The Runny Pen

Portland is a haven for ‘foodies’. There is no economy other than restaurants, bars, and coffee houses. And I have eaten many incredible meals here. But I always feel the service is weak. True, the prices are slightly lower than San Fran or LA restaurants, but the Nosering taking my order is usually a little too casual, a little too baked for work. I don’t want my waiter’s salutation to be ‘Hey Guys’ when my seventy year-old mother is present. But I’m told that’s the charm of Portland and the food is amazing here in the Pacific Northwest.

A very special lady from Sacramento visited me and we set a reservation for 6:30 pm at The Portland City Grill on Tuesday evening. The restaurant is on the 30th Floor and spectacular, 180-degree views of The Willamette River, Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens are available from every window table. The PCG elevates you above the city, above your daily life. Our waiter, Mike (a recent transplant from San Diego) arrived promptly and attended to us in a manner that did not even remotely come across as feigned sincerity. We ate Yellowtail and Tuna sushi and shared a half-dozen Blue Point oysters. Diana had a glass of Domain Serene Pinot Noir, which she simply described as ’smooooooothe’. I’ve been a fan of Pellegrino sparkling water since working in Italy a few years ago and it washed down my bread and butter. 

Mike was conversational and attentive and knew just when to appear and when to give us privacy.  As someone who has waited tables for a living, I am hypercritical of wait staff when they suck and lavish extra praise (and tip) when they are great. Mike was the consummate professional. I have eaten at the best restaurants in this city but Mike was the first waiter who used a scraping blade to remove breadcrumbs from our table before our main course arrived. 

The candle glow reflected off the glass as the sun dimmed. We shared deep conversations about a range of topics. Something about a black, spaghetti-strap dress on a woman is intoxicating. Her Halibut with Bok Choy arrived, as did my Top Sirloin smothered in Dungeness crab. We savored every bite. Silent at times we absorbed the twinkling lights of the city. We had our picture taken before the Crème Brule arrived. It was almost painful to leave.

I read a review of The Portland City Grill on ‘Barfly’ that panned it as ‘expensive’ and a ‘yuppie hang-out’. I’ve never dined at a fine restaurant in any major city that doesn’t cost a couple hundred to have a great time. “Blue Hour” is another fabulous, upscale restaurant and “Piazza Italia” might be my favorite Italian food in the city. As much as I love the culture of Portland, there seems an almost teenage resentment of all things that are not Emo/alternative and you could hear this tone within the ‘Barfly’ review.

I eat at taco trucks, love “Voodoo Doughnuts” (though it’s the novelty of an M&M covered doughnut, “Annie’s Doughnuts” on 72nd is way better) and “Zach’s Shack” serves a kaleidoscope of great hot dogs. And yet, sometimes the ‘charm’ of restaurants with wooden signs reading “curiously closed on Tuesdays” or “A Pizza Scholls” denying the public ‘take out’ pizza comes across more annoying than unique. 

We were looking for incredible food, service and a rich experience that Tuesday night. We wanted elegance and a view. We found a place that created mood and memories. The Portland City Grill is not trying to be a hipster hangout and for this very reason is the most unique restaurant in the city.