Arden

We loved our meal at Arden! Our server Emily was great and shared a lot of good wines with us. We did the prix fixe dinner and wine pairing and everything was outstanding from the first course to the last. We are thankful that the chef was able to accommodate us by making the menu pescatarian. The scallops and the sauce they were in was the highlight, along with the Mario Bagella cannonou and Vincent Wenger chardonnay. Make the trip and let the expert staff here do their thing!

I don't think the English language can properly express the incredible experience my colleague and I had at Arden, last night. To say, "It was the BEST culinary experience of my life!" would be an understatement. I realize that it sounds hyperbolic in nature; but, our experience was truly THAT amazing. While it is true that I am a self-proclaimed Foodie and Wine Enthusiast, far from writing up a review in a big name magazine, I can honestly say that from start to finish the service and tastebud experience was incredible! And, I am rather picky... It is obvious that the staff is content and treated well. There were no signs of stress despite a nearly packed house. The service from start to finish was impeccable. The executive chef, Erik, did not disappoint with hands down, the MOST creative dishes and combinations of spices, food, and flavors that one could imagine. I highly recommend you get the sweet corn ice cream. Yes, it has shavings of foie gras. Yes, that sounds weird. And it is. But it is incredible. The most amazing part of the adventure was the personalized wine pairing that Arden's owner and in-house sommelier provided as we journeyed through our incredible bite choices. The fact that she was able to pair a red wine perfectly with my trout (and the two were dancing together like Food Stars on Ice), was just a glimpse of the perfection that the evening provided. If you want a quaint, creative, inviting and wine-enthusiastic, foodie-driven experience, then you MUST make reservations, now! Seriously. I'm waiting...

Arden is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in Portland. This was my second experience there, and I have to say each time was phenomenal. The service is excellent- our waitress was friendly and helpful with any questions we had, and was knowledgeable about the wine list. Each dish is carefully curated with local ingredients and priced appropriately. You can expect to order about 5 dishes for a party of two. They just changed their menu, so I had the opportunity to taste their summer menu last time, and the new fall menu this time. I definitely missed their Steak Tartare from the summer menu, but was so impressed with the fall appetizers I didn’t mind. The Fig & Goat cheese appetizer with Salsa Macha is not to be missed- it’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty and cheesy. If I could have one dish for the rest of my life it would be the Bavette Steak for two- PLEASE order this!! Perfectly cooked steak and charred cabbage together over this incredible miso sauce. I could have licked the plate but they also give you these bready muffins to soak up all of that sauce. Finally, you must order the stoner ice cream. It has Carmel corn over a corn ice cream, topped with shaved foie gras. It’s salty, sweet, crunchy and creamy. Unreal!