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Andina
Categories: Restaurants Tapas Bars Restaurants Gluten-Free Restaurants Peruvian Tapas Bars, Gluten-Free, Peruvian [Edit]
1314 NW Glisan StPortland, OR 97209
Neighborhood: Pearl District
(503) 228-9535
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 4 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
659 reviews for Andina
Review Highlights
"Lomo saltado is my favorite Peruvian dish."
(in 34 reviews)
"pisco sour--the national drink of Peru."
(in 28 reviews)
"So delicious for small plates or big plates."
(in 63 reviews)
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657 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah B.
2/9/2012
My god I love this place. I even came for dinner once before I even LIVED in Portland, because I wanted to try it so badly. It was totally worth the five hours on I-5 with screaming brats.
Dinner is phenomenal. Happy hour is stellar. Drinks, small plates, entrees, everything, all superlative. One could exhaust an entire thesaurus trying to describe the wonderfulness that is Andina, but one ought not to use all of one's adjectives in one place. Because then there wouldn't be any leftover to describe things like sunrises, babies, kittens and beaches. On the list of awesome things, though, Andina places pretty high. -
Review from John L.
Updated - 2/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I'm not sure why but the second visit was not quite as good as the first. Maybe the novelty wore out. It was still pretty good but not quite a 5 star rating.
I don't do shellfishy seafood so bit limited on the meat menu but so far the vegetarian dishes have far outshown the chicken and beef dishes. The fish dishes were up to par with the veggie dishes.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2011
This is my new favorite restaurant in Portland.
It was pricier but much better than Toro Bravo.
They… Read more »
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Review from Cora L.
2/7/2012 4 photos
This place was amazing! Let's keep it short and sweet..
Ordered:
- Chorizo
- Grilled asparagus brushed with chimichurri
- Grilled octopus kebobs with chimichurri and a caper majado de papa
- Quinoa risotto
- Alfajores
And everything was simply delectable. My two favorites? If I HAD to choose it would be the octopus first, and then a close tie between the asparagus and the quinoa risotto. Yeah you're right, I couldn't choose.
And if you like sweets, you MUST try the alfajores. YUM! -
Review from T C.
Las Vegas, NV
2/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
One star for the vibrant scene.
One star for the owner who sat us at our table and his wife who thanked us for eating at their restaurant. Very sweet.
If I could I would give a 1/4 star for seating us promptly for our 8pm reservation and 1/4 star for presenting us with a lovely dessert for our anniversary. Sadly, I cannot round up to 3 stars. Maybe if this place wasn't so highly overrated I would round up. But I feel it is my duty as a yelper to help balance the ridiculous 5 star ratings out.
People! 580+ reviews! 4.5 stars?!?! Really? My husband and I tried, we really did, but we could not see what all the hype is about. The food was ok, not great, not bad. Sangria, eh...pass. Dessert, eh. Service, sure people were smiling but come on now, most looked like they were cursing you on the inside. I lived in LA, I know fake when I see it.
My recommendation? If you live in the wonderful city of Portland, by all means go to this establishment...but stop giving it a five star rating. If you are visiting, consider passing, unless you live in a city with very few restaurant options. I am certain there will be better places to spend your time. -
Review from Ha T.
Olympia, WA
2/1/2012
Service is great and food presentation is gorgeous. Tapas were a little bit better than ok. Their novo-andean dishes tasted a little off to me. The flavors were either too bland or didn't appeal to my quasi-French Vietnamese tastebuds.
I'm torn, because this place is insanely popular. So there. One lone opinion that will probably drown in the Sea of Five Stars. -
Review from Vee D.
Portland, OR
2/2/2012
I love Andina, there is always a great vibe there and the cocktails are divine. As always the food is uncomplicated, tasty and perfect for those who love tapas.
I recently went during happy hour which was very busy, this seemed to make some of the waiting staff stressed out. However they were professional as always! -
Review from Quddous B.
1/29/2012
Maybe not the most amazing food ever but good enough to be happy. Great service, great looking restaurant, great food.
They had this one fried cassava dish that was amazing! -
Review from Faith C.
Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012
Came to Andina for my husband's 30th birthday while we were in Portland celebrating. Delicious food, with flavors I haven't tasted before. The bread was good, but the sauces were great. My husband enjoyed his lomo saltado and I enjoyed my seared ahi tuna. We also had the yucca croquettes. Even though we didn't order dessert, we were still brought out yummy cookies with a candle. Very good service.
