atomu

Rating:

Nov 12, 2006

"Philippe Boulot, the premier French chef in Portland, comes from Normandy and brings to bear years of experience at top-flight restaurants in New York and Paris. He has come to use the best Northwest ingredients---wild mushrooms, fava beans, salmon, berries---in stunning renditions of classic and bistro cuisine. The dining room is somewhat formal yet relaxed at the same time, with a row of Warhol animal prints on one end and an open kitchen along one side where this chef, despite his fame, still works the line. Boulot is a magnet for superlative chefs from abroad; he often hosts dinners that include his friends that are open to the public. You'll find solid cuisine de grand-mere, such as braised leg of lamb, hanger steaks with garlic potato cakes, or braised rabbit. It's exciting to watch the menu change with the seasons; ingredients are greatly respected in their prime. This is the main place in town for power lunches, and there is absolutely no better restaurant at which to begin the day---the Heathman's breakfasts are legendary."