Dinner with amazing views: Departure.
Go here if for no other reason but the views from this restaurant located on the 15th floor of the Nines Hotel in downtown Portland. To the east is the Willamette River and to the west, the Pearl District. I usually am not that enamored with hotel restaurants but this place not only has views to die for but very good food as well.
The cuisine is pan Asian so expect a bit of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean themed dishes with some modern interpretation. The menu includes salads, small plates and larger plates as well. Standouts were the summer vegetable salad with green mango and the crispy pork belly….I think it’s the best I have ever had. The meat was incredibly flavorful and perfectly prepared.
We ended with a chocolate ganache with caramelized coconut, banana, peanuts and smoked chili. Very good.
The sake choices are extensive. My “cocktail” was the Taiheikai Tokubetsu……a very very smooth example of junmai sake. Wine choice was an Oregon rosé of Pinot Noir.
Come a bit early and have a pre dinner drink at the adjoining rooftop bar…..be warned though….there may be a line to get in but the views are equally spectacular so it’s worth the wait.
Service was spot on.
