• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home / About
    • Home
    • About the Site
    • The Authors
    • Email me
  • Reviews
    • List of All Reviews
    • Best of Portland by year
      • Reader Survey: Best of Portland Food 2017
      • Best of Portland 2015
      • Best of Portland 2013!
      • Our Top 11 Restaurants 2012
      • Best of Portland 2012
      • Best of Portland 2011
      • Best of Portland 2010!
      • Best of Portland 2009!
      • Best of Portland 2006
    • Steakhouse Roundup
      • Steakhouse Reviews Introduction
      • El Gaucho Steakhouse
      • Morton’s Steakhouse
      • Ringside Steakhouse
      • Ruth’s Chris
      • Steakhouse – Results
    • Product/Business Reviews
      • Retailer Reviews
      • Product Reviews
  • Topics
    • Food Writing
      • Alcohol Related
        • Beer
        • Wine
        • Spirits
      • April Fools Stories For Portland
      • Contests and Competition
      • Food Memories
      • Travel Writing
    • Authors / Book Reviews
    • Cheese information
    • Interviews: Honest dialog with people in the Portland food industry
    • Portland Food and Restaurant News and Discussion
    • Recipes
  • Portland Guides
    • Guide to Outdoor Dining
      • Portland Outdoor Dining Search
      • Add your restaurant
    • Guide to Portland coffee
      • Portland Coffee Guide
      • A Map of our favorite Portland coffeehouses
      • Reader Survey: Best Coffeehouses in Portland 2017
    • Guide to Local Wine Shops
    • Guide to Portland Bakeries
    • Guide to Portland Distilleries
    • Guide to Portland’s Beer Shops
    • Guide to Dining On a Budget in Portland Oregon
    • Guide to Portland Dining Room Rentals
      • Private Dining Room Search
      • Browse All Dining Rooms
      • Add your dining room
  • Press
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Portland Food and Drink

Throwing Ourselves On The Grenade of Bad Food to Save You

You are here: Home / Portland Food and Restaurant News and Discussion / Ruth’s Chris Moving, Trader Vic’s Returning to PDX

Ruth’s Chris Moving, Trader Vic’s Returning to PDX

Last Update December 18, 2017 8 Comments

According to the Portland Business Journal, Ruth’s Chris is moving to Pacific Center over at 851 SW 6th Avenue:

The Heathrow, Fla.-based chain will transform a 9,400-square-foot retail space into an upscale restaurant. The space originally was constructed for Zell Bros. Jewelers. Zell went out of business when its parent company filed for bankruptcy and never moved in.

Back in 2009 when I did the Steakhouse Showdown, Ruth’s Chris scored the worst on ambiance: “The first thing I noticed about Ruth’s Chris hit me before I had even opened the door. The entry seemed a bit worse for wear. Inside, it was more of the same. This is a restaurant that is clearly in need of a bit of fixing up; it is not nearly as impressive as it was 10 years ago. Neither is the crowd. As I walked to my table, I couldn’t help but notice a large number of people in sandals and casual wear. We felt like we were in the suburbs, rather than in a downtown steakhouse. As we sat down, I took in the surroundings. The inside is a bit dated and in need of a refresh. It is more brightly lit than it used to be, and with the rays of the long summer day streaming through the windows, it all felt a bit cheap. The long tacky mural painted across the back wall doesn’t help. The clubby feel found in many steakhouses is gone. This place has seen better days.”

Maybe they were saving their pennies for the move. You can read the rest of the Business Journal article here

Trader Vic’s is Returning to Portland

So says Oregon Live. Once a fairly large chain with a branch in what is now El Gaucho occupied the space from 1959 to 1996.  If you look at the brickwork on the outside south wall, you can still see remnants of the old decor. When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go on my yearly birthday dinner with my dad was the Beverly Hills TV. Good memories. Tiki Central has a nice article on the original restaurant. From Oregon Live:

A local group led by Hering hopes to put a new Trader Vic’s in the Pearl District space formerly occupied by the Manzana restaurant at Northwest 12th Avenue and Glisan Street.

Hering admits he has no restaurant experience. But his partner in the deal, Portland developer Ben Stutz, does. Stutz co-owns Kelly’s Olympian bar and grill in downtown Portland and MotoPizza, a drive-through.

Several real estate sources said Hering’s group has signed a lease for the 7,900 square-foot building, currently vacant. Hering said that’s not the case. “We have a commitment on the space,” Hering said. “But we have outs. It’s based on certain conditions being met.”

You know I’m going to say it – A location that doesn’t exactly lend itself to the theme (even with lots of work), no parking and not exactly a strong track record, being opened by someone with “no restaurant experience”, with a formula that failed 12 years ago. Has Portland changed that much? I’ve got a bad feeling about this one. Here’s a link to the story.

From Le Cordon Bleu in response to my post about the closing of Restaurant Bleu,

“Just wanted to let you know that our student-run restaurant, now called Technique, is actually open and running. You’re right, that we’ve decided to no longer enroll students in our associate degree programs beginning in February. That’s due to some anticipated federal regulatory changes. While we’re making this change to our educational offerings, we have no current plans to close our restaurants. Hope this helps clarify the situation for everyone.”

