Shameless Review: Portland's Veritable Quandary (VQ) - I am Not Confused

Veritable Quandary - As Charming as the City Itself



Portland's Veritable Quandary (VQ) and executive chef Annie Cuggino score a dining tri-fecta and sets a very high bar for any other dining experiences in the City of Roses.  The restaurant is a small affair, but the dishes and flavors it delivers are any thing but.

Anytime I am in a new city, I like to ask the locals what the best restaurants in the area are.  The problem with checking with a concierge is that in many towns there are agreements or even reciprocity for recommendations for a hotel's concierge.  The locals know, either though personal experience or word of mouth what places are really the true gems of regional cuisine.  While the answers varied in my discussions, the one place that was mentioned by almost everyone was VQ...so VQ it was.

The recommendations and the food at VQ were spot on.  The charming, tree-lined patio and the great weather may have colored my impressions a little, but anyway I look at it this is a wonderful establishment for well prepared, seasonally fresh food.

FOOD:

The starter here was an Oregon Albacore Tuna Bruschetta which had, as the name suggests, local Albacore Tuna which was incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked.  Added to this was a bright acidity added by a melange of quartered plum tomatoes, the brininess of black olives and anchovy fillets, and a light vinaigrette.  This was all atop a heavily crusted bread that was too fresh not to have been baked locally.  A great sized appetizer that struck just the right balance for an appetizer.

Now of course, this wouldn't be a Shameless Foodie review if I didn't have something a little more...heavy.  So, just for your friends, that is exactly what I did.  There were several items on the menu that struck me as interesting, but the Osso Bucco stood out as something I had to try.  A slow braised veal shank with carrots, tomatoes, and celery on a bed of Parmesan & basil risotto.  The veal was very tender, but had been pulled from the braising vessel while it still had some substance to it.  The risotto was probably one of the best I have had...ever.  It was al dente, creamy, and perfectly seasoned.  Being very proud of my own risottos, it is hard for me to say, but it was better than my own...high praise in my book.

Finally, came desert.  I would have had to turn in my Shameless card had I turned back at this point, so I trudged ahead diligently, and was aptly rewarded.  Again there were many delicious looking choices, but I wasn't in the mood for something overly sweet, so I opted for the Semi-sweet Chocolate Tart with Pistachio Ice Cream and Warm Macerated Cherries.  This was the only aspect of the entire meal that I might take a slight issue with.  The tart was wonderful and was perfectly complemented by the ice cream.  The cherries were tasty, but didn't really work as part of a cohesive dish.  But this is nit-picking...over all it was a very memorable first impression of the Portland food scene.
 
ATMOSPHERE:
Entering there is a bar to the right with some limited seating on the left.  Interestingly, the kitchen is open to the restaurant and overlooks the patio.  As a home chef, I found this interesting and may have to go back just so I can watch the action at some point.  The front of the house was a little small and crowded feeling, but the actual dining area was comfortable enough and had retractable glass walls so the diners can enjoy the great Portland weather.  The crown for me though was the outdoor patio.  Open with outdoor heaters it was a very charming place to share appetizers, dinner, or just to sit and have drinks.

SERVICE:
Our server was very knowledgeable about the dishes and indicated that they change the menu every day.  Since their menus are posted on the website and have remained the same for the few days I have been in Portland, I find this hard to believe.  However, barring that one minor issue our service was timely and made sure our beers weren't empty long...an absolute necessity of course.

VALUE:
Some of the dishes approached $30 dollars per plate, but considering that Urbanspoon.com identifies this as a fine dining establishment, which I agree with, I would say that it wasn't as expensive as other places I have been that were far less successful.

Portland's Veritable Quandary is located at:
1220 SW 1st Ave
Portland, OR 97204