Yataimura Maru: a Japanese Izakaya

Yataimura Maru is a Japanese Izakaya in SE Portland. "We make as much of our food from scratch as possible; house-made ramen noodles, stocks and broths that are simmered all day, and sashimi sliced from whole fish. We serve the food we love to eat with the beverages we love to drink, including beer, wine, sake, and cocktails."

On our quest to experience new dishes and flavors from Japan, I found a description, and excellent reviews of a type of restaurant called izakaya -  a type of informal Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. Izakaya are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a pub, a Spanish tapas bar, or an American saloon or tavern.

We skipped going out last week because we were under the weather, but Saturday was both a glorious day and the perfect day for a good meal. Though we were not disappointed with our meal, neither were we especially impressed. 

The place is designed to have the welcoming feel and style of a traditional izakaya with paper lanterns and banners and a large bar area. We were in time for happy hour, which gave us the opportunity to try a number of dishes. Our very charming server was happy to explain all the dishes and pointed out the noodles and dumplings are hand made in house. We started with sake, then pork gyoza in a vibrant sauce. They turned out to be the standout dish. Next tako yaki - a fried ball with octopus. Good. The noodles in the dry ramen were plentiful and tasty but lacked lots of toppings. Chicken katsu curry was served with rice, but I still don't like curry. H ordered a side of tempura shrimp - good. Since all the dishes were small, (and we ate everything), we had room for dessert - tempura banana with vanilla ice cream. The bananas were over battered and had no sweetness. Ice cream was a good finisher.

All in all, we scarfed down the meal, but it felt like an ordinary meal.  Bar food, great snack food, but no opportunity to try new tastes and dishes. 

total $80  = 16 = $96

7 for food, 10 for service

Rave Review: Seasons and Regions

 April 12

Seasons and Regions Seafood Grill features farm to table produce, locally sourced seafood "recipes inspired by diverse global regions," was on Diners Drive ins and Dives showing the chef making cioppino   - and got rave reviews online. This is another rave.

We entered laughing because I was unable to locate the entrance, the Get In Here sign confused me (not too bright) and I walked around the restaurant twice, in the rain, until H rescued me. Were seated at a too small table in the covered area. I tried to get a better table, but the restaurant was full and busy, a very good sign.

We drank prosecco while we read the mouthwatering menu. There were at least ten things I wanted to order - Alaskan Halibut Almandine for me, cioppino for H, and a loaf of focaccia with herb butter.

Every dish was delicious - my fish had crunchy almond slivers and beurre blanc - so textures and flavor. The cioppino was rich flavorful broth, lots of seafood and topped with a fried crabcake and crunchy toast.

Our lovely server asked what we were celebrating - we got free (handmade) ice cream for dessert.

Ten out of ten from us both. 

Oasis Lebanese Cuisine

Oasis Lebanese Cuisine 

Wednesday April 1

A lazy day, too lazy to cook, so we decided to go out. H had researched Oasis several weeks ago, but we went somewhere else - this was a good time to try somewhere new for one of our favorite types of cuisine.

This is the second restaurant we've visited located in a Beaverton area mall - and both have been extremely nice inside. Oasis is complete with a stage set up for musicians, a sign on the door offers belly dancing events, our table was draped in cloth like a Bedouin tent and lovely brass chandeliers hang throughout.

Not many people at 5pm on a Wednesday. H ordered a Meat Mezze plate - a sampler with enough variety and food for two - and as it happened, plenty to take home and enjoy later. It was served with two plate size pita which he liked very much. I had excellent lentil soup and mixed fatayir - little pies, which were disappointing when compared to Barbur World Foods.

With Passover seder just two days away, a simple healthy meal was just right - 

$47.85 

6 out of 10

 Morton's The Steak House

Sunday March 29

Taking advantage of the last of Portland Dining Month we decided to go fancy, a steakhouse downtown. Morton's feels like the place lawyers entertain clients. Personalized liquor cabinets hold bottles behind wooden doors adorned with brass plaques bearing names. I've never seen that before - I don't know anyone who might need their own bottle available at an upscale restaurant.

The restaurant is huge, done in corporate dark grey, and very noisy.

Based on my knowledge of the restaurant, we dressed up nice. I was fashionably attired in linen pants and an oversize cashmere sweater that matched my necklace.  I expected everybody else would be in Sunday best as well - they were not. What has to happen for Portlanders to get out of their baggy jeans, baseball caps and sweatshirts?

We were seated at a two top in a nook at the back of the restaurant near the open kitchen, in front of the wall of fame, that we are not on. The nearest table was eating lobster. We were offered the Lobster special menu but opted for the Dining Month menu - the choices on the menu were my reason for choosing Mortons.

We ordered prosecco, then lobster bisque for me (10 out of 10), onion soup for H - ditto, filet mignon medium, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Key lime pie for dessert.

