Bunk Bar: Another Notch in the Belt for Habetz

There are tons of places to get a good sandwich in Portland, but one of the best is from the Bunk family of restaurants, run by Tommy Habetz. The original Bunk Sandwiches is on SE Morrison, but within the last three years a second outpost has opened downtown near Little Bird Bistro, a Bunk Truck is up and running all over the city, Trigger opened up near Toro Bravo in northeast, and Bunk Bar opened on SW Water Avenue. 

Bunk Bar not only serves food and drink, but also hosts shows almost every night of the week. As a bonus, Hair of the Dog Brewery is just down the street and Water Avenue Coffee right next door, so it's a happening place.

Bunk Bar is quite open and well-lit with plenty of color on the walls and a lot of seating, something that is at a premium at the other two Bunk locations. Wifey and I visited on the weekend around lunch time and there was a constant stream of people coming in and out, some with children.

Here you order at the bar. We only planned to order two things, since we knew the portions were going to be big. Oops.

First up was the mole tater tots with avocado, cilantro, queso fresco and crema. Why? One, because tater tots are awesome, and two because, well, just look at it!

This $5 "bar snack" (according to the menu) would have been plenty for both of us by itself. Super tasty.

This sandwich, a special of roasted pork with roasted brussels sprouts and Russian dressing on ciabatta, wasn't in the plan, but it sounded so good we couldn't say no. And we're glad we didn't, even thought sprouts on a sandwich was a new one for us.

That enough food porn for ya? Click again on that picture if you need more to make it bigger.

The last item we ordered was the egg and cheese on a roll, which we ordered with bacon. Honestly, we didn't even touch it for lunch; we had to wrap the whole thing and take it home to eat for breakfast the next day.

Every single one of these items was excellent. Bunk Bar, just like the original Bunk Sandwiches, produces items with tons of flavors that work very well together. We will definitely return.

Dog-friendly? There is no outdoor seating. But there should be.

Ox: Believe the Hype

Few restaurants have seen as much hype over the past year than Ox, an Argentine-inspired mecca of meat on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Northeast Portland. The kitchen - and the restaurant itself - are run by a husband and wife team, Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quinonez. Formerly in charge of the kitchen at Metrovino (where we had a nice brunch last summer), this is the restaurant they have dreamed of creating.

The space is about average size and fills up quickly. We arrived not long after they opened and were able to walk right in, but be prepared to wait if you arrive after 5:30pm. It's impossible to miss the focal point of the open, elevated kitchen: the wood fired grill/roaster/spit/meat cooking machine of awesomeness. The design of the space makes sure you don't miss it, but it also doesn't dominate.

Service starts with bread, butter and chimichurri. This was the first time I've ever had chimichurri and now I have no idea why. Delicious.

Next came a small taste of soup, with drops of olive oil. (I'd tell you what kind, but truthfully it's been six months and I'm just now catching up on the blog.)

Our first item was a small salad. Very crisp and clean, it was a nice balance to the rest of the dishes we ordered.

Fried potatoes, aioli and dill. Very much like potatoes bravas (if not the same, just with a different name), these were crispy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside.

The star of the meal was the Asado Argentino. On the menu this meat plate - consisting of grilled short rib, housemade chorizo, morcilla (blood) sausage, grilled skirt steak and sweetbreads - says it is for two, but there were three of us and we took half of it home for later. The salad and potatoes come with it and the bread and soup were complementary, so while $60 seems like a lot for one dish, it was a pretty good deal.

I grew up in a typical American household where we didn't eat more than your typical beef cuts. I've learned along the way on this food journey Wifey and I have undertaken that I've missed out on a lot. I was a bit wary of the morcilla and sweetbreads, but while everything on that plate was excellent those ended up being my two favorites. 

So many other dishes on the menu looked good and maybe on another visit we'll try them out, but this was well worth the visit.

For dessert - we were stuffed beyond belief but had to try this out - we ordered a blueberry buckle with ice cream. Again, very, very good.

Verdict? Go. Enjoy. Ox gets a lot of hype and it's all deserved. Service was excellent, food was magnificent - what more can you ask for?

Dog-friendly? There are a couple outdoor tables, but not sure if dogs would be allowed. The only access point may have been through the dining room.

Blueplate Diner: Comfort Lunch

Blueplate Diner, in downtown Portland at SW 3rd and Washington, is novelty in this city. They don't do breakfast. They don't do dinner. They don't do brunch and, in fact, aren't open on the weekend at all. Because of the limited parking and the fact they are only open from 11am-4pm on weekdays they have decided to cater specifically to those working downtown who want a comforting lunch. And it works. Oh, does it work.

