Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

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supersharpie
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Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by supersharpie »

My wife and I will be spending 11 nights combined in Seattle and Portland, OR in July and August. We enjoy a wide variety of cuisines and are looking forward to trying the best that each city has to offer. We are not averse to fine dining but prefer top notch food in a casual environment whenever possible. Beyond the restaurant scene we understand both cities, particularly Portland, has a vibrant food truck culture and are looking forward to sampling a few trucks as well.

What would you recommend for first timers to both cities as far as dining out is concerned?
linguini
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by linguini »

There was a Sichuanese restaurant with delicious unlimited meat hot pot in the international district, I think this place:
http://m.yelp.com/biz/sichuanese-cuisine-seattle

I lived in Bellevue (suburb of Seattle), and my favorite restaurant was this small Taiwanese place with delicious shaved ice. There was also a pretty good dumpling place at the mall.

I guess what I'm saying is, the Seattle area has good East Asian food, haha.
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SpaceCommander
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by SpaceCommander »

The Pink Door by Pike's Place Market in Seattle. Recommended.
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investor1
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by investor1 »

Portland:

Por Que No has excellent tacos
Fire On The Mountain has great wings
The Portland City Grill is a fine dining experience with a great view of the city
Altengartz German Bratwurst is a food cart with tasty German sausages
Sideshow is a food cart with excellent poutine

Check out http://www.foodcartsportland.com
Last edited by investor1 on Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ryuns
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by ryuns »

I was getting ready to write something intelligible and then I realized that all the places I visit in Portland are for beer, with food secondary. So now I'm trying to think if any of them had good food. I'd recommend Hair of the Dog, which is pretty casual, good food, and great beer. The food at Cascade Barrel House is mostly pleasant salady things but whatever, they make sour beer and it's awesome. Deschutes Public House is a cool spot, but the food isn't really worth the crowd.
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investor1
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by investor1 »

ryuns wrote:I was getting ready to write something intelligible and then I realized that all the places I visit in Portland are for beer, with food secondary. So now I'm trying to think if any of them had good food. I'd recommend Hair of the Dog, which is pretty casual, good food, and great beer. The food at Cascade Barrel House is mostly pleasant salady things but whatever, they make sour beer and it's awesome. Deschutes Public House is a cool spot, but the food isn't really worth the crowd.
Hopworks has some good food. Their bike bar has a nice patio area to relax in.
skylar
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by skylar »

Marrakesh in Seattle serves great Morrocan food, in a very authentic setting (the restaraunt is setup like a tent in the desert). I'd highly recommend the Royal Feast if you can get a group of four or more. If not, the 5 course meal is basically the same but I think costs a little bit more.

It's in Belltown and is within walking distance of Pike Place Market if you're staying near there.

http://www.marrakeshseattle.com/
mr.ajandkj
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by mr.ajandkj »

Portland: Pok Pok, Lardo, Slabtown BBQ...and be sure to hit the foodcarts. Portland is really one of the best cities for food in the US right now. Also hit up Salt & Straw for some great ice cream after your meal.
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TnGuy
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by TnGuy »

There is also a Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant in Portland (which I happen to prefer over the Seattle version).

Also, there is a very good Persian restaurant in Portland named Persian House Restaurant


And if you enjoy this type of thing, there are two wonderful gardens in Portland: Portland Japanese Garden

and the Lan Su Chinese Garden


David
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investor1
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by investor1 »

The Japanese Garden also has a great tea house inside.
leonard
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by leonard »

In Seattle - best Chinese Food is Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon on Roosevelt. Get Gyoza and chow mein with the home made noodles. MMMM....
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lawman3966
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by lawman3966 »

In Portland:

Try the Heathman restaurant and Bar.

I stayed and ate in the hotel during a business trip about ten years ago. It's a great, even if expensive, experience. As I recall, they had some exotic game meats, among other unusual offerings. This should not be missed.
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Post by davebarnes »

Yelp.com
read the reviews
don't obsess about stars
trust those who have written 100s of reviews
don't trust any 501s or 101s
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letsgobobby
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by letsgobobby »

In portland:

Agree with Pok Pok, it is awesome.

Grain and Gristle is one of our favorite semi-casual places. It is very Portland. It has relatively few tables, serves local beer by 8, 12, and 16 oz pours, and makes some of the best local food we've had. It's not expensive. They have a happy hour, get there between 4:30 and 6 and two of you will eat very well for $50-$60.

Firehouse is another place we like a lot, it has a very simple menu but everything is done extremely well (mixed reviews on the pizza though). Happy hour 5:30-6.

(Both Firehouse and Grain and Gristle make lots of vegetable dishes)

for a little more upscale and special, try Laurelwood (profiled in the WSJ as a modern steakhouse), Nostrana for modern italian and great pizza, Ned Ludd for uber-Portland (everything cooked in a wood-fired brick oven and your waiter will probably have a plaid shirt and a bushy beard), or Old Salt Marketplace for a little bit of everything.

