Arrowood — Restaurant in Portland

Arrowood is a nice neighborhood joint and a welcome addition. It's not quite perfect but it is still new and I think just needs to find its' footing (hence 4 stars instead of 3; one is for potential ;)). The people here are all really nice. The interior is super cozy, with a side room that almost feels more like somebody's home than a restaurant.

The fried chicken sandwich was good. Crispy chicken, crunchy veggies, house-made hot sauce, and a lot of flavor going on. My girlfriend got a salad with it and asked for caesar dressing. Whatever was on that salad didn't taste like caesar though (it tasted to me like a super tangy/vinegar-y vinaigrette of some kind). I really liked it but it was too tangy/sour for her to eat so I ate her salad and she ate my fries. It's adventurous but you might want to warn people if you're re-imagining classics like that. Or maybe it was the wrong dressing? I don't know. The greens themselves were super fresh and varied, and I am a salad man so I appreciate that type of thing.

The fish and chips was kind of a miss for me. The fries had a seasoning on them that didn't quite work, they had no crunch, and they were really greasy (which indicates maybe too low cooking temp?). The fish itself was high quality but I didn't love the breading (of which there was a lot) and the seasoning was strangely absent (like - they seasoned the fries a ton and forgot the fish). And instead of a tartar sauce there was a remoulade. It felt like they were trying to be put a creative spin on an old classic but I think it would have been better if they had just stuck to the tried and true fish and chips formula (or tweak their creative spin even further 'till it works).

Anyway, I'll for sure be back to try a few other items and will update my review as I do. I'm glad we have one more option in the...

An ode to the darkened pubs where you step in from bright busy streets into the welcoming neighborhood spot where the food is good and service even better, where it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dark and when you do, you realize you are home.

Arrowood had a great cheeseburger and fries, but first I want to compliment the service. The waiter was most excellent and professional! Man! My iced tea never got past 1/3 empty and he kept an eagle on me as he patrolled his kingdom. He was friendly without being intrusive, attentive without being in my face. The guy was a pro, I hope they pay him well, he deserves it.

But then we must speak of the cheeseburger, that edifice of sustenance! That tower of nourishment! I had mine with bacon, because a cheeseburger is not a cheeseburger without bacon and it did not disappoint. It was a perfect jumble of great taste and texture , an exploration of comfort pub food. Exactly as it should be. And the fries too, as they should be… Perfect comfort fries to be had after a day of going to yard sales and finding great stuff.

For that my friends, is the magic of life. Going to yard sales and searching for the holy grail until you are so tired you want to drop in your tracks. Bargaining with wonderful people like your life depended on it and coming away with all parties happy. Filing your truck with priceless treasure. Then, when you have squeezed every drop from from this amazing city!

You find a wonderful local, non chain restaurant and partake in the food of the community! And isn’t that a wonderful thing!?!

Arrowood is exactly that kind of place. The locals know it well, the visitors feel welcomed. The food is solid core comfort just as it should be and the service better than you could...

Update, August 2024

A lot of things have changed during the pandemic, but a recent visit back to Arrowood showed that there's at least one place in town that is still recognizably the same. The space, the menu, and even the prices all seemed familiar. Service was friendly, informative, and efficient. On the most recent visit, we arrived in time for happy hour - getting the HH burger, which comes without a side dish, and adding the happy hour soup made for a perfect dinner. We did not have time to stick around, but while we were there they began a trivia night competition - it was a perfect addition to the Arrowood atmosphere.

It was sad to see BTU (the former place in this spot) go away, but a thrill to find out that Arrowood has taken their place. You can come back to this building and have a lovely beer created on the premises, and find lovely food to go with it. I'm always happy to find exceptional service, and our experience here makes me want to lead off with it - our server never hovered, but was immediately on top of anything that needed attention, and made sure we had a chance to take our time with decisions as happy hour was approaching a close. The other standout of our first visit was the octopus - perfectly tender and beautifully prepared and presented. The menu is big enough to have lots of choices, but small enough to be sure every item is able to be...