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Review: Andina – Restaurant of the Year 2009

With the myriad of restaurants opening in Portland every year, it is easy to forget some of the older ones, which often are better than the latest gastronomic trend-setters. In my opinion, Andina is one of these, a restaurant that rarely disappoints, always intrigues and provides a great introduction to one of the world’s great cuisines.

Echo Restaurant

Echo opened in 2006, and was quickly popular after a lot of positive reviews. After a long series of chefs and more hills and valleys than a roller coaster, a new owner is in place, and though the menu has stayed close to the original fare, the quality is much improved and seems consistently prepared. Sometimes you just want to
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First Impressions: Beaker & Flask

When is a bar not a bar? That thought wandered across my mind as w and I were sitting in Beaker & Flask a couple of nights ago in the midst of what was turning into one of the most satisfying dinners we’d had in a long time. The reason for that musing was when B&F was getting started, the buzz around town was that bartending savant Kevin Ludwig was finally fulfilling his dream of opening his own place,and won’t it be a cool place to grab

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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El Gaucho

To many, El Gaucho epitomizes what a steakhouse should be. It feels sophisticated. The atmosphere is formal, the lighting dim and romantic, and lots of dark wood provides a backdrop to tinkling stemware and white linens. Live jazz wafts from the background as tuxedo-clad waiters scurry by with carts for tableside Caesar salads, the darkness punctuated by an occasional burst of flame from a bananas Foster in the making. To many people, this type of ambience is it, as fancy as they will ever dine, a place

Noble Rot 2.0

Noble Rot has a somewhat confusing pedigree. As I understand, it was originally started by chef Leather Storrs, and received positive reviews, including from me. I liked the warm, comforting atmosphere and the limited but mostly well executed menu. In 2007, Leather left and opened another restaurant on East Burnside called Rocket. This new restaurant was known for its interesting interior, terrific patio and nice view of Portland, but the food received less than stellar reviews, and it closed in a little over a year.

Fast-forward to 2009. Rocket was still empty, and Noble Rot wanted

Review: Ten 01 – Restaurant of the Year 2008

Fugue – Music: a composition based multiple themes, which are enunciated by several voices or parts in turn, and gradually built up into a complex form having somewhat distinct divisions or stages of development and a marked climax at the end.

For those who have been reading my reviews for some time, it’s no secret that I have a background in music. Growing up, I was exposed to a wide variety, and played multiple instruments. For this reason, I tend to make lots of musical

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