Portland - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 459

new friends at long communal tables, which hold lovely soups, rustic pastries and well-
prepared meat dishes - all made with seasonally appropriate ingredients and served
family-style.

Ned Ludd AMERICAN$$$

$$$
( 503-288-6900; 3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd; small plates $8-21; 5pm-close Wed-Sat,
9am-2pm & 5pm-close Sun) Too quintessentially Portland, this offbeat, upscale joint
exudes thick artisan vibes, from its rustic-peasant decor to the prominent brick wood-
fired oven where all dishes are cooked. The beautifully presented small plates are rotated
daily. Not a place to simply fill your tummy, but rather to sample eclectic 'American
craft' delicacies. Also does a good brunch.

Woodsman Tavern AMERICAN$$$

$$$
( 971-373-8264; www.woodsmantavern.com ; 4537 SE Division St; mains $24-30; 5-10pm
Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm & 5-10pm Sat & Sun) Hip, upscale restaurant decked out in wood and some
industrial furniture. Beautifully presented food; start with some seafood or country ham
plates, and end with the whole roasted trout. Great brunch too, with choices like salmon
croquettes and smoked barley porridge with poached egg.

Bar Avignon EUROPEAN$$$

$$$

MAP GOOGLE MAP
( 503-517-0808; www.baravignon.com ; 2138 SE Division St; mains $18-23; 5pm-close) A ro-
mantic setting for snacky plates to share (try the Netarts Bay oysters), or real entrees like
seared pork chop with cherry glaze and red-pepper fettucine with smoked mushrooms
and chevre. You'll want to linger over a special bottle of wine at the bar, or at a sidewalk
table. Happy hour offers some good deals.

BRUNCH, ANYONE?

Portlanders love brunch, and on weekends you'll see long lines at all the popular
spots. Weekend hours are usually from 9am to 2pm; some places are only open
Saturday and Sunday. Note that some of the regular restaurants we list, especially
Simpatica and Woodsman Tavern, also offer excellent brunches.
Tasty n Sons ( 503-621-1400; www.tastyntasty.com ; 3808 N Williams Ave) Superb
small plates in a high-ceilinged warehouse. Wait guaranteed.