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Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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I'm always at a loss to think a decent place on Hawthorne to get a delicious cocktail. There are crappy pizza joints, weird Asian restaurants and bars touting PBR like its some kind of honor to serve.
Belly Timber has saved my craft cocktail loving life. Bradley not only carefully constructs each cocktail, but he knows whats going on in the local distillery scene. It is refreshing to talk with someone who enjoys his job, his customers and his craft.
PS Ask about the bacon bourbon
Belly Timber serves good food and fancy drinks in a goregous old home. It definitely gets +1 star for the beautifully restored Victorian (including the bathroom!). We enjoyed our shared meal of small plates, although not quite as much as Observatory and Navarre, which we enjoyed earlier on our trip. Belly Timber only wins the atmosphere category.
Favorites: pork rillette (spreadable pork fat for your break... delicious!), orzo with corn, and quail with creamy polenta
Less than favorite: trout (blah even with cucumbers, which are my favorite food) and fried chickpeas which were too salty for most of our party
I would definitely go back to Belly Timber for the winning service and surroundings. I would probably order the larger portions of the things we liked, or maybe try something new. The prices were reasonable as well.
We came here for brunch after we've tried their amazing dinner and the amazing cocktails from Bradley. Sadly, for me, the brunch wasn't up "there" compared to the dinner.
I ordered the Pork Belly Benedict and it was just ok. The pork belly was a little bit underdone and the Hollandaise sauce was more on the thick side.
The service was good, but the amazing bartender, Bradley is no longer there. My DL got the Bloody Mary and it was weak with more Tomato juice than the vodka. We will still come back here for dinner, but surely Belly Timber is not a "must" destination for amazing cocktails any longer. Maybe if they hired another super amazing and talented bartender. Then we can have more merry drinks there.
I want to write this review later, but I decided I should write it now.
This review is only about…
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From awesome to only okay:
Atmosphere - nice, dark, rich feeling dining areas (and bathroom!), perfect on a rainy day
Drinks - yum
Fried chickpeas - very salty, but great
Bread with butter and specialty salts...mmm...bread butter salt
Burger - jealous it wasn't MY dinner
Quail. I had high hopes based on the reviews but it seemed very salty to me compared to everything else and sort of overpowered the rest of the delicious plate.
Terrible Service.
We were the second patrons in the restaurant for Sunday Brunch. The waiter/bartender sat us in the back room, far away from the much more appealing front room with bay windows looking out onto Hawthorne. We asked to be moved to the front section and were told, "I have to reserve those tables for parties of 3 or more." But there is only one other couple in the restaurant, we replied. The waiter continued, "we will be really busy in about an hour." In an hour, we will not longer be in this restaurant. Needless to say, we remained in the cramped back room, fearing his spittle in our breakfast.
The food was OK. Very small portions but tasty in an over done, pretenous, and greasy sort of way.
When we left, we spotted another couple in the waiting area. There were PLENTY of open tables but the waiter stuck to his own rules and made them wait for a two-top to open before seating them. When a customer asks for something, for f*** sake, give it to them. I'm not rushing back to Belly Timber.
Belly Timber has A/C. Yes!!
I'm lovin' on French-inspired cuisine, just like what they have here. And I think prices are amazingly cheap.
The escargot starter is incredible. It's off the charts on the delicious index!
The complimentary bread is excellent. It's served on a plate with butter, carrot-cumin salt and a nice blend of powdered green olive and oregano. Absolutely divine flavors. They are eager to bring you more bread if you want more, and we sure did!
Choosing between our two entrees, I say, get the quail. It is perfect in every way (crispiness, freshness and seasoning). It comes with great vegetables. The white sauce for the quail has a nice smooth texture but actually, no flavor. The sauce is like a stage prop, though it looks good and everything, it must be for appearance's sake only.
The pork steak is excellent. We speculated on how they got the pork to be so tender, guessing perhaps with a marinade. It was seasoned very well. The pork came with grilled peach sections and a wedge of pungent grilled ratatouille. Perfectly prepared.
I loved our waitress's enthusiasm about the dishes when I asked her questions about them.
Of course, we wanted dessert. The Ruby port with dessert was great. Very smooth. I might would have liked it to be more musky, but still it was really good.
The goat cheese dessert is interesting. There is a definite goat flavor. Our waitress asked us if there was a more correct word in English for "goaty". Goaty may not be a real word, but it conveys the dessert flavor a lot better than "goatlike" or "goatish." Underneath an overwhelming amount of a crumbled pecan topping, a nicely textured custard lies in wait. Beneath the custard are pleasing cold wedges of fruit (peach, apple, pear?). All in all, a beautifully crafted dish. But it's fair to note that if you are not a big cheesecake fan, pick something else.
Remember, the fine dishes here do take a while to prepare. But it will be very well worth your wait!
Just an observation, voices magnify in the cozy dining rooms. Three old guys were drinking beer, reminiscing and philosophizing in the corner loudly, pretty much drowning out everyone else. Just be mindful of your conversation volume here.
