Delores is a new concept from BJ Smith, who transformed the formerly Smokehouse Tavern barbecue concept to highlight his Polish heritage and renamed it Delores in honor of his late mother. Here’s my thoughts and recommendations on dining for dinner at Delores PDX since I’ve had most of the menu over a couple visits.

The art you’ll find along the walls is from his personal collection, and also reflects his mother’s love of flamingos. It’s a pretty eclectic feel –  pretty representative of the menu here too.

From the dinner starters, I was completely surprised at how tasty the Butter Lettuce, shaved radish, pistachio, fines verbs vinaigrette was.  I would order this again over the crispy potato pancakes, sour cream, apple butter that I initially thought I would prefer – but the butter lettuce really is that well balanced. And I also prefer the butter lettuce salad to the other vegetable dish of roasted carrots, toasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin puree, carrot top salsa verde. They have since rotated other vegetable dishes in… I’m still going to say butter lettuce is the most winning here.

For a decadant bread service, order the Everything spiced Parker House rolls, served up with herbed cream cheese and smoked trout roe

Next is the most important pierogi face off, with the options of

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