Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX

One of the biggest bargains in fine dining with can be found at Roe Portland. Two dining experiences are available, and I have tried both. In the spring (unfortunately the day just after I cracked my camera phone lens) I enjoyed the Tasting Menu. For this menu, it is prix fixe but you have a certain list of dishes to choose between for your four courses for the huge value price of $68 per person – you can easily run that up per person for four courses any restaurant, but you get the extra experience of the fine dining service at Roe. Recently, I went back and tried the Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX for the price of $138, and you get seven courses plus some surprises. Here’s look at what the experience was like for me in the first of October 2019.

Finding the restaurant is a bit of an adventure to start with. Located in downtown Portland, only a few blocks away from Pioneer Square, you have to enter a building called Morgan’s Alley- there isn’t even a sign for Roe visible. Look for the Oregon Wines on Broadway and go through the doors just to the left of this wine bar and bottle shop. Keep pressing through the hallways to the back until you see stairs, and follow those up to a very subtle restaurant entrance.
Roe Portland, located in Morgan's Alley in the back - finding the restaurant so I can enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX Roe Portland, located in Morgan's Alley in the back - finding the restaurant so I can enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX

When you enter, you are transported away from the busyness of Portland and your day into the dimly lit entrance foyer of Roe PDX. There is a card with your last name waiting for you, and once the host returns to the cart, he or she will take your coats, pour you a libation to greet you. In my visits to Roe, this has varied from some hot dashi in the winter to sparkling to in this visit, a chamomile tea infused vermouth aperitif.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, initial entrance foyer Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, initial entrance foyer

Shortly after, you will be led to your seats at your table or the chef’s counter (which has it’s own reservations). There are no walk-ins at Roe – but it’s easy to make reservations online and check the available times lots on Tock. Most seats have a view of the open kitchen, and I appreciate that the tables are spaced well enough that you can enjoy private conversation – this is not a noisy restaurant so you can really enjoy the food and drink and your dining companions.
interior of restaurant as I prepare to enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX interior of restaurant as I prepare to enjoy the Chef's Menu at Roe PDX

You can select to purchase beverages by the glass, or bottle, or have a pairing. We opted for the beverage pairing. The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course. If you have any food allergies or such, they do check with you by sending you a message the day before your reservation, and they check one more time in person here. You also have an option of caviar add on if you so choose. Ok, we’re ready, game on – and we so choose to enjoy some caviar service please.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu

Amuse Bouches and (optional) Caviar

Before the dinner courses, we are treated to some complimentary snacks, or amuse bouches. The first set of amuse bouches included Housemade dashi, Hamachi crudo with walnut pecan and concord grape, and Albacore tartare in buckwheat crepe with wasabi. These amuse bouches and the caviar were paired with one of my favorite pairings of the evening, a Quince fruit wine from Art + Science.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science

Then, the next amuse bouches arrived almost at the same time as the caviar. I was fine with the pan fried salt cod with caviar but honestly the excitement of the caviar made me forget to note what was exactly the second snack here besides that it was in a roasted peanut topping.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial amuse bouches and caviar service were paired with  delicious Quince fruit wine from Art + Science

The caviar service ranges from some individual caviar selections from the low end of $45 up to a trio of caviar for $175. The caviar is served with warm potato blini, whipped creme fraiche, and sieved egg. It’s simple and perfect – I would always get this add on from now on if I visit Roe.
Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu Chef's Menu at Roe PDX, The initial menu showing you the courses is only a teaser, with only a noun to designate one of the main ingredients for each course Roe PDX Caviar Service Menu, an optional add on to the Tasting Menu or Chef's Menu

How about we finally get down to seeing the courses of the dinner for the Chef’s Menu at Roe PDX now? We haven’t even started on the first listing yet!

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Line and Lure and Live Music

When people think of casinos, they think of usually the lights and sounds of the slot machines, the padded green tables and sound of shuffling cards or the roulette wheel. Me, I think of the food. It’s true in Vegas, one of the premier destinations in the US for eating I think – and it’s true at the nearby to Portland Ilani Resort and Casino. Don’t let the Ridgefield Washington location put you off – it’s 30 minutes or less drive from Portland. I want to go there to eat. In particular, I’m a fan of Line and Lure Seafood Restaurant.