Set in a lovely, remodeled Victorian house, we've been for both brunch and dinner; dinner is certainly the time to go. The healthy dinner portions are scaled back for brunch, as is the price. For the swine lovers the bloody marys come with bacon salted rims and the chicken and waffles come slathered in bacon butter. Beer and wine selections are small but sound. Elegant presentation and consistently amicable staff makes the experience worthwhile.
Three words: Goat. Cheese. Cake.
Oh sure, the peach compote on the bottom and the pecan streusel on top were delicious too, but I wanted to mainline a gallon of what was in between - sweet, yet tart and creamy goodness. As good as the rest of our meal at Belly Timber was, the dessert overshadowed the tasty roast quail and trout entrees.
The only misstep (if you could call it that) was the escargot appetizers. Those snails are rubbery, bland little buggers, which is why you pair it with a flavorful sauce (usually). This escargot came with a tasty, albeit kind of mild, sauce of chickpeas that didn't quite do the trick.
And if you're not the cocktail type, you may just be converted by the bartender at Belly Timber. The Sazerac could peel off a couple layers of paint from the walls, but it somehow also managed to be subtle and delicious.
Yep, this is true Portland foodie nirvana [see pics]. Half-size orders and cheap starters ideal for OCD gourmands (i.e., my friends & me) who must try every frackin' thing on the menu.
FAVORITE DISHES in descending order of guilty pleasure: roast quail, smoky good crab cakes, flatiron steak (yep, it's delicious rare) red cabbage gazpacho, house rillette (a ham hock pâté), the small-batched vegetable pickles, fries with bone marrow aioli.
FAVORITE DRINKS: the Rosalita (a subtle St. Germain elder flower concoction), the BT Collins with gangsta-smoked vodka.
STAFF: Excellent. Our server was the much yelped about mixologist Bradley, who happily answered our onslaught of Coloradan culinary queries with unbreakable enthusiasm.
OH god! Shiver...from the sensual sensations David Siegel gives me with his gentle caresses of a foodie meat lovin dream.
Now, I had a major food boner for their brunch. But let me tell ya. Holy rock hard for his dinners and desert.
Started with fried chick peas, the simple earthy taste with a great crunch and creamy center. Then the meat sampler plate with house made pickled veggies, make my mouth pucker and water as I write this. Nice deep flavors from the thinly cut house cured prosciutto also on the plate accompanied by 3 house made mustards was a little fried breaded cube. Filled with a luscious meat combo. The pornographic mmm emanating from my mouth were noticeable and I did not care. Let them watch in envy as a grab that dripping burger and take it into my mouth.
Let them watch as I bite down, eyes rolling back into my head as the pickled onions, sharp cheddar soft meat and crispy grilled bun touch my tongue with nudging force that I am indeed in foodie heaven.
My hunger satiated, the server a pleasant lovely bringer of teh noms asks if we'd like desert. No, escaped my lips before I could stop it. coming to our senses..we did in fact get a desert.
A fluffy filthily decadent parfait. at the bottom a hefty scoop of peanut butter..layer of mouse, on top salted caramel and more moose. with whip cream to crown this beastly creamy creation.
we scooped greedily into its soft fold cooey-ing with every lick. when I was done, i was literally flushed. my cheeks warm my eyes glazy sighing deeply.
Belly timber I am a food addict and you are my dealer. tsk tsk. Until next time!
rolling over on Sunday morning, hunger pains for a good Benedict hit miss cookie. and you know Iz… Read more »
My review will be very similar to Ollie's; the main reason why I'm writing it is because of the man at the bar - Mr. Bradley (insert last name).
We went here after the GDM at the behest of Amado, who promised us alcoholic bliss at the hands of one of the best mixed drinks I've ever had: The Strawpocalypse. Inside this drink was strawberry puree, vodka, simple syrup (whatever the hell that is) with a balsamic reduction drizzled around the inside of the glass. It was pure heaven.
I asked Bradley about the place, whether it was haunted or not, and he said that it wasn't, but that he had worked for a place in Beavertown that was. In other words, he humored me silly question, and responded with warmth and respect; two aspects to human interaction that are missing from many in today's world.
This will probably be my new favorite place for mixed drinks, because Bradley seemed to have many more gems up his sleeve ready to go at a moments notice...
We'd been wanting to move downtown for awhile to be closer to our food cart, Brunchbox. The only thing that made us sad about leaving Hawthorne was the fact that we wouldn't live across Belly Timer anymore. Sometimes we'd hit it up Saturday and then Sunday for brunch--and unabashedly order the same thing twice in a row. We worked our way through the shifting dessert list one-by-one. We'd eat dinner one night and come in just for drinks another.
The mixologist Bradley is friendly, self-effacing, inspiring-and-inspired. The Chef is ambitious, meticulous, and confident. The staff is gracious and exhibiting the impeccable timing and manner of a true fine-quality dining establishment. I'm a fan of the decor--minimalist opulence?