The live music playing in the background was also very nice. -
Review from Erica M.
Sandy, OR
2/7/2012
You sit extremely close to one another (which lots of restaurants do but all together it sucked),and it was so loud I had to practically yell for my fiancee to hear me. The worst thing about it was my food. I got sea scallops and they were so freaking gross. There was so much sand and grit in them I thought I was going to damage my teeth. I could not eat them at all, and the nasty beet drizzle they put on there tasted like they didn't wash them off first. I know lots of people say this place is amazing but it was $40 buck for sand. Try Limo in NW.
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Review from Jason G.
Eugene, OR
1/28/2012
If you're reading this review, you're not eating at Andina.
Seriously, you're still reading? If I weren't in Vancouver right now, i wouldn't be able to write this review because thoughts of Andina lead directly to needing to have Andina.
I don't think I'll ever have children, but if I do, I'll name them Andina. -
Review from Kristen M.
Hillsboro, OR
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I finally made it to Andina!!!! [**insert confetti falling from the sky**]
I thought this place was a small restaurant (me looking from outside), but inside there are like 3 different levels and two different areas where you can dine. Wonderful atmosphere, great service, but most of all - extravagant and sophisticated food! I do recommend making reservations here because it can be quite busy.
Andina is more about the tapas (small plates for sharing). But they also have some entrees which are just as yummy! I had their filet mignon and "OMG" this was cooked well and had so much flavor emitting through each chew! I swear I was salivating while I was eating! This was complimented with a corn tamale, which to my surprise was oozing with cheese in the middle! (what a plus!) This was sweet yet not over-powering. Another complimentary side dish to the meat was a slaw that was so yummy I gobbled it up and I didn't realize I had that side in the first place. And it doesn't stop there - dessert is just as scrumptious! I enjoyed their Chocolate Andino which was just the sugar I needed to end a rich meal.
Parking for Andina is on the street and can be a bit difficult since parking in the Pearl District is a tad slim. But don't let the parking turn you down to dining here. It can be quite intimate for a date and a nice place to take out-of-town-visitors to be impressed (believe me they will be amazed).
But nonetheless, hands down! Another favorite in my book! I would like to come back here to try out their happy hour (which is daily 4-6pm). It's no wonder that people are still buzzing about this place! It's mind-blowing!!!!! [**insert explosion sound here**]Listed in: Portland Tourist
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Review from Teresa T.
Seattle, WA
1/17/2012 Seated via OpenTable
To celebrate our 3 year anniversary, I made reservations for Andina following a recommendation from a coworker who's brother in law is Peruvian and lives in Portland.
I was glad I made reservations because on a Saturday night this place was packed and very hopping. The live music was very nice and the overall atmosphere of the place was great. It was warm and cozy while still maintaining an air about it.
For drinks, I ordered Pisco Sour "Kuong Tong" and my boyfriend got the purple corn drink (thought it's name eludes me now). Both of our drinks were solid and cut through the dishes we got.
You're given quinoa bread with 3 different salsas that you can dip you're bread in. Mild was a peanut based one, medium a passionfruit, and hot was green with jalapenos. The idea of dipping breads in salsas is a bit weird since I always think of salsa as livening up the food its paired with and bread needs something richer than that to be eaten with. I enjoyed saving the salsas to eat with the mains much better.
We started with the stuffed peppers and steak tartare. Both dishes was solid and made me excited for our main courses. The tapas was small, we got 2 small peppers stuffed with quinoa, cheese, and ham and the tartare portion was generous in my opinion.
I chose the pork loin stuffed with cheese and it was a hit. The pork wasn't the best part for me, it was a standard loin but all of the accompaniments really elevated the dish. The dark chocolate sauce and the pears especially were highlights for me,
My boyfriend got the duck two ways and both methods were spot on. The breast was perfectly cooked, juicy and just slightly fatty as we all love duck to be. Like I said, I enjoyed eating the salsas with the meats from our main courses rather than with the bread given.
Overall, the service of Andina was good. Servers were attentive and seemed to enjoy being there. The atmosphere is great for many occasions, romantic or festive. I'd definitely add Andina to my list of go to restaurants. -
Review from Forrest S.
