Aja Pacific Kitchen

03/23/06

Great place!

by crazyfinn at Citysearch

Their happy hour is great! Service is good, it's not loud so you can actually hear your friends. I love this place even though not everything on the menu is my favorite, but then how many like EVERYTHING? The scallop cigars are ingenious and one of my favorite appetizers anywhere. For larger parties, call to get the "big table" in a separate (ish) room at no additional charge.

03/04/06

Good Food, Great Happy Hour

by bjn122 at Citysearch

Consistently great food, highly recommend the soups. The happy hour goes until 7 and includes some of the better appetizers a la carte. Atmosphere is very warm and welcoming while still being quietly classy. The service is great, very friendly and accomodating. Never sat there, but they have a more private area for larger groups, too. All in all, a great place to have a romantic dinner or just relax after work.

• Pros: quiet, happy hour

02/17/06

Monthly Dinner Group

by mikebarbmar2595 at Citysearch

Our monthly dinner group had dinner at Aja Pacific Kitchen on 2/18/06. It was one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had. All agreed that food was excellent with nice presentations. Of 6 diners, we ordered 5 different menu items; not one person was disappointed. The Scallop Cigars was a unique, fantastic appetizer--I could have made a meal out of them. The lemon grass ice cream was a light, refreshing dessert. The services was excellent and substitutions from the printed menu was not a problem.

• Pros: excellent food, friendly service

10/24/05

What more do you want?

by pbrbaby at Citysearch

I would recommend the first-time visitor to consider going with at least three other people so you can sample the appetizer menu. Standouts include the Duck Martini, Scallop Cigars, Porcuppine Shrimp (filo dough, NOT coconut) and Smoked Ota Tofu (possibly one of the BEST things I've ever put in my mouth).

I can't say enough about the quality of ingredients and care with which the food was prepared - and the smoked Ota Tofu was RAVED about by all members of our party.

One negative thing - there is no reason to marinade a good cut of steak... lay off the marinade and SEASON the meat instead. That being said, it was still really good.

Entree standouts include the cioppino, pork loin, Ota tofu, cedar planked salmon, Grandma Thayer's meatloaf... all very reasonably priced. The most expensive thing on the menu is about $17, with appetizers in the $4-8 range.

• Pros: FLAVOR / creativity, Excellent Portions, Price / Value
• Cons: limited beer list, limited wine list

07/02/05

Best New Restaurant in a very long time

by alwaysseeking at Citysearch

If, like me, you are not a food critic, you simply gauge restaurants on the deliciousness of the food, the mix of choices, the service and how hard the whole experience hits your wallet. Pacific Kitchen is the best new restaurant to open in Portland in a very long time.

Once a month for several years now, I go out with a group of six friends. Three usually want seafood, two meat, and one vegetarian. Consequently, some of us usually wish we went somewhere else. Not this time. We all left very impressed. And, we'll all be back.

06/14/05

Excellent service; interesting food

by DinahDavis at Citysearch

The service was great. We never wanted for anything, at any time. The food was interesting; usually very tasty. We opted for sampling a few of the "small" plates, and found all of them intriguing. The scallop cigars were lovely, and the kolbe beef skewers succulent. The pocupine shrimp resembled nothing so much a shredded wheat pillows stuffed with grilled shrimp. While the appearance made us laugh, it tasted great.

I recommended that the bar carry more than just the "pearl" variety of Momokawa sake, as I find it much too sweet to go with food.

Well worth a visit.

• Pros: Great service, intriguing food, good value
• Cons: mediocre desserts, noisy atmosphere

06/13/05

Yahoo - a great restaurant

by sksk12us at Citysearch

Finally, a place to go where you are not left thinking "I could have made this at home - and better!" The food is delicious and the service was friendly and efficient, with none of the deadly "cooler than thou" attitude that passes for customer service in Portland. We had the scallop cigars and porcupine shrimp with a ginger cake for dessert. It came with what looked and tasted like home made ginger ice-cream and was wonderful. Please try it and tell all your friends - I want this place to stay open!!!

• Pros: food, service

06/10/05

I turn to Aja...

by aflwr4u at Citysearch

Whenever I am asked to recommend a restaurant here in Portland...I turn to Aja. The creativity and consistancy of the menu has repeatedly treated my tatebuds like royalty. And the affordability does the same for my wallet. FINALLY! A restaurant in Portland where the food is consistantly good. The daily specials are yummy and creative. And the staff treats you like family. For any occasion...breakfast (on weekends) lunch, or dinner I turn to Aja.

• Pros: fantastic food, fun location, affordable dining

06/09/05

Great food /Great Value

by walkingman at Citysearch

We have been to Aja eight times now and we LOVE the food. My wife and kids are veggie and there is always something they like. I had the fresh halibut special and it was perfectly cooked. Also every dessert has been really good. And i never leave feeling ripped -off.

05/09/05

Great food I will be back again and again

by stephensynda at Citysearch

The food was fantastic. The prices are unbelievably low. I have now been there for breakfast, lunch and dinner and all three meals were great. The donuts at breakfast were the best. Whenever I am close by at meal time I plan to stop in. I have even traveled from Troutdale just for the donuts.

• Pros: Great food, Inexpensive, Lots of food