Navarre
(503) 232-3555
10 NE 28th Ave
Portland,
OR
97232
45.523
-122.6371
Neighborhoods: Kerns, Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program
What People Are Saying About Navarre
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short
The bare-bones industrial space is coolly outfitted with polished cement floors, plywood tabletops and Nelson Bubble Lamps; the clientele is highbrow and hip. Standout dishes include a sinfully greasy terrine of ham, potato and cheese; a subtly spiced salad of baby French lentils and tender, diced beets and a succulent side of albacore tuna, baked with a sweet saute of fresh tomatoes and soft onions. Diners happily nosh on nibbles like chestnuts and pumpkin fritters.
User Reviews
angid
June 20, 2009
Ah, Navarre, how I really wanted to love you. The idea of CSA, the atmosphere, the wines. I really did want to fall in love. Our party of four allowed the kitchen to choose our meal for $28 each. What we received was such a sad disappointment. The dishes did not mesh well, there was no balance in the meal, and salt and vinegar were abused to the max as the primary seasoning. We kept glancing around to see if anyone else was having such a painful dining experience. Bok choy, salad with lamb, buffalo steak, beans: salty! Farro, bird, lentils, potatoes: bland. Crab cakes and halibut: good, but not exceedingly great. Kens' artisan bread was the best thing on our table, perhaps we should have just bought a loaf down the street? We walked away with salt burn in our mouths, laughing at how you can't just believe the hype surrounding some restaurants. Perhaps it was an off day, but for the price and wait we expected to at least have something palatable.
read full reviewKGraves
June 18, 2009
Darn -- what a dissapointment! Given Navarre's recent nomination of the "Restaurant of the Year" we were super excited to give it a try. From the moment we sat down, the service was a disaster. We had to harass our waitress to order beverages and get some help with understanding the menu. We sat down at 7:30 and our food was not served until 9pm. No one came and checked in with us during the extended delay to ask if we needed anything (more wine, perhaps?) or how we were doing. We ate quickly (we were starved!) and were eager to try the red velvet cake. After waiting 30 minutes fo the dessert menu, we finally had to flag down our "no sense-of-urgency" waitress to ask for a dessert menu. The chef was extremely complimentary and offered us some amazing cheese and sweet vermouth, but once he left, we were in a desert of non-existant service once again. We finally got our dessert, ate it promptly and were ready for home (it's now 10pm). When it came time to pay, our waitress left and we sat waiting, once again, for almost 30 minutes. We finally had to trouble the waitress at the bar who was sending text messages as we were the only table in the entire restaurant waiting to pay. Although the ambiance was fun, and the food was decent, because we were left to fend for ourselves the majority of the evening, we will not return to Navarre. It's simply too much work.
read full review
Anonymous
January 11, 2009
I love this restaurant. It is small and cozy, you can see right into the kitchen and they will gladly choose a delicious wine for you if you ask. The best part is the casualness in the way you order, a little sheet which you can check off various small or large plates of food. The meat options change regularly so if you check pork you will always get something tasty and new. A great place for a date, order a lot of small plates and you won't be disappointed.
read full reviewThe Details on Navarre
What to Drink:
The wine list is sophisticated and every selection is available by the glass, quarter carafe, half carafe or bottle.
Know Before You Go:
Desserts are actually drinks paired with tiny tastes of chocolate, cookie or cheese. You're simply supposed to know that Beaume de Venice and Banyuls come in a glass.
Look Good:
It's like ordering sushi: On the chit, check the dishes you want. If you're still hungry, request another and repeat the process. Dishes are small and cheap, so experiment.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Romantic Dining, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
No
