AS THE SUN THROWS its liquidy late-summer rays down SE Ankeny Street on a Wednesday evening, small pockets of diners filter into a warm, glassed-in industrial kitchen. Long, sunlit steel tables brightened with small flower vases display scattered menus outlining four courses of an impending family-style meal. Three chefs busily prep away, filling the room with aromas of grilled endive, roasted squash, and simmering mussels as the hum of expectant conversation heightens.

It’s the kind of scene that Portlanders can enjoy at any one of the city’s top-notch supper clubs, from Din Din to Simpatica. But the difference here is that everything being prepared is 100 percent free of gluten, dairy, and soy.

This is chef Abby Fammartino’s dream: a casual gathering where she can cook the food she loves for those who need it and appreciate it, experimenting with new techniques and ingredients along the way. A former personal chef who sharpened her knives at Natural Gourmet Institute of Food and Health in Manhattan, Fammartino launched Abby’s Table in the winter of 2008 at age 26. What began as a kitchen for her small line of dips and sauces quickly evolved into a casual dining room serving weekly dinners to those in the know for just $12 a pop. As interest expanded, so did the menus (and the prices), until Fammartino and her small staff were serving full-on ethnic and regionally themed feasts each Wednesday for $24, even turning diners away as demand grew. Read More – Portland Monthly Magazine>

When life gives you diabetes, make crème brûlée. That’s exactly what owners of food cart Sweet Pea’s Brulee do nearly every day. Co-owner Tim Bergam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes four years ago. As a way to cope with his new disease, Bergam and his wife, Kate Serpa, began making crème brûlée for friends. “I couldn’t eat our products, but we could feel the joy in serving people sweets which were loved,” says Bergam. As the requests piled in for them to make desserts for luncheons, dinners and parties, a friend suggested they start selling them. Serpa had spent 10 years in consulting, and Bergam “too many” years in human resources, and despite little knowledge of how to open a business (except what their Multnomah County Library cards could get them access to), they opened Sweet Pea’s Brulee last October. Read More – wweek.com>

Staggered, trying to rouse myself into some form of useful physical activity, I am instead trying to think if I have ever had a better burger than the one I enjoyed this afternoon.  Killer Burger sets a new standard.  

Portland, for some reason, is blessed with a number of unique burger places – Helvetia, Stanich’s etc.  Killer Burger wanders in and says, “wanna know what a burger can be?”  The buns are perfectly, lightly toasted.  The burger patty is loosely formed and has perfect char.  Bacon and a smoky relish are standard, not add-ons.  I had the mushroom cheese burger and will dream about it tonight. Read More -  Yelp>

I was downtown, and I’ve heard a lot about this place so I thought I’d give it a try. When I first rolled up I saw a bunch of people outside, and music playing. Like it was a club or something. I figured they were just hanging out, on their lunch break. Then I realized it was a line waiting to order. I was intrigued and excited, “this place must rock!” Then I saw how small the burgers where and was like “oh, they live up to there name”. I was tempted to order two but just got one with fries. The meat and bun was different and good, but I was a little disappointed. I really wasn’t a fan of the veggies and sauce on the burger. Maybe without the veggies I would have liked it better. Fries were good, but the fact they used truffle oil didn’t seem to make them anything special. I have to say the atmosphere was cool and very “Porlandy.” The people working there really seemed to enjoy their craft, which is a plus. It’s a very small place with a long counter and a few tables. I’ll probably give this place another try in the future. I would give this place 3.5 stars, if I could. Read More – Yelp.com>

Smokin Jim’s is some good finger licking bbq. This is a mobile trailor but he is set up in this parking lot most everyday from noon to 7pm. Brisket sandwich was tasty with a lot of meat and comes with a side, either beans, cole slaw or potato salad for $6.95. The pulled pork was good also but preferred the brisket and that sandwich was only $5.95. Jim himself says the true prize of this spot are the ribs. I did not try them but I am going back this week to pick some up. Bbq sauce is good, little spice and nice tangy sweetness. There are tables and chairs set up outside so you don’t have to take it to go.  A nice find on the way to get the oil changed in my car. Read more – Yelp.com>

Went here on a whim and I am glad we did! Great atmosphere and good service! The outdoor seating was covered and full of plants and had heaters, would be a fun place to dine even during the winter. I am vegan and there were mutiple options for me as well as my meatasaurus date I will be back! I thought it was cute how they had a basket of mini corn dogs on the menu for the kiddies. Read More – PortlandCitysearch.com>

Good food, good service, nice atmosphere.  

