10/07/09

Incredible Dining Experience

by reganhughes

We found this delightful cafe on a recent trip to Portland, and were blown away by the food & service. What a charming restaurant! The atmosphere was intimate without being pretentious... we were privy to a young boy's birthday party, while enjoying one of the best meals we have ever had. Our 11 year old son had, arguably, the best burger & fries he has ever eaten. The burger meat was hormone-free (this really makes a difference in the taste & texture of the meat) & it was grilled to perfection, while the hand-cut fries were the best any of us had ever eaten before. Our son is always on the look-out for the "best burger", & this one just topped his list! Prior to the main course, I had an arugula & green apple salad with candied walnuts & bleu cheese, while my husband had a ceasar salad. For the main course, my husband & I enjoyed a shared entry of pasta primavera in a garlic cream sauce... which the chef graciously separated into 2 serving bowls. This was served with freshly baked french bread. All food items were absolutely delicious! We followed dinner with the peanut butter pie. It was unbelieveably good. I have to admit, I over-ate a bit because the food was so amazing. While the food & the atmosphere were nearly perfect ( I cannot find a single flaw in either), the waitstaff was even more so.... they made us feel like welcome guests in their home. Any request that we made, was met with cheerful enthusiasm. We felt so lucky to have discovered this wonderful restaurant, it made for a magical evening. We will visit Alameda Cafe again & again, whenever we visit Portland.

• Pros: Food, service, ambiance, waitstaff
• Cons: None!

12/10/08

A mainstay cafe

by lottafun

This little neighborhood gem has been around for many years. We have married, raised our children and moved two times and we still continue to support this great cafe. The food and service have especially improved over the past several months. We absolutely love the breakfast they offer daily and are really happy to find out that their original meatloaf has returned to the dinner menu.

If you are seeking a clean and pleasant atmosphere with decent prices and delicious food then go to the Alameda!

• Pros: Super nice help and something to offer for everyone
• Cons: Tough to park at times

11/29/08

Don't Do It!

by ffiore

Don't be lured in by the fact that you can get a table here with very little wait. There's a good reason for that- this was one of the worst breakfasts I have ever had. This place has never been my favorite, but it has gotten unbearable. The signature James Beard french toast tasted like it was either made for another party two hours ago and sat under a heat lamp, or used three day old bread. It was nearly impossible to chew.

Bacon and eggs were ridiculously greasy, as though they had some extra canola oil poured on after cooking. Even my son's waffle was stale and icky. When a 4 year old chooses not to finish a waffle drowned in syrup, you have a problem.

Coffee was subpar, service was slow and not very friendly. Never, EVER going back, no matter how long the wait is at any other breakfast place in town.

• Pros: There's usually no wait- but that right there tells you something.
• Cons: Food, service, overall experience. Worst breakfast I have had in Portland, including area Denny's and the like.