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Grüner

Grüner isn’t a “German” restaurant, nor does it bill itself as such; rather it is Alpine. This is a vast region that includes pieces of France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, and even a bit of Balkan and Mediterranean influences. All of this is alongside the distinct regional cuisines of Germany. Like billing a restaurant “Italian”, most of us know
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Review: Tasty n Sons

I normally wouldn’t write a first impressions piece on a restaurant in its first week of business, but I have gotten lots of emails asking for information. Since I found Tasty & Sons is pretty good, I decided to go ahead and tell you what I think about this new venture. Owned by John Gorham of Toro Bravo, Tasty &
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Higgins

On the way home from dinner at Nel Centro one evening, I was bemoaning the fact that I hadn’t had a good meal since I reviewed Tabla. At that moment, we drove past Higgins, which looked completely full. It had been at least five years since my last dinner there, but it used to be one of my favorite restaurants,
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Review: Hot Pot City

[Updated 10/10/09 - Hot Pot City continues to give the same level of quality and service as we discussed in the original review we did here in 2007. However, the restaurant seems to have been "discovered". There are often long waits, especially for counter seating and during prime lunch hours (12-1:30pm). Weekends often fare a bit better. Service can be brisk or completely overwhelmed.]

Review: 23Hoyt

Since it was first built by Bruce Carey Restaurants, the 23Hoyt space has gone through multiple incarnations. The first was a short-lived Italian restaurant named Balvo, the second, 23Hoyt, managed by the well known chef Chris Israel. Chris has now moved on to open his own restaurant. Now, a third version has emerged, billed as a “New American Tavern.” With the downslide in the economy, changes were made, and the focus and menu changed considerably. The current chef is Chad Church.

Review: Tabla Mediterranean Bistro

Since I first reviewed Tabla in 2006, it has been through quite a few transitions. There have been several chef changes, and for a while, I thought the food was average, at best. Recently, under the watchful eye of executive chef Anthony Cafiero, the food has changed.

Cafiero isn’t exactly a newcomer to the Portland restaurant scene. He spent two years with Cathy Whims at Nostrana, and then another year under

Morton’s The Steakhouse

I hadn’t been to Morton’s in at least eight years when I pulled up to the valet a few weeks ago. The last time my experience had been pretty good. On this warm Thursday evening, I was expecting a meal that would be close to the quality of El Gaucho. Morton’s was founded in 1978 by Arnie Morton and Klaus
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