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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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My fiance and I go here once a month as it was our first date. The first time we had only Lemon Drops. It is not for everyone as it is pricey and can seem stuffy. While it is pricey it is not as stuffy as it seems. We have come to know a few of the waitstaff over the years and they always take care of us by getting us in without reservations and knowing our regular drinks (Still Lemon Drops!)
The menu has a number of staple items but it is the innovative specials and small tasting items that always blow me away. Before each meal you get an item "courtesy of the chef" that is not on the menu and sometimes it requires a sense of adventure. Actually I think I was only disappointed once in the last two years.
If you want to go with something familiar get the burger (only in the Bistro) and order a side of fries.
The desserts are also top-notch and prepared with care.
I basically feel as though I threw some money away here. I actually had to go to a different restaurant afterwards because I was really hungry still. Now if you are a seasoned meat eater, just feel free to ignore my words....
This really is only a good place if you love meat. If you are vegetarian or vegan don't get drawn in my the whole "organic local food" thang. The non-meat options at Paley's Place are LAME with a capital L.
There is actually a picture of a man holding a dead sheep on the wall. Say no more.
My partner and I didn't make any plans for this. We were just walking by. It was completely random.
We looked in, just for kicks. My partner told me that it was famous for being tremendously delicious. To our surprise, we saw only two customers in the entire establishment. We looked at each other in shock. The place was supposed to be packed! I don't remember what hour it was, or what day. This was surely an anomaly that wasn't a normal occurrence.
We grabbed seats at the bar and had what was to be the best dining experience I've had in 2-3 years.
There were hard boiled eggs as bar snacks. That was a delicious surprise. We got the Escargot, which was served with bone marrow so succulent that I'm drooling just thinking about it. We sat next to a guy from Seattle, who was exchanging foodie-type information with the bartender the entire night. It was entertaining, as the bartender was intent on DJ'ing both of our moods/experiences so that we felt awesome. We ate other things, but the Escargot stands out. It wasn't the standard Escargot. It was unique and delicious. I can't stand even thinking about it.
Bottom line: go on the spur of the moment. Don't expect anything. Don't go when it is busy. Sit at the bar for best service.
This experience probably won't be repeated. We wouldn't expect it to, but we loved it, and if others have the luck to walk by when there is no one there, go in! Perhaps have some random cash on hand when doing so, although everyone knows the prices by now.
Plus, if you order at the bar, no one really expects you to get a full meal. Although we did, we could've easily picked a few appetizers and drinks and headed out with a tiny dent in our pockets instead of a Paley-sized one.
Oh yeah - the one guy who wasn't sitting at the bar received sparse service and got his food later than we did. He also looked kind of lonely. If he were sitting at the bar, he would've had a sweet opportunity to enjoy himself a great deal more.
Limited seating, be here when it opens at 5:30 to get a table or one of about 8 seats at the bar. Cozy inside, feels like you're at home.
We split a few dishes between 3 people on my visit here. The steak tartare was my favorite, intense meat flavor and very satisfying. The beet dish was excellent with the tangy horseradish sauce draped over it. Celery root/leek soup was another winner, very smooth and enhanced celery flavors.
A nice touch here was the extras they include, like the bbq chips at the bar. We also got some little nibblers including a puff pastry, bread, and a gingerbread biscuit before we received the check.
Based on what I tried, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the dishes here. I recommend the steak tartare, as it was my favorite.
Probably the best restaurant in Portland.
[Note: this only applies to the non-vegans/vegetarians.]
It may be pricey, and you'll have to make your reservation 2 weeks in advance. But it's worth it.
Vitaly has a knack for mixing different flavors together from french, american & russian influences. He takes the local organic foods that are available, and whips them into a flurry of flavors. So the menu is always different....though, it must be noted, he has some staples:
- Charcuterie - Always has a good selection.
- Roasted Lamb Marrow - This is the meal I would ask for before execution. Skip the grilled bread provided and dive in with the local artisan bread provided. If you're not cool with escargot, skip it.
- Winters: brussell sprouts with home-cured bacon and creme-fraiche.
He'll always have a steak on the menu, and some sort of seafood. There's a cheese course which is served last, so save your glass of red for the entire meal. Everything matches a nice smooth Pinot.
The short of it: Only fit for foodies over 50.
The long of it:
I'm filled with regret after choosing Paley's for my birthday dinner. You see, it was the safe choice. After reading about it for years and seeing it receive high praise once again in The Oregonian's annual dining guide (Still got money? Blow it here), I figured that while it wouldn't be the most exciting choice, it would be a solid, classy, well executed meal.
I made reservations weeks in advance, about the same time I recommended Paley's to a friend for an important business dinner since they are all foodies. My group arrived a little early, but we weren't seated until about 20 minutes after our reservation time. The wait felt like an eternity because there was no room at the bar and no lounge or comfortable waiting area. So you are left awkwardly standing in a drafty alcove.
Once we were seated I wanted to get down to business but they managed to hit my number one restaurant pet peeve -- taking an excessively long time to place our orders. I understand that it takes awhile to prepare food of this caliber and I'm prepared to be patient between courses, but if you don't take our order for 30 - 45 minutes after we are seated, it is going to be a very long night.