Happy Valley, OR
1/4/2012
As review number 11497 for Andina (or something like that) I don't really know if I can say anything other than what has already been said. This place is absolutely fantastic and if I could afford it, I would come here every week, but until that day comes, this will just have to remain as a treat that I have every once and a while.
First off, our server Kyle was very friendly, knowledgable, fast, and did not miss a beat. Well done sir. The food was some of the best that I have had in Portland so far. We started out with appetizers. Striped marlin cebiche, empanadas, and palta rellena de cangrejo (or avocado stuffed with crab and topped with a prawn). The cebiche was delicious, with the freshest I have had since moving back from the big island. The empanadas were out of this world good. Crispy, flaky and not at all greasy and even though I generally don't like raisins with my meat, the filling for these was an exception. As far as the avocado stuffed with crab goes, it is something I wish I could eat every day. Someday, someday.
For our main course I had Arroz Con Pato, seared duck breast and duck confit with cilantro infused rice and a passion fruit sauce. The duck confit was crispy and fall off the bone tender and by far the best duck I have had, while the duck breast was cooked perfectly (rare, the way meat should be) and was very good as well. I really enjoyed the passion fruit sauce and even the rice was great. It certainly was not just any old rice. Why can't all rice be so flavorful?
I can't remember what my girlfriend or her family had since I was so entranced by my dinner, aside from one of them having a scallop dish, and my girlfriend having a steak which she let me try, that I seriously contemplated stealing from her. We all enjoyed our meal immensely and were sadly a little too full for desert. Maybe next time.
Andina was a great dining experience and they have an extensive menu so it could take a while to make it through the whole list. The tapas are great, as are the main dishes, but if I were to go back I would be more likely to just order the tapas because they have such a great variety to choose from, and so far have yet to have anything I did not like. I was very impressed by all of our servers and the speed at which everything came out on a very busy Sunday evening. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in Portland and I look forward to going back. -
Review from Kelsey M.
Portland, OR
1/22/2012
A lot has been said already, so I'll keep it short and highlight the important parts.
Andina is awesome. The drinks are delicious. The empanadas are epic. The lomo saltado is scrumptious. It's spendy, but definitely worth it when you're craving food with high quality ingredients. They have a coat check for your big, fancy "going-out" coat.
You should go. Tonight. -
Review from Jim K.
Portland, OR
2/1/2012
Excellent happy hour in the bar. We tried one of each of the special dishes. I highly recommend getting the octopus. It was cut like no other I've ever had before and is very tender and flavorful. Kinda meagre selection of beer, but this is more of a cocktail and wine place. Kinda pricey, but I will definitely return for dinner sometime soon.
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Review from Grace C.
Seattle, WA
1/24/2012
My boyfriend and I spent three amazing hours here -- the best time I've had in recent memory -- in celebration of his birthday. Okay, part of it was the company, but the staff was so attentive (the waiter served our crème brûlée with a birthday candle), the drinks were poured with a generous and inventive hand (the SACSAYHUAMÁN: habanero pepper vodka shaken with pureed passionfruit and cane sugar, served up with a sugar rim and a cilantro leaf garnish), and the live music so fitting that I can't help but think you'd have a memorable experience regardless of who you go with. Highly recommended!
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Review from Andrea T.
Portland, OR
1/10/2012
I absolutely LOVE andina!
They have a separate menu for GF peeps. Makes it so easy so you don't have to sort things out on the main menu. I'm also dairy-free, and they are willing to accomodate most of the time.
The spicy mango drink and the horchata drinks are a must!!!
The mango shrimp ceviche is amazing! And the fish in the mushroom broth is my fav dinner there. Next time, its the lamb...
Oh andina! I do love you!! -
Review from Lisa S.
1/1/2012
WOW is this place good! Make reservations but if you happen to go without them, which is what we did, it's well worth the wait (approximately 35 minutes for us).
Doris, the owner, came by our table and chatted with us for a little while. She was very friendly and welcoming. She sent little extra treats for us.
The menu is quite large for tapas choices and as a result our group of 4 decided to leave the choices to our waiter. I asked him to choose his top eight small plates and then we also ordered the special of the evening which was prime rib with a sauce made of four different Peruvian peppers.