I just ate a fabulous dinner here.  The spinach salad was fantastic, it had a nice blend of apples, candied walnuts (really, really, good), spinach, great dressing, and cheese.  All of the flavors together were fantastic.

The menu at Little Bird Bistro, the new French restaurant opened in December by Le Pigeon chef Gabe Rucker, takes a page from Larousse Gastronomique, the authoritative encyclopedia of Gallic eating. I mean that literally: The dinner menu has, printed on its backside, a photocopy of page 662 (beef offal, oxtail en hochepot to tripe), as if to proclaim, “Ere, we do singz by ze book!”

This is not entirely the case. Little Bird, with its faux tin-tile ceiling, copper bar, red leather booths and clichéd tourist-food offerings—escargot, frog legs, coq au vin—is a sort of Frenchy theme restaurant, heavy on liver and butter, with antlers and dead birds here and there to remind us where we’re eating. (Portland, city of taxidermy!) But the cuisine is hardly textbook fare. wweek.com – Read More>

Beautiful restaurant located at 9th and Salmon.  We were happily seated at a cozy booth with a big ole window.  I enjoyed looking at out at the cold night and the trees all lit up for the season.  I chose this place due to it’s close proximity to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. It’s known for fresh seafood and I was eager to give the Escolar they had listed a try. Yelp.com – read more>

901 S.W. Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon, 97205

Valentine’s Day is all about romance. And by “romance,” I mean sex. Whether you’re trying to get sex or you’re trying to comfort yourself because you’re not getting any, chocolate is your friend—and Portland’s artisan chocolatiers, shopkeeps and chefs wanna help you get some. Whatever the mood or reason, the following will supply your wildest cocoa fantasies: http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-16913-chocolate_love.html

After a long hiatus, the flamboyant and quirky Hamburger Mary’s restaurant and bar is back.

Once a local institution, the Portland franchise of a national restaurant chain — known for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friendliness — closed about a decade ago. Its former footprint is buried under the Fox Tower. Oregonlive.com – Read More>

Trying every new restaurant in town is not an actual requirement for a local food writer, but it sure helps. So I’m out to dinner nearly every night and sometimes try new places at lunchtime, too. In Portland’s vibrant dining scene, this is no lament. Still, there are some nights that simple and familiar fare beckons, especially when the refrigerator is empty and my dining partner is a periodically picky, newly teenage daughter. 

Portland’s western neighbor is known more for family-friendly chains serving oversized plates of average fare than for fine dining. 

My husband and I  visited on Tuesday night to see a friend from college. We ordered the Famous Linguine with Catfish and the Rock fish Jambalaya. My Linguine was just okay, but the Jambalaya was quite tasty. I hope to come back to try the spicy mac and cheese soon. I also ordered the Ginger Martini, but the martini lacked flavor. Yelp – Read More>

 I love the ambiance of the historic and classic interior with big glass walls and high ceiling. The cocktail menu is pretty extensive. The food was good but I was hoping to be wowed to match the ambiance and I was not. There were some good dishes like steamed mussels but in general they were rather mediocre. This is a very good place to visit nonetheless. Read More – Yelp>

Chef Chris Thompson has done an incredible job of presenting excellent Italian Food that compares with the East Coast Italian Dining Experience. We were asked when making our reservation, if anyone in our party had a food allergy the chef should be aware of. A huge bonus before we even arrived. When arriving, we were greeted by a delightful hostess who seated us right away even though our dining companions were running a little late. Erin, (our charming, beautiful, intelligent, and personable waitress was marvelous) assured us not to worry and we had wine and some of the best calamari ever while waiting. When our friends arrived, they were seated immediately and had wine and salad, after which our orders were taken for entrees. Two lasagnas, one catch of the day, and one pasta specialty of the house with Italian sausage. All four, perfectly prepared, served eye appealingly, and delish beyond words. City Search – Read More>

 I went to college in Philly for four years; I can’t count how many artery-clogging sandwiches I had between lectures.  Rest assured that Steakadelphia is the real deal.  Cheez Whiz, provolone, and chicken steaks are all available.  The bread, which some argue is the most important part of the meal, is flown in from Philadelphia’s Amaroso Bakery.  If I could make the nutritional justification, I would be eating here multiple times per week. Yelp – Read More>

When Joe Rapport thinks back to starting his career in fine dining during the late 1970s with Wolfgang Puck at Ma Maison in Southern California, one of his fondest memories is the chefs indulging in cheeseburgers from the Sunset Grill and chili dogs from Pink’s Hot Dogs.  Oregonlive.com – Read More>