The service was spotty throughout the evening. It felt very much like they were going through the motions and once an order was taken or food was delivered, our server would disappear for long periods of time. Of all the diners at my table, I think I was the happiest with my choices for the starter (seasonal soup), main course (1/2 order of the halibut) and dessert (warm chocolate soufflé) and my cocktail was excellent. My food was four stars, but nothing was quite good enough to compensate for the utter lack of attention. While our meal started with an amuse bouche, I didn't think there were nearly enough special moments or mignardises for one of the city's finest dining establishments.
I wish I could say the meal was forgettable and leave it at that. The next day I called my friend and asked about his experience which was very much the same as ours. So I felt the need to apologize to him and to my friends who were good sports throughout our rather mediocre evening. Who says you get wiser as you get older?
I don't get it. I want to. I really do. Paley's Place makes every list imaginable. It has for years now. It is one of the most highly recommended restaurants in town. And I just don't get it.
Reservations are a must, because the place is teeny tiny. Even the bar area is very, very small. To be fair, the restaurant is housed in a beautiful Victorian house, and apparently Victorian people occupied far less space than their corpulent modern-day counterparts.
We arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation (our mistake), and there was literally no place to stand where we were not in someone's way. It made for an awkward start to the evening. Perhaps this is less of a problem in warmer seasons, because there is a wonderful, large front porch. Apparently what the Victorians lacked in inside space, they made up for nicely in outdoor space. I suspect lack of deodorant in those days is partially to thank.
When we arrived at our table, tucked away in a small three-table back room of the restaurant, there was a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau on the table, and at least three different employees made a point of encouraging us to order it. It occurred to me that while this was somewhat reminiscent of an Olive Garden sales tactic, perhaps it was indicative of tag-team service we would receive. Wrong. We opted for cocktails instead of wine. The cocktails were strong, large, and delicious. The cocktails alone are worthy of an entire star, though they were slow to arrive, and even slower to refill.
We were in full celebratory mode for this dinner, so we ordered up. First course, appetizer salads. Very, very expensive appetizer salads. None of our salads came close to warranting their double-digit price tag. Greens, even organic greens, should not be that expensive when served on an appetizer plate.
The main courses were mostly unmemorable. I did have a half order of the razor clams. The first bite was fantastic, but subsequent bites became increasingly predictable, suffering from sameness. Maybe it was like a first kiss, and I should have savored that first bite more. The Bud had the mussels, which were buttery smooth in texture and flavor. It was the French fries that stole the show for his meal, though. Waxing poetic about French fries at a restaurant the caliber of Paley's Place seems like grasping at straws, though.
Dessert stepped it up a notch, for sure. Our table split a couple of chocolate cake options, and both were decadent and delicious. They were not enough to save an overall uninspired experience, however.
From the awkward wait at the beginning, to the slow, disinterested service, our experience was just lacking. It mirrored a similar experience I had last year - unmemorable main courses, slow food, disconnected and disappearing service, followed by delicious dessert.
I want to be wowed on a number of levels when a place is this buzzed up and let's face it, expensive. I was not wowed.
2 stars for mediocre food and pretentious, stodgy atmosphere. I've been dragged here three times with three different parties, none of whom were impressed either. I was even less so when being left with bills totalling well over $100.
1 star deducted for cheating. Eric Asimov was a NY Times food critic the Paley's knew closely while living in their Manhattan residence. In 2007, they comped the critic a promotional dinner package to their restaurant, and in return received a lavish, front page endorsement in the NY Times Sunday Food section. My dad actually saw it and we'd eaten there previously. His response - like mine: "WTF? This place blows."
Unfortunately for Paley's, this all came to light after being exposed by some online blogger who raised questions about the relationship between the two, prompting a embarrassing disclosure statement from the Times:
[NY Times, October 6, 2007]
"Editors' Note:
An article in the Dining section on Sept. 26 by Eric Asimov reported on the restaurant scene in Portland, Ore., and one of the establishments mentioned was Paley's Place, owned by Vitaly and Kimberly Paley. Mr. Asimov said it had "a warm and intimate dining room" and that Paley's Place "is recognized as one of the top restaurants in the Northwest, if not the country." He also wrote that Paley's Place was one of several restaurants that had "served as an incubator for much of the talent that is making its mark today."
Mr. Asimov is a friend of the Paleys, and while doing reporting for the article in Portland, he selected wines for a dinner he attended at Paley's Place, which promoted his presence in advance.
Even though Mr. Asimov was not reviewing or assessing the restaurant, he should have disclosed in the article his friendship with the owners, and he should not have created the appearance of favoritism toward them by participating in the wine dinner, for which he accepted no compensation."
-Not reviewing or assessing the restaurant? My ass.
The writing is on the wall. Screw this place.
The food is excellent. The service has been at times.
We love going to this restaurant. You have to book well in advance. When doing so...you might want to be specific about where you sit, we weren't on our last trip and it cost us. We were seated next to a table that had a very loud and unruly toddler. Probably not Paleys Places fault, but for the unusual occassions that I get to take my wife out to a nice restaurant, I don't want to spend it in an atmosphere akin to a pizza palour.
