There’s been a disappointing — to me, anyway — development for this month’s Leaguefest.
I am going to be hitting the GOP campaign trail pretty heavily over the next several weeks for a commissioned assignment. One of the many unique aspects of the Trump campaign is that they don’t schedule anything more than 24-48 hours in advance. (For those curious about this kind of stuff, you can compare Mr. Trump’s official schedule of upcoming public events to Sec. Clinton’s.) This means that it is possible that I might miss some (though certainly not all) of Leaguefest.
As those attending know, I was planning to host a dinner at my house on Saturday evening. Now, however, I cannot be 100% sure that I will be in Portland Saturday night — and if I’m not, then I might not know until that Friday evening or even Saturday morning. So with apologies to all, I am most regretfully cancelling dinner at my house. Instead, we will return to Leaguefest tradition and meet at a local eatery for a group dinner that evening.
So now I ask those of you planning on attending: Where shall we eat?
I’ve taken the liberty of choosing five possible options, all of which are both city and personal favorites. I’ve also tried to weed out those restaurants that sit on the “highly expensive” end of the spectrum. And, with the exception of the last, each has at one time or another been named Portland’s Restaurant of the Year. If you’re coming to Leaguefest, and have an opinion about one over the other, let us know in the comments section and we’ll make the necessary reservations this week.
And with that, let’s take a look at our options…
Andina: Located in the Pearl District
Reason You Should Vote For Andina: This nationally-known joint features a fusion of Peruvian and Northwest cuisine. It’s got a fantastic mix of options for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. The entrees are to die for, but the real draw is the tapas menu and the amazing cocktails. For those staying in the downtown, NW, and Pearl — which I believe is most of you — Andina will be an easy walk on a sunny summer night, and for those wanting to wander and find a night cap elsewhere after dinner will have a million choices within walking distance.
Reason you Should Vote Against Andina: If menus with ingredients you have never heard of bother you, you might consider voting for us to eat elsewhere. Part of the experience of Andina is learning first hand what guiso, pisco, and causas are.
Pok Pok: Located in the Southeast District
Reason You Should Vote For Pok Pok: This is the Portland restaurant that gets written up in national publications all the time. If you know foodies and you tell them afterwards that you’ve just been to Portland, they might well ask if you ate here. It’s billed as “authentic Thai street food,” but trust me when I say that nothing on its menu will be remotely like what you order at a traditional American Thai takeout place. Much of the menu, including sticky rice and very small half chickens, is to be eaten with your hands. Their drinking vinegars are amazing, both as non-alcoholic options on their own and as ingredients in cocktails. It’s informal, has plenty of small plates, and most of its seating is outdoors — which is a plus on a Portland summer night.
Reason you Should Vote Against Pok Pok: The same caution I mentioned for Andina goes double here. Also, it’s not perfectly located for those wanting to get everywhere by foot or public transportation. Finally, Pok Pok does not accept reservations and its very popular, so there would likely be a wait at their site bar across the street, the Whiskey Soda Lounge.
Clyde Common: Downtown District
Reason You Should Vote For Clyde Common: It’s a Northwest take on traditional bistro fair in a casual setting. You will find the food here to be very familiar while still being uniquely Portland-esque. For those into libations, the head mixologist, Jeffery Morganthaler, is nationally known and revered by other mixologists. (Their drinks are so good that should we not eat here on Saturday, we should consider meeting for drinks at some other point in the weekend.) Also, they have big, family-eating style tables which will really lend themselves to a Leaguefest dinner. It will also be an easy walk for those staying downtown, in the Pearl, or the Northwest neighborhoods.
Reason you Should Vote Against Clyde Common: Though delicious, the menu is limited. While non-meat-eaters pretty much always have options on any Portland menu, their options here will be somewhat scant.
Blue Hour: Pearl District
Reason You Should Vote For Blue Hour: Is it important for you to go the Steak Dinner route when dining out? Then Blue Hour is defiantly the right choice for you. The food and atmosphere are somehow both upscale and funky. The food is amazing, and pretty diverse in terms of appeal to different tastes. And all of those Pearl-District-location benefits I mentioned about Andina? Blue Hour has all of those as well.
