In the dark aisle leading toward the back of the restaurant, under jars of pickles and bottles of French wine, a fashionable woman in Elaine Stritch glasses nibbles her way through a smattering of small plates. Later that evening, at the large communal table, one of Portland's best pastry chefs entertains her staff by candlelight. Perched at the bar, two young women sit upright with the long necks and pencil-straight backs of ballerinas. Outside, a local cook and cookbook author huddle together in conversation.
Draw caricatures of the customers at Navarre on an average Thursday -- or Monday, for that matter -- and you'll come away with the kind of cultural Who's Who that might have once adorned a celebrated Manhattan steakhouse.
They aren't here by mistake. Navarre is one of Portland's lynchpin restaurants, a local hub as important to Northeast 28th Avenue as Caffe Mingo is to Northwest 21st, Higgins is to Broadway or Pok Pok is to Southeast Division Street. It was The Oregonian's Restaurant of the Year in 2009, more than seven years after it opened. Even then, it had the "spirit of a family-run restaurant off the main street in Spain or France, one of those hidden treasures where only the locals eat."
But for the tens of thousands of people who arrived in Portland last year, not to mention the five years previous, we worry Navarre might have become just another restaurant on Portland's old restaurant row, the restaurant's stencil logo -- three wine bottles, the name written in a looping cursive -- indistinguishable from a half dozen others nearby. That would be a shame. Navarre isn't my favorite Portland restaurant, though it is for many of my friends. It could be yours, too.
Whether it's you've never been to Navarre or haven't been in years, here are seven things to keep in mind for your next visit:
Duck pate and Ken's Artisan bread at Navarre.
1) Leave the nitpicking at the door. If you're the kind of person who gets upset at an undercooked eggplant, or if you get angsty when it takes too long to pay the bill (raises hand), this might not be the restaurant for you. The food and service aren't aiming for Swiss-watch perfection, but something more important: comfort, hospitality and warmth. Sit back, relax and let the staff do their thing.
2) Ordering is ... complicated. After you sit down, you'll be handed a Crayola marker and a pair of slim paper menus, one with a dozen-odd house standards, the other with a range of specials focusing on a specific region in continental Europe (currently Southwestern France). Check off the standards as you would nigiri at a sushi joint, then write in a few extras from the specials menu, specifying small vs. large -- go small unless you're with a posse.
3) ... but not that complicated. Once you've wrapped your head around the ordering system, you'll find that Navarre revels in simplicity. Meals should begin with crisp radishes and salted butter, good Ken's Artisan bread, some soul-affirming charcuterie or a creamy vegetable gratin. Move to a selection of meatier small plates -- lamb, chicken or rabbit drenched in mellow sauces -- and a side of pickles (those jars aren't just for show).
4) Still overwhelmed? Then opt for the $32 "We Choose" menu, setting the kitchen free to fill your table several times over with seasonal dishes. On a given night, that might include salty little button mushrooms, juicy trout wrapped in parchment paper or a simple grilled skirt steak served bloody, with a lemon wedge. Poached albacore might come off as dry to you, perfect to your date (I'll take mine with a side of mayo and some toast, please). Add $18 for Navarre's budget-conscious wine pairings.
5) Brunch is bomb: Forget about boring garden scrambles and greasy omelets. At Navarre, the perennially under-the-radar brunch might feature some supremely crab-stuffed crab cakes topped with fluffy poached eggs and ethereal hollandaise. You'll want to order some of that Ken's Country Brown, cut into cubes, and a slab of that rustic pate from the dinner menu. Add a flute of pink bubbly and you've got a good reason to get up early on Sunday.
Revisiting ROYs
Over the past 18 months, we've revisited our past 13 Restaurant of the Year winners, from Higgins to Renata. Some of those visits turned into full reviews (
,
), others into capsules, both short (
,
) and relatively long (
,
), in this year's
. For this occasional
, we'll reconsider a handful of previous winners that might have fallen through the cracks, checking to see what's new, what's improved and what remains great.
6) Somms study here: Navarre's wine menu, listed, single-space, on a two-page, photo-copied menu, ranges throughout Europe, focusing on value, character and whatever region is currently being highlighted by the food. You might not hit on a blockbuster, but you'll often find some refreshingly tart white, full-bodied red or other perfect table wine you'll want to have at home. With more than 50 wines by the glass or half pour, this is the place for budding sommeliers to widen their palate on the (relatively) cheap.
7) Save room for dessert: If you can. That means one of the towering cakes or handmade pies at the bar or a frothy chocolate mousse with thick whipped cream and chunks of bitter chocolate. Or, if the night is still young, head next door for a choose-your-own-adventure cocktail at Navarre's jewel box of a sister bar, Angel Face.
Navarre is found at 10 N.E. 28th Ave., just north of East Burnside Street. Reservations are available for parties of six or more. Call 503-232-3555 or visit navarreportland.com for more information.
-- Michael Russell