Eating out can be taxing enough financially without factoring in the extra 10% that the government takes. A reprieve from that extra burden is close at hand — and is an added excuse to take that occasional (or frequent) business or pleasure trip to Portland. In this installment of Dining Out, we provide you with some of our regular haunts and favorite spots to eat out without sales tax while in Portland.
Although Portland is well-stocked with Starbucks, it boasts many of its own well-established chains of coffee houses. Start your morning with Stumptown (also has two Seattle locations), which is based in Portland. The downtown location is found at 128 SW Third Ave. (503-295-6144; stumptowncoffee.com).
The beans are roasted to perfection; the coffee is complex and amazingly smooth. Even in the coffee-saturated city to the north, many Seattleites’ first choice is Stumptown, labeled by some as the leader in the “third wave” of the coffee movement. Favorite beans for making coffee at home are Costa Rica Montes de Oro and Costa Rica Los Angeles, but if neither is available, any helpful barista can suggest stellar alternatives.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, do do that voodoo that you do so well — doughnuts that is. We will try to stop drooling long enough to tell you about one of our absolutely favorite places to spend some tax-free dough (pun intended) in Portland. Set your diet aside for a moment and head straight to Voodoo Doughnut (22 SW Third Ave., 503-241-4704; 1501 NE Davis St., 503-235-2666; voodoodoughnut.com).
Home of the bacon maple bar, Voodoo does not make your ordinary doughnut, and that is what keeps us dreaming of its sinfully delicious fried dough creations. We suggest you try “The Loop” with vanilla frosting and Froot Loops or the “Mango Tango,” filled with mango jelly, topped with vanilla frosting, and dusted with Tang. If you are looking for a truly Portland experience, try the Portland Crème, which was decreed in 2008 as the official doughnut of Portland by then Mayor Tom Potter.
If classics are more your style, for years, a business breakfast in Portland has meant the Heathman (1001 SW Broadway (at Salmon); 503-241-4100; portland.heathmanhotel.com). This hotel has an excellent restaurant with a classic feel.
The menu is fairly traditional for breakfast, but there will often be a very hearty meat or chop option. This restaurant should not be overlooked for any meal of the day as it is reliably good. If you want afternoon tea while you are in Portland, try the Heathman’s Tea Court, which also hosts live jazz most evenings.
For alternate cuisine, try the Bijou Cafe (132 SW Third; 503-222-3187). Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, the Bijou is classic Portlandia, emphasizing fresh local ingredients with generous portions. Well-known for its omelets and waffles (consider trying the oyster omelet if it is on the menu when you visit), we recommend either the salmon hash or the roast beef hash for breakfast or lunch. We found the service friendly, but with an entertaining eccentricity that some visitors might find unusual.
For lunch, drinks or dinner, it is hard to review Portland restaurants without including Jake’s Famous Crawfish (401 SW 12th Ave.; 503-226-1419), owned by the same company as McCormick’s Fish House and McCormick & Schmick’s in Seattle. This classic Portland restaurant may now be part of a chain, but it has been around for 110 years, and it looks and feels like a one of a kind.
Jake’s menu will feel familiar to those who frequent other restaurants with the same ownership, but it is customized to whatever fresh seafood is available. It delivers consistently delicious seafood dishes and is close enough to Powell’s to be a great place for lunch before or after your mandatory visit to the famous bookstore.
In the evenings, we frequent Southpark (901 SW Salmon St.; 503-326-1300). Southpark features fresh seafood with a healthy emphasis on sustainability by drawing on local organic farms (including one called the Singing Pig: http://singingpigfarm.com). We almost always get the fresh seafood special, but try the butternut squash ravioli while you are there. Southpark has a very nice Northwest wine list and it has an adjoining wine bar, which we have always found to be quite hospitable.
For a unique experience, and to visit a piece of history, try the Lotus Cardroom (932 SW Third Ave.; 503-227-6185; lotuscardroomandcafe.com). The Lotus lists itself on its web page as “legendary” and has been in business in the same location since 1924. It has a somewhat similar feel to Merchant’s Cafe in Pioneer Square, but with a more contemporary menu.
