Roe — Restaurant in Portland

Roe, roe, row your food, gently to my plate. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, I’ll tell you what I ate.

Originally hidden, speakeasy style in the back of Block & Tackle/Wafu they have expanded to open B&T Oyster Bar. Roe is still within and wholly separate.

Fixed menu Wednesday-Saturday a la Noma, French Laundry and other high end establishments. Full bar and beverage actually adds to the experience. Instead of me being a beer and cocktail snob I opted for the full beverage service getting wine pairings and Italian aperitif and digestif. I had temptations to request specifics like Fernet or Strega, but thought it might offend the time they spent cultivating their menu and pairings.

Service is excellent. The menu and pairings well thought out and creative. There is something in having access to the kitchen and talking with chef’s that communicates the passion they bring to the dishes instead of an explanation from front house staff. That enthusiasm and gesturing of the techniques used is something you can’t replicate. With that you are at their timing mercy. It’s not some 6 cook staff being overseen by a chef, but 2 chef’s taking care of everything. The wine is the real value here, you’ll probably make money from them based on what they offer and what you buy.

It’s dim, dark and quiet, compared to B&T. The menu’s take time. My 1st trip I did the 4 course and 2nd 7 course. 1st time wine pairings and 2nd time full beverage and caviar which really pushed the budget out of reach. I actually got an extra 3 and 4 courses on each trip.

I don’t recall the specifics due to lag in review, but I had geoduck with a sweet citrus sauce, Dungeness crab in which I called ahead to ask for the cab fat so I could eat with their fantastic complimentary bread. A little butter and bread and crab inners, boom. The variety of high end ingredients they use to plate and garnish is top notch, it’s amazing they get this done without a full kitchen. Urchin and scallops are common on the menu. Ora Salmon, blue prawn with yuzu,. Octopus, and marlin crudo. I could go on and on. The course that lacked both times was dessert. I had them make a few “honeymoon” drinks and got some craft beer between courses because even at 8 courses over 2 hours there is some definite lull’s even with food conversation. Due to my night being extended so much longer I ended up getting food around midnight and delivered afterwards to my hotel.

It’s a top notch restaurant I recommend to any seafood and drinks lover, just make reservations a few...

Dined late last Friday evening during a weekend trip to Portland.

Summary: spectacular evening and one of the better meals I've had.

This was such a unique dining experience. Roe is tucked away in the back of Block and Tackle, which has a nondescript storefront. Don't be fooled...once ushered past the threshold into Roe, you have entered a culinary world unto itself. Tiny, cozy, intimate space, with sultry lighting, and an open kitchen layout.

We were not fortunate enough to score one of the coveted, and extremely limited, time slots for the full 7-course menu, but were incredibly satisfied with the 4-course (Raw | Shellfish | Fin Fish | Dessert)

Butterfish Sashimi with frozen foie gras flakes - next level umami; never tasted anything quite like this. INSANELY good. 5/5

Scallops - the only merely "very good" dish, which, while excellent, paled in comparison to the others. 4/5

Ora King Salmon: olive oil poached salmon, roast chanterelle, apple, lardon, braised daikon, bacon-yuzu kosho sauce - some of the most exquisitely prepared fish I've ever tasted, with extremely complimentary accompaniments. 5/5

Bread course - Excellent! Free refills. :) 4.5/5

Desserts - both excellent 4.5/5

Beverage pairing - appropriate choices which all paired well; well worth the $65.

Now...what truly set this night apart was the world-class service. All servers were excellent, intuitive, and anticipatory, but a special shout-out to Salvadore Perdomo, the Wine Director for Roe. Salvadore isn't a Master Sommelier, but he could have fooled me. His demeanor, knowledge base, and communication style are so on-point, they are almost mesmerizing. Due in no small part to our extensive interaction with Salvadore throughout the evening, I would place the service at Roe on par with any I have received, including that at French Laundry.

Roe is soon moving to a downtown location, and next time we are in Portland, we will most definitely return.

Kudos to the entire team at Roe, and huzzah to Trent Pierce and Patrick Shultz for their execution, attention to detail, innovation, and passion!

Food: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Service:...

UPDATE December 2018:

Trent Pierce is no longer cooking at Roe and it definitely shows. While my experience was good (the waiter made us some delicious virgin cocktails because we don’t drink and they accommodated my dairy allergy by making me a dessert that wasn’t on the menu) there were some big falters in the meal overall.

The main salmon dish was terrible to the point where I couldn’t even eat it. The salmon was just very bland with off flavor pairings, my significant other ended up finishing it for me. Normally I’m licking every plate clean because it’s so good, so this was highly unusual. Also, while we were eating there was a party going on down below us at one of the stores (the restaurant is open like a loft so you can look down to the first floor). The party was very loud, there were crying children and there was an overwhelming smell of weed that wafted up to us and really just ruined the atmosphere of our dining experience. For the price you pay this really shouldn’t happen. When I’m back in town I won’t come back to this establishment.

//////////////////////// Original review (5 stars):

Ate at their new location and it was just as good, if not better than their old location. It's a performance the moment you walk in, everything from the dashi and hot towels, to the bread and 3 types of salt, to all the courses, absolutely superb. The staff is polite and attentive, clearing plates promptly, wiping down the table if its gotten even slightly messy after each course and filling our drinks without us needing to ask. The staff is also very well versed and knowledgeable on the menu, explaining each dish to you as it comes out. I think the pace was just fine, it took 2.5 hours for 4 courses, bread, caviar, and an amuse-bouche. If you're coming here, it's not for a quick meal, it's an experience that shouldn't be rushed. And the most important part is the food. Everything, and I mean everything, has complex, unique flavors that work with each other in perfect harmony. If you're hesitant to come here, just do it, make the...