Jeff T.'s Profile

I always stop by for a great time and some great wine when I'm in Portland. After reading a few other reviews, I think I know the secret to enjoying this place.

DO VISIT: If you are a local and want to make this "your place" or if you are from out of town and like to mix it up with people from the neighborhood to get some local flavor.

DON'T VISIT: If you want a more refined experience, want a lot of personal attention but don't want to sit at the bar, or if you want to have an in-depth conversation about wine. There's nothing wrong with that, but this won't be the place for you.

Oregon Wines on Broadway feels local. Local wine and local people. The bartender, no matter who it is, always seems to know a few people at the bar. I've discovered the secret to a great time is to join right in.

Everyone I've seen who works there knows their wines and can make some terrific suggestions if you describe what you like. I also like how friendly the other customers are -- they always seem willing to let me in on their conversation.

Bottom line? This is a terrific place if you are in the right mood. Just be warned -- you'll probably give it one star if you are expecting something else.

I like the Daily Grill chain in general. Good food, good service, and pretty consistent wherever you go. Nothing amazing, but always good.

This particular Daily Grill is an oasis for hotel guests at the attached Westin Portland. I ate here on a recent business trip and the food and bar staff were so good I came back the next night. I was flying solo, so I really appreciated the nice bar area where I could enjoy my meal and watch sports on the tv. The happy hour in the bar was particularly good - I had a local beer and a well-made chicken quesadilla for $10. Nice.

Draw backs? Their breakfast is decent, but I don't think it matches the quality of their dinner menu. I'd also like to see a few better options on their wine by the glass list.

Bottom line? This is a safe bet if you are traveling solo or if you feel more comfortable sticking with a chain restaurant.

My wife and I really enjoy dining here. Good location, great atmosphere, good service, and good food. They also have a decent selection of wine and their $15 corkage fee is pretty standard for San Diego.

Another great feature is their menu is perfect for any appetite. You can go with a salad or small plate, a tasty bistro burger, or order a large plate like their tasty braised short rib.

There are only two things holding me back from an "As Good As It Gets" five star rating, and these are really nit-picky. First, the food is excellent, but I enjoy the food preparation a little better at a few other restaurants with similar menus. Second, the service is good, but I haven't had that memorable service experience yet.

Bottom line, this is a great place to go on a date or to dine with friends. You are sure to have a good time and a good meal.

If this place was in walking distance from my house I would be in serious, serious trouble.

My wife and I were huge Terra fans when it was in Hillcrest and were anxious to see how the new location planned out. The verdict: even better.

PROS
The service is terrific. I dine out to relax and have a good time, so I appreciate it when my server takes a moment to chat. It was fun learning about the new restaurant and getting the inside scoop on some of our new menu items.

The food is also amazing. Some of our favorites from Terra Restaurant are still on the menu (the pot roast is spectacular) along with a lot of new items. You can go for a light meal, a three course dinner, or enjoy a family-style meal by ordering several small plates or flatbread pizzas.

Perhaps the best feature is the price. Nothing over $20. Put this restaurant in a different neighborhood and you'll pay 20-30% more easy. Sure you can nitpick the restaurant ("They didn't sprinkle rose petals at my feet."), but did I mention the price?

CONS
There are a few things worth mentioning. First, Terra Bistro is definitely a pioneer in the neighborhood. It will take some time for their neighbors to catch up. In the meantime, look past the empty buildings and bail bonds storefront across the street and you'll be fine. It's nice inside.

Second, it's a bit loud in there. That's the point of being a neighborhood bistro, but the old Terra was ghostly quiet by comparison.

Finally, they are still working out the kinks on a few dishes. Nothing is going to be perfect, but I sitll give them five stars based on the total experience.

THE SKINNY
Awesome place for a great meal with great service that won't kill your wallet. Make a reservation and give yourself a couple of hours to enjoy the dining experience.

The extremely helpful and friendly staff and focused product selection have saved me a ton of time and money since I started going here first before heading to Home Depot.

PROS
I always receive a friendly greeting when I walk in the door. These guys know their stuff and are quick to offer assistance. I really like how there is always someone available to direct me to exactly what I need and help me select the best products or tools for my project. And, they never make me feel dumb despite my lack of home improvement knowledge.

I've noticed two great things since I started coming here. (1) I get in and out so much faster because the employees help me find what I need. (2) I make fewer return trips because their expertise helps me get the right products in the first place!

CONS
If you like lackluster service, a soul-less cavern of a store, and crowded parking lots, you probably shouldn't go here.

THE SKINNY
A terrific neighborhood hardware store with great service and the products you need to get the job done.

Geneva Flooring installed bamboo flooring on most of the first floor of our home. Their value and workmanship were terrific and I'd recommend them to anyone looking for hardwood.

PROS
Judy (the owner) and her daughter Lisa are both very knowledgeable about their products, including bamboo. Lisa came to our home and really took the time to understand how we lived downstairs so she could suggest the right product for us.  Neither Judy or Lisa were pushy about a particular brand or price point -- they seemed genuinely concerned about us getting something we would love at a good price.