My boyfriend and I measure all other Portland restaurants by how well they compare to Belly Timber, and so far, nobody can.
I was reluctant to go eat dinner by myself...but I rolled-up my sleeves and went. The restaurant was full, but not too crowded and I sat at the bar. I was genuinely greeted by hand shake from the bar tender (Bradly)...so far so good. Started reading my paper as I watch Bradly make an interesting drink. I ask what it was; he explains finishes and softly put a small taste glass next to my water and says, "a little something to taste". What a nice gesture. He took my drink order. By the way...their 2007 Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley is delish! A few minutes later I ordered my dinner. The trout was perfectly done; you get two fillets (with crispy skin) over cold crispy cucumber salad. The contrast was out of this world. Wow! The service was outstanding by Bradly....he's attentive and great conversationalist.
I have had Belly Timber on my list of must see for a few months now but I just never seem to find the time or the occasion to eat there, until this week. I loved everything the food, the cocktails, the beautiful old house, and of course our server! I love that they combine all of my favorite things: small share size plates, unique wonderful local food, and interesting cocktails.
There were four of us dinning all had a different cocktail and everyone was very happy with their choice, then we split quite a few options from the small and medium size plates. We had about 6 different plates by the end of the meal and all were wonderful especially the crab cakes, the ravioli with a beet sauce, and the porcini meat balls! Dessert was very nice although I think the dinner menu outshines the desserts this time.
We will definitely go back!
I am an "escargot virgin" no more. BT's version was a delectable, buttery presentation. So glad they served them de-shelled, although my companion-- who had also never had escargot before-- said that she would've appreciated the experience of digging them out of the shells. We both didn't care after our first bites.
Try BT's "delicate meats" plate as well. The liver mousse is splendid, and the three different types of mustard served on the plate offered multifaceted layers of taste with every bite.
Man, I love this place!
p.s. Tried their Sazerac last night and I'm afraid I'm hooked. Darn you, Bradley...
"Manilla clams with bacon, horseradish and creme fraiche..."
Get. This. Dish!
It's insanely…
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This place is so well reviewed that I barely feel the need to chime in...however, I will say that I cannot stop thinking about the amazing food and drinks at BT. Every time someone asks me for a restaurant recommendation, I say "Have you been to Belly Timber?!" I trust the kitchen (and the bar staff) so much that I would order *anything* off of the menu and expect that it will be well prepared, with exquisitely sourced ingredients, and so well priced that I have enough $ for another well-made cocktail. The service is always friendly, approachable, and down to earth. Living within walking distance of this great restaurant is heaven.
Before heading off to comedy at the Baghdad Theater, all I really wanted was a cold glass of white wine and something salty and tasty. Belly Timber delivered on both counts. Delicious pinot gris in a perfectly chilled glass, and the grilled calamari appetizer with corn, tomatoes and squash had some wonderful flavors. I wasn't as thrilled by my lobster mushrooms dish, and think the pickled radish may have thrown it off, but it was perfectly serviceable. Panna cotta with berries closed us out nicely. I'll add a star for the setting, an extremely cute, old Victorian house.
SE Portland is definitely my favorite part of town for good food. Stopped in here for happy hour (daily 5-7pm) on Saturday. Love the location and the atmosphere of this restored Victorian house. Nice drink selection. Probably one of the best hamburgers in recent memory. The fries were yummy and came with bone marrow aioli dipping sauce. The berry panna cotta dessert was scrumptious. Great service! There is an interesting bacon theme here. Candied bacon dessert and a bacon-infused whiskey are on the menu. I love bacon but shied away from these offerings. We will be back for brunch soon.
Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and the experience keeps climaxing until you walk out of the door? Thats what happens when you eat here, it keeps getting better, and better, and better, and better, until they kick you out cause they are closed.
Let me tell you first how this experience ended in two quotes from a homie and my GF.
Homie, "That is the best meal I've had in 5 years."
GF, "That was the best meal I have ever eaten."
I am fully amazed with this place. I remember when this house used to be Calendula, a fine dining Vegan spot. It was good back then, but it is now in my top 5 "best dining experiences in Portland," ever.
After getting snaked at Italian Joint (See updated I.J. review), we stumbled into this place. It was our choice by default. The hostess greeted us promptly and we were sat in less than 5 minutes. We ordered beer and rye whisky. Let me tell you that Sazerac rye is some good stuff. They brought us our bread that was served with butter and two types of flavored salts, beet and chocolate. Amazing. Best dinner bread experience, ever.
We ordered the steamed clams app, which came in a milky creme fraiche broth, flavored with thick pieces of bacon and a hint of horseradish. Best clams ever. Hands down. No contenders.
My homie and I had the bordelaise hanger steak and fries. Best steak and fries ever. And for 18$, twas a steal. My girl ordered the salmon and it was sooo good she ate all of it before I could ask for some. Actually I got one bite.
