05/25/09

Pompous is apparently the new talented

by timmymcnutt

I went with a rather large group of ten to Carafe just this past week as a way to get to know a few of my significant other's friends as well as to get out and have a good time. However, what came of our meal was a text book definition of everything hate-worthy in the restaurant business.

Four people from our party showed up to fill the reservation, entering through the front doors. The rest of our party, apparently upsetting no one but the wait staff, entered through a side patio, a younger girl glaring our way as we walked in to join our friends (if this is apparently a problem, as I've seen it show up in reviews below, why not hang up a sign on the patio rather than kicking up a snotty attitude like a group of twelve year olds girls?)

It quickly became apparent that the young age range of our group (18-22) was going to handicap us on service as our server, a young man who didn't have the cordiality to tell us his name, generally ignored us and was completely condescending to our party when he actually spoke our way.

Over the course of the almost three hours that we were at the restaurant (what wouldn't have been a bad duration if most of that time wasn't spent waiting for food to arrive), our server continued to generally ignore and dismiss us, telling one of my foodmates curtly, "it's in season," in answer to his extremely light hearted joke about the overabundance of fresh rhubarb on the menu. Honestly, though, the amount of rhubarb on the menu was ridiculous. They seem to have just hotwired their usual recipes to include rhubarb instead of cherries, huckleberries or any other remotely sweet element.

When our appetizers finally did arrive, my pate was tender and sweet, served with a bitter side of rhubarb and a negligibly small amount of walnut "toast" that was more cracker than anything else. The escargo that my date ordered was slightly rubbery, but I have to admit that the garlic parsley butter was delicious.

As for our actual meals, I've lost such passion reliving this experience that I just have to list:

Rare hanger steak with bernaise and pommes frites: Practically raw meat. I'm not complaining, but somewhat surprised at just how rare it was. Pomme frites were trying as hard as they could not to be french fries, not crispy and overseasoned.

Duck confit with rhubarb sauce: The skin was inconsistent throughout, the meat was tender, the seasonal rhubarb sauce was very out of place.

Cucumber soup: As you would expect, it was cool and refreshing, but lacking in originality.

Andoullie special: Was there sausage in this meal?

To top things off, the two of us that ordered the three course meals, never received their desserts, the group deciding to leave instead of put up with any more of the place.

Seriously, Carafe: If you read this, stop admiring your own culinary narcissism long enough to make something worthwhile out of the great ingredients you bring into your establishment. I beg you, rip down whatever arrogant agism or large-group hatred you conferred onto my associates and me. And most of all, realize there's a line between local, in season food and inserting rhubarb into 50 percent of your dishes. That line is not thin and it is not blurry, and if you pay attention to it, you may be around next Spring.

• Pros: quality ingredients
• Cons: everything else

03/16/09

Fabulous Meal!

by jdi88

Our dinner club ate here on Saturday night and it was absolutely fabulous. From the moment we arrived at the bar and were served our drinks from the great staff to the service in the restaurant.

The chef's special pork dish with pork cooked three ways was fantastic. i think i had the best meal at the table! My friends might argue with me though. We appreciated the waiter's suggestions which were perfect and we had a great evening talking and relaxing. Just like a European meal--no rush!

We will be back again with our friends from France and when the weather is nicer so we can imagine we are on the streets of Paris again enjoying the bistros, watching the trafic go by.

• Pros: Just like Paris!
• Cons: The dreary weather didn't let us enjoy the outdoor seating!

03/02/09

Amazing Happy Hour

by JAB1026

I've been to Carafe no less than 10 times, all for dinner or happy hour, and have always had a good experience with the staff and the food. It's unpretentious-- burgers, frites, croque monsieurs, mussels, and hangar steaks. For a casual place, service comes at the right time, and I have been allowed to proceed at my own pace (thank goodness- I dislike when the bill comes before I'm done eating!) Happy hour has great deals and you can get an amazing amount of tasty food and drinks for a very reasonable price.

11/18/08

FANTASTIC!

by txasnative

I've eaten at Carafe on several occassions but lunch recently was truly outstanding. I had a simple salad to start and a superb black cod for my entree. Everything was magnificently prepared and absolutely scrumptious! The service was attentive and friendly. Can't wait to go back!

• Pros: GREAT food, friendly staff
• Cons: inconvenient bathroom/a bit noisy

10/19/08

Horrible in everyway

by Concerned008

Do not eat here!!!!. This restaurant is a joke. They do not answer their phones till 4:15 on Saturdays so you have no way to make reservations on the same day that you would like to eat. My wife and I left them a message asking if their was any seating and they never called us back to say they were full. They instead let us drive all the way into downtown to be told that we were out of luck. I do not know if this is a sick game or if they are just rude, but either way I would tell everyone I know to never eat here. Furthermore I saw one very angry customer while I was there when they told her the restroom is in the building they are connected to and that they only have one key. I guess if you have to use the facilities you just have to wait, since they do not have their own bathroom.

• Cons: They make it almost impossbile to a reservation.

