. New review 10/15/12 A lot has changed about Portland since my review of Biwa in 2008. Sure, Portland still isn’t much of a sushi town as compared to Seattle, Vancouver BC, or San Francisco. Yet good ramen and izakaya style dining were still a rarity in Portland in ’08, – Read more…
Review: Ned Ludd
The Luddites were 19th-century English textile artisans, who violently protested against the machinery introduced during the Industrial Revolution. Chef Jason French pays homage to their mascot, Ned Ludd, for whom the movement was named, and cooks everything from a wood-fired oven. No other source of heat is used; it’s all very Portland. The kitchen is tightly focused on a few items that they – Read more…
Review: Ox Restaurant
OX restaurant is a temple to “the wood-fired grilling tradition of Argentina, and with it, the culinary heritage of Spain, France and Italy”. Opened in early 2012 by Quiñónez and Greg Denton, Ox has shot to the top of Portland’s “must visit” restaurants, and placed number one on my 2012 Best New Restaurant List. On a – Read more…