The best part was dessert, Blue Cheese Cake. Ya. Nuff said.
I couldn't have asked for a better abortion gone wrong/default/mistake of a diner spot.
GO HERE. BEST RESTAURANT ON HAWTHORNE.
This place wins. I would not be surprised if they win ROY for 2009.
Tried their brunch for the first time today, and I have to say, I was impressed. They were out of several "brunchey" type items already, but I was more interested in their breakfast items, so I was good to go.
My sausage and potato scramble was so flavorful and cooked perfectly. The potatoes served on the side were crunchy and so delicious. I didn't want my breakfast to end! My hubby tried the banana and mascarpone stuffed french toast with nutella, and boy oh boy was it sweet. A little too sweet for both our tastes, it was more like dessert.
Even though my breakfast was very simple, it was done so well, and is probably the best I've had in Portland since I've been here. I can't wait to go back.
The food definitely outshined the service, but it wasn't bad...just a tad on the slow side. From… Read more »
After much anticipation and certainty that Belly Timber would be my next favorite restaurant, I was greatly underwhelmed. Across the board, everything was okay, but not great, including the service.
Absinthe is popping up everywhere and I was all over Corpse Reviver #2. It was nice, light and citrusy. I'm glad I tried it.
The fried chickpeas were good, but you can't really mess that up. The smoked salmon with chickpea crepes was just the wrong combination of flavors, perhaps the celery was too overpowering. It was probably the least-favorite dish of the night. I thought the manilla clams with bacon were the best I've had in a long time -- nice and meaty clams with a flavorful sauce.
Alas, the clams were the highlight of the evening, even after our various entrees came out (which took quite awhile to arrive). The pork loin was cooked adequately, but left me little to expand upon in this review. The burgers were a bit too well-done and though I appreciate them serving bone marrow aioli in a bone, it wasn't the greatest.
It's a great atmoshpere. I love the old house setting and the small bar in the middle of the room. The service needs to step it up a bit. I wasn't even sure to who to tell I had a reservation and everyone just seemed to hover while coming across as unavailable.
Would I come here again? It's unlikely. I really, really did want to love this place.
Mr. Timber,
While your level of innovation and passion are laudable, we regret to inform you that we do not feel that you are the right candidate for this position. As a progressive group we strive for not only someone who is pushing the envelope in a gastronomic sense, we're ultimately looking for execution. It is true that we take in things as a whole and the quaint Victorian architecture lends a nostalgic ambiance that is not lost on us. It's merely a backdrop for the food and as we all know, all aspects are not weighted equally. Service though genial can be brittle, because while your reputation may precede you, it's not something you can bank on for the future. We expect to be impressed by your singular endeavors here in the now.
Your amuse bouche while playful was an unsuccessful combination of disparate flavors; the candied olive tapenade on toasted baguette slices tasted like sweetened loam. The beets with endive, walnuts and bleu cheese had a good mixture of bitter, sweet, and creamy but was otherwise a staid classic. Although the chestnut gnocchi were perfectly cooked with a light and fluffy texture, the lamb ragout it came with didn't appear to have any lamb and was rather oily and bland. The roasted pork loin with brussels sprouts, prunes, and trotters also seemed lacking in depth. Once again there was the interplay between sweet and bitter but no spice, no deeper layer beyond the veneer.
Your commitment to quality ingredients and the road untraveled is also evident in your libations. The beet margarita despite piquing our curiosity was an abject disappointment to the palate. The beet juice imparted the drink an earthy flavor akin to, well, dirt. It's hard to taste the Cointreau or lime juice after that. We did not see any undead after partaking of the Corpse Reviver #2, perhaps that's associated with #1?
We wish you well in your future endeavors and remain yours,
PDX Epicures, LLC
Holy mouthgasm! I have now been to Belly Timber twice, and I have to say I'm pretty amazed. Basically, Belly Timber is one of those restaurants with dishes containing exotic ingredients or everyday ingredients prepared in bizarre/interesting ways, where you expect to have to plunk down a few hamiltons for a good meal. As it happens, Belly Timber is probably the least expensive restaurant at this level of quality that I've ever been to. Entrees are almost always under $20 (the menu changes now and then), and you can choose smaller portions if you aren't that hungry, or want a multi-course meal, for as low as $8.
Last time, I got the porchetta with escarole, hot peppers
and sweet onion relish. Holy crap it was good and hopefully my moans weren't audible by other diners.
The cocktail menu is pretty impressive as well. There are many, more exotic liqueurs, and interesting concoctions in general. Like the beet margarita (it's tastier than it sounds) and the bacon-infused old-fashioned (it's not not tasty, but like any bacon cocktail, more of a novelty). Check out their menu online to see more of the strange and interesting drinks.
And dessert....wow. The first time I came here I got the Stumptown custard with caramel foam and it was so amazing that I had to get it again the second time. This is what dessert should be like!
