Canard, Portland
734 E Burnside St, Portland, Oregon
I arrived… solo, on my very first night in Portland. I was jet-lagged, tired and had sore feet after an afternoon getting lost wandering the city streets. I needed a hearty dinner before I went to bed ridiculously early.
I chose here because… it was a couple of blocks - about a five-minute walk - from my hotel, the Jupiter NEXT in Portland's very hipster Central Eastside neighbourhood. Next door is its sister restaurant, Le Pigeon, a fine-dining restaurant from award-winning chef Gabriel Rucker. Le Pigeon looked too fancy for me, in my bedraggled, post-long-haul state, so I chose the more casual Canard which is a cafe by day, wine bar/restaurant by night.
My first impression was… the place feels relaxed and perfect for a lone diner. The bartender was warm and welcoming and encouraged me to take a seat anywhere. I sat in the window so I could watch the foot traffic outside.
I started with… the kale and roasted apple salad (US$16), which was outstanding. It was full of pecans and grated manchego cheese, with a brown butter ginger dressing I've been craving ever since.
