Portland/Seattle activity/food recs?

Will be out in Portland and Seattle over the next two weeks and looking for some of the must see/do activities while I’m there. Also would love local recommendations on cheap eats or local favorites. No need for the fancy places. Thanks!

Hi,

I hope you don’t mind me piggy-backing on your inquiry, as I will be in the Portland area for a few days later this week, and I thought it better not to start a brand new thread. … I’d love suggestions for one really good dinner, either in Hillsboro, or in Portland and not too far by cab from Hillsboro… One of the crew up there mentioned this list: Paley’s Place, Le Pigeon, Ox, Olympic Provisions, Beast (apparently very difficult to book though), and V & Q. Thoughts?

Thanks!
Andrew

Piggyback away! Hopefully we can get some suggestions.

Le Pigeon is solid. I’ve seen some winemakers eat/drink there and you’ll be fine in jeans. There is even a large communal table for small groups/solos. Also room at the bar.

Portland

Activities: Not as many big, spectacular must-do things in PDX as some other cities - Portland has a lot of places that are great for certain interests, depending on what you like, but some fun general ones suitable for March-April include-

-Japanese Garden
-Powell’s Books
-Chinese Classical Garden
-Hoyt Arboretum (weather permitting)
-PSU farmer’s market (Saturday morning) is well worth it for breakfast and just all things Portland
-Pittock mansion - mostly for the view of the city/region
-If you have a car, a drive out the Columbia Gorge waterfall area on the old highway is a must-do - and some good short hikes are connected with it if the weather’s decent - also a drive out to Sauvie Island in late afternoon if you’re interest in birds at all
-There are lots of biking and walking possibilities - the Esplanade around the river for example

Cheap eats/local Portland-style favorites are innumerable. Some include:

-Evoe (lunch only) - really outstanding, informal
-Toro Bravo (Portland tapas - there’s always a wait)
-Bollywood Theater - nuevo East Indian
-Bunk Sandwiches
-Apizza Scholls
-Ken’s Artisan Pizza
-Biwa Izakaya
-Tasty n Sons/Tasty n Alder - comfort food
-Many, many food carts
-Pok Pok (sorry Bob Wood, it can be good!) - distinctive Thai
-Bar Vivant - tapas, sherry, champagne
-Podnah’s Pit BBQ
-Beaker & Flask/Rum Club - tremendous cocktails, great food
-Cascade Brewing - outstanding sour beers
And of course many, many breweries, wine outlets, and several distilleries

Andrew - Hillsboro is somewhat fine-meal challenged. Syun Izakaya and Chennai Masala are probably the best out there. Neither are really fine dining, or as good, IMO, as their counterparts in Portland. There is handy light rail from Hillsboro to Portland if you want to come into town. All your mentions above are good (VQ maybe not same league as the others) - also Noisette is on the west side at least so a bit closer to Hillsboro than some, very good food. Riffle in the Pearl is also good.

John,

Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for with recs.

We’ve had good meals at the following (in no particular order): Pok Pok, Paley’s Place (crispy sweetbreads, ummmm!), Tabla, Toro Bravo (really good tapas).

We’ve had decent meals at: Cafe Castagna (excellent burger & fries), Little Bird, Nostrana (good food but lousy service), clarklewis, Serrato.

Tried to go to Ox last time we were there (menu looks fantastic), but it was a 2 hour wait, so we passed and went to Toro Bravo instead.

Have only been to Podnah’s for breakfast, but people I trust swear by it for dinner.

Screen Door has really nice breakfast on the weekends, but is always crowded.

Lela’s Bistro has good banh mi; Bunk has good sandwiches too.

PSU Saturday Farmers Market kicks off the new season on 3/23; definitely worth a look, but you’ll be battling clueless people blocking the sidewalks while chatting with their friends or else dodging those SUV sized baby strollers.

