06.12.2024

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Trust the chef

4 restaurants to try while you wait for reservations at Portland’s 2024 James Beard Award winners

A hand holding tweezers hovers over a plate of thin green liquid surrounding a tiny, colorful pile of ingredients.

Add wine pairings to your tasting menu dining experience at G-Love for an additional $55. | Photo by @sundaecereal via @g.lovepdx

Showcasing cuisines from other parts of the world is something Portland does best — but you don’t have to take our word for it.

This week, Portland added two more James Beard Awards to its culinary trophy case: Gregory Gourdet, owner and founder of Haitian wood-fired restaurant kann, was named “Best Chef in the Northwest and Pacific” (his third consecutive James Beard Awards win), while Thai tasting menu restaurant Langbaan earned the prestigious “Outstanding Restaurant” title.

Fourteen Langbaan employees gather for a photo inside of a restaurant. — “Thank you to our guests, the people who come time and time again. There would be no Langbaan without you,” Langbaan said on social media after being named a James Beard Awards 2024 winner.
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Photo by @langbaanpdx

Both eateries are notoriously difficult to dine at due to their well-earned popularity, but effort and patience pay off when you finally get to taste for yourself what all the fuss is about. Here are some other illustrious local dining experiences with tasting menus or prix fixe meals to try while you wait to score reservations.

G-Love, 1615 NW 21st Ave. | $75/person | Reserve a table
If your whole party is on board, then try the “reverse steakhouse’s” four-course tasting menu highlighting chef Garrett Benedict’s favorite picks. To get an idea, the regular menu features dishes like roasted and pickled mushrooms with mint and black garlic, ricotta and parmesan ravioli, and curry pork with hazelnut salsa macha.

Mucca Osteria, 1022 SW Morrison St. | $95/person | Reserve a table
Experience fine Italian dining across four customizable courses (with room for dietary restrictions), from antipasti plates of seared scallops and roasted beets to housemade pasta, steak, and dessert.

República, 100 NW 10th Ave. | $128-$150/person | Reserve a table
This tasting menu-only restaurant offers seven- and 10-course options that take diners on a journey through Mexican history and culture through carefully constructed dishes that change daily.

Le Pigeon, 738 E. Burnside St. | $135/person | Reserve a table
Portland creativity meets the classical flavors of France, resulting in tasting menu items such as pig’s foot with escargot and cold egg sauce, foie gras, tortellini with nettles, and black truffle carrot bisque.

Asked

How often do you eat at a restaurant costing $75 or more per person?

Never
Once a month
2-3 times per month
4+ times per month

Pinkies up

Events

Wednesday, June 12

Portland Book Week | Wednesday, June 12-Sunday, June 16 | Times vary | Locations vary | Free+ | Enjoy author events, a bookstore crawl, games, discounts, raffles, and more at 51 independent bookstores across the Portland metro area.

Thursday, June 13

Bigfoot Regional Poetry Slam (Prelims) | Thursday, June 13-Friday, June 14 | 5-9 p.m. | Literary Arts, 925 SW Washington St., Portland | Free | Witness teams of PNW poets demonstrate their spoken word skills; winners will advance to a final showdown on Saturday, June 15.

Friday, June 14

Portland’s Fruit Beer Fest | Friday, June 14-Monday, June 17 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Pine Street Taproom, 126 SW Second Ave., Portland | $25 | Trade in your 12 tasting tickets to sample a bushel of fruit-infused brews from local and national breweries, plus order bites from local food vendors.
Snack Fest | Friday, June 14-Saturday, June 15 | Times vary | 100 SE Alder St., Portland | Free | Munch your way through delicious eats, drinks, and treats from local purveyors at this festival with demonstrations, educational breakout sessions, and ticketed chef pop-ups.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Wellness

Connect with a therapist at Active Path Mental Health

Mangold holds a Master’s Degree from Capella University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. | Photo courtesy of Active Path

In search of a new therapist or interested in starting therapy? Active Path Mental Health’s Heather Mangold, LPC, is now accepting new patients.

With more than a decade of experience, Mangold focuses on providing cognitive behavioral therapy for those suffering from depression and anxiety.

“My style is warm, patient, and engaging while taking my client’s lead,” Mangold says. “Connection and trust are huge in our work together.”

Prospective patients can set up a free 15-minute consultation if they’re interested in working with her.

