My daughter devoured the rest and I didn’t put up a fight, as I was still eagerly awaiting a Sockeye Salmon and Arugula dish.Īs we sat and enjoyed the atmosphere and the flurry of street activity outside, I leaned over and asked a solo diner next to us if this was her first time here. As I slowly took in these wonderful tastes I begrudgingly passed the spoon to my husband and daughter as they looked on longingly. The Crème fraiche was not overbearing with a Jackson Pollock smattering of fresh cream that added a tangy flavor and a bit of a bite (white pepper?) The authentic chicken stock base evened out the flavor. It was perfectly chilled and was thick enough in consistency to taste the earthiness of the local potatoes. Upon first dollop I could already smell the intense richness of the leeks and parsley. As I watched the chef master a fine dance around his tiny kitchen, my bowl of Potato Leek Soup arrived. Good bread and cheese? Yes, and I could live on it. As Miles Davis serenaded us a cheese plate generously adorned with oozing house made mozzarella, raisins, olive oil and bacon arrived. I know the bread is first rate as our WST Portland reviewer, Adam Sawyer, featured GCB’s soups and breads previously on WTS’s site, so I was in on the secret. Promptly, a generous sampling of Ciabatta from Grand Central Bakery is delivered to the table. On this warm night the Chilled Potato Leek Soup with Crème fraiche immediately caught my eye. Inviting in its appearance this open aired space features track lighting, large barn wood doors, glowing floor to ceiling curtains, and a wall sized chalkboard highlighting the evening’s specials. Bar Mingo, little sister to its next door neighbor Caffé ’Mingo, is the kind of place you will find hipster’s and academics sitting elbow to elbow with the devoted regulars. The Blue Moon Tavern still glows but this area has become quite the up-and-coming hotspot for restaurants. I haven’t visited the Nob Hill area of Portland in over 20 years and it’s not just hipsters that have replaced the hippies. It’s site trumpets, “full flavored food that honors the main ingredients at the height of their season.” We were honored to share in the experience. It features some of the finest and freshest, small plates I have sampled in the Northwest. However our server, although pleasant, offered merely adequate service.Bar Mingo, home to Chef Jerry Huisinga, is an Italian-inspired spot in Portland’s trendy Nob Hill/Uptown area. I do feel I can recommend Mainstreet Bar & Grill for it's atmosphere and decent food. She did notice when we had finished our meals and cleared the plates quickly. Yes, I could have waved her over from across the room, but I am very unaccustomed to a server who doesn't check in on a table at least once to see if everything is okay. It should be noted that the restaurant was not busy when we were there, and our server was visible to us the entire time: standing at the bar and speaking to a person who was seated at the bar. Our server never came to check on us, no soft drink or water refills were offered. This request was repeated one other time. Our food was brought by another employee, we had to ask for the water again (and added another drink order). And that seemed to be the extent of attention our server provided. Our food order was given when the drinks arrived, and we also asked for water. Our server was pleasant enough, and as previously mentioned, took our drink order quickly. However, the service ended up dropping my rating for this restaurant. I would have probably given a rating of "very good" based on the pub-style food alone. We all felt the food was good and reasonably priced. The drinks came quickly, as did the food after ordering. We were seated at a booth (they have tables, too) quickly, and our server did see to us for our drink order soon after settling down. It has a lovely decor of brick and wood, a good sized bar, and a nice area for dining. You'll walk into Mainstreet Bar & Grill and feel comfortable.
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