Okay...there's the gripe that took them from five stars to four. Otherwise, a lovely place, with thoughtful food choices and typically good service.
I'll definately be going back!
I was fortunate enough to be invited to Patricia Green's end of harvest celebration that took place at Paley's Place. My biggest complaint about dining in Portland is that there are plenty of good chefs in this city, but there's a lack of good service. Fortunately Paley's Place is an exception.
We were seated in their private dining area, which was perfect for a group of 20 or so. The food was perfectly prepared and delicious. Period. And I like the option of ordering 1/2 plates so if you can't make up your mind, one can order two entrees, encouraging one to explore. Wine was a given...I was with a wine maker after all. But the servers were great as far as making sure the correct stemware was on the table and making correct pours.
And yes, the service was off the charts. It's a challenge to ensure 20 guests are taken care of, and these two did a fantastic job. I only wish I remember their names. Lovely night with good food, great wine and fabulous service - the way it should be.
This is my favorite place to dine, period. Warm atmosphere (Barry White and Thievery Corporation on the iPod? YEEAAAHHH!), friendly and attentive staff, and gourmet food without the pretentiousness ... what more could one ask for?
Every time my boyfriend and I come here to eat, we always have to limit ourselves to three dishes tops because otherwise, we'd order the whole menu. Really, we love it that much. I once ordered The Pork Loin of All Pork Loins (okay, it's really not called that) that ruined me for all pork loins of the future. I seriously don't think I can ever eat another pork loin again unless it's from Paley's Place. Believe me when I say that there isn't anything on the menu that we've tried and didn't like.
If you're looking for something a little simpler from what's offered on the regular menu, I highly recommend the Paley's Burger, available in the bar area. Kobe beef, bacon, and pickled vegetables make this a very hearty and satisfying meal. Did I mention that they have homemade potato chips (OMG, so goooood) and hard-boiled eggs as bar snacks? I always thought that was pretty cool.
... And their desserts. Their creme brulee is the bomb-bizzle.
I lurve this place.
My friend raved about the Razor Clams that were served back in May, so we made a reservation and dined at Paley's this past weekend. Review's touted its James Beard selection, and as a must-visit in Portland.
Ultimately, the food was great. But not special, with really no stand outs - and I wasn't left with an indelible impression that I've had one of the most amazing meals ever. Needless to say, I'm sure that many of their dishes are amazing, but it lacked the consistency that I was hoping for.
Among the hi lights: Their bread served from a neighboring bakery was delicious. Their steamed mussels were fantastic, and the Au jus from the mussels made an excellent dipping sauce for the bread.
We did two half plates: One of the Rabbit sausage ravioli, and another of the crab and corn risotto. Both were decent, none over the top, and not near the complexity that I was hoping for. I'm a big risotto fan, and it did not strike me as memorable (frankly, I prefer Olive & Ivy's crab risotto in AZ). The Rabbit Ravioli was interesting, but not amazing.
Overall, a great restaurant, but not deserving of the rave reviews that we had read about.
New Favorite Restaurant Alert.
Wow. I love Paley's.
Had a $100 gift certificate, but I assure you this did nothing to persuade this review. Started with unique drinks at the bar. A bar which showcased some eggs on a cool little rack from a tiny egg farmer that I always buy my eggs from at the Beaverton Farmer's Market. Cool to see a hip bar using free range organic eggs as edible decoration.
Stated with a grilled asparagus, prosciutto, and duck egg salad. My god, wrap the spear in some salted meat, top with slightly runny duck egg, and you've got a sinful bite of salad.
Best thing about Paley's? Half order plates!
We had rabbit ravioli and pork shoulder for less than a full meal at a comparably fancy restaurant in P-town. The pork shoulder was a perfect portion after the 2 cocktails, bread and butter, and salad.
I don't have to explain how the pork tasted, at a place like this, you can assume the food was astounding. What makes Paley's so great is everything else they do to make it a great dining experience.
Funny side story: I had no idea how to leave a tip when paying with a certificate, so I asked the hostess if she could take it off the cert. She said she wasn't supposed to, but would for me this time. Dinner was $63 (paid for drinks separate at the bar), so I asked to take $12 off the cert, leaving me with $25 left.
After I got the certificate back, there was $15 remaining. The waitress got a lovely $22 tip.
Ah well. When things like that happen, I simply assume that the money is better off with whomever ended up with it, and better not to temp fate.
Service was lacking but the food was a solid 4 stars. 3 dishes really stood out for me. The crab & corn risotto, the rabbit ravioli and the escargot with marrow. I love how you can do half plates so you can try a little bit of everything. The sweetbreads with pork belly was not bad but not anything to write home about. To end the meal I highly recommend the polenta cake with marion berries. It is something you cannot readily find elsewhere, unlike the chocolate souflee or creme brulee. Wine recommendations were pretty good. The 2006 Cristom, Sommers Reserve from Willamette Valley was just as the waitress described - medium bodied with big fruits. To me Pinot Noir's either smell like bubble gum or fruit. This one definitely smelled like the later. Great nose!