In sum, go here. At least once in your life. I promise, you won't regret it.
I declare the Belly Timber Burger to be the best burger in Portland. The burger is $10.00, but it's not like I ordered it without batting an eye. I've come to known many burgers under $10.00 and perhaps some that only cost $1.00 off an unnamed and infamous menu. I know the Belly Timber's extras, like cheese at $1.00 and house cured bacon at $3.00, certainly add to the price tag. However, just one taste you will blow your mind. When my fully loaded burger arrived, I just wanted to bite right into it, like a ravenous pig, but out of respect for our out-of-town guest, I cut it in half, hoping not to lose any precious juices. I am thrilled to report minimal precious juices lost. It was so tender, juicy and so flavorful, dare I say, you could almost go without the cheese and bacon. Lucky for you and me, the burger come with a batch of their addictive french fries and bone marrow aioli. I'm probably going to die sooner now that I've had this burger and the rich aioli, but it was worth it. Completely worth every cent.
My mouth is watering whilst thinking of the deliciousness I enjoyed last night at Belly Timber. We… Read more »
We hit up Belly Timber pretty regularly, due it's proximity to our place, and it's always great. Great place to eat outdoors if the weathers nice. Great, friendly service. Delicious and creative food. Plus, the chef almost always sends you a little treat to nibble while you peruse the menu.
Perfect for a date or a large group. I've done it both ways.
It's very good.
I want to issue a warning, though: I have been walked in on while using their restroom several times. The lock either doesn't work or is just tough to operate! They really need to install something more effective because I'm officially scared to pee there!
Fantastic menu in a fantastic location. This quaint restaurant is in a beautiful and well-maintained painted lady on hawthorne. The menu is creative and executed with perfection. The drinks are equally as good. Also friendly and helpful staff. Highly recommended for dinner and happy hour. I have yet to try brunch, but then tomorrow is sunday and their brunch menu is beckoning....
We had brunch at Belly Timber on Sunday, very good! I'm super excited about this place and it's in walking distance.
I had the stuffed french toast, very delicious , lots of ingredients /flavors but nicely balanced, nothing was too over powering.
My hubby had the fried chicken and waffle, well made.
My only issue was I didn't feel full afterward, but that's probably me wanting a breakfast/lunch type of big meal. Probably should have ordered a side.
Can't wait to try dinner!
Everything is better with bacon, including bourbon. Belly Timber proves it with crafty cocktails and truly excellent cuisine.
A second meal at Belly Timber has added a star for me. Mmmmmmm. The subtlety in flavors and the delicate new pairings made me realize that high levels of thought and care went into making these entrees. Last night I ordered an appetizer of salmon chickpea crepes with celery and cumin. Wow!
Since my belly didn't have the space for an enormous entree, I was thankful that dinner plates were offered in two sizes. I got the roasted pork loin with prunes and trotters, which was delectably tender and quietly amazing. As for "trotters", I didn't know what they were until after I ate the meal, and I'll leave you to discover it yourself. I might not have ordered it if I'd known, but I definitely would've missed out. My only complaint is that the brussel sprouts seemed undercooked.
My boyfriend got sweet potato gnocci, which was very smooth and satisfying, and a butter lettuce, goat cheese pomegranate salad. Yum. Before dinner, bread is served with butter and unusually flavored salts for more taste adventures.
Our service was again excellent, and one drink we ordered was very unusual: it was a Tom Collins with a Clear Creek Vodka that had a smoky flavor. The drink tasted slightly salty and had a pleasant similarity to smoked meat. Along these lines, there is a bacon bourbon Manhattan on the menu which we didn't try, but I really liked the Tom Collins.
Again, the architecture--embossed silvery wallpaper, lovely dark wood, beautiful bar--was a wonderful backdrop to an evening of culinary discovery. I was left feeling satisfied and at the same time wanting more!
Wow. Fabulous service, lovely space with awesome wood railings, bar, floors, etc. Great drinks… Read more »
We bussed out to Hawthorne on our last day in Portland, because the reviews here had caused it to pique my interest, and our more touristy plans for the morning (Voodoo Doughnut) were derailed by a ridiculously long line.
I love cute little restaurants like Belly Timber - the environment is a lot more intimate than a huge open space. The only downside with the tinier rooms is that certain voices will bounce off the walls and come at you from all sides. So, be sure you're sitting near patrons with indoor voices. :)
I had the smoked salmon benedict, and E had the country ham. I really liked the uniqueness of the dishes, and the food was good... but maybe it felt a little bland? Maybe I was still savoring brunch at Mother's from the day prior? Whatever it was, the food didn't blow me away, sadly. But it definitely warranted a four star review, and I'd definitely come back if I was in the area, especially to try their dinner menu.
Do I have a Yelp sticker on my forehead?