For the first time during our dining adventure, bread and butter was served. A large round loaf sprinkled with onions. Though not up to our bakery standards it was a pleasant addition, and we are enjoying the remnants at home.

Soups were great, sides were too, but the steak, at a steakhouse, was just meh. I asked for A1 sauce to spice it up. Dessert pie was nice but ordinary as well. 

While we were sipping our wine, a young woman came around to ask if we wanted prints of pictures she would take of us. We declined the print and H handed her the camera. See above.

Between courses another woman arrived to scrape the crumbs from the table. All service was exemplary. It was fun to watch the doings in the huge place, the experience was great, the food only good. We are so spoiled.

A good time was had.

H 9 of 10,  T 8 of 10

 NEKO Ramen

Monroe Parkway Lake Oswego

My stomach was delicate and mood to match, so instead of Mediterranean food we opted for ramen. First choice Noa was closed (shocking) so we headed close to home. First impression was poor because we had to order at the front counter. This place looks relatively new, and somewhat unfinished. The walls are a cold blue, industrial equipment is the ceiling decor, metallic panels and unpainted wood benches, raw edge sheet rock and wood bars complete the uninviting look. Not pleasing. One other table was occupied.

All in all, the food was okay - octopus karage was the best. H had seafood ramen. I had chicken miso ramen. Plenty to take home.

Literally, nothing to write home about. 

5 0ut of 10

$70

Nudi Noodle Place

Sunday March 15

Nudi Noodle Place

It was an interesting drive thru the neighborhood surrounding Reed College and beautiful old homes to the Woodstock neighborhood.

The Google directions instructed us to park behind the restaurant - so, into the lot, full, out and around to the other side - a small group of shops including a liquor store with boarded up window and door. A car was preparing to leave the only available spot - but taking its time. A car came up behind us - we had nowhere else to go - and began to honk. Then yell, then a big angry man got out of the car and approached, yelling obscenities. The car we were waiting on was occupied by a student driver who was unable or unwilling to move - the angry man made four visits to our car to inform us he had no fucking time to wait - until we were able to move. After parking and letting him move as well - I saw him skulking out of the liquor store carrying a bottle of something clear. Apparently, he needed that bottle before closing time.  Not the best way to start a date in these scary times.

And we were hungry. Briefly, and that is the issue I have with our experience at Nudi, the food was delicious, and the service was fine, but too fast. I ordered a glass of bubbly wine, then took the time to look at a very interesting menu. 

We ordered the signature salad, Angry Birds, Angry Birds- tempura prawns, crispy rice noodles, organic spring mix, grape tomato, cilantro, red onion, sesame citrus dressing. Fantastic!, and Indian crepe and Pad See Yu. All delicious, but served too fast, one after the other without time to finish one before the next was served.

This is a small, apparently owner run restaurant, the owner visited out table, and also managed to get us to pay while still finishing our meal.  We ate every drop. 

One more thing - after spicy food, dessert would have been a treat, but only one item on the menu, pumpkin flan - I would have loved some coconut ice cream.

So - 8 out of 10. excellent food, nice atmosphere, too fast service - we were done in 40 minutes.

$78

 Apizza Apizza:  Apizza Scholls

"While apizza can be considered a subtype of pizza, ... anyone who has ever had the pleasure of tasting a true apizza knows the combination of contrasting textures, flavorful crust, salty cheese, unique topping combinations, and just a little bit of char contribute to its signature oomph." 

H loves pizza. Friday was meh day, with grey weather and not much to do, a great time to go out, but nothing fancy. Apizza Scholls (which is not on Scholls ferry road as I'd always thought) is consistently on lists of PDX best places so we headed out with intentions of early dinner, which for us is 4 ish - better for digesting things like cheese.

Rush hour traffic, we arrive at around 4:30. There is a sign -The Line forms Here. They open at five. early birds that we are, we could have been first in line, however, when we got back from our walk, there were at least ten people already in line, and kept growing. 

Precisely at five. the doors open and people are directed to tables around the room. Service begins immediately - I barely have time to read the menu, which features two salads, apizza and Calzone on certain days only.  We order Caesar salad and half Paulie Gee (with meat and hot honey,) half Tartufo, white with truffles and mushrooms). Every table received the same fast, to the point and efficient service. 

What we really liked about this place is that it focuses on one thing, and they do it really well. We rated the salad second best of our series, (the beet salad from last week is tough to beat.) A generous plate of utterly crisp romaine, chunks of parmesan, croutons and perfect dressing. We licked the plate. 

And the 18" pizza (apizza) beat our H's favorite - this had a perfect thin crust with a great crisp outer ring. Each of the generous toppings was delicious. And we took half home to enjoy again. Everything about this experience was excellent - I understand why people wait online to get in - it's that good. 

Ten out of ten for food, service and just being good at what they do

$60