Special Occasion Eateries in VanPort
When the occasion comes to celebrate, it should be someplace special. These are the good one.
1. RingSide Steakhouse
Portland – Downtown
Ringside is a Portland institution that’s an old school cool steak joint. They play music from Nat King Cole, Ella, Frank Sinatra, etc. The cocktails are solid. This joint has a magic about it that is tough to put my finger on. Everything is just right. Check out my profile for more great eateries and cocktail bars.
2. Elements
Vancouver – Downtown
Miguel Sosa is one of the most highly respected chefs in VanPort among his peers. His passion for creating beautiful dishes and elevated culinary experiences is recognized by the restaurant community as top-shelf. It’s a small eatery where the focus is quality over quantity.
3. Ondus on the Waterfront
Vancouver – Waterfront
They serve 6 starters and 13 different appetizers which makes it a target rich environment. You could just order a few in lieu of entrees. We had to try the soup. My wife loves French Onion soup and says the soup stock is the best she’s had. The Ricotta & Spicy Meatballs are very good, but not spicy. My wife enjoyed them. She also had the Brussel Sprouts & Spicy Honey and thinks they’re really good.
We ordered the Steak Tip Skewer with truffle parmesan fries to learn what Ondus’ steak is like. They were tender and nicely seasoned. This could pass for a meal if you weren’t very hungry.
The Waterfront Burger is top notch. The pepper bacon is legit. The focaccia bun has a different look and texture than a garden variety bin, but pairs amazingly with the burger and toppings. I don’t know if it’s the Facerock cheddar, the black garlic aioli, or what. For several years the cheeseburger at The Multnomah Whiskey Library has been my high watermark for a gourmet burger. The Waterfront Burger has surpassed it.
The Marry Me Chicken was tender and perfectly seasoned. The polenta with the cheese sauce was delicious. The broccolini was steamed just right which resulted in an excellent texture and flavor addition to the dish.
The Sausage Stuffed Shells pasta are stuffed with whipped burrata, sweet Italian sausage, herbs and parmesan that are baked in a marinara sauce. It’s a nice dish but too polite for me (I like bold flavor), though for some folks this will be just right.
The carrot cake is a show stopper. It’s massive. It looks like they took an entire round cake and cut off the curves. I put a fork in the photo to indicate the scale. SIDE NOTE: The carrot cake tastes delicious.
Cocktails were good. The AC Hotel bar has decent, but not amazing stock, though Jeff the Bar Manager aims to please. He went above and beyond to work with the recipes I gave him. The result were very enjoyable drinks that paired well with our meal. The bar has savvy crystal clear king cubes with “AC” engraved on top. I just learned since my visit they have stepped up their sweet vermouth game and now have Carpano Antica Formula in stock.
On top of it all, the staff have so much heart and a strong desire for their customers to enjoy the experience of dining at Ondus. Every staff person we saw was on mission to make everyone feel special. Perhaps the greatest compliment is my wife asking for us to come back often.
4. Amaro’s Table
Vancouver – Multiple
My favorite Vancouver eatery. This is a quality joint. Food, cocktails and service are excellent. The fried chicken is amazing. I like to add it to my wedge salad. The fondue with pretzel is fab. The one thing I’m not fond of is the rib eye steak. It’s thin and a bit dry. The NY steak on the other hand is pretty good, $10 less AND it has the green chimichurri sauce with it. One the best places for cocktails this side of the river. Like an iceberg, there’s a lot more bottles to chose from in the basement than what you see on the shelves. Amaro’s has top notch mixologists. You can ask them to create a bespoke drink based on your tastes. Amaro’s has a superb staff. They have a fab happy hour. The only downside is that it ends at 5pm. But if they have a lot of nice choices if you can make it. Downtown and Eastside locations are superb. The bar at the Hazel Dell location is not as good.
5. OX Restaurant
Portland – Central
One of Portland’s best restaurants. The food is superb and the craft cocktails are really good. They have loads of starters. A great selection of meat to choose from (of course) and plenty of dishes on the “From the Garden” menu. The staff are top notch. It can get loud in there. They now take reservations…which is a game changer. There’s a separate bar in a waiting area.
6. Gino’s
Portland – Sellwood
Gino’s is legit Italian restaurant with a comfortable, old-school vibe. They have very a handsome vitage bar that serves really good cocktails for an Italian joint. Grandma Jean’s pasta is the best pasta I’ve had in the VanPort area. My wife likes the PACCHERI. The menu says PUTTANESCA is spicy (only if you think ketchup is spicy).
