By Isobel Washington
Fun Restaurants in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Ore., a Pacific Northwest city of more than a half-million people, has emerged as a cultural and artistic mecca over the last decade. With an increasing influx of people who prefer the city's harmonic blend of urban life with a rustic undertone, Portland boasts a uniqueness of quality and characteristics that provide the ideal background for creative pursuits in art, music and literature. As the tastes of Portland have grown and diversified, so, too, has the dining scene of the City of Roses. The following list includes but a few of Portland's most interesting and entertaining restaurants.
Pambiche's Cuban-Creole
For a vibrant, filling and unique dining experience, Cuban is the way to go. Pambiche restaurant has earned a solid reputation in Portland as the premier spot for authentic Cuban cuisine and a lively Caribbean atmosphere. Pambiche's Cuban-Creole menu is composed of Cuban-American Chef John Connell-Maribona's homemade recipes that vivaciously blend the three cultural roots of American Indian, Spanish and African flavors into the colorful Cuban blend local diners have come to know and love. Pambiche offers a breakfast, lunch, dinner, wine and happy hour menu and offers various forms of musical entertainment throughout the seasons.
www.pambiche.com
Toro Bravo-Spanish Cuisine
Tapas, tapas, tapas! Once upon a time, Portland lacked restaurants with any ethnic flair or menus that spanned beyond traditional American comfort food, but Toro Bravo moved in to northeast Portland and has infused the neighborhood with the culinary "zing" it so needed. Toro Bravo's menu combines the tastiest and most traditional, regional Spanish dishes, but owner and chef John Gorham has attracted the spotlight on this new hot spot with his Barcelona-influenced tapas menu, which has won the hearts of many locals and Portland visitors. Guests also are presented with a fine list of Spanish wines and can sample other heavier items such as grilled lamb chops with cumin and lemon or one of two types of delicious regional paella, all while soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of a renovated 1906 building in northeast Portland.
The Alibi Restaurant and Lounge
You can't miss the sign outside in north Portland on 4024 N. Interstate Ave. If it's a quiet candlelight dinner you're looking for, then go elsewhere; if it's fun fare, a tiki bar atmosphere and karaoke you seek, then check out the Alibi. The menu is composed of typical bar fare---burgers, fries and clam strip platters---and the portions are heavy and not for those who count calories. The interior resonates with a 1960s James Bond film, slightly tacky but what you'd expect from a fun karaoke restaurant, which, by the way, boasts the longest song list in Portland.
Beast: The Antithesis of Vegetarian
The kitchen operates in plain view of diners, the ingredients are fresh, local and organic, and the menu is French-based with a twist of street sensibility and a feminine touch. Beast, situated in northeast Portland, is a quaint space that has earned a big reputation for its innovative yet delicately prepared dishes and ever-changing menu, based on in-season local ingredients. Serving multi-course meals with carefully selected wines listed by grape type and region, Beast offers diners a casual yet elegant atmosphere, dim and with a chalkboard wall covered with recipes, local farm numbers, Pythagorus wisdom and emphatic statements like "Praise the lard!" Adhering to French technique and staples, Beast is an entertaining culinary escape from the usual vegetarian-geared preferences of Portland.
The Roxy
If foie gras and French technique are not the evening's objectives, and you're seeking entertainment with a side of grub, look no further than the Roxy in downtown Portland. Tucked in a small area packed with gay nightclubs and bars, this all-night joint offers drag shows and other forms of cheeky entertainment while diners scarf down greasy cheeseburgers and other comfort food basics. Guests of the Roxy are never without amusement.
Resources
About the Author:
Isobel Washington has been a freelance journalist since 2007. Washington's work first surfaced in Europe, where she served as a restaurant critic and journalist for "LifeStyles" magazine. Her love of travel and culture inspired her first novel, which is currently underway. Washington has a 10-year career in marketing communication and holds a Bachelor of Science degree.
Photo Credits:
Photo courtesy of Costa Pacific at blog.costapacific.com