I can't remember all the plates just because the entire meal was a delicious blur but here is some of what was brought to the table:
-octopus salad
-beet salad
-empenadas
-red quinoa
-kobe beef skewer
-crab stuffed avocado with shrimp
-stuffed roasted red peppers
Everything was spectacular, my favorites were the empenadas, the octopus salad, and the stuffed roasted red peppers.
For dessert we had the alfajores which was a Peruvian thin cookie, delicious.
The restaurant feels very authentic and we truly enjoyed the experience. Everything was five stars! -
Review from Eating and living well U.
Mountain View, CA
12/24/2011
After eating here, I know for a fact that I do not like Tapas at least not the ones served here. I would NOT go to any Tapa place until I know for a fact it is good from a known source. Came here because of the high ratings from yelp who has failed me.
Ordered: Flava bean soup: tasted like it was full of beans without any special flavors besides the hot chilly pepper I bit into on accident that was in it that caused me to think twice about eating that soup some more. I hate spicy foods.
The taps we ordered were unflavorful and tiny for the price. We ordered a scallop tapa and had literally 2 small pieces of scallops. One of the most expensive scallops I've eaten that didn't taste that great either, tasted like it was over cooked with poor seasoning.
We also ordered the Yucan tapa that only tasted like fried cheese with some more cheese like sauce. Fail.
The bread was just average as well and the sauce it came was was a green verde sauce that was spicy so I didn't have any. The middle one was just disgustingly sweet that rendered it inedible with bread. The third one was mildly spicy with a hint of peanuts that was tolerable.
All in all, a rip off of a meal with 5 average to terrible tapas (I would say at least 2 was just awful and 1 okay, the other 2 tolerable). Maybe their regular entrees would be better. Unfortunately with the food I tasted would not return.
The atmosphere was okay but the music was too loud and the waitress was just okay with a offish vibe to her vs friendly which you expect if you were at an expensive restaurant like this one. -
Review from Martijn S.
1/2/2012
The quality of the food here is simply AMAZING!
Went here with my latin wife and brother in-law and they know their latin cuisine as well. We had a few different appies, and 3 different main dishes, and each and every one was just perfect. Also would highly recommend the Acai Caipirinha, it was amazing!
It's a busy place, but the wait ended up being a lot shorter than anticipated.
Prices are definitely up there, but worth every penny of it.
The only thing we regret is going to this place the first night of our Portland trip, since this pretty much set the standard for us.
This would be the restaurant we'd come back to when visiting Portland again. -
Review from Doc O.
Portland, OR
1/29/2012
Probably my favorite restaurant in P-Town. Woohoo! As good as it gets! I always crave the empanadas. Oh yes, the bread also. I like Jason G's review.
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Review from Jeff W.
Portland, OR
1/7/2012
We went for new years eve dinner. When making the reservation we told the person we wanted to be seated near the music so we could enjoy that. They sat us in the basement so that not only could we not see the music we could not even hear it. In addition we asked to moved from the first table because we were seated under a flood light like we were on stage.
At $85 per person you would think they would give you some consideration. On top of that they added a 20% tip with no option to modify it and service was not worth it.
The food was ok. Certainly not worth the money and did not live up to the reputation at all.
Won't return. -
Review from Jasmine L.
Los Angeles, CA
12/25/2011
I really wanted to love this place but I just thought the food was okay - not great and not bad.
The service was certainly wonderful and I did enjoy the drinks. -
Review from Juju M.
Portland, OR
12/6/2011 2 photos
Amazing!
I love tapas, and everything I've had here has been incredible! Everything tastes fresh and delicious!
I always recommend ordering oysters, especially west coast. amazing! Then I order the specialty drink, the spicy one that I can never pronounce, then I east tons of bread with the passion fruit and jalapeno sauces and then I get food and I'm already so full but I keep eating because it tastes so good!
Ah! Just one thing, its very busy here! Make sure to get reservations if you plan on going on the weekend! Enjoy!Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from Katherine K.
Portland, OR
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Book your reservation. Now. Yes, now. Do not wait for a special occasion. Make one up. Like, for example, "I'm Having a Good Hair Day day" or "It Isn't Raining in Portland Today day." Just do yourself and some people you really really like a favor and take yourself over to the Andina website, book the soonest reservation and get gone. See all these incredible reviews? That's not just smoke and mirrors, my friend, that's legit trusty information. Go. Now. Eat. Tapas. Especially the epenadas and yuca rellena. Then drink a pitcher of red sangria. Go on. Do it. Then send me a thank you =) But, all good things come at a price, and Andina's quality does not come cheap. But it's worth every single penny.