7. Portland City Grill
Portland – DowntownBest view in the city. Food is always good…but questionably worth the price. The 18oz ribeye is $75. A couple of bucks cheaper than El Goucho but $15-20 more than Ruth’s Chris and Ringside. Cocktails are middle of the road at an upscale price. If you charge $13-15 for a Manhattan it should have a better vermouth than Martini and Rossi. Wine is a better choice. Obviously a table by a window is a luxury if you’re fortunate to get one. SUMMARY: Better bang for your buck at Ruth’s Chris and Ringside but definitely a great place to bring people from out of town for the view.
8. Eem – Thai BBQ & Cocktails
Portland – North
Epic, elevated Thai fusion. The BBQ fried rice with brisket is a must. White curry with brisket burnt ends was fab. We also loved Massaman curry with smoked lamb shoulder. Cocktails are good. Some are better than others. The Shoulda, woulda, coulda was the best by far. This joint is super popular. They don’t take reservations. Be prepared to wait. They give you a pager. We had a drink around the corner while we waited. It was definitely worth the effort.
9. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Portland – Downtown
It’s a chain but you’d never guess it if you didn’t know. Top shelf food with a staff to match. They consistently serve fantastic steak every time. This place is hard to beat. Ruth’s Chris has a lovely wine list, and not craft but decent cocktails. Unfortunately the only sweet vermouth is Dolin. Their staff are staff professionals who endeavor to make you feel special. PRO TIP: the steak sandwich at happy hour $19 and fabulous. The zucchini fries are tasty.
10. El Gaucho
Vancouver & Portland
Festive steakhouse….but with sky high prices. For the most part, there are better choices. I don’t order a steak there anymore. $75+ is silly. But their salads are great. The table side Caesar salad might just redefine your opinion of a Caesar. Lovely live Spanish guitars is a major plus. Be very careful what you order at the bar. My Manhattan was $32. If you ask for any substitution your drinks can cost as much as your meal. Ruth Chris and Ringside are a far better value for my money. PRO TIP: Try to find the $100 for $80 gift cards and join the Revelers Club to ease the pain on your wallet. INSIDER INSIGHT: If I’m going to spend that kind of money, I’m driving to their Portland location in the Benson Hotel.
11. Cecilia
Vancouver – South
Cecilia’s is where Saap and La Pellah were previously. VIBE: The art direction is savvy and more spacious than La Provence. We particularly enjoy the subdued, groovy music selection that sounds like it could have been in Pulp Fiction.
FOOD: My wife likes the Tres Leches French Toast. It’s not too sweet aside from the whipped cream. She’s also a big fan of the Dutch Baby. My son likes the chicken and waffles. Amaro’s has amazing chicken so of course Cecelia is going to have that on the menu. The biscuits and gravy comes with bacon and eggs. It sounds enormous but their style of biscuits are much smaller. The gravy is a bit different than the garden variety. It was good but I like the traditional style better.
They have two kinds of Benedicts. I like the usual one with ham. The coffee is kind of bitter. If you like spicy, ask for their habanero sauce.
BAR: They have nice drinks but could use better stock for craft cocktails. INSIDER INSIGHT: Cecilia is the same owner as Amaro’s Table and Gustav’s. It seems they’ve not let their other restaurants rise to the level of Amaro’s bar.
12. Feast@316
Vancouver – Camas
Although I’ve had lunch there a few times of late, I hadn’t had dinner there in a year or so. The bar selection has come up a bit. We had coconut shrimp and filet mignon skewers appetizers that were pretty good. Steak prices have significantly increased. A 18 oz ribeye will cost you $76. 👁️ I ordered the 12 oz hanger steak as my entree ($48). It was good. Shelby did a fine job taking care of us.
But Feast’s prices cause one to consider other options. In my book, Magnolia Tavern’s 16 oz ribeye tastes better and is only $54. Those willing to throw caution to the wind and cross the bridge have top steakhouses in the running. For example, a 16 oz ribeye at Ox is only $70. Laurelhurst Market is only $65. Ringside is $79. Ruth’s Chris has a 16 oz ribeye for $69. Portland City Gill has an 18 oz Ribeye for $75 and you get the best view in the city. I’m sure savvy diners will factor all this in when deciding to splurge for a steak dinner.
PREVIOUS: Chicken chili is great. Wife likes green beans. Chicken skizzel is fantastic! PAPPERDELLE CARBONARA is an amazing pasta dish. Best fish & chips I’ve had this side of the river. Decent Manhattan. Stylish and romantic vibe.
PRO TIP: Beer is not on the menu but they a half dozen on tap and a few in bottles. Street parking is luck of the draw
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