Porter Creek Hardwood Grill — Restaurant in Fargo

As I walked in, I was greeted with an unsettling vibe....as if who is going to be the person to talk to me. It was only me, so I chose to sit at the back room bar area. I took a seat at the bar, as it was the only "clean" area from previous patrons. It took a few minutes before I was acknowledged making it awkward for me, as multiple employers walked past me (I did not see any other person that "looked like me").The bartender finally spoke and told me she would be with me in a few minutes. I get it, it's somewhat busy. She eventually came back and took my drink order, but walked away so quickly before I could tell her that I was ready to order as well. The drink was great, I'll give her that. As I'm sitting and sipping, I'm observing my surroundings and the interactions with other employees and customers and also with two other customers that sat at the bar with the same bartender. The bartender came back and asked how the drink was and was about to walk away again, so I had to grab her attention and tell her I'm ready to order. After I order, I'm sitting there still watching the interactions, and wondering why hasn't anyone asked ME how I'm doing. My drink is pretty much gone, and I just look at the menu again to not look awkward again. She finally comes back again and asks if I would like another. Absolutely I would, that drink was really good. My food finally comes out and the presentation was very nice. I took a bite of my mashed potatoes and it was pretty bland. The salmon wasn't cooked to my liking, so I ordered something else, and was going to fix up the salmon and potatoes for later. I paid and was so close to filling out the questionnaire form, but I opted not to. I get back to my hotel and season and warm up my salmon and potatoes, and as I'm taking maybe my third bite, I just happened to look at my food, and see a blonde strand in my potatoes (I have jet black hair) on my fork. I'm moving the potatoes around hoping that it may be strings like in sweet potatoes, but it wasn't and my appetite was ruined immediately. This was my first and last time coming to this...

Great food (cooked by a Chef) and service in typical Fargo warmth and generosity. The food was excellent and not at all like the big franchise restaurants that use formula based cooking from packets or pre-fab. Here you pay extra but get ALOT for it. The Chef Fritz is very talented and the meals came to our table hot and carefully prepared for the individual... not mass-produced. Being a celiac he took special measures to make sure not a speck of gluten was in my food... This is service! My Alaskan Cod and my wife's salad and chowder were first class and every bit as good as the meals we have in London at some of the top restaurants including the Savoy! On our next visit, we had the well-known Rotisserie chicken which was delicious and a very large portion... the fresh cut "big" winter vegetable mix was a very well chosen and cooked accompaniment/side. The creme brulee was true to its roots and hand-flamed... and for only $5 a bargain. Now for the people... as Fargo is well-known for its old school American values of being friendly, big-hearted and customer-oriented. The manager Nelson and our server Alek (from Duluth) are the epitome of Fargo's values... very professional, serious, kind, well-groomed and ready to take care of customers 1000%. And they are HAPPY to do so! Alek gave us the same service we get in the Dorchester (maybe even better) but does so in a way that doesn't intrude or be over-bearing. He knows his menu, products, and processes by heart and takes pride in giving customers EXACTLY what they want in very quick fashion. VERY professional and a great asset to Porter Creek. When a very busy manager such as Nelson takes the time to come and talk to customers individually to ask about their experience and what they can do better, you know the place is serious about being the best it can be. 1 more employee like Nelson, Alec, and Fritz the Chef and Porter House may get a Michelin star. Porter Creek is truly Fargo at is very...

I've been to Porter Creek before many times. Every time has been great. From eating out with extended family, a date with my wife, or just self date. The service staff have always been nice and always knowledgeable with the food they serve and alcohol options.

When my wife and myself went on a date, our server helped break down the wine options and helped find one we both liked.

The most recent time I went was a self date on the 23rd of February. I started with the Artichoke Fondue Kettle. It was good. The dip itself was flavorful and still had chunks of artichoke so it offered little different texture. The crostini was good, albeit some pieces were a little hard. Not stale, just over cooked. Great starter.

For the entree, I ordered the Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu. This was amazing! The lamb was tender, seasoning was dang near perfect (first time having it so I don't know what "perfect" is), the ball of herber mascarpone on top was made it all better. I liked it because you can choose how much butter taste you want. One thing I was not expecting was the amount you got. That was really nice as it reheated nicely without drying out.

I did the Tortellini with Shrimp to-go for my wife. She unfortunately was sick from something else so she didn't eat it but I did! It was good. The tortellini was nice and big, so a good amount of filling. Wished there was more sause to it but that's hardly a problem. Also got a good portion despite it being to-go.

My server that night was young, but his customer service and personnel skills were perfessional and top notch. I'm sad that I didn't get his name since he absolutely deserves a good job from a manager and the best of luck to his future.

Overall, Porter Creek is a great place to eat and have a good time. As every time I've gone it's been a great experience. It can get pricy, so be warned but the quality of the food and drinks...