It may be difficult to get a res at Le Pigeon this close for a decent hour…but waiting is an option, they keep a lot of walk in tables. Ox doesn’t take reservations and there’s always something of a wait unless you get there at like 5 pm. It’s worth it if you have the entire evening to invest, but of course Friday and Sat nights are brutal. Same for Toro Bravo, both Tasty places, Pok Pok, Apizza Scholls, and Ken’s Artisan; Portland’s full of very popular small places that don’t take reservations and have waits. The rest of the above are normally not as bad as this group.

Ned Ludd and Cocotte are also great spots with outstanding food at reasonable prices.

I will defer to the locals on this one, but see a lot of places that my wife and I have loved on Mr. Osburn’s list.
Our personal greatest hits, if forced to pick just a couple, would be:
Tasty n Sons
Pok Pok
Beaker and Flask
Toro Bravo
Salt and Straw (best ice cream ever)

In seattle, I would strongly rec Revel if you’re into the momofuku-style nuevo asian thing. Crazy good food.

In Hillsboro, we had a great meal at Syun Izakaya (http://www.syun-izakaya.com). If you like Japanese food and have never tried Izakaya, I would recommend it.

Winemaker John Grochau took us to Park Kitchen where we had a wonderful meal.

Don’t forget the food trucks or VooDoo Donuts.

Monte

Andy is right on about Ned Ludd, Jason does a great job and it is a very local experience.

One rather large benefit about Bollywood Theater is you can walk next door to Salt & Straw for dessert afterwards. Both are extremely casual.

Thanks everyone for all of the input. We tried to get into Le Pigeon but could only get a late reservation which would not work for our group. We are going to Paley’s, about which I have heard much praise. Next time I head up, I think I’d like to try Le Pigeon, Little Bird, or Ox. Actually, all the suggestions sound great!

As an aside, re Syun Izakaya in Hillsboro, I appreciated the suggestion. My colleagues in Oregon know it well. I work for a Japanese company and have enjoyed many meals in Southern and Northern California and in Japan in Izakayas, and love that type of meal. Current word is that “Syun is OK, but not as good as it used to be, the original owner has left it to his family (daughter, I think) and the quality was not as good last time I visited (still good, but not excellent).”

Cheers
Andrew

Andrew,

I think I ate at Syun right about the time of the change. You obviously are well versed in Izakaya restaurants.

Here in Houston we have a wonderful restaurant scene with a few excellent Japanese places - or so I have been told by people who should know - but we are lacking any semblance of a Izakaya place.

Have a great trip.

Monte

Monte,

Thanks! I hope someday to experience firsthand the Houston dining scene. I have heard many good things about it. We have an office in Dallas, and I am there a few times a year, but I know there is so much more in Texas to explore!

Andrew

I also think the Korean food there is a bit better than the chinese and japanese in that beaverton/hillsboro environs. I’ve been to a few hole in the walls, and the only one I can remember the name of is: Du Kuh Bee

I’d agree with this for Beaverton (Nakwon, JCD) although at least one decent Japanese place exists - Yuzu Izakaya.

Haven’t been to Du Kuh Bee recently but co-owner Frank Fong left a year or so ago to open a new place in NE PDX - Frank’s Noodle House. His wife hand pulls the noodles every morning. Dynamite.

I’ve driven past that place many times this past year and was always curious about it. Now I’ll definitely go there!

Enjoyed dinner last night at Paley’s Place, very much.

Andrew

I was in Seattle last month. Canlis was top-notch - I was very impressed. Had another great meal at Crush - not quite as “how the other half lives” high end as Canlis, but still excellent - I ate at the bar overlooking the kitchen, which was cool. If you want to drink your dinner one night, Tavern Law is a fabulous speakeasy with some solid small bites. If you want the Tom Douglass experience, you could have brunch at Etta’s.

It’s been two or three years since I have been to Portland (which I love) so others can make better suggestions than me - but Le Pig rocked. I always liked Higgins - but it has been a long time since I was there.