Where is the Best Wine Bar in Portland, Oregon?
What’s nice about South Park is many-fold. It always has a solid wine list with interesting choices made by someone who is obviously paying attention to the global and local wine business. Service is always solid, well-paced and executed by professionals. The menu is interesting, mature, and remains modern enough; exceution is always solid and thoughtful. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, not unlike an homage to European bistro and cafe spaces, but upon closer inspection, it falls apart as dated, and this is my biggest gripe. The mural, that covers the North wall (while clearly laboured), reminds me of late 80’s Napa-wine-craze art; It doesn’t lend credibility to the restaurant. Likewise, the Ikea-looking lights above the bar harken to a college dorm more than a bistrot or gastro-pub. They detract from the gorgeous wood of the floor and horse-shoe bar. I imagine warm beige walls with muted lighting, which might make the bar and floor pop and be the focal point, as wood work of that muc
There are so many great breakfast/brunch places in Portland that it’s hard to pick a favorite (Helser’s Tin Shed, Jam, Genie’s, Bread and Ink, Cafe du Berry, Junior’s all come quickly to mind). Topping my list at the moment is Crush. I’ve never been there at night when the hipsters allegedly arrive, but have had the Sunday brunch (9 to 3). The menu is reasonably varied, with classy breakfast choices on one side and some more lunch-brunch type selections like mac & cheese on the flip. I especially like the chilaquiles and the scrambles, some with meat and others vegetarian. Very flavorful with ingredients like Antique Cheddar (not sure what that means). They even get the little touches right — e.g., using sliced fennel on the sliced apple that garnishes most of the dishes. There’s also something I haven’t seen elsewhere in P-Town: free cornbread and toast, both self-serve. The Stumptown coffee (not free) is also self-serve. There’s amazing art throughout the place (apparently by the ow
Best wine bar in town hands down. Whoever thinks this is expensive does not drink wine on a regular basis. Go to any restaurant, or most other wine bars in town for that matter, and compare the quality and price level of the wines being poured to the per glass price being charged and you will see this place towers over others. Where else can you get Oregon’s best producers poured by the glass ($14 glass for $40-$50 bottles of wine is cheap) or the bottle ($5 corkage over pure retail pricing-beat that!)? Aside from pouring great Pinots they have one of the best Champagne selections in the city and they will pour those as well. They play great music and have a good mix of friendly regulars and interesting (sometimes) out of towners. A true wine bar, not a restaurant with fake wine bar credentials.Pros: Great Pinot selection for cheap, Champagnes, no pretensesCons: Not lots of seats and it can get busy
A group of us experienced Pour on a Tuesday evening. The decor and ambient lighting is wonderful and the music was at a nice level. We ordered paninis, mac and cheese, and salads and all tasted great. The Bananas Foster, prepared tableside complete with flames, was excellent.The owner waited on us and he was very attentive, though somewhat awkward.We’d definitely consider another evening at Pour.