I also commend Paley's Place for being local, organic and sustainable!
I am pretty new to the area and was interested in checking out a "NW Cuisine" restaurant. Paleys came highly recommended.
I made reservations almost a week in advance - my foresight was rewarded by unquestionably the worst table in the house..tucked in between the rows of adult tables, where my shoulder was grazed by waiter ass or (gulp) groin all night.
I have since been back 2 or 3 times - the food was excellent on the first occasion, and then varied wildly on successive visits. Service the same. At its best, the cuisine and service are near the top of what I have had - at its worst, I have felt ripped off.
On one occasion my guest had a NY Strip substituted for with a strip-sized piece of sirloin (cooked, then cut in half, presumably) ; with no prior explanation..and certainly no reduction in price. I asked our waiter about a particular wine, and he instead suggested two other wines - the two most expensive on the menu. His description was in its entirety: "I like this one......and.......THAT one". That is just amateur-hour stuff.
That being said, I came back - and have had several wonderful evenings here. If you feel like rolling the dice, give it a shot - but don't come crying to me if you crap out.
This was our last foray into old time established Portland restaurants and I wish I could say it changed our minds but sadly, not. The hostess was warm and friendly throughout service but that was as good as it got. I'll preface by saying it was a Sunday so maybe it was the B team but our waitress was spacy to the point that it messed up the meal- no drinks before dinner, got the appetizer wrong, and then forgot the wine. I had the organic romaine lettuce salad with heirloom tomatoes- which were gorgeous- but there was dirt on the salad leaves.
I had the risotto with crab and it was just fine. My husband's ahi tuna was so-so.
One off night? Maybe but there are so many other places to try we won't be back anytime soon.
Good reviews, my girlfriend loves wine, why not?
Paley's tries a little too hard. I know they have french food, and an $18 oyster appetizer, but it was trying to be something it wasn't. The wait staff was a little overzealous, and overly involved in our meal. I ate outside on the patio...I think the tablecloth outdoors may have thrown me off, but the atmosphere was bland. Also, as my picture indicates, "substitutions are politely declined." Snobs.
The food, however, was very good. The mussel appetizers and the rabbit ravioli were great, and there were even little complements from the chef before the meal.
Paley's was OK, but it couldn't decide whether it wanted to be formal and fancy, or an interesting restaurant in a craftsman house. When they decide, I will be back for the food.
Vtaly Paley, James Beard award winning chef, Prince of Porc (from Cochon 555), cookbook author, owner of Paley's Place, and generally nice guy, is one of my recent favorite chefs in Portland. And I finally got to eat at his restaurant. And it was good.
Paley is pushing the envelope and creating new versions of old dishes with a flair for the dramatic and an attention to detail. This is food for people who crave the gastronomic experience. I understand that's not for everyone, and even for me, I need to be in the mood. But when I am in the mood, as I was last night, I find what Paley is doing at his place to be delightful. And I find it to be worth a pretty penny too.
I had the pleasure of dining with three companions yesterday and was therefore able to share bites of numerous meals. Let me share with you the highlights:
Roasted beets with an herbed horseradish créme sauce. This was an absolutely divine dish, smooth on the palate with that thick, slightly sweet beet flavor mixed with a very light creamy sauce. It's technically a side but was ordered as an appetizer. Best app of the night aside from the...
Green garlic shoots with frisee and a slow-cooked soft-boiled egg. The egg was cooked to a perfectly consistent viscosity throughout (45 mins on low temp in the shell, I hear), and complimented the light garlic and vinegar flavors of the salad. Fantastic, but for those like my wife, who need their eggs to be firm, not as exciting. For me, great.
House-made charcuterie of duck brisket, single-muscle prosciutto, and lardo on toast. This was a special dish not on the regular menu, and let me say, it blew me away. In fact, it blew everyone in my group away.
Sweetbreads with a black-lentil and pork reduction. The sweetbreads were deep fried and very light in flavor. I found this to be a tastefully done dish, and I can see how it would make sweetbreads more accessible to a wider crowd. It was a very refined version of what I expected to be getting.
Roasted pork shoulder. As would be expected, the shoulder was roasted to perfection and the sauce was a very nice compliment to the meat. It was not as good as the pork-loin-in-a-pig-blanket that helped Vitaly win the Cochon event, but it was still amazing.
Razor clams. This dish was amazing by most standards, but I have to say it still gets beat by the razors at Higgins. The sauce was tasty but lacked a bit any 'zing' to balance out the delicious buttery flavor of the clams. The clams could have used a bit more pounding as well. The real highlight of the dish for me was the sweet potato mix on the side. It had an insanely deep flavor for a puree and as my lone bite of the potatoes slid across my palate I was hit with flavor after flavor from sweet to savory. Amazingly done.
The true cod in putannesca was fantastic. I was dubious of this dish when I read the description on the menu, but as would be expected from a chef in such high regard, it turned out very well.
For dessert, our table tried the Olive Oil cake with ice cream, the chocolate souffle with ice cream, the vanilla cheesecake with pineapple, and the butterscotch pot de créme. The desserts were good but not on par with the starters and main courses. I was very impressed by the olive oil cake. I have had a few of these, and this one had a nice, clean, solid olive oil flavor, which paired nicely with the ice cream and the pear/cherry compote.