Peruse the menu and you'll see what I mean. This is not health food, but it's food made from excellent ingredients that will stick to your ribs - in a good way. In addition to the food Blueplate is an old school soda fountain with all sorts of flavored milkshakes, sodas and some throwback combinations. Just check out these menus:

The diner itself is small, seating around 25 people at a fountain bar and a few small tables. Check out the fountain.

And this where the cooking happens. Everything is cooked to order at a couple small stations.

Normally this isn't a place I'd ever be able to get to for lunch since it's a long, long walk from my work and only open during the week, but a coworker and I went while attending a conference nearby. I ordered the Northwest Sliders with Tillamook cheddar and basil spread. Tomato and bacon are complimentary additions, so yes, absolutely I ordered those as well. As if that wasn't enough it comes with a side Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. All that for $10.

Everything was perfect. The potatoes were moist and buttery, like they should be. The burgers meaty and cooked well, dripping with cheese, and the tomatoes crisp. The buns were soft and held together well.

Besides, look at that thing!

Wifey and I will have to return on a vacation day because so many items on the menu sound good. Stroganoff? Meatloaf? Sloppy Joes? Pot roast? Yes, please. And we definitely need to try a housemade soda. Or shake. Or both.

Dog-friendly? No outdoor seating.

Besaw's: More Hype Than Substance

There are some places in this fair city of ours we have never been, places that when people talk about them and we say we haven't been there our statements are met with shock, as if we have somehow upset the speaker's delicate balance in their understanding of us as people.

"But you love food!" they say. "How could you have not been there yet?!"

Um, I don't know. Because there are tons of yummy places to go, with more popping up all the time, that it's almost impossible to keep track? And that it's hard enough for us to make it back to the places we know we like, let alone to try new ones on a consistent basis (and keep our foodie cred)?

Besaw's, located in northwest Portland at 23rd and Savier, is one of those restaurants. Open since 1903 (as they proudly note on the sandwichboard below and on their website), Besaw's is somewhat of a Portland institution, something along the lines of the Portland City Grill or Jake's Famous Crawfish. 

It's busy pretty much all the time and on weekend mornings the lines can stretch alongside the length of the restaurant and take hours to get a seat. We hadn't been there before mostly because of the line; this is a place you have to really plan to visit if, like us, you hate waiting for something you don't know will be worth the time. In fact, we tried to eat here once before but the line was already too long, so we went somewhere else.

A few weeks back we made a point of getting here early on a Saturday morning and were seated right away. Besaw's began as a bar and the bar is still a very prominent feature, though the atmosphere is assuredly family friendly. Families, couples and friends form small groups of varying sizes, with tables stuffed into whatever alcove the restaurant can manages.

Because of a craving we started off with a cinnamon roll, a 'how-convenient' special of the day. As you can see in the picture, it was pretty good sized.

However, it really wasn't very good. The dough was nicely baked, but the layers of the roll were too thick and didn't have enough cinnamon filling. It was as if the dough needed to be rolled flatter and layered with more cinnamon/sugar mixture. As a result the cinnamon flavor was almost nonexistent. The frosting had very little flavor. We ended up getting one at Fleur de Lis later in the day because this just didn't cut it and the craving still lingered.

Now the main dishes. Wifey ordered the breakfast burger - here is the description from the menu:

THE. BREAKFAST. BURGER. - sunny-side up egg, 100% grass-fed local ground beef patty, white cheddar, bacon, arugula, oven-roasted tomato, sausage gravy, on texas toast; rosemary-garlic potatoes

Which translates into this on the plate:

Now when someone says "rosemary-garlic potatoes" to me, French fries with whole cloves of garlic is not what comes to mind. Check out these monsters:

And there was a ton! I love garlic, but damn, that was  A LOT of garlic. And maybe it's just us, but we thought they were a tad underroasted. The burger was served on one piece of toast - it had no top. Maybe this is just our assumption, but unless otherwise stated we expected a top. The gravy was severely lacking in flavor on its own, but altogether this wasn't a bad dish. Nor was it special.

I ordered the farmer's hash:

FARMER’S HASH - three eggs scrambled with rosemary potatoes, bacon, roasted garlic cloves, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, arugula, cheddar cheese

It was...fine. Nothing special. This also had a ton of garlic and lots of cheese (so much the menu lists it twice!).

Nothing in this meal stood out; in fact, some of it was borderline no good. Many, many people seem to have a special place in their heart for Besaw's and I think that's because it has been around for so long. Quite a few Portlanders grew up with this place and made special memories there long before the city's food revolution, so it's placed in a higher echelon of restaurant than the food it produces. We won't be back.

Dog-friendly? There are a few outdoor tables along 23rd Avenue and I believe we have seen dogs there with their owners during the summer. We didn't ask specifically.

Waffle Window: Savory and Sweet Wonderfulness

A couple years back we read about this place on SE Hawthorne called the Waffle Window. There was no seating, just a window on a side street serving all sorts of sweet and savory liege waffles. We went, we tried many things, and we loved them all.