If you like beer you have to go to Horse Brass Pub on Belmont, hundreds of beers, really casual, pretty decent but not fancy pub food.

there are too many food cart centers to list, we like the ones on Belmont, Division, and downtown on College and 6th.

Autentica is great regional Mexican and they have a good brunch. Their sister restaurant Mextiza is more hit and miss but has less of a wait sometimes.

You could also go out to Division, Belmont, or Alberta streets and just stroll, eating at whatever looks good.
chipmonk
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by chipmonk »

supersharpie wrote:My wife and I will be spending 11 nights combined in Seattle and Portland, OR in July and August. We enjoy a wide variety of cuisines and are looking forward to trying the best that each city has to offer. We are not averse to fine dining but prefer top notch food in a casual environment whenever possible. Beyond the restaurant scene we understand both cities, particularly Portland, has a vibrant food truck culture and are looking forward to sampling a few trucks as well.

What would you recommend for first timers to both cities as far as dining out is concerned?
Your restaurant taste sounds similar to mine. Here are a few of my favorite places in Portland that I've been to at least 3 times each, except the last one:
  • Pok Pok -- very unusual take on Thai food, different from any other Thai place I've ever eaten. The Thai chili bloody mary, chicken wings in fish sauce, and catfish are my favorites. Looong waits for a table on weekends, but worth it to try once in my opinion. You can have out at the bar they own across the street, Whiskey Soda Lounge, while waiting for a table.
  • Fish Sauce -- small, new-ish, hipster-y Vietnamese place in the Pearl. Small menu, reasonably cheap, friendly staff.
  • Chez Machin -- There are many creperies in Portland, but this one is in my opinion the best despite not being very well-known. In addition to their excellent crepes, they also make an incredible split pea soup and they have very good beer and cider selections, and relatively cheap.
  • Por Que No and La Cocina -- Best Mexican food in the city. Por Que No has been on trendy Mississippi Ave for a while, and everything's great. La Cocina is on MLK Ave and is very new. I think I was one of the first customers and the owner really wowwed us with a great variety of interesting sauces and pleasant presentation.
  • Brewpubs -- Base Camp is my all-around favorite brewpub. Good beer, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and the food truck outside serves good Mediterranean food. Bridgeport has good food and good beer. Rogue has great beer but crummy service and food. Henry's has pretty typical American food and a humongous selection of beers.
  • Rimsky Korsakoffee -- THE WEIRDEST CAFE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO, but I mean that in a good way. Good desserts, cash only. Be sure to visit the restroom. Seriously.
  • Park Kitchen -- This one is at the "fine dining" end of things (I spent about $170 for a special occasion for 2 including wine and dessert). I have eaten at several similarly-expensive restaurants in Portland which I have not enjoyed nearly as much as this one. Eclectic and interesting takes on everything and good service.
All right... I'm getting carried away :). Let me also throw in a mention of Bailey's Taproom which doesn't serve food but has a very off-the-beaten-path and changing selection of beer, and is cheap.
chipmonk
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by chipmonk »

TnGuy wrote:Also, there is a very good Persian restaurant in Portland named Persian House Restaurant
I forgot about Persia House. +1 to their Salmon jalfrezi (unusual and delicious use of a sauce that more traditionally goes on chicken).
twindad57
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by twindad57 »

Just got back from Portland. Try Ox on MLK Blvd - fabulous. Also, if you like beer try some of the numerous microbreweries and taprooms. They seem to be everywhere.
ccieemeritus
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by ccieemeritus »

I grew up on pizza from Giovanni's in Beaverton, west of Portland. It looks like an excellent Italian place (although I personally can only vouch for the pizza). If you want to save some money, simply camping outside the kitchen exhaust vent is worth admission all by itself.
desiderium
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by desiderium »

Seattle
You can enjoy the better known places like Flying Fish, Wild Ginger, Ettas, Lark, Tilth. Here are a few of my favorites.
Brass Tacks, gastropub food, very casual, eclectic music, in georgetown, which is an industrial neighborhood in south seattle
Rays Boathouse, Shilshole. The upstairs cafe is casual and has a great view of the sound. Go in the evening light, watch the sailboats and the sunset, very cool.
Pinxto in Belltown, delicious tapas
How to Cook a Wolf, on Queen Anne hill, inventive, fresh, delicious, casual
Green Leaf, in the international district, very fresh, delicious vietnamese food
altadoc
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by altadoc »

ataula is a spanish tapas spot in NW that is very popular right now - with good reason.
nonna's is simple and wonderful italian
beast - one of my favorite meals so far in portland (books 4 weeks out)
cocotte - french
st. jack's - used to be my favorite french bistro, although it just moved and i havent checked out the new space
neustra cocina - one of the best mexican in the city, no reservations, lines form at 5p!
bar avignon
tasty and alder
andina - peruvian tapas


i would absolutely +1 to
por que no
grain and gristle
ox (if you can actually get a table, only takes reservations for parties of 6+)
nostrana
salt and straw

i love to eat, but was not impressed by ned ludd. i can't put my finger on it, maybe it was too portland?
and while the views at portland city grill are fantastic, the food and drinks are meh... the food is sickly sweet and nothing special at all, except the sky high prices - AVOID


we are pretty damn spoiled in portland. while the food is awesome, service is so-so
altadoc
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by altadoc »

oh and how could i forget...

apizza scholls
McCharley
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by McCharley »

I would recommend a few nights in Ballard (near the locks in Seattle). The restaurant culture there is vibrant.