The wine list is short and to the point, with a decent amount of pinots and other reds. The selection of whites almost seemed longer, which was strange to me. The Ken Wright Cellars pinot (never a bad choice) hit the spot. The cocktail list is diverse as well, with some amazing selections (the Aviation gimlet) and some interesting ones (the champagne cocktail with bourbon was not as well received).
All in all, it was a wonderful dining experience. The service was everything I would expect from a 5-star place. We spent a solid 2.5 hours enjoying a three-course meal with full compliment of cocktails, wine, and after dinner coffees/digestifs. We felt like the servers knew we were in for the haul, so they did not press us to move fast, but I think if we had indicated that we wanted to go faster, that would have happened. We were enjoying a slow food night, and as far as I am concerned, when you're spending this much for dinner (which I can't do very often in my life), you should take your time with it.
Paley is definitely doing some fun stuff up here in the little house on NW 21st and Northrup, and it just makes me wish I had more money to come eat here more often. With the option to enjoy a half-sized portion of the protein for about half price, that could be the way to go (tapas style) to get to eat at Paley's more often. I'm not saying it's not worth it, it's just outside my normal budget range.
That said, I think in any other city, Paley's would be packed to the gills every night of the week.
I will definitely be back.
Cheers.
We went with some friends to celebrate a birthday and were excited to try the food after hearing/reading about Paleys Place. We were seated at a nice table and the evening was off to a good start. After reviewing the menu and deciding on drinks and dinner we began to converse and before we knew it our appetizers were out.....here's where the problems began, our drinks that we had ordered, me a Nagroni and my friend a martini...no where in site, we shrug it off and dig in.
I started with the oysters with the tabasco sauce, they were excellent, although not a lot to mess up on fresh oysters. The rest of the table had the crab brioche (was highly recommended) and various green salads, both of which were as exciting as to be expected with a green salad.
The main course was coming up, and after we finally received our drinks, both of which were delicious I quickly noted to our waitress that my wife and I would like a glass of wine with our entrees and off she went.....okay here comes the same issue as before, our meals arrive and again there is no sight of the wine (note this is a good 15 minutes)...I could understand if this was a bar or it was packed, but neither are the case and it wasn't until our plates were nearly half gone, and after reminding her we received our wine.
The main course was VERY good, I had the roasted pork shoulder and my wife the risotto, the pork was tender and juicy and the vegetables/sauce were right on. My wife's shrimp and clams were cooked perfectly and the risotto the same. All in all I would highly recommend the food, but the service, was a bit lacking at such a highly touted restaurant that people go to for special occasions....
Our dining experience here was a major highlight of our recent trip to Portland. The waitstaff was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive, the food was absolutely delicious, and the kitchen makes clever and artful use of Oregon's abundant local ingredients. (The menu changes constantly, due to availability of ingredients, which shows that the chefs are quick on their feet.) The dining area is cozy and comfortable, and though our party was the last table in the restaurant, they encouraged us to take our time and enjoy ourselves. I'd definitely recommend this to friends looking for a "special occasion" restaurant in Portland.
Droool! Ok this is neck and neck with Beast for my favorite PDX spot to really dine out. This is alway top notch food, some of my favorite meals have been here and it is the closest thing Portland has to European dining. That means the pacing is slower than most of us are used to. When visit my father and Step mom in Switzerland and we go to dinner or heck sometimes lunch it can be easily a 3 hour chunk and often for dinner is more. Usually after I need a good nap or to pass out somewhere. So just think of this as not the place to go when in a hurry but it isnt a 4 hour food-a-thon.
The food is excellent, Lamb, one of the best steaks in town, mussels, it is all good and what ever you do save room for the sweets.
The wine list is perfectly sized and has a good price range for most budgets and if you want to bring something special from home or just try to save some $ they have a $20 corkage.
Normally I am against anything that can be dubbed as an "experience." I used to do a lot of business in Minneapolis. Clients would frequently want to dine at the Rain forest Cafe in the Mall of America. Yes, I am serious. Both are touted as "dining and shopping experiences." I don't need those things to be an "experience." Sometimes I just want to shop. Sometimes I just want to eat.
But I digress. You should go into Paley's Place thinking of it as an experience and I think this is an instance in which this is acceptable. This is not a "let's go eat some food" kind of place. Yes, it is spendy, for most of us. I was given a gift certificate by a very generous friend this summer. After my husband viewed the menu on the website and saw the "duck fat roasted potatoes," he asked in horror "Why would you do that to a potato?" and refused to go. So my mom and I had our "Christmas" date when she was visiting.
The waiter first brought out two shots of butternut squash soup with pomegranate juice. It was excellent. They have an extensive wine list, but few glasses available by the glass. Now that the stigma of Roses have been lifted, I ordered a glass of Rose without shame and without feeling like I was ordering a glass of Sutter Home White Zin. The mom had some kind of vodka Colins that was excellent and made with fresh lemon juice.
