My friends and I were thrilled to discover Ned Ludd in Portland.  We went there on a chilly, rainy Sunday evening after a day of exploring Portland’s cheese, chocolate and wine shops.  What a delight to walk into this light-filled, welcoming space that was warmed by the fire from a large brick wood-fired oven.  The staff was ultra-friendly, suggesting several dishes and wines for us to try.  The chef, Jason, came over multiple times during the evening to chat and make suggestions, as well. 

The menu there is laid out into Forebits, Kaltbits, Warmbits and Plats.  There were three of us, and we were so thrilled by the menu choices that we ordered 9 dishes to share, along with a bottle of Love & Squalor’s 2007 Riesling from Willamette Valley.  

We started with Endive, Smoked Trout, Lemon Cream and Chives.  The trout was smoked in-house and was light and delicate with a smoky, earthy flavor.  The Roasted Radicchio, Roasted Butternut Squash, Brown Butter and Balsamic presented a perfect balance between the bitterness of the radicchio and the sweetness of the butternut squash.  One of our favorite dishes was the Turnips in Horseradish Cream.  The turnips were sweet and tender and paired well with the creamy, mildly-spicy sauce.  Of course, we had to try the Mornay and Elbows (macaroni and cheese) – this dish did not disappoint.  One of the favorite dishes of the night was the Acorn Squash, Bacon and Molasses.  It was created with Ben’s in-house-cured bacon, which was thick and smoky.  (Would like to have taken home a few pounds of that bacon!) We loved the Mustard-Braised Brussels Sprouts, as well as the Spicy Pork Cabbage Roll.   One of our favorite choices was the Plate of Roasted Winter Vegetables with Herb Sauce.  Our final dish was the Slow-cooked Shoulder and Spicy Sausage of Pork, Sweet Onions and Kale.  This dish was good, but had a little too much garlic for my taste.  However, the meat was very tender and flavorful. 

At the end of the night, we got the bill and could not believe it came to only $110!  It was an incredible meal with a good bottle of wine at an excellent price in a warm, friendly environment.  I can hardly wait to go back!

Ned Ludd Restaurant
3925 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212
503-288-6900 
www.nedluddpdx.com

I recently visited Le Pigeon with my friends, Linda and Mora. I loved the casual atmosphere of the place, the friendliness of the chef and of the staff, and the delicious and creative dishes they served.

The menu changes each week. Chef Gabriel Rucker visits the local farmers markets several times a week and bases his menu on whatever is fresh and seasonal. When I was there, they were featuring such inventive starters as, Foie Gras with Waffles, Rhubarb and Almonds (my choice), Lobster with Frisee, Corn and Fennel and Lamb B.L.T. Among the main courses were Roasted and Fried Pork with Green Beans, Mushrooms and Cream Fraiche (my choice), Monkfish with Peppers and Olives, Quail with Squash, Marrow and Cherry Tomatoes and Cauliflower with Crepe, Asparagus and Mushrooms. The desserts were creative and delicious, too – Profiteroles with Foie Gras Ice Cream, Southern-style Cornbread with Dried Apricots, Bacon, and Honey (my choice) and a Cauliflower Cherry Clafoutis.

The wine list was extensive and included wines from Oregon, California, France and Italy, among other regions. There was a nice selection of beer, too, from the U.S., Czech Republic, Australia, Belgium, Germany and Poland.

The customers at Le Pigeon were friendly as well, and it was apparent that they make Le Pigeon their choice on a frequent basis. It will be on my list, too, when I return to Portland for another culinary weekend.

Le Pigeon
738 East Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214
Telephone: 503-546-8796
Website: lepigeon.com