Walk down Ballard ave. and take your pick. La Carta sounds up your alley in terms of humble, good food.

Cafe Besalu, on 24th, has award-winning pastries and is great for breakfast (particularly on weekdays, as it is less crowded.) Closed Mon-Tues

Kiss Cafe, down by the locks, has a wide variety of (bottles and cans of) beer. They serve sandwiches and homemade soup. Dog friendly. :beer
gkaplan
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by gkaplan »

Is it okay plug a Portland restaurant where my niece works as a sous chef? That would be Tasty N Alder, at 580 SW 12th Avenue, in the Pearl District.
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letsgobobby
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by letsgobobby »

tasty and sons and tasty and alder serve some of the best and most popular brunches in pdx.

plug away.

mcmenamins don't serve great food but some of their beer is good and they are a very local chain of breweries/restaurants typically housed in charming or eccentric old buildings. Kennedy School and Edgefield in Troutdale are two worth poking around for an hour or two between 3-6 pm, for a beer and a snack.

Myself, I am not a fan of Bridgeport - the setting is sterile and the prices are a little high. Also service can be slow.

We like Hopworks, either location, with a better happy hour and a much more lively vibe than Bridgeport.
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busdriver
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by busdriver »

letsgobobby wrote:If you like beer you have to go to Horse Brass Pub on Belmont, hundreds of beers, really casual, pretty decent but not fancy pub food.
+1 for Horse Brass Pub. :sharebeer
MoonOrb
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by MoonOrb »

For farm to table type stuff in Seattle, try either Bar Sajor (Pioneer Square) or Sitka & Spruce (Capitol Hill-ish). If you're down near Pike Place Market, I prefer The Steelhead Diner to most of the other restaurants in the area.

Seattle has (among other things) very good Thai and Ethiopian food. There are lots of Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle's Central District, although the one we frequent is in the Northgate Area, close to 15 Ave NE, at about NE 115th Street (E Nat). Two of us eat there for $15, including tax and tip! The Thai restaurant we take people to is Thai Siam, at 83rd St NW and 15 Ave NW. Curries highly recommended.

In Portland, the place we go back to every single time is the Nicholas Restaurant, 318 SE Grand. They don't take reservations and it's always small and packed, but we love it. Not a bit fancy.

(FWIW, we're vegetarian, although all of these places would have great food for meat-eaters).
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tyrion
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by tyrion »

Seattle-

Ivars Salmon House, the one on lake union, go to either the bar or fish bar and sit on the dock.
plato's caveman
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by plato's caveman »

in seattle:

facing east -- taiwanese food in bellevue.

din tai fun -- more taiwanese food in bellevue, long waits, but just as good as the original restaurants in taiwan.
new2bogle
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by new2bogle »

Those are some great Portland food places. I would like to add "Toro Bravo"
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G12
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by G12 »

Le Pigeon in Portland is awesome, may have been the best dinner I had in 2013, and is a multiple James Beard award winner. I enjoyed Pok Pok, too.
strbrd
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by strbrd »

For top notch food in a casual environment in Seattle: Kedai Makan--Malaysian street food on Capitol Hill (eat outside or in the grungy Montana bar next door); Cafe Presse (quite casual French on Capitol Hill) or Le Pichet (slightly less casual French on the edge of Belltown); second the Sitka and Spruce rec and a visit to the Melrose Market (these are a bit fancy but still casual); Kingfish Cafe (Southern, Capitol Hill); Chef Bar (Ethiopian/Eritrean in tougher environs in the Central District); Salumi or Tats for sandwiches in Pioneer Square; Columbia City Bakery bread wherever you find it. I'm not a unreserved fan, but you might find Marination Station or The Rhino intriguing (Hawaiian; both Capitol Hill). Also, lots of options for ice cream and pie in Seattle, but many people enjoy taking the ferry to Bainbridge and getting ice cream there.
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wilpat
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Re: Seattle and Portland, OR restaurant recommendations

Post by wilpat »

The Space Needle in Seattle. I ate there ate there a little over 50 years ago and it was good.
The view is outstanding if you can find one of those few not rainy days to go!
I suspect it is really expensive! But -- to say you have been there is worth something.
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