Portland City Grill - Eating with a View

This is the last stop on the Portland trip.  We were desperately trying to find another great happy-hour location, and ended up here, at the Portland City Grill.  Unfortunately though, we were an hour early, and with a baby (the happy hour was only in the bar section).  On the plus side, we did arrive during the lunch hour, where the lunch sets were $15. It took us a while to find the restaurant, since it isn't on street level, nor was there a sign anywhere.  After we found the correct building though, and traveled upwards to almost roof level, we were treated to a phenomenal view, complete with a pair of peregrine falcons dancing in the sky.

As you can see, the view was remarkable.  Unfortunately the falcons were too difficult to capture in a picture.  Sometimes I wish I had a better camera!  Our meals were absolutely fantastic.  I had the halibut choice, while my wife went with the steak.

Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut  ($15)

This came served with a starter salad (I chose the caesar), a jade pesto, shallot soy, and fennel salad with wasabi vinaigrette.  The fish itself was perfect ~ I couldn't have imagined anything better.  With the pesto it turned into a, well... I still haven't managed to find the right words for it.  The only negative was the shallot soy.  It didn't fit with the happy, light flavours of the rest of the plate.  The fennel salad?  It took me a few bites to enjoy it, but once I got into it and used to the flavour, it easily became one of my favourites.  Definitely recommended.

Char Grilled Flat Iron Steak ($15)

This was great as well, but as I was in a more 'seafoody' mood, I preferred the halibut.  It came with grilled artichokes, an oregano-chili oil, and a 'Rogue River Gorgonzola iceberg stack', which I'll assume was the salad.  The highlight was definitely the meat though. 

If memory serves me correctly, my wife finished hers before I got through mine.  One thing that was a surprise in the salad was the giant chunks of bacon (Bottom right of the picture above).  It added just the right amount of saltiness to it.  I wasn't the biggest fan of that cheese though, so didn't really try to eat much.

The best thing about the lunch specials is that they included a dessert.  I'm all about that.


Sin  ($8 if not in a lunch combo)
 

Simple name.  Simple design.  Simple in the bowl.  Simple can be bad, or it can be great.  In this instance, great doesn't begin to describe it.  Let me quote the menu:

"Devil's Food Napoleon, rich dark chocolate pudding, toffee crumble, vanilla ice cream, warm chocolate drizzle."

All served together in one little bowl.  The textures were incredible, from the soft, silky pudding, to the stickiness of the cake, and the crunchiness of the toffee.  Then the temperatures: warm chocolate and cold ice cream.  The flavours blended together so well.  You definitely had to get a little bit of everything on the spoon to experience the true perfection that is Sin.

Some of the other desserts offered (not with the combo, mind you) were an apple tarte tatin, sugar donuts, a creme brulee, cheesecake, and several others.  This restaurant was definitely a winner, especially the lunch menu. 

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