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Review from Aaron L.
Portland, OR
12/13/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I can't say much that wasn't said already. This place was awesome. The food was wonderful and the service was top-notch. When I made my reservation, I had miscounted and made it for 8 when we had 9. This was on a very busy Sat night and the hostess/manager didn't skip a beat and accommodated our party, even though the restaurant was completely full. Also, when our server saw my sister's two children (7 and 4) he immediately offered to point out the kid-friendly items. At the end of our meal, one of the owners came over and said what a wonderful family we had and how happy she was that we could share her cuisine.
Overall, I couldn't have been happier. -
Review from Jinyoung P.
New Orleans, LA
12/1/2011
Oh, how I missed Andina. It was one of the two restaurants that I knew I had to revisit during my trip back to Portland. And it didn't disappoint.
My friend Hannah and I went for lunch on Friday after thanksgiving. She had never been there before, and when we were looking at the menu and trying to decide what to get, it was easier for me to tell her which few dishes I did not care for, because the menu is full of mouth-watering deliciousness.
Of course, the bread and the dips welcomed me back with memories of good food. And probably because a friend of mine who is a hostess there made our reservation, we were seated by the large windows, where the rare sunshine was shining through, and we were surprised with an amuse bouche, which was a shitake mushroom sitting on a delicious sauce with a pepper on top. Yummmmm...
We ordered three small plates and a main course to share. The small plates were Chicharrones de Pollo, Mixta Nikkei, and Palta Rellena de Cangrejo. The Chicharrones has been my favorite since my first visit to Andina. Deliciously crispy with quinoa on the outside and juicy chicken on the inside, served with a sauce that reminds me of the sweet and sour sauce for egg rolls. The Mixta was flawless, with potato puree scented with lime, tuna, crab, and a prawn on top. As for the Palta Rellena, it was my first time trying this dish and it was very, very good. How could you go wrong with avocado stuffed with crab? And it was served with a small salad on the side, which was perfectly dressed.
The main dish was also a new one for me. We got the Locro Serrano de Zapallo Andino. I have always liked squash soup/stew, but it never occurred to me to order this dish before, because my eyes are usually drawn to more carnivorous dishes. Hannah suggested that we order this to balance out the meal, which was already pretty heavy with meat and seafood. Our server asked if we were sharing when we ordered, and our stew came in two separate bowls. I love it when restaurants are accommodating like this. We would have been fine had we been presented with one larger bowl, but this gesture was very much appreciated. This stew was delectable. There was garlic rice in the middle, surrounded by green peas, which was then surrounded by the squash stew. The cute fried quail egg sat on top of the rice. Hannah and I both cleaned our plates. How delicious!
At this point we didn't really have room for dessert, but how could we say no to the dessert menu? We ordered the Flan de Queso de Cabra. I think this concludes my exploration of the dessert menu. I don't care too much for goat cheese or cheese cake, but it was very good.
And we were also treated to complimentary Alfajores at the end. Those little things are so addictive...
I went back a couple of days later to get my Sacsayhuaman. So. Good...
I live in New Orleans with awesome food and I still miss Andina a lot. Going back every time I'm back in Portland. -
Review from Derek N.
San Francisco, CA
Company dinner.
We ate here.
Party of 24.
Was it a headache for these guys?
No.
What did I order and eat?
-Tabule de quina: trendy salad, I felt healthy after eating it
-Corderito de Los Andes: medium-rare lamb with a roasted-pepper sauce; extremely salty, however very flavorful.
-Chocolate Andino: from the menu, I drafted: "quinoa flour brownie and dark chocolate ganache, served with chicha morada gelée, caramel and candied pineapple" This was very decadent.
Good experience.
Place was packed when we arrived.
Professional, friendly and helpful wait-staff.
I enjoyed my meal.
Place rocked... -
Review from Victoria C.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a much better experience my second time here than I did the first time! The food was much better, the service much faster, and the waiter even gave my group of 6 a free octupus appetizer to share! Nice!
