Dining alone in Portland, Oregon
 

I'll be visiting Portland, Oregon for five nights in late October. I'll be eating out alone, and an hoping you might have suggestions for restaurants (from inexpensive to not-hugely expensive) that aren't too fancy and/or staid yet are better than a Denny's... I love all types of food.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.

What part of town will you be staying in?

I will give you my list of places that I can picture sitting alone and having dinner in. It is a bore to the rest of Fodorworld, I always recommend the same places LOL
The Red Star at the 5th Ave Suites on SW Alder St. great food, service and big booths along the windows, it would be comfortable and you would be well cared for. Not hugely expensive at all.

Typhoon SW Broadway, a few blocks from the Red Star...Thai, very comfortable and great food.

Henrys Tavern in the Pearl on Burnside & 12th. Dark room, lots of booths and you can just tuck yourself in and eat great food and people watch..

Pho Van on NW Glisan - Vietnamese - good!

on NW 23rd-
Papa Haydns - good food, better desserts
Sammys ( sort of like a diner- good food)
on NW 21st
Tuscan Grill

Hope this helps :)

And go have the fresh salmon hash at Mother's for breakfast one day. You can thank me for the idea later.

Another vote for Red Star. I just got back from a business trip to Portland and ate alone there. The waitress was very friendly, but not clingy. The food was delicious (try the salmon with the heavenly creamed corn!) and the wine list is good.

:-?
At times like this I find myself asking WW***K***D?

Kal dear, we decided that ***K*** is at a spa working off all the pounds that she has acquired due to all the restaurant hopping that she has done or...what was the other reason? Can't remember, probably Scarlett will know! Something about flat or fat bycycle tires if I recall, LOL.

Maybe at Olympic swim trials for DD?

LOL, I will be at a spa soon myself if I keep eating in so many good restaurants! But instead of a Del whatever bike, I walk. Hopefully, I am managing to walk off some of these heavenly dinners...
tonight was Typhoon. Once I recommended it, I had to have it. We had smoked duck and ahi spring rolls.
You can thank me later too LOL

I tried to smoke a duck once but couldn't get his bill lit....don't even ask me what I was dragging on....... :-P

I can't remember the name of the restaurant (aren't I helpful?)but the restaurant in the Vintage Hotel downtown has a terrific breakfast! I enjoyed a perfect omelette, yummy toast and good coffee. The perfect breakfast... for about $13.00 including tip. They did not have salsa but offered a special kind of asian "hot sauce" which was delicious. The waiters were very attentive to the only female (me!) dining amidst the businessmen!

The restaurant in the Vintage is Pazzo. Italian. But next door and part of the Vintage is their cafe..they have great breads and rolls in the am. We walked over there a few times when we had moved in and had no dishes yet :)

Thanks for the clarification, Scarlett! SOunds like you're enjoying your new digs and leaving no culinary stone unturned!

omigod, yes, I am enjoying our new home very much, but eventually I will have to start cooking, sigh. It is a good thing we walk so much, it really helps when eating out so much :@) LOL

http://www.sainthonorebakery.com/index.htm

This is where I met a Portland Fodorite today for lunch. It is great, difficult to make choices with their pastries. Then after lunch, do as we did and walk along NW 23rd and Shop :)

All of this Portland talk is making me think that if our day after Christmas Alaska trip doesn't work out... we might have to come to Portland instead and enjoy some tax free shopping! I just hopped over to the 5th Avenue Suites website and they have special pricing for the four nights after Christmas! Hmmm...

Scarlett--So how was the duck? Was that for you or the Yankee? Who WAS that fellow Fodorite you were with today? :D

Another good place would be Mama Mia's Trattoria. It is just around the corner from Mother's (same owner).

Another vote for Henry's! Of course, it may depend on whether you are male or female? Henry's is a huge and beautiful restaurant/bar that has the "claim to fame" of having 100 beers on tap (but a full bar also). It has decent food - we had a better lunch than dinner - and it is agreed that it is dark and one can easily feel comfortable being alone there.
Another great place is the Heathman. We just spent 2 weeks out in WA/OR and this was our favorite dining experience - by far! Gourmet fare, attentive waitstaff.

Ali25--I am a female and love Henry's, lol!