We got a dose of culture at the Portland Art Museum, definitely worth a visit.529 NW Twenty-third at Hoyt
Portland, Oregon 97210
Thursday evening, we opted to sample the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest. We arrived at 23Hoyt, in the Pearl District, a ritzy area with lots of boutique shopping and fine dining restaurants. The east-west roads in this part of Portland are in alphabetical order as you travel north. Many fans of the Simpsons will recognize Burnside (Mr. Burns), Flanders, and Lovejoy, names appropriated by Matt Groening, who grew up here.
Just inside the door at 23Hoyt, all you see is a heavy curtain before you that must be shoved aside before entering the dimly-lit dining area. The décor is striking: the artwork is from the owner’s personal collection, and this person must have a taste for the macabre. Paintings with interesting subject matter line the walls, and a chandelier made from antlers is the centerpiece of the main room.
Glancing around, the clientele was fairly diverse, ranging from middle-aged locals to young couples who were tourists like us. Service was unobtrusive and informative. The food, however, was not at all what I was expecting.
To start with, I had a cauliflower soup with ginger and apples, which was so delicious it tempted me to lick the bowl. It comes with the garnishes for the soup in the bottom of the bowl, and the server pours the soup into the bowl from a hot carafe. I have experienced this before, but for some reason I was caught off guard this time when the white bowl came with these tiny diced apples in the bottom, and nothing else. I’m so silly!
Both of us were committed to getting fish. DH chose roasted trout with baby octopus. The trout came with its head on, and the texture was unlike anything we were used to, having never had roast fish. DH liked the octopus’ flavor and chew. Here's looking at you, Mr. Trout.
Just inside the door at 23Hoyt, all you see is a heavy curtain before you that must be shoved aside before entering the dimly-lit dining area. The décor is striking: the artwork is from the owner’s personal collection, and this person must have a taste for the macabre. Paintings with interesting subject matter line the walls, and a chandelier made from antlers is the centerpiece of the main room.
Glancing around, the clientele was fairly diverse, ranging from middle-aged locals to young couples who were tourists like us. Service was unobtrusive and informative. The food, however, was not at all what I was expecting.
To start with, I had a cauliflower soup with ginger and apples, which was so delicious it tempted me to lick the bowl. It comes with the garnishes for the soup in the bottom of the bowl, and the server pours the soup into the bowl from a hot carafe. I have experienced this before, but for some reason I was caught off guard this time when the white bowl came with these tiny diced apples in the bottom, and nothing else. I’m so silly!
Both of us were committed to getting fish. DH chose roasted trout with baby octopus. The trout came with its head on, and the texture was unlike anything we were used to, having never had roast fish. DH liked the octopus’ flavor and chew. Here's looking at you, Mr. Trout.
I hope you don't mind that I suffer from restaurant flash photography shyness (RFPS).
I selected the halibut with Thai spices in a coconut broth. It was mighty tasty. We broke protocol and split dessert, a pumpkin cheesecake that was to die for.
All in all, the only problem we had with 23Hoyt was that it was not what we were expecting. It felt just a tad too… advanced for our taste. I’m sure it’s a fine restaurant, but we shied away from trendy spots (and had a definite slant toward brewpubs) for the rest of the trip.
The wine? Oh, an Oregon pinot (he noir, I blanc), natch.
1 comments:
Diana, that horse looks like a thestral!
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