The lunch menu features a quarterly fresh sheet; we were able to enjoy a special fresh sheet for Mardi Gras the day we visited. The jambalaya was moderately spicy with very fresh ingredients. Or you can simply give in to the ambiance and just get a good burger. The Lotus is open late at night and hosts live music some evenings.
Another equally delicious Portland lotus is Blossoming Lotus, a favorite option for the vegan crowd (1713 NE 15th Ave.; 503-228-0048; blossominglotus.com). Its fresh seasonal vegan stir-fry engages the taste buds in a generous delectable portion of curried cashews, wheat soba noodles and fresh ginger-lime stir-fry sauce, topped with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds. A cozy, candlelit glow from the surrounding wood décor makes it a warm and friendly setting.
Finally, try Clyde Common, which is located in the Ace Hotel in Portland’s West End (1014 SW Stark St.; 503-228-3333; www.clydecommon.com). Clyde Common touts itself as a “European Style tavern.” It has great food and our local contacts call it a “very happening place.” Be warned; they do not take reservations.
While our recommendations could keep your taste buds busy for more than a long weekend, these samples barely scratch the surface for eating out in Portland. It is a “foodie” town with the caliber of restaurants to prove it. Stay tuned, as we have saved reviewing Portland’s famous food carts for a future edition.
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a multiservice, Northwest regional law firm with offices in Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and Bend. For comments on this article or to share your favorite places to eat or drink with the Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt attorneys, contact Christopher Howard at 206-407-1524 or at choward@schwabe.com; see also www.schwabe.com/dining_out.aspx.
Originally published in the April 2011 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of the King County Bar Association.
The thought of dining alone sends many of us into a cold sweat. Even the most successful, social individual may avoid it for fear of being pitied by other restaurant patrons, snubbed by the wait staff or feeling like a loser. Sometimes dining solo makes sense or can’t be avoided.
One doesn’t have to be the loneliest number. In an effort to help our readers overcome any dining-alone inhibitions (and to conquer our own), we set out to find the best restaurants for dining alone in Seattle.
Feeling like a hearty breakfast, but don’t want to be surrounded by brunching couples? Try the new West Seattle breakfast joint, Meanders (6032 California SW). Eating at Meanders is like eating in the kitchen with friends. There are only 13 seats in the restaurant, nine of which face a counter less than three feet from the sizzling hash browns. Chef, owner and one-woman-show Miranda Krone makes patrons feel like family.
Meanders opened in late January in the building that formerly housed Chinese restaurant Jade West. While the classic Jade West sign still hangs over the entryway, the smells that waft from within scream biscuits and gravy, sausage, salmon potato pancakes, and goat cheese scrambles. The homemade raspberry preserves are enough to make anyone come back for more, but most of all it’s the fresh ingredients, masterful flavors and inspired selections that make Meanders an immediate success.
In the mood for a quick snack before heading home after a long day? Look no farther than Licorous (928 12th Ave., Seattle; 325-6947; licorous.com). This drink spot, across from Seattle University, is elegant and appears to be a frequent meeting place for first match.com dates. The heavy wood bar and soft lights are combined with hints of metal pipes, but your attention will be focused on the great people-watching and the oh-so-awkward first dates.
Licorous’s fare is limited to snacks; the “Pork Belly Sam” with ginger, butter lettuce, chili paste and scallion-ranch dressing does not disappoint. Another hit is the “Lark,” a cocktail of Pierre Chainier brut with grapefruit and Campari. By the end of your snack, you may well have had the chance to see the rise and fall of many budding relationships. Here is to feeling good about eating alone.
Interested in trying a new restaurant, but can’t round up your usual gang of friends? Go anyway! We suggest Revel (403 N. 36th St., Seattle; 547-2040; www.revelseattle.com), the newest creation of Joule co-founders Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi (also of Iron Chef America fame).
