NORMANDIE — Restaurant in Portland

Calvados, calvados, calvados! I wanted to give Normandie a 4.5 star rating because they are almost perfect. There has been a little hype around the opening and with good reason, the kitchen comes with a strong resume backed by the chops of the former VQ team. I jumped on a reservation at Normandie partly because I was a huge VQ fan and was saddened to see it and that wonderous space get gobbled up by development. :/ The vibe is very different from VQ but certainly welcoming. Acoustics were a little tough, not a lot of sound absorbing materials in there but the reclaimed wood was nice. Edison style lights made the space very warm but I'll warn you that I saw a fellow diner use his flashlight to look at his plate. I didn't find that necessary, YMMV. The cocktails were quite inventive, including their own takes on the old reliables like a negroni and martini. Who can resist a gin/vermouth combo called a Nihilist? It even was black! Wines by the glass offer a superior choice and there is a perfect match for each of the small plates on the menu. The menu is not particularly extensive but offers plenty of options for things you might expect from a restaurant named Normandie - rillettes, duck fat roasted carrots, mushrooms, scallops and so on. The interesting part is that each dish offers a twist on the classics, for example, perfectly seared scallops with a curry creme fraiche. We ordered the rillettes, a Parisian gnocchi with chanterelles (I ate way more than my share) and two orders of scallops. Unfortunately there was a miscommunication and we were brought only one plate of scallops - waiter was obviously distressed and a second plate of scallops arrived in less than 10 minutes. I loved the attention to detail on the plates - everything was artfully arranged - and that detail extended to lots of other little things to appreciate. Like a paper straw in my cocktail. So nice to see that. A couple of glasses of calvados arrived, gratis, along with a black pepper caramel to finish it all off. Perfect. Service was very well timed and we were quite surprised to see that they took the 2nd scallop dish off the bill as a gesture of apology. How great is that? That says a lot - the generosity to help ensure that our meal was a great experience. Thank you! We will be back in the dead of winter when we need more fortification from the...

2024 Update: Been here nine times now since 2022, & in that time we haven't been anywhere else more than twice, & also we live 25 mins away, & also we've been most everywhere else noteworthy in Portland. That we keep coming back here hopefully tells you how incredibly wonderful we think it is. It's like Banff and Jasper where, yeah we could go other places, but might as well keep coming back here til they stop being so much better than anything else

Currently the salmon with saffron/cured garlic aioli and crispy potatoes and green garlic salsa verde is unbelievably good, easily one of the best things we've ever had, a lifetime memory we'll never forget. The type of thing you take a bite of and time slows down and a smile creeps onto your face and you just want to make the feeling last forever. And you say something like "aaah oh my god this is insane". But we expect to find something new like that every time we come, they always have at least 3-4 of the best things we've ever had on the menu at any given time no matter the season. I have this ranked 3rd overall only behind Nodoguro in Portland, which is 3x the price, & Robuchon in Vegas, which is 5x the price. Ahead of Kann, Langbaan, Tercet, Le Pigeon, Urdaneta, way ahead of Jacqueline, etc etc.

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Update again: been here 5 or 6 times now and every single time it's Just Amazing. There're other places as good as this in Portland but all of them are twice the price (tercet, le pigeon, langbaan)

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One of the best restaurants we've ever been to (#2 specifically), & the best in the PNW so far. So many interesting unique flavors, everything so creative and delicious. The scallops specifically were one of the best things I've ever had, also loved the octopus, the crab beignets, the root vegetable trio, the chocolate mousse. $75/person with 4 courses each.

Update: Been here two more times and every time we come we have at least a couple new "one of the best things I've ever had" dishes. The new gnocchi with the belper knolle is about the most comforting thing I've ever had, the freakin burger is unreal. For the price, under $100 per person, I can't recommend any restaurant more...

On the whole, one of the best dining experiences I've had in any city in the last 5 years. Get a reservation and come hungry!

We came to Portland as part of celebrating our engagement. I forgot I'd noted it in the reservation, but they made just the right amount of congratulatory fuss... including checking out our rings and bringing us some extra goodies like a delightful sparkling wine for a toast. The staff were all so sweet and just the right amount of attentiveness... top notch in every respect.

For starters, the Normandie Board was the unexpected star of the evening... which is saying a lot as everything was super delicious and creative. Such an array of flavors and textures, each thing superlative in its segment. The soft chorizo spread was amazing, as was the jam that paired with the soft cheese. But as great as it all was, the fresh-from-the-oven bread and the salted French butter made the whole thing transcendent.

Charred octopus, perfectly grilled to be melt-in-your-mouth tender, with a gorgeous seaweed salad and deliciously tart vinaigrette.

Parisienne Gnocchi was a standout; the fish sauce caramel was a flavor bomb that elevated the soft and pillowy gnocchi to something truly memorable.

Alaskan Halibut was moist and flaky with an outstanding Dashi broth (which we sopped up with the last of the bread) and delicious Chanterelles. The reduced XO sauce and "ham powder" sprinkled atop was a mind-blowing touch.

Flourless Chocolate Cake, thick and rich but somehow still not too dense; cherry compote was gorgeous and the coffee cardamom crunch was a perfect topping.

The "Dessert Cheese" was a delight. A triple cream, very mild with subtle tang and a bit of sweetness, with a sweet and salty Miso caramel and a "fudge" of peanuts and tahini, with caramelized peanut crumble... If you've never had cheese for dessert, this is your gateway drug.

A solid wine list, but a lot of great by-the-glass wine selections -- the wait staff is knowledgeable and helped me find some good pairings, including a fascinating 'orange' wine and some off-menu dessert...