Related

Category: Portland Food and Restaurant News and Discussion. Related posts about Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Trader Vic's Restaurant.

Previous Post: « Martha Holmberg Leaves MIX Magazine
Next Post: Everett Street Bistro Has Closed »

Reader Interactions


8 comments:

  1. hsawtelle says

    December 10, 2010 at 9:37 am

    “We have a commitment on the space,” Hering said. “But we have outs. It’s based on certain conditions being met.”
    So, in other words, a lease.

    Reply
  2. Irene says

    December 10, 2010 at 10:10 am

    Can someone please clarify once-and-for-all who is taking over the old Carlyle space?  I have heard the venture attributed to both the (remaining) Olympic Provisions guys and John Gorham/TB/Tn’S, and I am getting thoroughly confused.  What’s the deal?

    Reply
    • zaggy says

      December 12, 2010 at 12:09 pm

      Its OP…I talked to them yesterday at one of the distiller parties. The vast majority of the space is going to be production, with something like 900sq ft for retail. No line, but there will be an oven and rotisserie, so expect rotisserie chickens and schmaltz potatoes and the like. 40 seats, and expect some good cocktails. Production space opens supposedly in Jan, with retail not till “at least March”. I’m excited their coming to the westside…their concept works great for a quick stop for a cheap dinner type place, something that side of the alphabet district/pearl don’t have a ton of.

      Reply
    • Irene says

      December 13, 2010 at 12:03 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Jon says

    December 10, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    “A location that doesn’t exactly lend itself to the theme (even with lots of work), no parking and not exactly a strong track record, being opened by someone with “no restaurant experience”, with a formula that failed 12 years ago.”

    Since when has parking been required for the success of a downtown restaurant? What are we talking about an Applebees on TV highway? The best restaurants dont have any parking… its either valet or street. Its the bad suburban chain restaurants serving Sysco food that have parking.

    Reply
  4. Seanna says

    December 13, 2010 at 4:49 pm

    Hello! Thanks for all the food news in the Portland area!

    I recently wrote a blog article on my favorite Portland blogs and you made my list! Check it out, http://www.myappleaday.com.  

    Feel free to stop by and say hi : )

    Reply
  5. Steve says

    December 19, 2010 at 12:30 am

    Don’t even get me started on S.j. Sebellin-Ross.  All I ever learned about her reviews, I learned here:  http://www.formeofcury.com/?p=89#more-89

    Reply
  6. Portland Guy says

    January 25, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    Good to hear that there is so much going on in our great city. I hope I run into Gordon Ramsay.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Reader Survey: Best of 2017!

bagna cauda at Aviary Restaurant

Reader Survey 2017: Most Romantic Restaurant in Portland

Your Choice for the most romantic restaurant in Portland Romance. Candlelight, quiet conversation, memorable communal experience, flirting. That is my definition, but, judging from the list, many people have … Read More...

Marlin Group icon
Sapori Fine Flavors Portland
Tails & Trotters Portland
Web Hosting

RSS Food & Drink News Feed

  • La Ruta PDX Cameron Winemaker’s Dinner – March 16
  • James Beard Foundation to Announce 2019 Award Nominees from Houston
  • Oregon Solidarity Project Demonstrates Collaboration
  • Burgerville is Nation’s First Restaurant Chain Invited to Join Farm Forward’s Leadership Circle
  • FREE EVENT – Live Poetry Reading by Fisherpeople – Feb 25
  • Cassoulet is back at BEAST
  • Don’t miss out – Redd Reveal! tickets are going fast
  • Reasons to Love Portland Farmers Market
  • Little Beast Brewing Two Mixed-Culture Wine Grape Beers
  • Cascade Brewing’s 8th annual Sour Fruit Fest
  • Maialata “Festival of The Pig”
  • Pok Pok Wing West Now Delivering + More February News!
  • Valentine’s Day Cocktails from The Benson

Subscribe to our posts via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Your email address will never be shown or given out.

Join 17,538 other subscribers

Our Instagram

  • Thought I’d try this cake - Tangerine Almond Cake with Bay Citrus from 177MilkStreet.com. Quite nice. Yes, sloppy almond placement.
  • Chicken karaage at Kizuki Ramen in Beaverton. Was... just fine
  • Jjin Man Doo at Spring Restaurant in Beaverton (dumplings with pork and vegetables)
  • Nice “secret” Korean Restaurant above the grocery store in downtown Beaverton. Been frequenting it quite a bit
  • Decadent Creations old downtown Hillsboro. Excellent bakery. Two blocks from the train. Water Ave Coffee, Smith Tea, lovely people. Two of the biscuits won a Chopped competition Scroll through. #decadentcreationsbakery
  • Egg sandwich at Maplewood Coffee and Tea in outer SW PDX Maplewood area. It’s in an old 1911 post office building in middle of a residential area. Food has come way up in quality and the space is charming.
  • Oyatsupan Japanese bakery, Beaverton
  • My precious. Bakery well with the trip to sleepy downtown Hillsboro

© 2019 · PortlandFoodandDrink.com