Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
St.;
&
503/243-2403;
www.lepigeon.com) is a casual brick-walled bistro with a mis-
matched clutter of furniture. Inspired by farmers' market offerings, chef-owner
Gabriel Rucker likes to mix things up on the menu too, trying out fresh combinations
such as hanger steak with tomatoes, feta cheese,
and pancakes, or a rabbit appetizer with prosciutto,
peaches, and truffles. In the northeast part of town,
Toro Bravo
(120 NE Russell St.;
&
503/281-4464;
www.torobravopdx.com) offers creative Spanish-
inflected tapas, such as manchego-and-paprika fritters
with spicy
salsa roja,
griddle-cooked bacon-wrapped
dates, or
sous-vide
suckling pig with sherry cream pota-
toes and truffle
jus
. The dining room is boldly colored
and bright, and trendy communal tables encourage din-
ers to mingle.
Portlanders are happy to put aside trendiness,
though, when it comes to breakfast. Every weekend
morning downtown, you'll find lines down the street
waiting to get into brunch at
Mother's Bistro
(212
SW Stark St.;
&
503/464-1122;
www.mothersbistro.
com). Crowds pour in for satisfying repasts like the but-
termilk biscuits topped with sausage gravy and eggs,
crunchy French toast, or
migas
(eggs scrambled with
jack cheese, onions, peppers, and bits of crispy tortillas). Chef Lisa Schroeder's
comfort-food lunches and dinners are pretty fine as well—think meatloaf, mac 'n'
cheese, pierogis, and long-braised pot roasts. Everyone in town seems to be there—
everyone, that is, except the hordes who've driven out to the
Original Pancake
House
(8601 SW 24th St.;
&
503/246-9007
) instead. This white-frame local land-
mark really is the original, having been around for nearly half a century. In a homey
dining room that looks like someone's vintage lake cabin, they serve 20 different
flavors of pancakes in steaming stacks from 7am until afternoon. If that doesn't start
your day off right, nothing will.
(
Portland International.
Marrow bones at Paley's Place, in
an old Victorian house on Nob Hill.
L
$$$
RiverPlace Hotel,
1510 SW Harbor Way (
&
800/227-1333
or 503/228-3233;
www.riverplacehotel.com). $$
Silver Cloud Inn Portland Downtown,
2426 NW Vaughn St.
(
&
800/205-6939
or 503/242-2400; www.silvercloud.com).