As the first stop on the 'special occasion' express, my group went to Belly Timber for cocktails. When we started asking Bradley, Mixologist extraordinaire, about different drinks, he looked at me and said, "Well, that one is very popular on Yelp." Doh!
And the Yeeps were right... the Corpse Reviver # 2 is an excellent cocktail. For my second round, I asked him to make me whatever he felt like and he chose the Vesuvius. I probably wouldn't have selected it on my own and it was fizzy and delicious. It was wonderful watching a master at his craft and someone who has thought out all the little details and made many of the ingredients in house. And major bonus points for exchanging The Good, The Bad and The Ugly quotes with my husband along the way.
I sampled the Beet Margarita (interesting and gotta love that extra vitamin c during cold-and-flu season), Lavendula and well, I kind of lost track at that point.
No food was consumed, so this is solely a review of the cocktails, which are served at a very small four-stool bar in a gorgeous Victorian house on Hawthorne. Thanks again, Bradley, I know you're reading!
Other reviews have covered this in depth, and we went with trepidation, because high expectations are a curse. It was fabulous. The setting is fun, the menu is varied, and, while they clearly take their meat seriously, there was enough vegetarian food to keep us interested. The service was outstanding - our server paid attention to all the small stuff, and picked up on small annoyances, immediately offering to fix them.
The food is outstanding, and I found the portion sizes to be just right. Two really great main courses, and the blue cheese cake a really great desert.
I'd heartily recommend it.
Meh. See, I am with Mel G in wanting to give this place 3.5 stars, having eaten here only once and on Valentine's Day. Given all the other rave reviews, I probably should try them on a night when they have a full menu (and lower prices), but see now I probably won't really have them on the top of my list. I had heard this place was fantabulous from my friend who oooh-ed and aaahh-ed over the "mingling of flavors". I do love an artful mingling of flavors... Plus I loved the romantic Victorian house atmosphere that I fondly recalled from back when it was Calendula. So, I made reservations for Valentine's Day. It was a good meal overall...but not $140 good. geez...I left feeling a bit cheated.
I waited until the last minute to make Valentine's reservations, so I called them at 9am that morning, and a breathless, rushed-sounding voice answered the phone "Good Evening..." (maybe that should have been my tip-off for the mediocre service, but I realize this was probably some harried employee who works 12 hour shifts).
When we arrived, I wasn't disappointed in the ambiance--it is indeed warm, and romantic. A very pretty old house with cozy dark woods and textured wallpaper and antiquey light fixtures. We were promptly seated at our choice of tables, which was nice.
The service was friendly, but very spotty and kind of slow and inattentive. Just as Mel G. said in the other review, drink orders were placed and like ten minutes went by before the bartender himself dropped by our table and delivered them. The cocktails we ordered were delicious and very well prepared (a Sazerac and a Corpse Reviver). Incidentally, if it is just cocktails you are after, for my money I think Secret Society makes them a little bit better, but I am not complaining, they were really good.
The disappointing thing was they had a prepared Valentine's Day menu with a mere three choices on it (for $45 a person, plus drinks and tip). I had the hanger steak and JP had the monkfish. The main course dishes were delicious. The appetizers were left wanting (poached egg and polenta was salty but tasty, but the large cold beet potato salad didn't seem to belong there). Desserts were chocolate cake (not bad) and a tart that was buttery and delicious. I really loved the bread served with beet and coriander salts.
Not be be too specific or anything, but if you're going to eat here and plunk down a fair amount of change, you might want to know the details.
Sum Total:
Ambiance = 5 stars
Drinks = 4 stars
Appetizers = 3 stars
Main course = 4 stars
Dessert = 3.5 stars
Service = 3 stars
Prices = 2 stars (eek)
Overall, we were pleased with the meal, but the prices were just too high for the imperfect service and limited menu choices. It was the price that really pulled it all down for us: if I am going to spend $140 on a single meal out, I want it to be really really good, and fortunately in Portland there are plenty of places to find that. They need to smooth out their bumpy service and work the kinks out of some of the more mediocre dishes, get realistic about their prices, and I think they will rock. Again, maybe I should try them on a night when they have more than three menu choices, but I don't know...I burned through like my whole eating-out budget for a while.
We went here on our anniversary last weekend & it was really lovely. The drinks were great, food was great, people were lovely. I'm subtracting a star for warmth... somehow, it wasn't as "warm" an experience as I'd have liked. Hard to explain. Maybe a fireplace? Rugs? Art on the walls? Flowers? I dunno. But altogether a lovely, self-effacing place.
If the food at Belly Timber is as meticulously and painstakingly prepared as the drinks, this place deserves far more than five stars.
I generally don't like to sit at a bar. For some reason, it always makes me a little sad. I have absolutely no explanation for this, but I'll admit that tables are generally more comforting for me. Last night, however, after we decided to sit at the bar--which, granted, only had four seats--I felt like everyone else was missing out.
