Portland, Oregon is a pioneer of sustainable urban culture and farm-to-table dining. It's also renowned for craft breweries, food trucks, coffee, and its proximity to the Willamette and Columbia Valley wine regions. In short, it a food-lover's paradise. For a long time, Portland has claimed more restaurants, bars, and breweries per capita than anywhere else. While this is oft repeated but largely unsubstantiated, I did get the impression that a year of continually eating and drinking would barely put a dent into the check-off list. I was so excited to travel there and experience everything I had read about. It certainly did not disappoint. Portland is lush and green, with a walkable downtown and user-friendly mass transit that make its distinctive neighborhoods and districts very accessible. While I did my best in the few days I had, obviously this is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Portland food scene.
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| Chef Leather Storrs on his rooftop garden |
Here's a quick run-down of the food and drink scene:
Noble Rot
Executive Chef Leather Storrs created a space that may just be as bold as his name. The rooftop garden is an urban wonder of horticulture and creative sustainability. Read more here, as there is no way to do this justice in a brief blurb. Everything that is not literally garden-to-table is locally sourced from purveyors and artisans nearby. The food is stunningly simple, fresh and not overwrought. The atmosphere on the fourth floor dining room is cozy and warm; the view of the city is panoramic and pristine. The whole experience was a delight.
Andina
In the heart of the now-bustling Pearl District lies Andina, a champion of Peruvian comfort food at its best. One of the diners described her experience as "extremely sensual and almost out-of-body" in nature. A must-do for any visitor; as it lives up to the strong press it is receiving from critics everywhere.
Urban Farmer
Inside The Nines, Urban Farmer defies the blah hotel restaurant stereotype. Doing their version of the farm-to-table concept, it earned rave reviews from the group. I had one well-traveled executive tell me that it was by far the best steak he had ever had. Hailing from a city with a bevy of amazing steak options, à la St. Elmo, that indeed is high praise.
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| Cacao Drink Chocolate |
A great craft beer selection, a huge whiskey line-up and a truly Pacific Northwest inspired menu make this a must-do on any tour of Portland as well. Executive Chef Dustin Clark works with local artisanal food purveyors to create seasonal fare that impresses. The ambiance is rustic and casual and makes a great backdrop for the evocative dishes he creates.
Food trucks!
Wow. There are pods of dozens of food trucks all over Portland. Literally hundreds (thousands?) of options to eat on the street to your stomach's content. I had a shrimp Pad Thai that was unbelievably good for $6, but the options were literally endless. Pan-Asian food rules the street food scene, but you can get anything you crave in a matter of minutes and for a reasonable price. Let's just say that if I lived in Portland I probably would not be brown-bagging it during the day.
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| Rooftop Garden at Noble Rot |
Cacao Drink Chocolate
I stumbled into this anomaly by happy accident, finding myself in a chocolate store set-up like a fine wine shop. Single origins, blends, and pretty much anything dipped, covered, or involving chocolate lines their shelves. You can taste anything in the store (anything) at their tasting bar. They are committed to the chocolate experience and chocolate education in every way. Thesetting is beautiful to boot. Be prepared though, I learned the hard way that fine chocolate is going to cost you.
Henry's Twelfth Street Tavern
With over 100 draft beers (many local), this is a neighborhood joint with an urban-industrial feel and and all-American menu.
Cassidy's
I didn't spot any tourists, which immediately told me I was in the right place. A friend and I shared a wonderful macaroni and cheese and a beautifully fresh salad. Cassidy's features an eclectic wine list with lots of affordable and conversation-worthy glass pours. I particularly enjoyed the French section of their list.
Jake's Famous Crawfish
Apparently Jake's is famous for more than crawfish, as we were heavily encouraged to try the Irish Coffee. It lived up the hype, complete with the pomp of the old-school presentation. Over a century old, Jake's feels like the kind of place where the Rat Pack raised cane and lived out a lot of their debauchery. Who knows?
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| Susan Sokol telling her story at her winery |
Sokol-Blosser Winery
Among the first to plant Pinot Noir in the region, Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser were part of the amazing transformation that has made Willamette Valley one of the more prestigious producers of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc in the world. The winery is beautiful and pastoral, and the staff are lively and cheerful. The 2010 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a delicious splurge. Surprisingly good was the 2011 Rose of Pinot Noir, my favorite of the night. It was crisp and refreshing but had a beautiful structure and light oak.
How can a traveler sum up Portland? It has friendly people, a sustainable ad green downtown, and easy access to skiing, wine country, and the ocean? Well, it basically speaks for itself. Suffice to say I'll look forward to more time spent there in the near future. Cheers!
