Since its opening in 1995, critics and food lovers consistently recognize Paley's Place as one of the best restaurants in Portland. Chef Vitaly Paley has received nationwide recognition, including a James Beard Award, praise in the New York Times and several other publications, appearances on several TV shows and a victory on Food Network's
Iron Chef America. Paley's Place provides the perfect combination of local and seasonal ingredients, inventive Pacific Northwest Cuisine and a comfortable, warm environment. This restaurant will go over just as well with a person who prefers a classic steak-and-potatoes type meal as someone who wants to try something new and exciting for the first time.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Paley's. I was with a group of six, and we reserved a table in the bar ahead of time (note: make reservations if you want to be guaranteed a table). We chose the bar because we were dining with people who had just flown in from out of town and did not want them to have to worry about changing clothes. The nice thing about having a large group was getting to taste a variety of dishes.
Here's a rundown of what I tasted:
Appetizers: Duck meatballs and kumamoto oysters.
The duck meatballs came in a cassoulet type dish and each meatball was large enough to split between two or three people. They had a delicious, slightly sweet sauce, and were comforting and delicious. The oysters tasted very fresh and were arranged nicely.
Main Course: I had the rabbit ravioli with bacon, mushrooms and garlic. A few people at my table chose the New York strip steak, which I got to taste.
The rabbit ravioli came with a little bit of broth that made it extra flavorful and warming. The bacon and mushrooms gave it a very rich and earthy quality. I ordered the full size portion, which was large enough to fill me up even though I gave a couple of my raviolis to my companions. The medium-rare strip steak was perfectly cooked. It had an ideal hot temperature throughout while still remaining deliciously rare and tender in the center.
Drinks: Negroni, Gin martini and Patricia Green Cellars Ribbon Ridge 2009 Pinot Noir
I am a huge Patricia Green fan, and this wine was no exception. It started off with a surprising amount of spice and cinnamon notes, but mellowed out after sitting in the glass for a little while. We ended up ordering two bottles, and it did a great job of being versatile and pairing well with all of our food. The negroni and martini were also mixed perfectly.
Dessert: Cheese plate and meringue with mint apple ice cream, kumquats and strawberry sauce.
The mint ice cream was unlike most other mint ice creams I've had in that the mint was incredibly fresh-tasting. The ice cream actually had relatively large pieces of mint leaf throughout it rather than having some sort of mint extract mixed in. It paired nicely with the fruit, and the dessert was very visually pleasing too.
The Experience
Besides the wonderful food, Paley's Place also has incredible service. Our orders were taken promptly, but we were never rushed. It was the perfect balance between incredibly attentive servers and a nice relaxing meal. The staff at Paley's really goes the extra mile by taking the time to provide detailed answers to any questions about the food, make recommendations when asked and check in regularly. Our waitress even collected wine corks for me throughout the night when she heard that I was making a cork board out of them at home!
If you're interested in eating at Paley's, it's always wise to call ahead and make reservations. The phone number is (503)243-2403. I have been seated as a party of two without reservations, but I doubt a larger party could get seated without calling ahead. The menu changes regularly depending on the season, so it's also worth
checking out the menu before going. However, it's always so delicious that looking at the selections ahead of time is not necessary.