My friend and I shared the butternut squash stew and the seafood paella. The stew was more like butternut squash soup. I was thinking thick chunks of potatoes, onions, etc. But this was over-rated. Still good though. The quail egg on top was a nice touch. And the paella! It was more like a fried rice than a paella, but super good. Loaded with tons of fish and flavor.
We shared a pitcher of sangria which was yummy good.
Oh, did I mentioned that we brought my Peruvian friend here for her bachelorette party lunch? Being from Peru, she knows good Peruvian food. And SHE was impressed.
I definitely recommend this place!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/7/2011
Again, I'm not sure what all the hype is about. My bf brought me here for our anniversary dinner and… Read more »
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Review from Kristine A.
Portland, OR
12/13/2011
Wandered in on a whim. Wish we would have stuck to our favorite food cart.
Rude staff. Pretentious food. No ice in the water. Tacky paper table clothes. I am not wowed by dipping bread in mango jalapeno sauce. In fact, if it's not gravy or cheese, don't bother. -
Review from darcey h.
12/2/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
My, my how our little girl has grown up. Back in the 80's this neighborhood used to be a whole lot gittier now the Pearl District of Portland truly is a pearl. Andina came highly recommended and did both the recommender and I proud.
We had a reservation for 3 and they kindly accommodated our 1 additional person right away. The cocktails are very interesting and nicely crafted. The food is excellent. we ordered somewhere between 6-8 dishes and every single one of them was outstanding.
A great place to meet friends or treat yourself. We didn't go into the bar but it looked warm, inviting and lively. I also really appreciated the jazz band playing.
next time in in town i'll be back! -
Review from Misty S.
If you're looking for a great dining experience, Andina is a good choice. The setting is gorgeous and the wait staff really goes the extra mile to make your evening special.
I got a table in the bar area next to the fireplace. It was going to be an evening of Tapas and drinks. My friend and I hadn't seen each other in a while so we were going to spend some time catching up the best way we know how... by eating delcious food prepared beautifully on small plates and drinking sangrias.
The damage we did:
Yucca Rellena -Yuca croquetas stuffed with mozzarella and cotija cheese
Empanadas De Carne -Pastry filled with slow-cooked beef, raisins, and olives
Musciame De Atun -Cured tuna loin w/ chimichurri and avocado majado
Choros A La Chalaca -Mussels cooked in white wine w/ tomato-corn salsa
Conchas A La Parilla -Grilled diver scallops w/ tamai-brown sugar sauce & crispy onions
Anticucho De Pulpo -Grilled octopus kebobs w/ chimichurri & caper majado de papa
Cebiche - De Pescado -Their iconic preparation of fresh fish in leche de tigre
As you can tell, we really like seafood. They have other options but we were in a seafood kick, I guess. It was just so much fun to keep ordering food and seeing what it would look like. It's $10 for the small plates and it's good for two people to share. I enjoyed myself and would do this again in a heartbeat. -
Review from Mike J.
Placerville, CA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing food, amazing drinks, amazing prices! The food is as good as it gets, the prices are pretty $$$$ too. Make a reservation if you want to have dinner here. The secret is Happy Hour - 4-6pm, 1/2 price on some drinks and some appetizers - go early and enjoy.
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Review from z f.
Los Angeles, CA
12/5/2011
This place is just ever so slightly overrated. Why 5-stars?
I was prepared to give it a 4-star review, when I remembered that just before I ordered my food, a nice old lady stopped by my table and asked me how my night was going. She said that I would enjoy the food very much and she told me that her favorite dish was the lamb shank, after I inquired.
She told me the reason was because her mother made it for her a lot as a child and it made her feel happy and cared for because it took a lot of care and attention to make. I ordered the dish and could immediately tell. The dish wasn't fancy or pretentious, but just an honest, home-cooked meal made with a lot of care and love.
After she left, my waiter came by my table and informed me that the old lady I had just talked to was the owner of the restaurant. I suspected as much.
Anyway, I was looking for crazy ingredients and something I hadn't tried before, and while I didn't find it here, I did find very high quality food, a story and a very friendly staff. The owner is very humble and kind. The atmosphere is unpretentious, warmly lit and welcoming. It's kind of like being in a big living room.
Highly recommended if you like good, clean food and great service. -
Review from Jay G.
Kennewick, WA
1/15/2012
Went in and ended up doing tapas and drinks in the bar. The tapas are unique and amazing. Large selection and most with cool sauces. The drinks are strong and many with fresh juices.