We shared the scallop and pork belly appetizer. Both were perfectly done, without any of that weird grittiness of scallops. The bread was great, but not house made. It comes from Ken's so you can't really argue with that. Many of their entrees are available as half portions. Since I planned to order dessert, I took advantage of this. I had the fried clam which came with a squash puree and a Bearnaise sauce. The clam was ginormous and perfectly cooked. My mom had the roasted chicken, that frankly was a little overdone, but had excellent flavor.
If you go here, please, please, please save room for dessert. I had, quite possibly, the best creme brule ever. It was creamy, but didn't taste fatty. The top had the perfect "crack" to it (to the point that a piece got stuck in my throat causing that unpleasant "there's a Dorito stuck in my throat!" feeling. Does this happen to anyone else? But a sip of my mom's coffee melted it away). The custard part was nice and cool. My mom had the pistachio brittle house made ice cream. Sooo good.
The chef politely refuses substitutions and I am okay with that. Sometimes I just want someone to tell me what to do and to know how the food will be best. It's not an Applebee's, people. (I say this because the man at the next table was annoyed that he couldn't get spinach instead of something else with his entree).
We were there for a long time. About two and a half hours, but it didn't feel like it. The atmosphere was warm and the service was excellent. Our total bill was $87.00. Not a price that the husband and I are likely to drop with our soon to have one of self-employed income, but with the gift certificate and the mom paying, it was well worth it. For sure, a quality fine dining "experience."
We had the pleasure of having our Thanksgiving meal there in 2008. The atmosphere was warm, the servers were very nice and the food was carefully crafted and tasty. We ordered the classic turkey dinner and the Sturgeon a la Planchca with Guanciale and succotash ... it's a wonderful place to dine!
We were invited to meet a few friends at this restaurant. It's a very nice place and the staff was welcoming. Oysters and mussels for our first course were very good. For the second course, the halibut, the black cod, the steaks and pork shoulder were all to die for. Tasty and delicious with every single bite.
We had a fabulous time eating and enjoying each other's company. A perfect place for good food, good company and a good conversation.
Glad we were finally able to check out this yummy Portland restaurant. We got the roasted beets and hand-cut fries for appetizers. Not a big fan of beets myself, but my boyfriend loved them. The fries were fantastic. They also gave us complimentary bread, which was some of the best bread I've ever had.
I got the risotto with spring peas and carrots. It was perfectly-done and the flavor was great! He got the fried razor clams, which came with these sweet and smoky potatoes that were absolutely fantastic. The clams themselves were also wonderful, which is quite a compliment from someone like myself who is just venturing into the world of seafood.
One of the great things about this place is that most entrees can be ordered as half plates, which is what we did. We still got full, but we weren't stuffed and still had a little room for dessert. Our chocolate tart was rich and tasty.
We had an excellent romantic dinner here. The staff was attentive, friendly, and helpful!
With high expectation on our anniversary, what a disappointment. The service was slow and sub par for a Portland Restaurant with such good reviews and the food was overall just ok.
First it took about 10 min to get a glass of water, bread came in about 20 min. By the time we got to order, my choice was sold out. It would have been nice to have been told that when we set down.
I had the Frisée aux Lardons salad and it was wonderful. The frisee was fresh and light and the egg was great.
I mistakenly chose the chicken, I should not need to say more but here goes. It was dry and slightly overcooked and nothing special at all. I must say that a Costco chicken is much better and does not cost $28.00. My wife had the sweetbreads and they were very disappointing. They were covered with a heavy batter and deep fried. I must say that they tasted good but so does about anything that you batter and put into the fryer. Sweetbread are light and very flavorful when prepared correctly. Maybe they were trying to dumb the dish down?
Now on to the desert which was a warm chocolate cake with ice cream, this was the highlight of the evening. Everything was great and presented with charm.
We brought our own bottle of wine which I almost always do, When we got the bill the corkage charge $25.00 which was $5.00 higher than listed on their website. I decide not to mention it to the waiter.
Sorry for the review, maybe I caught them on a bad night, unfortunately this was the worst meal that I have had in Portland to date.
Paley's place is absolutely wonderful. Their food is amazing and their menu changes often. They have local, seasonal, organic fresh food that is truly amazing. The atmosphere is nice and comfortable. You feel like you're in someone's house.
The service is great and all the staff are really nice. Their cheese plates are totally amazing.
I did enjoy my meal, but I wouldn't go back. The service was not very good and the waiter suggest an awful wine. The fried razor clams were great, as were the mussels, but something about the restaurant was just... off. There are too many other expensive restaurants in Portland to try before Paley's Place. Try 50 Plates or Oba first. I would not recommend this place.
I want this review to be interactive, so...
O- { "Have you felt GOOD lately?"}
[ me ] /W\ { "And why did you feel GOOD?"}
I.I.
O- { I felt good } O- { I've never } /O\ { I feel good when }
/I_I\ { when I got my } /( )\ { felt good } /|_|\ { I make people }
I.I. { tax refunds } / \ I I { laugh }
[ family guy ] [ sad guy ] [ funny girl ]
" Obviously feeling GOOD is more personnel. And for me, I felt good after my dinner at Paley's last night. "
"Now I need a volunteer who can draw, feeling good"
--- Funny girl goes to the board and comes up with this:
. - " " " " " " - . " Thanks funny girl, is this being happy...