10/06/08

The place for a snack before the Opera and dinner afterward

by mowens95

My wife and I attended La Traviata at the Zeller Auditorium last Friday night, and we dined at Carafe both before and afterward. We have eatten at Carafe numerous times the past 4 years, and we have always found the food and service to be excellent (my wife is a professionally trained chef, and we dine out often). We arrived at the restaurant, prior to the show, without reservations, and we were quickly seated. We told our server we would be attending the opera that evening, and that we were looking to have a small bite before the show. Our server suggested a couple of dishes, and my wife and I shared the tureen of rabbit- it was tasty; served with a small dish of tomato relish that was a perfect compliment to the rabbit. We set a reservation for after the show before we left the restaurant, and once again upon our return, we were promptly seated. The menu after the opera was a limited offering of classic Bistro fare, and my wife and I each dined on the steak frites. The food was perfectly prepared, and the wine we chose to have with our meal was the perfect compliment. Speaking of wine, their wine list is one of the reasons we dine at Carafe. They offer a solid selection of great wines, from around the world, at great prices, as well as select higher end wines, should you desire something that is a step up. Upon completing our after opera meal, we booked dinner reservation for 4 a few weeks in advance of a visit from friends coming from Minneapolis. Our friends have only been to Portland once before, and we look forward to sharing one of our favorite Portland places with them!

09/07/08

Customer Service Abysmally Rude

by FrequentPDXDiner

was attending Phantom Of the Opera with a young friend from Peru. I asked the parking attendant at the lot adjacent to Carafe where we could grab some tea or coffee pre-show. He recommended Carafe and we went in throught their open patio and sat at an empty table. For maybe 10 min the wait staff ignored us until I had to flag down someone who might have been a manager. She told me we were probably being ignored because we didn't "Wait to be seated." I apologized for our oversight, telling her we didn't realize we'd come into the restuarant the "wrong way." She said she'd find a server for us. The woman at the hostess desk came over and told us that if we were attending the show there would be no time for us to have a meal. I told her that all we wanted was a beverage. She walked away and I asked her for a menu. With an attitude of extreme ire, she grabbed a menu and slammed in on our table and huffed off. I flagged down a male staff member to ask him if he was our server. He said he was the bus boy but when I described the hostess's behaviour he said he'd serve us our tea. He did so and we were humbly grateful! A waitress named Cheryl came over to complete the serviice, and she also had a very rude manner about her. I asked her what we had done wrong in order to incense the staff so much. She told us that most people know to come into the front door of a restuarant, then she snitted off. Over all, the entire experience ruined an evening and caused my Latin American friend to feel that perhaps somehow his skin color was objectionable.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Customer Service

06/30/08

Disappointing

by aymazing

Friends visiting from out of town chose Carafe based on proximity to the Keller and the reviews online, but I found out meal rather disappointing. The "specials" menu was handwritten and photocopied, then stuck into the existing menus--very unprofessional. The 3 of us ordered the salmon, porkchop, and vegetable sandwich. The salmon portion was tiny, though my friend seemed to enjoy. The vegetable sandwich came out covered in cheese (my friend has to eat it with a knife & fork) and minimal vegetables--not was she was looking for in a "healthy" choice. My pork chop was under-cooked and overly fatty, though the sauce & flavor was excellent--I would have liked to been able to eat more. The accompanying mashed potatoes (with bacon, snap peas, and fava beans) were completely bland. It tasted like no seasoning at all had been added. Our dessert ("petit fours" and profiteroles) were deeply uninspiring. Rather than traditional petit fours, we received a plate of boring cookies that could have come from Costco. The profiteroles also tasted like baseic frozen cream puffs. Service started out pleasant, but as the pre-show rush kicked in, our waitress disappeared, and we ended up being served by other staff (including the hostess). The only really positive thing about the experience was the generous 1/4 L of merlot. Otherwise, the evening was a resounding failure. I would not recommend Carafe, nor would I return.

• Pros: Proximity to the Keller
• Cons: Everything else

06/19/08

Great Burgers - Attitude Needs Adjustment

by lucky1pdx

I took a group of friends here based on reviews at CS. I'd like to say that the hostess and the kitchen staff were very friendly. The decor is closer to a diner than any bistro (in Paris or otherwise) that I've been to. The bathroom was in the parking garage. I'd like to mention that I'm skinny and don't like huge portions so when I think a portion is tiny, it's extreme. The food was very expensive. I'm told the burgers were great. My veggie sandwhich was tasty but lacking in veggies. My side salad was tiny and boring. My friend got the cheese plate. It truly was laughable. She had a few tiny, refrigerator-cold pieces of toast, a tiny piece of brie and a tiny chunk of parmesan cheese. We're talking teeny tiny. Each chunk was about 1.5" by .40" (yes inches) at best. Who wants to munch on parmesan anyway? I complained and the waiter responded that "Cheese is expensive." Excuse me? I persisted that this was not satisfactory so he comped my friend a dessert but with the high prices, the too tiny portions and the attitude with customers I won't be back.

• Pros: Good Burgers, Validated Parking, Good Location & Outside Dining
• Cons: Expensive, Waiter with Attitude, Poor Decor and Bathroom in Parking Garage

06/02/08

A Hamburger to die for...

by vinobella

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner this last Saturday. I use to frequent Carafe during lunch for several years when I worked downtown. Service and food has always exceeded my expectations. My very favorite dish is their unbelievable hamburger (medium rare w/camembert) and french fries accompanied by their homemade mayo. Life is not complete without one of their hamburgers. The dinner and/or lunch is a great value as their wine list is not outragiously expensive, like other establishments, and the quality is exceptional. The chef should be proud of his work of art. Well done.

• Pros: food/service/value/ambience - hmmm - everything
• Cons: hmmmmm - nothing