Votum Restaurant — Restaurant in Hood River

I made reservations for this spot a week or two in advance for my wedding anniversary. I had looked for a fine dining restaurant near Mt. Hood since we got an air bnb nearby. The restaurant called to confirm our reservations and get our names correctly which I thought was cool and had set me up for high expectations. I drove us over an hour there, after already driving 3 hours to our air bnb. We were starving to say the least. Once we got there I already noticed I had probably made a mistake but at this point with my stomach screaming at me I decided to try it out. The restaurant was plain, dull, and the music was so loud and not fitting at all to the restaurant vibe. It was constantly changing music and just seemed like a kid had control of the iPad in the back. The first thing I did was tell the famous Nathan I had to use the bathroom, I said "really had to pee", and he looked at me like I cursed in his face. He pointed to the hole in the wall and said if I saw the fish tank I went too far. The bathroom was basic and equipped with dead flowers and not even an air freshener or candle. The toilet wasn't even self flushing. I usually don't judge a place so harshly but at 160 a person, I expect utter perfection. They had a fish tank next to the bathroom which not even Red Lobster does but I shrugged that off. The restaurant has two employees who are married I think not entirely sure. The host was so busy staring at my wife's chest that I couldn't tell if he was married. Needless to say the food was exquisite. It was good and fresh. No complaints on food. I spent over a car payment to eat here. We left hungry, unsatisfied, and with a bitter taste on our tongues. The chef was very awkward and weird with us, she constantly would peek out of the kitchen to see what was happening. It was just odd. The host was very hot and cold. Talking one minute about washing his socks to not being able to legally give us Sudafed since my wife mentioned her ears were popping from the drive. Not sure what the link is between those things. I live in Washington state and there we get IDed for pretty much anything that requires it but here? I was asked if I was of age and then given alcohol. I mean not sure how things work here but I was not all that comfortable about that since I am pretty straight edge when it comes to the rules. Again, lovely food but for what we paid we couldve done a 2 day cruise in Alaska with 8-9 meals a day included that are all chef created. The only thing that made the entire thing okay was honestly my wife. We will not be returning and will definitely be making dinner at the air bnb tonight, luckily the grocery store is nearby. If you are a wealthy person and can throw money away then please be my guest but for someone like me who worked over 100 hours in two weeks to save for this I definitely feel cheated. I attached only two photos this was a salad we got that had a way too much egg to salad ratio and a menu they give you at the end which was the only personal touch to this place. I was asked over and over again what my name was which isnt a hard one to remember. The host had no issues remembering my wifes name but who knows it is one letter shorter. Our host truly put on an amazing performance, he should seriously be in television. I almost felt like I was on television or being punked but the bill still came. Also, just to mention I told him I did not like oysters and wanted to give mine to my wife. He instead gave me no replacement for the oysters and just gave me the next appetizer on the menu claiming it was made for me. My wife never even got to try the made for me appetizer nor did I get my oysters. So maybe thats why we got a free glass of desert wine and some made up tiramisu tasting very tiny cake. Not sure. You have my card on file a refund is...

Despite looking forward to sampling this newest entry to the HR restaurant scene (and smiling to see one of the owners of another high-end restaurant checking it out as well), I left feeling that Votum's food artistry isn't matched by its ability to create memorable dishes that please both palate and eye. Though the wallet will certainly feel the squeeze!

The service is excellent - two servers share a table, water is refilled promptly, and you're never left feeling abandoned. The team knows the menu and the ingredients, and the provenance of most of the ingredients, from the Tillamook Bay cockles to the culture (Flor Danica) used to craft the house-made butter (bread and butter - $6) and the source of the flour (Camas Mills). (Good to know, but on a second visit this could get tedious).

The food is also prepared artfully - perhaps with so much art that satiety isn't in the mix. I'm not a fan of restaurants that feel compelled to ensure you leave with enough leftovers to feed you for another three days, but portions at Votum are on the very small side, with prices on the high side. You're paying for art, and ingredients - though not for art with bursts of vegetable color.

Examples: The Tillamook Bay cockles featured in "Cockles Ceviche" ($12) featured perhaps 2 tablespoons of ivory cockles, a whisper of aji pepper, all tucked into a gray and white scallop shell. Fresh, but mostly a tease of flavor.