. ' ' . " or feeling good??"
/ O O \
: :
| |
: " , , " :
\ ' -......- ' /
'. .'
' - . . . . . . - '
--- Sad guy goes to the board and comes up with this:
. - " " " " " " - .
. ' ' . " Dude you are sad...
/ O O \ " thanks anyways"
: ` ` :
| ` ` |
: .- - - - - -. :
\ ' ' /
'. .'
' - . . . . . . - '
Ok, feeling good cannot be ascii'd so I am gonna just say it.
Last night two of us went to Paley's and had a very light and good dinner. What's good about Paley's is that you can do half portions.
I had the Potato Gnocchi, lamb stew and she had the halibut. Half portion is not a lot of food but it is actually good thing!
And the reason is, when the portion is small you (may be just me) take time to enjoy and savor each bite of Paley's clean and crisp flavors.
And more importantly you will have room for a dessert. We went with the special, which was a Olive oil cake with an Orange Cardamom ice cream and Vanilla infused Orange. If you see it on the menu please get it.
Olive oil cake!, wasn't oily and it was delicious with the ice cream.
Excellent service, we were probably the cheapest diners of the night since we didn't get a bottle of wine or any starters. But service was prompt and friendly.
At the end we both felt GOOD and said, we should eat like this (half portion that is) everyday!
[Careful with the voting buttons, they are Funny Useful Cool now...those perverts]
Can't wait to go back. 3rd time there and thought maybe there might be a let down. Then again, I think it was better this last time than before.
With our group, we pretty much had ordered almost everything on the menu. Dont remember anything bad...every dish had complex flavours and tight. The standout was the bonemarrow &escargot, coulda licked the plate cos the sauce was so good.
Suggestion would be do the 1/2 plates, that way its like creating your own prix fixe or tasting menu.
I can't speak to the tastes, or experiences of others. All I can say is that I had one of the best restaurant meals of my life here.
Highlights:
Leg of lamb: perfectly cooked, incredibly tender and flavorful. From the caramelized outer crust, right down to the bone amazing. The best preparation of this dish I've ever had. Truly an example of beautiful quality meat treated as such.
Moules frites: a simple dish of few components, but everything sang. Fresh mussels, delicious white wine preparation. The fries were just about perfect, crisp, not too thick, served with a very nice aioli.
Not to sound like a total elitist, but too often on Yelp I see negative comments for very good fine dining restaurants like Paley's that basically are critical of "bang for your buck." Now, while this is a valid complaint in some cases, I think that a lot amounts to your expectations. This is the kind of place where you go to experience the flavors and meticulous preparations of skilled cooks, not to simply fill your stomach.
If you are still looking for 'best value', stick to the big cuts of meat. This is typically where the patron pays closest to 'cost' (sometimes even below!), and the restaurants make up the profit on smaller dishes and especially alcohol.
But, this is, IMO completely the wrong attitude to walk into dinners like this with. Relax, enjoy the food and flavors for what they are, not for what they are costing you, even if it means eating out less, it will be worth it.
Thanks for the beautiful meal, Paley's.
Surprise surprise, another five stars.
The food and drinks were off the charts. We ordered the hand-cut fries with spicy mustard aioli, grilled artichoke with breadcrumbs and anchovy butter, roasted squab with couscous, and black cod with vegetables.
First of all, you can order half-orders of every plate (large enough to be full orders at some places) which is brilliant! Definitely allows for sharing and sampling.
Second, the food was heavenly. Every bite elicited sighs and groans. It's all fresh, cooked perfectly, and creative. Every bite.
The cocktails were great too--I had a pear kamikaze with pear brandy, and my friend had a grapefruit daquiri.
Don't skip dessert. The heirloom carrot cake with pistachio ice cream, and the chocolate souffle with honey vanilla ice cream, well...you'll find room for them and I think we could have ordered another dessert and been okay with that too. Ask for recommendations on their dessert wine, we got 20 yo port that was smooth, mellow, and the perfect complement to our desserts.
The recommendation brings me to the service. Always professional and intuitive but definitely not stuffy. Our hostess even apologized for having us wait for our table even though we'd arrived twenty minutes early (so not the restaurant's fault!)
I'll be dragging out-of-towners, family members, food snobs and average eaters alike; at the totally reasonable prices, there's no reason not to. You could pay nearly twice as much for a dinner like that in Napa or San Francisco.
I read somewhere that P.Place has a killer dessert chef, so we went and sat at the bar one night. The bartender was the best EVER. She totally paid attention but not too much attention, if you know what I mean. Like attention to what we needed or if we wanted her visit with us...kind of an intimate dance where you know someone can overhear you talking to your husband about how your boss quasi-sexually harasses you but somehow it's okay. You don't let everyone overhear that but she was really cool.
Anyway, the little dessert sampler platter was to die for. There were like 10 different little bon-bon type things, enough to share a nibble with your luvah.