Line and Lure may be most known by those in the know with their brunch buffet, available on weekends. It’s where I’d take my parents or other relatives if they were in town. But there’s more reason to come- for instance come enjoy the calmer vibe at happy hour or at dinner. You can enjoy Line and Lure and Live Music every Friday & Saturday from 6-10 PM: see the schedule here. The musicians are local, and in a good sign, it also helps bring in some local regulars along with the casino members. And now that better weather season is here dine out on their patio with firepit to start out a casino date night.

They have multiple lovely libations, but my favorite is both a drink and a snack: their Admiral Bloody Mary in concocted with their housemade bloody mary mix and Tito’s vodka, crab leg, prawn, bacon, pepperoncini, olive, onion, spicy pickled bean, fresh lime 
Line and Lure and Live Music Line and Lure and Live Music

Start with a seafood forward appetizer like Dungeness Crab Claws served your choice of either chilled on ice or steamed. Basic preparation but the best ingredients show off the fresh tastiness of the crab.
Line and Lure appetizers of DUNGENESS CRAB CLAWS with your choice: Chilled on ice or steamed

But, don’t afraid to go with a lot of prepared flavors – like the complex layered starter of the BBQ Shimp and Griddled Corn Cakes with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce.
Line and Lure starter of BBQ SHRIMP & GRIDDLED CORN CAKES, with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce Line and Lure starter of BBQ SHRIMP & GRIDDLED CORN CAKES, with grilled prawns, seared polenta cakes, spicy BBQ sauce

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A Nice Dinner Out at Ringside Fish House

If you are looking for a sophisticated place to go out on a holiday dinner with your loved ones or your friends during the holiday or post holiday, don’t overlook the classic nice dinner out at Ringside Fish House. This elegant restaurant is located downtown right by Director’s Park, and is a favorite for theater goers with their 3 Course Prix Fixe Dinner that can get you to the show on time. I like visiting without a show ticket even more so I can fully linger and enjoy the atmosphere. Take advantage of the complimentary self-parking at Fox Tower Parking Garage, or walk only a block or two away from the Max or Streetcar.

Here’s a look at a recent nice dinner out at Ringside Fish House I enjoyed this month. Keep in mind of course that like any excellent seafood restaurant the dishes may change based on what is fresh. Certain favorites will be there in some form though – for instance the impressive starter of a Fresh Seafood Platter arranged with King Crab Legs, Hokkaido Scallop, Gulf Prawns, Oysters, Mussels, Manila Clams, House Smoked Salmon. This one is just a small that offered more then enough for us four, but they come in two other sizes for even more grandness and has an optional upgrade addition of lobster. That house smoked salmon is really something special
A Nice Dinner at Ringside Fish House with a Fresh Seafood Platter arranged with King Crab Legs, Hokkaido Scallop, Gulf Prawns, Oysters, Mussels, Manila Clams, House Smoked Salmon A Nice Dinner at Ringside Fish House with a Fresh Seafood Platter arranged with King Crab Legs, Hokkaido Scallop, Gulf Prawns, Oysters, Mussels, Manila Clams, House Smoked Salmon A Nice Dinner at Ringside Fish House with a Fresh Seafood Platter arranged with King Crab Legs, Hokkaido Scallop, Gulf Prawns, Oysters, Mussels, Manila Clams, House Smoked Salmon A Nice Dinner at Ringside Fish House with a Fresh Seafood Platter arranged with King Crab Legs, Hokkaido Scallop, Gulf Prawns, Oysters, Mussels, Manila Clams, House Smoked Salmon
You should perhaps also warm up with a cocktail. They have the classics as you would expect from Moscow Mule to Penicillin to Boulevardier or whatever you’d like to call. But think about their house cocktails as well, including a few that rotate seasonally. The NxNW cocktail with Vodka, Apple Brandy, Pear, Cinnamon, Lemon brings together nice warming flavors, while their Water of Youth consists of Vodka, Yuzu, Honey, Chamomile, Cava that brings some bubbly joy and yuzu that goes well with seafood.
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