Brad the bartender was quick to make us feel welcome, and poured us some water while we studied the cocktail menu. I felt like maybe this dude was some sort of magician, concocting potions with weird stuff in it (not to mention the fact that the show he put on while making Spanish coffees looked suspiciously like the Goblet of Fire). I ordered one of these Spanish coffees, and I missed the show. I got it iced (apparently the first he'd made like that), so no fire. BUT it was still pretty damn amazing with coriander tincture (those damn potions!), Stumptown coffee, Hairbender espresso liqueur (that Brad made himself), some other stuff I can't remember, and a perfect dollop of "whup" cream.
KV's Lavendula was light and perfect...prosecco with a hint of lavender and citrus.
And in between drinks, we not only got to continue watching Brad work his magic, but he let us sample some of his favorites. First came the beet margarita. Now, I'm no fool, but beets scare the crap out of me. When I saw him pouring the dark red puree in a shaker glass, I immediately thought raspberries, and then was taken aback when Brad corrected me, saying they were beets. Beets, with a perfect hint of lime, just enough tequila, and a rim of house-made beet salt. I tried...I was impressed...it wasn't scary at all. KV liked it so much, she got her own. Thank god she didn't spill it on her white shirt.
Next sample? Another interesting combination (like I said, this dude's a genius...he even took home second place in a Drambuie contest a few weeks ago) of bacon-infused bourbon. Hot damn! Literally. It was warm and tasty, and had a house-made maraschino cherry at the bottom. This would be an excellent drink for a cold day.
Then I ordered my second drink. I settled on the Vesuvius, after some consultation with Brad. This drink was...AMAZING. It had a base of house-made jasmine-tea smoked vodka complemented by house-made blood orange soda. It was literally to die for. The prices are definitely worth it, and I hope the food's this good.
If you couldn't tell already, pretty much all of these infusions are house-made, and all of the cocktails are Brad's babies. He said he normally has every intention of changing the menu every few months to keep it fresh, but this guy's unstoppable! According to his records, he changes them ever few weeks instead.
Go there now. Get yoself a drink. Sit at the bar. Enjoy.
Yum a numma tum!
Kitty had a large caramel apple shake for lunch and showed up for dinner in her grumpy pants. Having heard the venue is vexed after so many priors not making it, I suspected foul food or server goblins were on the menu for the night. Despite the, like, hundreds of five star reviews, I threw down the gauntlet and challenged this Belly Timber to impress me. Either we were going to make nice or someone was going to be sent to Time Out by the end of the evening.
Didn't take long to turn that frown upside down! My friend and I shared perogies, fries with marrow aioli (HELLO, YUM!), ribs and some kind of crazy good chocolate cake number. I had two cocktails over the course of the three hour, very enjoyable meal. It was kind of shocking to get in the car feeling just a few brain cells shy of needing a cab. What IS Bradley the Bartender putting in those Spanish Coffees and how can I get some more?
We did try the bacon bourbon and, I'm sorry to say, it isn't for everyone. Actually they say that too. Though bacon IS my life, Kitty needs a little more mixer and sweetness than this. Maybe if they could merge the praline bacon from Screen Door with bourbon, we'd have something for a women child like me?
The waiter was delightful when he noticed I wasn't drinking it and immediately brought me something else without charge, saying they want us to be happy. I love that. I will totally spend money anywhere that tasty that wants me to be happy.
Despite policy, they let me take home a rib-eye bone that houses aioli mayo with Mr. Kitty's burger and fries to go. It's really a disservice to my yeeps that I'm not posting any photos of how I looked standing over the sink, swirling my tongue around the inside of that bone like a goddamn terrier trying to get every last tasty lick of mayo out.
At least we know God loves a terrier. And Kitty loves Belly Timber.
Great brunch choices. My 12 year old did the burger with bone narrow aioli. He loved it. I did the bacon and banana stuffed French toast with home made nutella. It was great.
Timmmmmmmber!! Your belly will instantly fall for this unobtrusively sublime gem on Hawthorne.
Elegant without pretension, romantic without hauteur, I found myself amongst an almost whimsical crowd of people charmed by the atmosphere, the menu, and the service at Belly Timber.
Let's first talk about Bradly behind the bar. Sure their cocktail list was created by the president of the Oregon Bartenders Guild, and sure it carried my absolute favorite cocktail (Corpse Reviver #2)...but Bradly could have served me a Popov and Tab cocktail, and I probably would have been just as enamored. Before I could even order, he set a complimentary cocktail in front of me, and I ended up drinking 2 more through dinner. (I'm an easy sell.) This guy memorized names, gave generous "samples," and was absolutely passionate about his craft.
We were out celebrating the glorious news of a dear friend passing the bar exam, and our server generously treated us to an appetizer on the house. We loved the idea of half orders, and 5 us us ordered 10 dishes and essentially fought to get each of our forks around a full bite of each. (I was exceptionally stingy of the eggplant, mushroom and leek terrine -- and I couldn't manage to snag a bite of the grilled duroc pork chop with creamed corn before my friend Jason had literally inhaled it.