The ambiance is just precious - don't look like West Elm shat itself but still good, strong lines. Well done.
Must go back for a full meal one day.
After hearing great things about Paley's, my girlfriend and I booked a table on Valentine's Day - a day where I would think the food would be top notch and the atmosphere would be prime.
After perusing the menu and being informed that my girlfriend could not order her choice (scallops) and then after ordering a lesser priced item, informed that the cook could actually do scallops (interesting up-sell tactic), we would offered shots of squash that gooed down our throats.
I ordered the pigeon as it looked to be the only thing that I could digest (scary thought). Serving size was impeccably small, and I could not believe that so many people had been wrong about the place. I would like to try it again, but the experience was so bad, me thinks not.
(This would be 4.5 stars, if I could.)
We were on vacation in Portland and needed to try some local spots that were all about local ingredients and seasonal foods.
We started with mussels in some garlic broth, which was very tasty. For mains, my wife had nettle pasta with crab. I had razor clams. They were fried but not greasy at all.
We each liked our own dish better. Less sharing that way!
It was at dessert that this restaurant dazzled.
My wife, not so surprisingly, had the cheese plate. She enjoyed it but it wasn't anything earth shattering.
I had a dish with brownies, cherries, peanut brittle and butterscotch ice cream. We loved it and she announced it on par with her favorite dessert of all time (the hazelnut torte we had in NYC at Lupa). I loved it also. Too bad my wife kept stealing from my bowl.
The only drawback was the unsteady service. Our server would be aloof then gregarious, attentive and then ignore us for 20 minutes.
Also, the wine picks were just OK. Our server tried to push a wine we knew we didn't enjoy and then was flustered in finding a new choice. Having more choices for wines by the glass (so we can make our own wine flight), would have been a nice addition.
Still, this was the best meal of the trip! And we would go back.
I am new in town from SF and told to try this institution of PDX... wow. How have they lasted this long, my server approached me panting and ragged from what I observed as the most understaffed place I have ever been. My table waited for water and bread and a server greeting well over 15 minutes. Once there, she was so hurried and impersonal I was taken aback, hey we're here for food fun and libations, not curing world peace, its ok, chillax. And if she tells me one more time how the chef says it should be Im going to mention to her just whom is paying this bill tonight.
The place is cute, the food well executed, but come on, you come once for the food and back for the service. My "complex" rib-eye was a slab of meat and some creamy greens-- awesome. The escargot really was awesome.
I would be fine if they appeared to care that you were there, but the fact that the place operates like the guests are mere ponds, and the servers are a bunch of diner style ladies, I shall keep Le Pegion close to my heart, no pretension and all about the food, not them. So good luck, hope you guys learn what a busser is, lots of good restaurants, and 2 hours for 2 courses is pretty long-- though our server says the chef insists on 2 hours, no substitutions.
I don't normally hand out five stars; but Paley's Place is a remarkable and worthy exception. Housed on the first floor of a remodeled Victorian in NW Portland [across the street from Wildwood] this is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the best restaurant in Portland.
Higgins, Heathman, Wildwood are all very good; Paley's Place is better. The food, atmosphere, service - exceptional. This is the place for celebration - great food, professional yet relaxed service, an inspired locally sourced Northwest menu served in two stylish dining rooms. If you're serious about food and appreciate a restaurant firing on all cylinders - you'll love Paley's Place.
N.B. If you're solo; don't hesitate to take dinner at the small bar. The friendly outgoing and informed staff will make you feel comfortable and well cared for.
If you've time for just one dinner in Portland, make it Paley's Place.
The exceptionally creative and tasty cuisine does not disappoint. The salad composed of grilled winter squash, salami, spicy greens and apples is a dish I will not soon forget.
Service here is elevated to a new level. Casual yet highly attentive which, in my experience, is a difficult balance to strike.
Highly recommended!
After much deliberation, it was decided that Paley's was going to be the place for My Birthday Which Is Also Our Anniversary Dinner.
The service was exceptional - in addition to warm and friendly tableside service, they helped me out by accepting a flower delivery when they were closed and having it on our table when we got there. The food was fantastic. We had the escargot with bone marrow to start, which came in a bordelaise sauce so incredibly tasty we ran out of bread sopping it up. I've had some pretty poorly prepared snails multiple times, but these had the best texture of any I've ever had - not chewy or overcooked at all. For entrees, we ordered sweetbreads and squab. I'm a big fan of gamey meats, and the squab had the perfect amount of gameyness - wild-tasting but not rank. The sweetbreads were delicious and incredibly rich - I'm glad I ordered the half portion; I don't know if I could handle a whole plate.
Paley's has a really comfortable atmosphere - excellent food and service without being stuffy or pretentious. I will definitely return.
Very nice. Excellent service.
Farro with marrow and mushrooms - like a crunchy risotto - excellent.
Quail with bacon and mushrooms - very good
Sweetbreads - a bit weak - had that off taste that sweetbreads sometimes get.
Cheese course - excellent
Dessert - had a nice plate of petits fours
service - excellent.
Neighborhood: Northwest
Neighborhood: Northwest
Neighborhood: Lower Burnside
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
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