The first course of crab risotto followed. $27 brought perhaps 1/3 cup of delicate crab lounging atop perfectly cooked arborio rice, with 3 tiny sorrel leaves adding color but no flavor. The chef may be trying to leave topnotch ingredients to sing on their own. Still, I missed having flavorings to enhance the main ingredient, and the white/gray monotony of the dishes we had - with nary a vegetable in sight to add color and flavor contrasts - left me rather bored visually as well as failing to tickled my tastebuds.

My dining companion chose oysters as a starter($25 for what the menu said were "Virginica" oysters). We were told about the oysters being served that night, selected the "Virginica," but the second server who delivered the dish told us that we were getting 3 of one kind and 3 "Baywater sweets." Not wanting to waste the dish, we left it ... but were confused over whether this was a snafu due to lack of communication among the 2 servers or a kitchen decision.

Votum's bouillabaisse offers a twist on the French classic, with saffron broth standing in for a tomato broth, white fish and perhaps crab as the seafood proteins. We're willing to eat raw seafood (hence the oysters and the ceviche) but found the fish undercooked and the flavors weren't compelling.

Dessert closed with more white - vanilla ice cream. (Other offerings were a lemon tart and a millefeuille whose flavor I've forgotten). Total tab with the mandatory 20% gratuity was $164 (1 glass of wine, 2 appetizers, 1 first course, 1 main course, 2 desserts).

Wines by the glass range from $18 to $24; by the bottle gives a broader range from $51 to $980 (for those splurging on the 1985 Dom Perignon).

Aside from feeling hungry when I left, I yearned for color and forward flavors - something to delight both eye and palate. Neither palate nor palette worked for me. Given that adding on another main course and glass of wine would take us to a $200+ tab, I'll need to hear from diners I know that the flavors have risen to match the ingredients and presentation - with more to delight the...

Votum is a true gem of a fine dining restaurant, capable of capturing regional flavors in a series of exceptional dishes. Our family has enjoyed many high caliber dining experiences around the globe and Votum can contend with the best of them. This is bar none, the best dining experience in Hood River and dare I say in all of Oregon.

Atmosphere: The décor is simple, orderly, and tasteful. I especially love the round tables because this makes it easy to see and speak with everyone in our group. The music was atypical of most restaurants at this level, and I loved it. We were singing along to ABBA at one point. The music gave a fun vibe and there was something for everyone played. The silverware and plateware were also interesting and appropriate for each dish served. Feel free to dress up if you want, or don’t. The experience will be the same regardless of your attire. I wore a black summer dress and wedge sandals and one of our dining companions was in shorts, black flip flops, and a black tee shirt. Go business casual if you have it, but if you forgot to pack something nice along with all your kitting gear, no worries.

Service – This was impeccable. The meal was perfectly paced for us. A tableside bag hanging clip was even provided for my purse. Napkins were refolded anytime someone in our party left the table, water glasses were never empty, and the table scraped free of crumbs after the bread course.

The food – Every dish (and I mean every dish) was delicious. We had the tasting menu, and it did not disappoint. We all left feeling perfectly satiated. What I loved the most was that each dish highlighted the fantastic flavors of the pacific northwest without any one of those flavors overpowering the others. They all worked together seamlessly.

The Kumamoto oyster with the rhubarb ice, the smoked salmon chip, and the poached albacore panisse were a delightful way to start our evening. The summer salad with the salmon roe was expertly dressed in such as to highlight the fresh lettuce and roe. I have an allergy to radishes and am a strict pescetarian. These restrictions were not only respected, but the substitutions made in the various dishes were perfect. For example, one of the savory dishes was a pork tenderloin accompanied by a mole sauce. I was served sliced albacore that was cooked to perfection and matched the texture and the way in which a pork tenderloin sort of absorbs the spices/juices/favors it is marinated/cooked in. I don’t know how they did it. It was phenomenal. The halibut with the potato scales was notable as well. The thinly sliced potatoes were artfully layered to create “scales” on top of a perfectly cooked piece of halibut.

The desserts were fantastic. The chocolate granola paired with a small scoop of ice cream was a favorite as was the apple cake with the perfectly sweetened frosting. I absolutely loved the sesame cookie, and the fruit pate was like biting into a juicy piece of fruit. I don’t know how Chef Sarah Doyle does it, but she did it all!

Our family will be back. Thank you, Votum, for such a memorable experience from start to finish. Oh, and the waffles you gave us to take home at the end of our night, were tasty. We loved that last little parting gift. Also, a printed copy of our menu, including the wine or beers we had, was provided at the end of the night. I tend to save menus from the restaurants I loved, so this was a very much appreciated, additional personal touch to an already wonderful...