Agave Grill, ( Grade D)

Date of last visit: June 2010
Address: 7361 SW Bridgeport Road, Tigard, Oregon (in the Bridgeport Shopping Center across from the theaters)
Phone: 503 - 372-9152
Hours: opens at 11Am week days opens at 9 on weekends, closes between 9 to 11
LINK:  Agave Grill
General Impressions of the place itself:  New, well appointed 'nice chain' sort of look (don't know if it is a chain or not but the decor looks like one). Has both booths and tables, an open kitchen, and very friendly and helpful wait staff.
What we ordered:  We wre there for lunch--and ordered off the lunch plate. We had a Guacamole Especiale;   A child's plate quesadilla (we had an 18 month old with us);  and we split a Vegetarian Enchilada plate.
Things we liked and disliked:  The service was really friendly and helpful (us having a baby we appreciated being brought orange slices for our little guy --and other diversions for him--while we waited). But the food was only so so. They use a corn meal-crepe --rather than a tortilla--and it just didn't work for me. I spoke with another person who had one and she liked it a lot.. but I sure wouldn't get another one. The guacamole was large in quantity but weak in taste. I am guessing they are using the wrong kind of avocados. 
Number in our party: 2 adults and 1 child
Total Bill: Recommended? $23.00 (not cheap) this was lunch after all and the adults split their meal and we didn't get drinks.
With a Five Star Scale - and Five being perfect - we rate this place? Sorry but it only gets 1 Star / Grade D -- I say sorry becasue the staff was so nice and we had really a limited exposure to the menu.  They have a happy hour that has great discounts on the foods and we were told the Margaritas are worth a try.

Branch Whiskey Bar, (Grade A)

Date of last visit: June 2010
Address: 2926 NE Alberta St Portland OR
Phone| (503)206-6266
Hours:
Link: Branch Whiskey Bar

General Impressions of the place itself:  Big wrap around bar where you can eat &/or drink, tables lining the wall and a few tall tables in the front,  nice comfortable place with mod art on the walls, not fancy, not sloppy, busy --and a little noisy, but comfortable.

What we ordered: 

1) Spring Vegetables and Orecchiette Pasta tossed with a shallot and lemon cream sauce. With a Dark and Stormy – Goslings black seal rum, ginger, beer, and fresh lime
2) Pork Loin chop roasted fingerling potatoes, broccoli rabe, golden beet chutney.  With a Sazerac – Rye, peychaud’s bitters, angostura bitters, simple syrup, a bit of lemon.
3) Branch Beef Burger with arugula, shaved fennel salad, with Glenlivet 12yr on the rocks
4) Grilled Romaine Salad fried capers, croutons with a Ceasar style dressing with a Portland 75 – Aviation gin, lemon juice, simple syrup,sparkling wine
5) Two servings of Bread Pudding with a bourbon caramel sauce

The food was all around outstanding as were the drinks --we all really especially liked the Dark and Stormy --the only minor flaw was the bread pudding was a little dry--but the sauce on the bread pudding was super.  And it needs to be said the salad was, hands down, the best we've had in the city.

Things we liked and disliked:  oh my the food and the drinks are all to like and will call us back -- only down side was it was just a little noisy--but not terribly so. And great news--the prices are reasonable --and you can get a happy hour discount on the food between 5 &7.
Number in our party:  4
Total Bill: $83 + tip
Recommended?  you bet your life --this is a great place
With a Five Star Scale - and Five being perfect - we rate this place?  they get 5

PARADOX, 3 Stars

Date of last visit: June 2010 (but we wander in here about once a month)
Address: 3439 SE Belmont St., Portland Oregon 97214
Phone: (503) 232-7508Hours: Open Mon 9am-9pm; Tue-Wed,Sun 8am-9pm; Thu-Fri 9am-10pm; Sat 8am-10pm
Link: http://paradoxorganiccafe.com/

General Impressions of the place itself:  Funky Portland -- there is a counter --and tables, nothing fancy here.

What we ordered: We almost always get the Spinach Solstice Salad and an Order of what they call "Corn Tamales"  the salad is always fresh and the tamales are really corn meal pancakes with chilies fried into them with a heaping bit of guacamole, sour cram and salsa. It is delicious and mostly vegetarian and not terribly expensive.

Things we liked and disliked: It takes a while to get your food--but that is because it is prepared AFTER you order it (ie it is fresh made) but it is not a place to get a quick meal.  The servers are always casual-friendly and it is not far from having breakfast in a friend's kitchen. This is a reliable place and we go here often

Number in our party: 4

Total Bill: Recommended? $24

With a Five Star Scale - and Five being perfect - we rate this place? Solid 3 Stars

Cafe Du Berry , 3 Stars

  Date of last visit: June 2010

Address: 439 SW Macadam Ave, Portland Oregon 97239 Phone: 503-244-5551 Hours: Mon-Fri 7:00am- 3:00pm Wed-Fri 5:30pm- 9:00pm Sat 8:00am- 3:00pm Sat 5:30pm- 9:00pm Sun 8:00am- 3:00pm

 Link:

 General Impressions of the place itself:   Small place, not very inviting, on a busy street. Has a patio..but you are just a thin hedge away from rather fast moving and constant traffic. The building needs to be painted. You enter and there is a glass case with food and a counter. There is a small space inside with about a half dozen, closely spaced tables. There are colorful cushions on the chair--which do aid your comfort--but they have ties on them that are not being used..so the cushions move around.  It rather speaks for the sense of the place--it is a little sloppy and untended --not dirty--but not cared for well.  There may also be an upstairs?  We didn't go up there but there are stairs ...

What we ordered:  Chicken Dijon and Medallions of Pork .. both were EXCELLENT. Perfectly cooked--with rather heavy sauces (this is not the new French Cuisine) that were scrumptious. We both had a glass of wine --the  "Renewable White" -- was just barely OK, the Pino Noir was satisfactory.  We also shared a Cesar Salad which was crisp and fresh but not special

Things we liked and disliked: The place itself is a little off-putting. The service is acceptable but not friendly. The food was much better than average making the negatives have little weight. 

Number in our party: Two

Total Bill: With Tip $48

Recommended? Yes if old style French Country Cooking is What you are looking for.

With a Five Star Scale - and Five being perfect - we rate this place? 3