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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.

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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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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Review: Toro Bravo

Note: this post is a complete re-write of the 2007 review – an extra 1500 words. I’m going to stray off the topic of Toro Bravo for a bit, but to understand Spanish food, it helps to have a little understanding of the culture behind the food. Spain tugs at something deep in my soul. Maybe it is because taste,
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Nel Centro

On a cool evening a few months ago, I sat with friends on the patio at Nel Centro. Three fire pits allowed heat to drift across our table. The flames, reflected in window after window of the hotel, were sometimes three layers deep. Sheltered from the transit mall, it was a little oasis. Vines climbed nearby walls, the background music
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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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