Park Kitchen

Even though the sun hasn't been out for what seems like forever here in Portland, at least there's some good food around to make up for it. Park Kitchen is a terrific example of how great local cuisine can be, and it once again makes me thankful to live here (though this recent run of cloudy weather is doing its best to make me wish the sun would make an appearance once in a while).

Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and had even MET the actual pig being served for the braised pork plate (which - by the way - was terrific; a forager on staff gathers the nettles served alongside the pork, which really holds the flavor of the broth). Most of the food served at the restaurant comes from within 45 minutes of Portland (Sauvie Island, Square Peg Farm, etc.). However, they periodically serve Spanish fish rather than Northwestern; this may have been part of the problem with the poached halibut's lack of flavor, in that neither the halibut, cuttlefish, nor olive oil were local. Rogue River Blue Cheese turned the flank steak salad into something incredible (and I would expect nothing less from an award winning cheese). The chickpea fries with squash ketchup are certainly the healthiest version of french fries out there. If only mom had forced me to eat vegetables like that growing up, it may have been a different story at the dinner table!