Reason you Should Vote Against Blue Hour: Two reasons and two reasons only. The first is that if you want Saturday night’s dinner to be a Portland experience, you should know that the menu at Blue Hour is pretty similar to the menu you might find at a similar upscale eatery in Atlanta, Phoenix, or Dallas. The second is that it is the most expensive option of the five presented here. Though by no means the most expensive restaurant in PDX, you should come here expecting to drop a Benjamin (or maybe two depending on your tastes) on food, wine, and beverages.
Oven And Shaker: Pearl District
Reason You Should Vote For Oven and Shaker: It’s an upscale, funky, Portland-foodie-esque pizzeria. That means that Oven and Shaker is the best bet for those on a budget, but it still works well for those looking to try things either traditional or uniquely Portland. Unlike most other pizza joints, they have a pretty fantastic bar with all kinds of creative cocktails. And of course, like Andina and Blue Hour, it’s in the Pearl District, so its great for those wanting to walk about.
Reason you Should Vote Against Oven and Shaker: “Because it’s a pizza joint, damn it, and I didn’t drop a few half a week’s pay to fly all the way to Portland just to eat pizza!”
If you’re attending, please let us know in the comments section where you would like to eat on Saturday.
Can’t wait to see you all!
As if I didn’t dislike Donald Trump enough before, now he’s going to be depriving us of Our Tod’s company on Saturday night! Ugh.
Anyway, I propose the following as a rubric for resolving the matter. Of the five options presented here, vote for a first, second, and third choice. Each first choice vote will get three points; each second choice vote will get two points; each third choice vote gets one point. However far enough in advance Our Tod needs to make reservations, or by the time comments close in a week, the most points collected will be our Saturday night venue.
Since a reservation needs to be made, be sure to include your head count to facilitate that.
My head count is two (my wife and I) and I vote 1st) Andina, 2nd) Clyde Common, 3rd) Blue Hour.Report
Before I vote, do we know anything about how flexible / accommodating / trustworthy any of these places are about allergies?
Because while I don’t mind getting some onion hives, I’d rather not throw up or have trouble breathing if they blow off any of my other allergies as “being fussy” (has happened).
Oh, and another question:
How loud are places? I hate to admit it but I can understand almost nothing of a conversation – even the one right next to me – if it’s taking place in an extremely loud restaurant. One of the things I loved about Leaguefest in Vegas was that we had a huge family style table BUT we could also hear each other talk…
If we don’t know these answers, I will guess, but I’d rather know if I can.Report
Not going, just curious:
What else are you allergic too?Report
Pretty good on all counts, actually.
Portland is a foodie town that normally caters to people with all kinds of dietary restrictions. It’s kind of ingrained into the food service culture here in a way that it wouldn’t be in, say, Medford, Oregon.
If I had to pick one to be most concerned about, it might be Pok Pok, due to the size of kitchen and methods? But honestly, I think they’re all pretty good bets.Report
Cool, that is good to know.Report
I’m 100% with Maribou about ambient noise; that overrides pretty much any other consideration.Report
Congratulations on the assignment my Todd and condolences on how it’ll be playing Cain with your schedule.
I suppose it’s bitter consolation for my own inability to get out to Leaguefest.Report
Wait, you can’t make either? Now I don’t feel so bad.Report
Yeah, family visits, work craziness, just couldn’t make the timeslot work. It’s a real pity too, Portland is a snazzy city.Report
Even though it looks like the set for a depressing music video from the Smiths. The rain falls down on this humdrum town.Report
Nah, Portland is the jazzed-up Ironic version of a Smith’s song… like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_L-Z-DiUoReport
This is bad and you should feel bad.Report
@glyph now you know how Stan must have felt.
Though I must confess that I prefer Heaton’s ironic Christian socialism to Morrissey’s earnest agnostic nihilism.Report
Oh, I didn’t even notice who this was by. I still don’t like it though. Nossir, I don’t.Report
It’s by Sam I Am?Report
I like it in the rain, I like it on a train, and in a car and in a tree; its just so good, the irony.Report
My choices would by
1. Pok Pok
2. Over and Shaker
3. Andina
But see the note about noise, above. If we won’t be able to talk comfortably, the food is irrelevant.Report
Will you have a guest or others accompanying you?Report
Ah, sorry. Just me.Report
In absentia (so weight accordingly), I vote for Andina… looks spectacular.
