# A Dinner in Portland



## Daranavo (Aug 15, 2005)

Ok, myself and a Chilean co-worker have been going to Portland for work off and on for 2 weeks a month until recently. In the third week of May, we were kind of bored...rain you know. The saying goes though: If you intend to wait until the rain stops to do something in Portland, you will never do it. Or something like that. Anyway, a fews days prior, we had seen a restaurant called El Gaucho. Argentian food. My Chilean compodre called me up and asked me if I had plans. I said no its RAINING! He said ok, I want to try EL Gaucho. I said ok. So, we arrive and steal a parking spot. Not easy to do in Portland. We enter and its very dark inside. The hostess was very well dressed and knock-out gorgeous. I looked at my friend who's neck became awfully elastic as soon as we set foot in the place. She asked us if we had reservations then she asked for our coats. Um, I 'm in a silk shirt and jeans. She reminded us that Portland is mostly casual so do not worry about it. Ofcourse, she said it just as a guy in a tuxedo and a woman in a cocktail dress passes by us. The atmosphere was excellent. 

Two men played music, a guitar and something that could pass for a lute. We got a seat right next to them and looked around. They had a huge bar, and the a grill right out there in the open. We take a seat and I ask him if he is sure about this place? He said well we are sitting down, might as well stay. I said ok. A waiter dressed in a black suit and bowtie came and gave us a wine list. My friend picked a cab sov which we both liked. *Notice*...there were no prices on the menu. My friend examined the wine and nodded ok. The waiter poured it for us. After a few minutes, another waiter came up and handed us a menu. Lots of steaks and some seafood. We both ordered steaks and a salad for two. *Notice*...there were no prices on anything. We talked for a bit then yet another waiter came out with a small cart. He set a basket of bread on our table, refreshed our wine and began making the caesar salad right there. It smelled spectacular. It was awsum. Then, another waiter came out about 15 minutes later when we had just finished our salad. She handed us our steak and potatoes. My friend had a baked and she asked him if he wanted it diced? He said ok and she diced it for him. The food was very very good. Then, we had coffee and they set down a basket with fruit, nuts, crackers and cheese. Then we got the bill. Heh. Now, while in Portland, we get a daily per diem of about $45. I usually spent half of that. Tonight, the bill including a tip was $190.00! We both were completely shocked.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 15, 2005)

I'm guessing from the rain comment you mean Portland Oregon rather than Maine. 

Beautiful city but a lot cheaper if you avoid Powell's and keep your eating to those small, side walk sort of places that may give you food poisoning. I can managed the second, but I'm a sucker for "the city of books."


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## AraCelebEarwen (Aug 16, 2005)

I'm not really sure where they are, but next time you might look for one of the 'Chaing's' or 'Mongolian Grill' restaurants! They're really pretty good! (and the prices are MUCH better!!!) Not places you have to dress up for, but you can if you like. I've seen some nicer dressed customers in there at times. It's would be up to the people going after all. There are lots of other places, it all depends on what sounds good at the time. 'The Original Taco House' is also in my family's top ten list of the Portland area. Look around and have fun sampling!


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## Daranavo (Aug 16, 2005)

I was there for work so I didn't get to see everything I wanted to but we did go out quite often. Even though, we stayed at the Resident's Inn so we did buy groceries and cooked many meals. Fred Meyer's is alot cheaper then going out each night. Freightliner's headquaters is on Swan Island and so navigating those darn bridges was kinda tricky at first hehe. I never been to Powell's but I did go to Fry's. Lets see, we saw 3 movies at each of 3 theatres. I love Thai food and we tried Typhoon's on broadway. Very nice place and not expensive. I became almost a regular at Stanford's. Crown and Root beer. I know it sounds wierd but I like it. We ate and had drinks at also Thunder bay, Salty's out by the airport, McCormick and Schmidts, my Chilean compadre liked Rock Bottoms alot. It is hard to talk to someone with a rubber neck though and alot of pretty ladies had his neck snapping there and he had theirs too I think. Lets see, oh and before a movie, I think it was Batman begins, we went into Virginia's Cafe. Here we are with bright silk shirts and jeans and we go and sit down at a dark, goth place. We don't scare easily so we ordered food and ate there. Food was pretty good and cheap, and the waitress was very nice. She was litterally covered with piercings and tattoo's but we told her we were from Michigan and she sat down a few minutes and talked to us. Very nice people there. Several other places too that I can't remember. Alot of shops. He was always looking for Nike tennis shoes and finer shirts and stuff. The Hotel sponsored a catered dinner on wednesdays to different places around the city so we got to sample other cuisine from the area there as well.


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## yhwh1st (Oct 4, 2005)

HLGStrider said:


> Beautiful city but a lot cheaper if you avoid Powell's and keep your eating to those small, side walk sort of places that may give you food poisoning. I can managed the second, but I'm a sucker for "the city of books."


 Ooooo! Another book addict! *rubs hands together and grins* Hehe! Ain't I lucky? I just recently got to spend a $100 gift card at Powell's, and still am not content. *pouts* (not really, I'm happy except for the fact that I've already finished reading all the books I bought.) I'll be joining you Oregonians in a couple of days. Hey Ara, know of any good churches down there? I think I've already told you where I'll be living for a while.... (I just wish I could pick up my church and bring it down there. *grumble grumble*)


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## Barliman Butterbur (Oct 4, 2005)

Daranavo said:


> ...we had seen a restaurant called El Gaucho.



Great story, and great storytelling! Hey, you had a great evening and you learned what priceless (pun intended) menus mean! 

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Oct 4, 2005)

HLGStrider said:


> ...a lot cheaper if you avoid Powell's and keep your eating to those small, side walk sort of places that may give you food poisoning. I managed the second, but I'm a sucker for "the city of books."




We were staying in Gresham with friends (who run a wholistic clinic in Sandy) a few years ago, and took the trolleycar to Portland, where we strolled 23rd Street — I wish we had a street and a neighbhorhood like that in L.A.! (The trees that give constant shade on the sidestreets must be seen to be believed.) There was one particular restaurant on a northeast corner — the big glass windows accordian-fold out to allow fresh air, and it seems like there's no difference between the inside and the outside — that I particularly enjoyed, as well as Rich's Cigar Store, where they sold gum that I hadn't seen in years: Beeman's Pepsin, Blackjack Licorice, etc. The deli was OK, but you can't beat L.A. or N.Y. for those. But 23rd Street is a _gem._ I noticed that there's a uniform you wear there: Birkenstocks, bermuda shorts and tank tops.

Then we went to the Japanese Gardens (gorgeous!), and the big house that used to be owned by the guy who started the Oregonian — the multihead shower stall looked like a torture chamber!

But Powell's books — wow! Nothin' like it! We ate in that little eatery where people sat around reading and working their laptops. I looked around for Fup, but I guess she went to that big Catnip in the Sky long ago.

Barley


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