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Review from B C.
Santa Barbara, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Busy. Noisy. Fantastic service in a casual atmosphere; if you are in town for a couple of nights, you owe it to yourself to try this place out simply because of what a different kind of experience it offers.
The restaurant was JAMMED with people and there was a buzz of excitement throughout the staff and patrons. Usually this doesn't bode well for someone walking in without a reservation (which we did not have), but he hostess greeted us with an awesome smile and a "no problem!" attitude which was so welcoming! Throughout our dinner, I found all the staff to be cheerful, helpful, and accommodating. It is obvious that everyone enjoys working here - it shows in the way they treat their customers. (Typically in busy restaurants, the service staff can be quite brusque, particularly when giving directions to the bathroom, etc. This was definitely NOT the case here at Andina!)
As to the food, the dishes very honest and straightforward, without any pretense in terms of the descriptions or the presentations. There are a lot of great options whether you want meat, fish, or veggie, and the waiter was very helpful in picking out different things. When trying the various dishes (we had maybe 8 different items between two of us), I found it to be a bit hit or miss I'm terms if flavor combinations. Some items really worked well like the beef empanadas (which are wonderful!) and others (like the cebiche) seemed like the combination of items didn't do the dish justice. The causa we tried was good, (it was my first time trying it) with a nice interplay of salty, creamy, tangy, and savory; it tasted very home-made, and that might be a put-off to some people, but I found it endearing.
After a variety of "tapas" my companion and I shared a lamb chop entree that we saw come out to tables around us and looked amazing. Unfortunately, it was just "OK" - mostly because it was not served hot enough (and lamb really needs to be served hot in my opinion!).
Based on the size of the restaurant, the number of dining areas and the distance to the kitchen from any one table, it is probably a safer choice to go with foods that don't require that they be piping hot to be at their best. Our experience with the food was excellent up until the lamb, which ended up being the last thing we had.
On a side note, there is a nice selection of wines by the glass, with choices from south america as well as California and Oregon. -
Review from Chey K.
Tillamook, OR
Updated - 10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just found out how to say SACSAYHUAMÁN. Apparently, it is supposed to sound like "sexy woman" with a bit of an accent. Good to know.
Also, the bay scallops with parmesan cheese and lime butter (Conchas a la parmesana) are to die for! Will be adding that to my list of "must-order items."1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/29/2011
At 538 reviews, all I am going to add is 3 things...
1) Get the Sacsayhuaman cocktail. Right now.… Read more »
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Review from Woo K.
Portland, OR
11/28/2011
ANDINA! I hear that word and I'm instantly salivating with joy.
We were fortunate enough to get last minute reservations on a Friday night, and the place was buzzing with live music and a crowd of people. My boyfriend and I had a hard time pronouncing the words on the menu, but the staff was very knowledgeable and timely. I felt like I was in a different city with the creative decor.
This place is a must try for Portlanders and tourists, you won't regret it! -
Review from Susan c.
Beaverton, OR
1/7/2012
This was delicious and compelx food with a wonderful atmosphere. Expensive, but a real treat now and then and worth the splurge.
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Review from Terry R.
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a vegetarian lunch while visiting Portland in September 2011. The food was simply outstanding. We started with the Yuca Rellena which was 2 cheese stuffed yuca with aji amarillo and cheese sauce. Not sure exactly what goes into the sauce - I know the aji amarillo is a Peruvian hot pepper, the waiter was kind enough to bring us some raw ones to try - but we had to refrain from licking the plate. Oh my. We also had a squash stew, a potato tapas dish, and I had the Hongos Saltados - a mushroom stir fry dish with papas fritas on the side. Everything was delicious. We also shared the creme brulee trio for dessert. Three pots of creme brulee - ours were chocolate, orange and vanilla I think. One of the best desserts I've ever had. Again, we were so tempted to lick the dishware.
This place is very spendy. The small tapas plates are about $10. For that you get just a few bites, but they are extremely tasty. My entree was about $20. The creme brulee however, was a steal at only $7.50. Definitely not an everyday lunch destination, but it was perfect for my last meal in Portland. I'll be back next time I visit.
It took about 10 minutes for someone to bring water and get our table started, but after that, the service was fine.
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Spanish (2)