Last year they opened a second location on NE Alberta, this time with actual indoor seating and with the additions of housemade ice creams and a coffee bar to the menu. We went during the week for an early lunch/snack and didn't have to wait at all. In fact, we parked on the street right in front of the door.

Unlike the Hawthorne location you order inside at the counter and wait for your food. The Alberta location has outdoor seating, which was nice on a warmer fall day, so we took advantage of that.

We had a friend with us from out of town so the first waffle had to be what is, in our opinion, the best: the Three Bs. What are they? Bacon, brie and basil. 

The waffle had a crunchy outside, fluffy inside, and you can see they didn't skimp on the bacon at all. 

Our second was the blueberry cheesecake: blueberry compote, cream cheese, whip cream, and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs.

Heavenly. 

These two waffles were plenty for the three of us to share, not to mention being pretty to look at and just damn tasty. Next time we go back we'll try out their ice creams, which are reportedly also very good.

Dog-friendly? We didn't ask specifically, but it seems like the seating outside, just off the Alberta St. sidewalk, should be fine for a well-mannered dog. The tables aren't too close together and (at least when we were there) foot traffic wasn't heavy. Misaki wasn't with us that day, but she will be next time.

Paulee: Wine Country Jewel

Located in Dundee, Oregon - the heart of Oregon's wine country - Paulee opened late last spring to quite a buzz. The idea was to become a gateway of sorts to eating in wine country (not that there aren't other excellent restaurants in the area, but this one brought in some big names and big ideas). They were going to grow much of their own vegetables in a farm on the other side of the parking lot and source everything else locally, but the farm hasn't taken off (reportedly because of a late start, so maybe 2013 will be different). Paulee was also going to build on the talents of chef Daniel Mondok (Sel Gris, Genoa) and become a true destination spot. 

It worked, for the most part. The Oregonian gave the restaurant an A- review in August and it was suddenly the place everyone was talking about despite a 45-60 minute drive from Portland. Being west-siders, of course we had to check it out. We went twice, both times for brunch rather than dinner, and found the menu is still quite enticing but cheaper and perhaps a little more accessible. 

Paulee resides underneath the Inn at Red Hills, just down the street from Red Hills Market (another solid destination for food and drink and shopping) and a short drive from many of the big name wineries (Sokol Blosser, for instance, is less than five minutes away by car).

The decor is casual and supposed to be comfortable, though the chairs are a little hard if you plan on staying longer than the typical time it takes to eat a meal. Since this is wine country and Paulee has an extensive wine list, grab an extra pillow, especially if you dine with friends.

We made  reservations for brunch - 10:30am on a Saturday - because we thought it was going to be busy. It was not. Only two other couples were seated the first time we went and about the same on our second visit, when we decided the reservations weren't necessary. For dinner I would recommend them, especially on the weekend.

Also, keep in mind there is really only one way to get to Dundee from the Portland area - Highway 99W. Just outside of Newberg this four-lane highway narrows down to two as it enters Dundee and after about 11am or noon on Saturday or Sunday that usually means snarled traffic for people heading out for wine tasting. Get into Dundee early or just plan on spending some time sitting in traffic. Your call.

Coffee comes from Portland's Heart Roasters. It's okay, not great, though with Heart's continuous rotation of bean sources it very likely could change from visit to visit. The fireplace is a nice touch in the dining room and on the opposite side is outdoor seating. We asked our server if the patio was dog-friendly and didn't really get a straight answer. He talked some about how people don't like sitting out there because it can be loud (Paulee is right on 99W) and then said people can tie up their dog and come and eat with no problems. That, sir, was not what I asked, but considering how long it took to come up with that answer I didn't press further. 

For our first visit we ordered non-breakfast type of food. My choice was the cacio e pepe (fettuccine, pepper and parm served with prosciutto and bread). I hadn't seen it on the menu of any Italian restaurants I'd been to in Portland and heard good things, so I had to get it.

Verdict? Damn good. Really, really good. I'd definitely recommend it.

Wifey ordered the Paulee burger with smoked bacon, egg, spicy tomato jam, lettuce, aioli, cacio di roma and onions on a potato bun, which came with fries.

Quite the spread. And check out how perfectly the egg was cooked.

Love the way the yolk exploded out of that. The fries were okay, but the burger...wow. Just wow. I mean, look at this thing!

Both of those dishes were a huge hit. In fact, the meal was so good we went back two weeks later, this time opting for breakfast fare. Remembering how good the smoked bacon was on the burger, I ordered a side of it for us to share.

It was bacon. I mean, it was good bacon, we enjoyed it, but it wasn't super special or anything. 

Wifey started us off with the Benedict, served with pancetta, egg, avocado and Hollandaise on toasted brioche with potatoes on the side. 