Let's be honest -- a free drink to soothe my Friday night wait and a free appetizer to start off my meal certainly whet my star-giving whistle. But bite after bite affirmed that Belly Timber fully earns its stars.
I'm a huge fan! I wish 4.5 stars were possible. Belly Timber is located in a converted / restored Victorian house and I dig the cozy, smaller rooms. When combined with the superb wait staff and really tasty, consistently good food, I feel like I'm eating at a friend's place. The burger is a goto item on the menu and the garlic fries with bone-marrow aioli is divine - bring that bone home and you're guaranteed to have a new best 4-legged friend for life! The pan-seared salmon with mashed beans was a savory delight. I love molten chocolate cake and this one was awesome as well.
Did I mention the cocktails? The other reviews say it all!
Blown. My mind and my senses have been blown. 19 hours later and I am still in shock. I'm hoping this review will serve as some sort of coping mechanism so I can get on with my life without uttering an, "Oh my god..." every five minutes. I haven't had such an amazing dining experience in quite some time. Better still was that it was completely, totally, and utterly unexpected. I anticipated the smell of overratedness. I was wrong.
A list to keep my mind on target:
1. I'm a sucker for old Victorian houses. Wrap around porches make me weak in the knees. The restaurant capitalized on this beautiful house and retrofitted it into something glamorous and magical. Can I please have it? The colors were rich, the woods dark, everything was polished to perfection. Even the bathroom was the most gorgeous thing I've ever brushed my teeth in. It's classic and sophisticated.
2. The service was the epitome of perfection. They offered suggestions and answered questions as if they lived and breathed exactly what they were talking about. The pace was slow and leisurely--you definitely aren't going anywhere for a while.
3. There were things on that cocktail menu that I'd either never heard of or would never have thought to put together. I opted for the ever-touted beet margarita and was definitely not disappointed. Yellow beet salt on the rim of the glass? Amazing. It was vibrant and punchy. Moreover, you can't go wrong with tequila.
4. I can't get over this food: fresh, local, and creative. Like the cocktails, there were things on here that left me with a "Huh?" but that was half the intrigue. I am drawn to the unique and crazy. The menu rotates, which is reason enough to come often. Bread and flavored salts are the new chips and salsa. We had the chocolate and the lavender. I need more flavored salts in my life. Our server let us know that one of the best ways to get to know their menu was to get a few of their small entrees (most of the entrees do come in two sizes). I picked one. Jenny picked one. Then we used the classic "eeny-meeny-miny-moe." That's how great all of the offerings sounded. Our first entrée came out: the sweet potato gnocchi with parsnip, radicchio, and pine nuts. Dear god. Absolutely amazing. This was easily my favorite of the three. It was bathing in a sea of balsamic brown butter that was perfection. Our server even brought us out more bread so we could adequately soak up every drop. I think every bite was followed by a sigh of awesomeness. It was truly heaven on a plate. The other two entrees came out next. We went with the crusted halibut that came with the pig trotters and potatoes and some sort of awesome yellow sauce. This is definitely one of those places where I order, and by the time it comes out, I've forgotten because the items are so complex. Whatever that sauce was, it was flavorful. The halibut was perfectly crusted and flakey. I, too, had no idea what pig trotters were, but I made sure to look it up when I got home. They were great. It was almost like bits of fatty bacon that lent to the flavor of the amazing yellow sauce. The final entrée was the pork loin that came with some sort of chutney and beans. It was good, but didn't hold a candle to the other two entrees. The flavors were interesting, but they just didn't mesh as well as everything else we had tried.
5. The dessert. We weren't even going to do dessert. We were comfortably full. We ran up a decent bill. We were headed to watch the Blazers wipe the floor with the Suns. While Jenny was touring the gorgeous bathroom, our server slipped two nondescript pieces of paper on the table. The dessert menu. Four items were printed on each one. A quick scan of the items and I knew--we were not going anywhere, at least not until dessert was had. The creativity and sheer genius of these desserts practically popped off the menu. I wanted so badly for there to be a sampler so I could have tried them all. Even the most boring of the four, the dark chocolate and peanut butter cake with preserves, sounded amazing. However, we had three calling our name: the Stumptown custard, the buttermilk blue cheese cheesecake, and the butternut squash crème brulee with candied bacon. How are you supposed to choose between that? HOW? After a long debate, we settled on the cheesecake. Ph-e-nom-en-al. Words cannot even describe how magical this dessert is. I am not a dessert person. I'm just not. Give me that sweet potato gnocchi any day. However, these desserts tug at my heartstrings. I will go back solely for the dessert. I'm not even kidding. The size was huge and the flavors rich. I cannot imagine eating that whole thing by myself. It was to-die-for though.
The icing on the cake? Two drinks, three entrees and dessert, plus tip was a measly $60. Not something I want to do daily, but absolutely worth every single penny.
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