1JAR

If plans fall thru or you need abackup we liked Tsunami

beachbum

Yes, Toro Bravo is on the east side of the river, but so is Montage.

Hope you have a great weekend!

keb0503

Oh! I hadn't realized they were nearby each other. I keep looking at maps online and am probably getting myself turned around a good bit.
So we could go to Toro Bravo at opening, have a few bites, then head to Montage for dinner? That would be ideal. And is there public transportion that's easy to catch or should we drive?

And I guess I should say, this isn't happening until May. I just really like to plan, it holds me over until the trip.

beachbum

Toro Bravo is about a mile north of Montage, not particularly in a place easily accessible via public transportation from the ACE, so you'd best drive. It is a tapas restaurant, but most people make dinner out of 'em. And I'll bet that once you taste the food, you'll have a tough time leaving. ;-)

stormygirl

beach- I have heard great things about toro bravo also! my next visit will include a stop at the Whiskey Bar/ Pok Pok

keb0503

To follow up on the great advice I was given, here's how our weekend went (eating wise):

Skipped lunch Sat. had Voodoo Doughnuts instead. I had the Neapolitan, choc cake donut with pink icing and mini marshmallows shoved into the hole, very good and just the right size- not gigantic.

Dinner was at Toro Bravo (Montage was the plan but when we drove by, there were prom kids waiting outside, so we passed)
WOW! This place was amazing. Just the right size tapas and as usual my eyes were bigger than my belly.
• We had the rabbit rillette-so light and flavorful
• potatoes bravas- larger pieces than I'm used to and with an aioli sauce on top but the spicy sauce was right on, they were good.
• Oxtail croquettes- had cinnamon in them which I really liked.
• Pork sous vide- I've never had anything cooked sous vide, it was the moistest pork I've ever had! And the sherry cream potatoes it came with were yummy.
• Grilled asparagus- had a spicy pepper topping, again a good dish
The rabbit was my favorite and friend liked the pork a lot.

Breakfast was the Pearl Bakery. I’m a pastry person as is my friend. We both got the almond croissant, the brissane and a macaron. I got a cinnamon crown too. No, we didn’t eat all of these things for breakfast. Some made it to the drive home. I really like the brissane, a brioche roll with cream cheese in the center. The cream wasn’t a ton- just the right amount. Everything here was tasty. I almost regret not getting a brioche loaf. They’re hard to find in Seattle.

Lastly, with hardly the room in my belly, was Fenouil for lunch.
Friend had crab omelet and myself the croque monsieur. While all good and prepared well, this was my least favorite meal. Maybe I was just too full to enjoy it properly.

With all the great recommendations here I’ll be back to try some more 

Scarlett

Thanks for posting back!
Brought back nice memories
I love the gibassier at the Pearl and sulked if they ran out before I got there.. the Brioche is a nice alternative

Too bad Fenouil did not thrill you, maybe next time, don't eat all day lol.... but over all, it sounds like you had a pretty good time .. glad you posted.
Scarlett

beachbum

Hey keb0503, thanks for reporting. Wow, never thought I'd read that Fenouil would be someone's least fave meal in Portland, but I guess that speaks favorably of what's going on in the food scene around here.

And Toro Bravo.... seeing your report's got me itching to get back there. What't the Spanish word for "yummy"? ;-)

beachbum

Oh, and prom kids lined up at Montage?? Musta been students of one of the city's alternative high schools.

happytrailstoyou

We like everything about Paley's Place.

trigo

Jake's Crawfish Restaurant is great. The crabcakes are delicious and if they have Halibut Cheeks on the menu they are to die for. I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, where we have phenomenal restaurants and seafood. I visited Portland for the first time last December. I'm going back this weekend and Jake's is my first choice. I hope to make it to Mother's for breakfast! Have fun!

Scarlett

trigo, if you want good seafood, try SouthPark..fabulous. Jakes ( McCormick & Schmidt) (imo) doesn't come close.

http://www.southparkseafood.com/

Judyrem

Thanks for the link Scarlett, Southpark looks great! I put it in my faves for Portland.

Fodorite018

Another vote for Southpark. Like Scarlett says, it beats the heck out of Jakes. There are two Jakes...Crawfish and Grill. The Grill is the better of the two. But Southpark is even better.

keb0503

Now I feel bad, it's not that I didn't like Fenouil. I was just so stuffed with pastries still I couldn't appreciate it. Maybe they should've been first, not last

Scarlett

Don't feel bad, I used to head straight to the Pearl Bakery every day.. I definitely understand getting filled up on pastries.
But lucky you, you can drive down to Portland again and do all the stuff you missed .. or do it again

Judy, I had the best lunch at SouthPark, warm weather, outside at the tables on the sidewalk.. they had some sort of seafood sandwiches that were so good. Also seafood dinners are great. ( I am allergic to shrimp and that is a big part of their menu)..