Beast
Beast is one of Portland's finest restaurants. In fact, many locals consider it to be the best French restaurant in the city. Beast serves six-course dinners Wednesday through Saturday and a four-course brunch on Sundays. Diners will be tempted to keep coming back to this upscale restaurant, as the menu changes every week to incorporate new seasonal ingredients. Here's just one sample course from a meal offered in November 2009: Cattail creek lamb loin chip with tails and trotters stuffed with savoy cabbage, served with crushed mint and tomato-veal demi glace. Because meat is always a signature dish at Beast, vegetarians and vegans might want to dine elsewhere.
Beast
5425 NE 30th Ave
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 841-6968
www.beastpdx.com
Lovely Hula Hands
Lovely Hula Hands is just as charming as its name implies. This cozy restaurant in north Portland, situated on top of a hill on historic Mississippi Street, is exquisitely decorated. Every fixture, fabric, and painting conveys a feeling of romance and warmth. The menu, as of November 2009, includes entrees such as potato-crusted trout with roasted shellfish, escarole, and au jus, and rabbit and sage sugo with pappardelle and house-made ricotta. Cocktails at Lovely Hula Hands are inventive. A "Nik's Old Fashion," served on the rocks, is made with Maker's Mark whiskey, bitters, a sugar cube, house-whisked cherries, and a single orange slice. With so many shops and sights nearby, Lovely Hula Hands is an excellent place to have a leisurely dinner before wandering off to explore the neighborhood.
Lovely Hula Hands
4057 N Mississippi
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 445-9910
www.lovelyhulahands.com/
Portland City Grill
For travelers new to the city, downtown's Portland City Grill is the perfect place to dine. Located on the 30th floor, the restaurant offers unparalleled views of the city. Diners can enjoy a light lunch of sushi, or come back in the evening for a full-blown steak or lobster dinner with cocktails. Indulge in an extravagant meat dish like grilled filet mignon and jumbo Red King crab legs, or try an exotic plate of spiced coconut milk, allspice berries, roma tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, and udon noodles. The drink list is extensive, featuring fine wines, martinis, and cosmopolitans. Dining at the Portland City Grill on your first night in the city is sure to start your trip off with style.
Portland City Grill
111 SW 5th Ave
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 450-0030
www.portlandcitygrill.com
About The Author
Michelle Wishhart is a writer based out of Astoria, Ore. She has been writing professionally for five years, starting with her position as a staff arts writer for an alternative weekly paper in Santa Cruz. She has a B.A. in fine arts from the University of California in Santa Cruz and a minor in English literature.