Located in a stark, but surprisingly warm, Fremont space, Revel is an excellent option for those brave enough to dine alone. The space features a wooden bar that spans the entire length of the restaurant that is part dining area/part prep space for the kitchen. The evening’s entertainment features whirlwind chefs preparing “Asian street food.” A good strategy is to sit at the counter, order one item and wait to see what other items cooking in the kitchen look and smell appealing.
The corned-lamb salad, the short-rib dumplings, the pork belly, kimchi pancake and the five-spice duck meatball noodles were all delicious. Don’t forget to save room for dessert; the coconut-macaroon ice-cream sandwich alone would be worth a second visit.
Feel like sampling lots of different bites and wines at a leisurely pace? Two other options for those who work or play downtown are restaurants Purple and marjorie. Purple (1225 Fourth Ave., Seattle; 838-3853; thepurplecafe.com) has a social ambience in the evening; one can expect to mingle with other restaurant-goers.
The large selection of small-plate items allows you great variety without overindulging. Try the beef Carpaccio, and either the bucheron goat cheese or the baked brie — both cheeses tempt you to lick the plates. Purple’s large selection of cheese and wine flights will also keep you and your taste buds happily occupied during your solo evening adventure.
With a new year come new resolutions. For many of us, that is a resolution to eat more healthily. Doing so is hard because the scale forces us to be honest with ourselves, our food and our behaviors.
Dieting does not mean we have to munch only upon carrot sticks or bran muffins. Dining out can remain an option for King County attorneys seeking to add a dose of health to their routines. This month your Dining Out team has undertaken research, extensive field testing and contacted local experts for their advice on dining out on a diet.
A Few General Tips
As lawyers, we are somewhat drawn to rules. For those who have not gone down the diet and healthy eating path, here is a recap of the simple rules that we’d read if we put down the Bar Bulletin long enough to read a newsstand magazine.
Even before you dine out, take steps to avoid arriving hungry at the restaurant. Arriving hungry will tempt you to order more courses and snack on the bread, chips and other items available. A piece of fruit or other healthy snack, like a small handful of almonds, consumed 15 to 20 minutes before going to the restaurant will help curb such impulses.
All restaurants in Seattle are required to provide upon request nutritional information, including calories. Ask for it; you may be surprised to find your favorite “healthy” entrées are loaded with fat and calories.
Eat slowly. This will allow your body time to feel full.
Drink alcohol in moderation. In addition to the liquid calories, alcohol is most dangerous for its “disinhibition” effect (that dessert seems just that much more tempting and oh, why not, you only live once).
Make special requests. You do not have to accept everything that is on the menu, as it is on the menu. This is where many of our “experts” make helpful suggestions, and where we have found a lot of cooperation at our favorite restaurants.
Starting the Day on the Right Foot
One of our favorite breakfast spots is Portage Bay Café, located at three locations in South Lake Union, Roosevelt and Ballard: www.portagebaycafe.com. Portage Bay Café prides itself, and for good reason, in sourcing its food from local, sustainable, and clean farms and producers. Most of the food is organic.
Portage Bay’s breakfast menu has several choices if you are counting calories. Consider trying the yummy curried veggie and tofu scramble — you will not miss the eggs. Also, Portage Bay offers vegan and gluten-free options.
The Washington Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Union Elevator v. Department of Transportation, last week, seeking to determine whether the state can be sued for interest on awards of relocation benefits.
Union Elevator operated a grain elevator. In 1996, the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) eliminated access to Union Elevator’s property. Union Elevator instituted a successful lawsuit for inverse condemnation, and then sought the relocation benefits it would have received if WSDOT had instituted a proper condemnation proceeding. It was awarded its relocation benefits seven years later, and the company sought interest for the delay.
During the inverse condemnation lawsuit, Union Elevator was forced to build a new grain elevator on other property. It had issues relocating its equipment because of the cost, and had to purchase new equipment in order to keep its business. Union Elevator argues that where compensation has been delayed as a result of the government’s wrongful refusal to acknowledge that it has in fact taken private property – the essence of an inverse condemnation – interest should be paid along with relocation benefits.
