By Cheryl Teal
Portland, the City of Roses, has many options for fine dining.
Just a few decades ago, fine dining options in Portland, Oregon, where noted chef James Beard grew up, were limited. There were many restaurants that served good food, but few featured crisp tablecloths, crystal wine glasses and the ambiance that distinguish a fine restaurant. The picture has changed, with Portland winning national recognition for many of its dining establishments.
Wildwood Restaurant
O Magazine called Wildwood Restaurant "a pioneer of classic Northwest cooking." The restaurant also has earned praise from Food & Wine magazine and USA Today for its use of Pacific Northwest produce, meats and seafood. The restaurant works directly with local farmers, even putting the farm's name on menu items, which include such entrees as "clay oven roasted Carlton Farms pork chop." Menus change weekly depending on what's in season. The wine list has about 250 choices, mostly from West Coast wineries. It specializes in Oregon pinot noirs, keeping 25 to 30 varieties on hand. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday trough Saturday; the dinner hour starts at 5:30 p.m.
Wildwood Restaurant
1221 NW 21st Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
503-248-9663
wildwoodrestaurant.com
Oba Restaurante
Oba Restaurante features Nuevo Latino cuisine. It has been praised by the Zagat Survey and the New York Times as well as local publications. It specializes in serving foods that are sustainable, natural, organic and regional. Some of its dishes are wheat-free and vegetarian. Oba has enchiladas on the menu, but they're not ordinary by any means. The "enchiladas de calabaza" are made from roasted butternut squash enchiladas with a creamy toasted walnut sauce and served with quinoa salad. Scallops are grilled over mesquite and served with sweet corn risotto. Dinner is served beginning at 5 p.m.; outside dining is available when the weather is nice.
Oba Restaurante
555 NW 12th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-6161
obarestaurant.com
Gracie's Dining
Gracie's Dining, located in the Hotel Deluxe, serves classic American dishes using Pacific Northwest products. It serves brunch until 2 p.m. daily with an a la carte menu that includes five varieties of eggs benedict, ranging from the classic to smoked salmon to dungeness crab and bay shrimp cakes. Salads and sandwiches also are available. Dinner is served from 5 p.m., with entrees such as herb goat cheese stuffed chicken breast with blue corn and wild rice pancakes, and cranberry, apple and pear chutney. Gracie's serves a pre-theater dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Gracie's Dining
729 SW 15th Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
503-221-4518
graciesdining.com
Resources
About the Author:
Cheryl Teal is an award-winning photojournalist who began writing professionally in 1968. She is a former small-business owner who specializes in writing about business, motorcycles and travel. She has her own line of travel guides called "Cheryl's Guides," which are mostly about travel in China. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon.
Photo Credits:
red roses image by OMKAR A.V from
Fotolia.com