The Hollandaise and everything was good, but we didn't think the brioche was the best fit for a bread base. Also, the potatoes could use more time in the pan - they didn't see as if they were quite cooked through enough. Nice color, but still a tad undercooked inside.

I ordered the "Skillet" which is basically a hash. This one came with chorizo, potatoes, eggs and a very light spicy cream sauce.

It had potential, it really did, but it didn't measure up to the dishes we ordered for our previous lunch visit. We did decide to follow this meal with a dessert, the special bread pudding. That day's version was a chocolate peanut butter bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and came with drizzles of chocolate and caramel sauce.

It sounded amazing and looks very pretty, but the flavors really didn't do it for us. 

Overall we recommend Paulee. The lunch items seem better executed than the breakfast ones and much of the dinner menu looks outstanding. It is definitely not the place to go for a cheap meal - both brunches ended up being around $40 for the two of us, which no alcohol - though we did bring home leftovers each time. The service was pretty good, but maybe too chatty for my tastes. This is probably directly related to the fact the restaurant was so empty both times.

It will be interesting to see how things move forward with Paulee. It was recently announced Mondok has left the restaurant and the idealistic plans of building a farm still hasn't been proven. And there also remains a question in my mind about the viability of such a high-end restaurant in the area. Yes, there is Portland money that comes in, but only on the weekends - people aren't driving out there after work during the week. Is it sustainable for weekday breakfast and lunch? 

I hope that it is. It's an excellent weekend brunch option and someday we'd like to make it out for dinner.

Dog-Friendly? Well, again, still not sure. I wouldn't bet on it, but if they seem fine with leaving your dog outside while you it inside I find it hard to believe they wouldn't let your dog sit under your table while you dine al fresco.

Roe: Portland's Best Seafood Restaurant?

Last summer we started hearing a little buzz about a new place from the mind of Wafu chef Trent Pierce. It was to be a seafood place, which was notable because before Wafu he had what was widely regarded as the best seafood spot in the city, Fin. We never made it to Fin but had read many discussions online about how wonderful it was - apparently we missed out.

It's odd to me, but Portland really doesn't have much good seafood. The names that get thrown around are living off their legacies and generally can barely put out a plate as good as I can make at home with minimal work. For a city relatively close to the ocean - not to mention many rivers - the lack of quality fish is, to me, surprising.

Needless to say, because of all of that and Pierce's reputation - and the fact we have enjoyed multiple good meals at Wafu - we added it to the short list. As it turned out opening week in September came at a time when a friend from Chicago was coming to visit, so it worked out nicely.

There are a couple things to know about Roe. First, you must make a reservation. These can be done over the phone or via Open Table, but it's the only way to get in.

Second, Roe is in the back of Wafu on SE 33rd and Division. That doesn't mean behind the building; that means you enter Wafu, give your name to the maitre'd, and then you are led down the length of Wafu to a room in the back, hidden behind a curtain and a door. The maitre'd lets you in and hands you off to Roe people. It's all very cloak and dagger, like you are part of a super secret club. In a way you are, because Roe has only a few tables and a chef's counter, and is only open three nights a week.

The chef's table is the focal point, raised on one side of the room with six seats, but all of the tables in the high-ceilinged room look comfortable. The service is impeccable. If you clicked on their website you will notice the menu is not listed - it changes every week. Pierce picks out the fish each week himself on the Oregon coast. Below was the menu presented to us.

The menu from the day we went.

Our friend came to Portland with the sole purpose of experiencing the food scene and because of that we decided to go light on dinner. Between the three of us we ordered two dishes from the first section and two from the third, then a dessert. First came bread, fresh butter and a selection of flavored salts.

First up was a tuna dish, with tomato, watermelon gazpacho, yuba, lime and basil

Then silver snapper ceviche with corn, tomato caviar, smoked citrus nuoc mam, and edamame mousse.

Then the two main courses came out. This is the butter poached blue prawn with popcorn emulsion, piquillo pepper, grilled padron peppers, and shrimp chips. 

Followed by the salmon, olive oil poached with gin botanicals, confit fennel, edamame, tonic gelee and sudachi ponzu.

And finally, a light dessert of salted caramel gelato, dark chocolate ganache and dehydrated milk chocolate mousse.

Conclusion

Everything was fantastic. Exceptional, actually. The service, the presentation, the flavors - I feel comfortable saying this is the best seafood place in town and highly recommend it to anyone. Our friend from out of town counted it as one of her favorite meals of the trip. The total bill was $81, so it's definitely a special occasion dinner for most (us for sure) and I will admit it may not be what many consider a filling meal for that price. However, the crafting of these dishes make it worth it. We'd go back in a heartbeat.

We aren't the only ones who think this; The Oregonian handed out a relatively rare A- in their review of Roe.

Dog-friendly? No outdoor seating.