Would love to see pictures, and even of the people too, I guess.Report
OK, my votes are
1. Clyde Common
2. Andina
3. Oven and Shaker.
I will let @jaybird both headcount for himself and vote for himself.Report
PS @rtod rereading this now that I’m not making a decision, i feel compelled to point out that you did a marvelous job of whipping it up on short notice. thank you.Report
Whichever one is most likely to be:
1. Quiet
2. Not Too CrowdedReport
What a great post.
1 (tie). Andina
1 (tie). Pok Pok
3. Oven and Shaker
4. Clyde
5. Blue Hour
Though really I feel like with these descriptions we are likely to go to more than one of these anyway.Report
Head count?Report
I have one last time I checked.Report
For whatever reason, I am quite gleeful that my ranking would mirror @vikram-bath ‘s exactly.
Alas, I think I am unlikely to attend. Ticket prices seem prohibitive at this time.Report
Great minds eat alike.
The ticket was rather expensive. What’s worse is that I’m flying back overnight.Report
I have the boys that weekend and would love to bring them, but it means an extra ticket, probably upgrading to a direct flight, and a hotel that isn’t flea-ridden. Boo.Report
The Littlest Bath would love, love, love to come, I’m sure. But I barely trust myself to retain sanity on the flights I booked. I should send you my flight plan. It’s remarkably terrible.Report
I could do a cheap but meandering journey. I could do a pricey but easy trip. I can’t do an expensive, meandering journey… not with two wee ones in tow.Report
But y’all be tripping if you don’t pick Andina!Report
My wife and I are fine with any of the options, but I would agree that the quieter/ less crowded option is the best one. Chances are I will have my daughter in tow, but she will leave with my wife once the meal is downed.Report
@rtod and other Portlanders — we’ve had several requests for the quietest, least-crowded venue. Can we get some opinions on that?Report
Any of the above are going to have ambient noise — they’re popular restaurants after all. But neither is likely to be ‘drown people out’ loud.
If I had to rank in terms of quiet to loud on a Saturday night, I’d probably go…
1. Blue Hour
2. Andina
3. Pok Pok
4. Clyde Common
5. Oven & ShakerReport
Accordingly, I will change my vote to
1 Andina
2. Pok Pok
3. Over and Shaker
Which, oddly, is the same as Vikram, Marchmaine, and Kazzy. The conservoliberaltarian alliance ftw!Report
Accordingly, I will change my vote to
1 Andina
2. Pok Pok
3. Over and Shaker
Et tu, Schilling? I guess I’m officially the last person on earth not playing Pokémon Go.Report
How is Pokemon still a thing? It’s almost 20 years old, which is about five generations of kid crazes.Report
Vote change from Maribou (if it’s not too late)
1. Andina
2. Clyde Common
3. Oven and Shaker
PS Seems like there’s a pretty good feeling about Andina…Report
Alas, I don’t think I can make it. I’ve been getting freelance projects but am trying to be more into keeping expenses down to a minimum until I figure out what to do with my career and life.Report
Attending solo. My choices are:
1. Clyde Common
2. Whatever the group decides.
I’m coming for the company, so the food is immaterial.Report
As I count it, right now that’s a total of:
12.5 for Andina
8 for Clyde Common
5.5 for Pok Pok
4 for Blue Hour
3 for Oven and Shaker
With a head count of 9 + however many of Our Tod’s people choose to show up. That’s an intimate gathering by Leaguefest standards (which is cool) but I was under the impression that the total had count was going to be about twice that many.Report
For those who are attending, have accommodations all been secured? I don’t have a room for Saturday night, and I’m willing to share. Also cool with staying by myself, just thought I’d ask. I can get a really sweet deal for the Aloft at PDX if anyone wants to take me up on it.
I’ll be at The Nines Friday night.Report