You can watch the argument before the Supreme Court online.
Communal, family-style dining is a trend that has recently popped up in restaurants across the country. Some of Seattle’s most-revered restaurateurs are right on top of the trend, scheduling weekly or monthly “Sunday suppers” or making a family-style option available any time. Diners are served a multicourse dinner, family-style, sometimes at a communal table mixed with friends and strangers.
As your dutiful reviewers of all that is hip in Seattle’s hospitality community, we ventured to a few of the local eateries that offer family-style dinners to find out for ourselves: Is communal dining all it’s chalked up to be (and is that guy going to pass the peas or what)?
Volunteer Park Café (E. 17th and E. Gayler; www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com) offers a family-style supper one Sunday per month. This is a casual, three-course dinner that features local ingredients from the café garden. The menu and the price — $30 per person — are set, although vegetarian and allergy restrictions will be accommodated.
Our Sunday supper included potato-leek bisque, a fresh green salad with a salty vinaigrette dressing, lamb-and-eggplant rigatoni and a very tasty fruit crisp for dessert. There were some service glitches to be worked out, possibly associated with the challenge of serving everyone at the same time, but we were pleasantly surprised when our server offered seconds of the main course. Yes, please!
The atmosphere at Volunteer Park Café’s Sunday supper is relaxed and friendly. The place was packed (so reservations are highly recommended).
Twice a month, The Corson Building (5609 Corson Ave. S.; http://www.thecorsonbuilding.com) offers a Sunday evening supper, which includes wine, for $60 per diner. The menu is described as “akin to a simple family supper.” It is essentially a pared-down version of the elegant feasts The Corson Building serves on Saturday nights.
The six-course dinner is served family-style at communal tables (our party of five shared a table with another party of four). The servers describe each dish as it is brought out. Our supper started with greens, shaved radish and Parmesan. as well as a salted cod spread and crackers. The remaining courses were prawns served with squash and other vegetables; clams steamed in a cider broth; and pork belly over a bed of lentils. Cinnamon ice cream, poached pear and shortbread cookie for dessert finished the meal.
We must say that our family suppers — simple or not — are not quite like the one we had at The Corson Building, and not simply because they rarely consist of six courses. Although our dining companions were pleasant company, we did not share much at the table other than food. We politely avoided taking more than our share of each dish. And the menu was not very family or young-adult friendly.
The setting is unique, rustic and charming, and the gardens are lovely. But if you are looking for a casual family dining experience, perhaps this is not the place to go.
A couple months ago, Tom Douglas instituted weekly Sunday dinners at Palace Kitchen (2030 Fifth Ave.; http://tomdouglas.com/index.php/restaurants/palace-kitchen). Diners are presented three courses for $30 per person. The set menu changes each month.
We tried Palace Kitchen in November. A little leery about having another turkey dinner during the month of turkey dinners, we were not disappointed. While this dinner also had some service glitches (they forgot our first course), they made up for it by giving us extra dessert.
Originally published in the January 2011 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of the King County Bar Association.
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has not forgotten about his nightlife initiative — an 8-point plan of proposed changes to encourage a safe and vibrant night economy in Seattle. Mayor McGinn first announced the initiative in July at Century Ballroom, but provided the public with an update last week.
After soliciting more than 2,400 comments, and surveying Seattle residents, the idea of flexible closing times after 2 a.m. has gained significant traction. Mayor McGinn reported that this idea was supported by 80% of those surveyed.
Also part of the nightlife initiative is an effort to better address late-night transportation. Last week, at his announcement, Mayor McGinn discussed his ideas to allow individuals to pre-pay for metered street parking so that cars could remain parked overnight until 10 a.m. the following day.
Many of the proposed ideas in the nightlife initiative would require the support and efforts of the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the City Council. But while bars and nightlife goers will not likely see a change soon, bar owners are coming out in favor of the ideas being discussed.