Schedule a consultation

News Notes

Real Estate

Stable, theater, dance hall, residence. These are some of hats worn by the historic Ladd Carriage House since its construction in 1883 at Southwest Broadway and Columbia Street. The last remnant of the William S. Ladd estate most recently housed Raven & Rose; it’s $3.2 million pricetag includes turnkey restaurant furnishings.

Opening

A new restaurant showcasing the flavors of India and Pakistan opens this Friday, June 14 in the former Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen space in the South Waterfront neighborhood. Zaiqa (that’s Urdu for “flavor”) will serve curries, naan, grilled tandoori meats, kebabs, and korma. Diners will also find vegan and gluten-free options. (Eater Portland)

Sports

Five Portlanders — Grace Rowan, Kayla Sison, Tiffani Padgett, Jackie Cruz and Brandon Cook — undoubtedly know the five Ds of dodgeball. Their mastery of the sport has earned them a ticket to the World Dodgeball Championships in Austria where they’ll represent the US. The competition kicks off Sunday, Aug. 11. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Listen

Though much time separates the present from their namesake month, The Decemberists are having a busy week. The Portland band releases their ninth album this Friday, June 14, plays a show the same night at Revolution Hall, then signs albums the next day at Music Millennium at 2 p.m. (Portland Tribune)

Active

Join the Bill Walton Memorial Ride this Sunday, June 16, in honor of the late sportscaster and former Trail Blazers superstar. Participants are encouraged to wear tie-dye, headbands, Blazers gear, or 70s-style hotpants for the 6.2-mile bike ride, which starts at Roseway Parkway as part of Portland Sunday Parkways.

Edu

The Oregon Game Project Challenge turns young video gamers into amateur video game developers. Working in teams, middle and high school students spend a school year creating a game of their own based on a theme, which they present at an annual competition — learning valuable skills along the way. (OPB)

Try This

Put your fresh strawberries to decadent use atop fluffy, Middle Eastern-inspired cheesecake. Try Portland chef Sonya Sanford’s recipe made with labneh (or whole-milk yogurt), graham cracker crust, and the berry on top. Pro tip: There’s more where this came from in Sanford’s new cookbook. (Portland Monthly)

Sports

What could a trade package look like if the Trail Blazers decide to swap lottery picks with the Grizzlies, clearing the path for Donovan Clingan to move to Memphis? Hear from the experts in this special Locked On crossover episode.

Family

Discover free, fun + educational activities for kids this summer at Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island. Wednesday through Friday mornings feature Animal Talk with Farmer Kat, Storytime with Keely, and Tractor Talk with Farmer Jim. Explore the full events calendar — and plan your visit.*

Try This

🀄️ In our mahjong era

Where to play mahjong around Portland

Small white game tiles with markings in shades of blue, red, and green jumbled on a green felt tabletop.

Mahjong is named after a dialect term for “sparrow,” which references the bird-like sound the tiles make clacking against each other. | Photo by Jimmy Chan

Poker, Yahtzee, dominoes — these are fun games to play with friends and family around a table, but how about something new? We have the scoop on a trendy game that’s actually hundreds of years old: mahjong.

What’s mahjong?

The four-player game originated in Southern China and gained popularity in the US in the 1920s, resulting in an American version of the game. The National Mah Jongg League formed in 1937 and issues the Official Standard Hands and Rule Cards annually.

Having some similarities with rummy, the goal of the game is to create a hand using a specialized set of tiles with designated suits and symbols.

Learn to play

Ready to get started? The Portland Mah Jong Meetup group gathers every week at The Encorepreneur Café in the Axcess 15 Apartments complex on Northeast 15th Avenue. All are welcome to join and learn how to play or practice their skills.

Play with friends

Already a pro? While many local games are word of mouth, Lan Su Chinese Garden offers a chance for visitors to play or watch in a serene setting.

The Buy

Strut your stuff this summer with accessories from Designed For Joy. The Birdie purse comes in various colorways and features a scarf detail on the handle – perfect for a summer date night.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

When the sun sets on the first full day of summer, June’s “strawberry moon” will rise. Summer’s first full moon is named for the sweet berries that ripen around the same time, and sadly (in my opinion) not due to any pink shifts in color. But it is forecasted to appear extra bright and hang lower in the sky on the evening of Friday, June 21, so there’s that.

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