Having workers in the home is always a bit stressful, but our installers Nuno and Carlos were very considerate. Nuno gave us constant updates on their progress and the guys were careful to clean up nicely at the end of each day. And, when a few unexpected surprises came up (don't they always?), Nuno consulted us quickly and gave us options.

CONS
They needed more hardwood and baseboards than originally ordered, so our project took approximately 2 days longer than expected. This was a pretty big hassle, though Nuno was very apologetic. He even painted the baseboards for us the 2nd time they came up short, even though painting the baseboards was our responsibility.

THE SKINNY
It's very hard to find a flooring company that does good work, knows its products, and delivers great value. Geneva Flooring has all three and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them or work with them again.

I really don't like to give out 1 star, but Fido's Surgeon went out of their way to earn it. I rate them one star for two reasons: (1) My dog, Melrose, did not fully recover under their care. (2) Rainy, the physical therapist, was incredibly unprofessional and uncaring throughout the process.

UNPROFESSIONAL
Rainy was very difficult to work with. She was late to every single checkup appointment, which was a huge hassle because we had to meet her during the middle of the work day. Once, she was 45 minutes late because she went to the wrong location even though she had chosen where we were to meet! She physically arrived on time for another appointment, but proceeded to sit in her car on her cell phone for 15 minutes while we waited.

Her lack of caring was even worse. For example, Melrose stopped making progress after three months and mysteriously started gaining weight. Rainy chastised my wife and I and said it was our fault. This, despite the fact that we were following Rainy's directions to the letter and feeding Melrose a minimum amount of food. We finally took Melrose to our vet for a closer look and she had a thyroid problem that was quickly corrected with pills! (Uh, how was that our fault, Rainy?!)

NO RESULTS
The bottom line is Melrose didn't fully recover under Rainy's care, even after six months of rehab. Rainy gave us detailed instructions at the start of the process, so we initially thought she knew what she was doing. We followed her directions precisely, but she started changing the instructions seemingly at a whim without conducting a thorough examination of Melrose. At first, we went along since we assumed she knew best, but it soon became apparent that Rainy really wasn't sure what she was doing. It's very telling that after we stopped calling Rainy, we never heard from her again even though she knew Melrose's rehab was not complete.

Having a pet go through surgery can be very traumatic for both the pet and the owners. There are too many other options and success stories out there to put your trust in someone like this.

It's nice to have a place you can rely on whenever you are in town. My wife and I lived in Melrose ten years ago and Petrone's provided many a meal. We still drop by when we are in town for their outstanding subs, reasonable prices, and friendly service.

PROS
You shouldn't have too many service expectations from a sub shop, but their service is noticeable here. You will also get friendly, caring service and a little conversation while you wait for your food. The subs are very good too, with very fresh ingredients. They are perfect to take with you on a hike or a road trip because they will stay fresh and still taste great several hours later.

CONS
One booth in the whole place. Dine out, not in.

The SKINNY
If you are somewhere near Melrose and you want a sub, you need to go to Petrone's.

Brothers Home Improvement is a very professional, service-oriented organization that does good work and stands behind their product. We had a patio slider replaced, but they never acted like it was too small a job. The wire for the door sensor on our alarm system got disconnected during the installation, but they quickly came back out and fixed the problem without any hassle. (Mistakes can and do happen, but it's how a company deals with them that counts.)

PROS
The sales process with JT (one of their sales reps) was very easy and straightforward. Installation was very easy and well-done by Tom (except for the minor alarm problem, which Tom came back and fixed). The glass slider looks terrific and was a huge upgrade.

CONS
If I had to nitpick I'd suggest their office staff isn't on the same page service-wise. I had to call back a couple of times to get an appointment to take apart the door and reconnect the alarm wire. Fortunately, things went very smoothly once I got on the phone with the correct person.

THE SKINNY
There are many contractors out there that do the work, but their attention to service and business ethics are all over the board. Brothers is a great choice if you want the peace of mind that you'll be well taken care of.

My wife and I like to enjoy a nice traditional steakhouse on a special occasion and this is our favorite in San Diego. They offer outstanding food, impeccable service, and they have an impressive wine list to go with it.

PROS
The service here is always top notch across the board. You should expect nice, friendly, attentive etc. at any higher end steakhouse, but they are consistently on-point with little touches. For example, on a recent visit our server had the valet pull our car up at the end of the meal so it was waiting for us when we walked out. During that meal, my veal chop came out a little undercooked (hey - mistakes can and will happen anywhere), but our server came over and recognized it right when I cut into it.  The problem was solved quickly, everyone was appropriately apologetic, and I felt they genuinely cared that my meal was perfect. And, the veal chop WAS perfect when it came back out.

The food itself is great. Steaks are flavorful and tender. Desserts are wonderful.  Appetizers - outstanding.  Of course, the wine list is top notch too.  Best of all, they have a wide range of varietals and price points for every taste and budget.

CONS
Still looking for a kink in the armor here.  This place is totally up my alley and my wife and I have never had a bad experience.

THE SKINNY
A terrific place for a date, a business meal, a special occasion, or just because you like steak and you can!