Veritable Quandary

06/16/2008 Posted by PortlandWineChick2

Great atmosphere - creative food. Friendly staff. The most lush and relaxing, garden-like patio in Portland. Burgers - great, Duck Confit Crepes - awesome! Service is always phenomenal - they don't hire amateurs here and why should they - they are a landmark restaurant. Had a really great cheese plate, server could have known a bit more about the cheeses, but overall a great presentation. Everyone from the bus boys to the hostess were super friendly and professional. Drink menu is creative; White Sangria is pretty good. Great wine list! Fair priced and a HUGE pour! Sometimes the late night menu ends a bit earlier than it should - but I'm sure they want to get rid of the drunks since they are a late night establishment and not nourish all the intoxicated people of Portland!

Pros: Location, ambiance, serivice, decor, patio, food wine and drink list

Cons: Nothing!

02/11/2008 Posted by a8llison

We allowed an hour and a half for dinner but still didn't have enough time to pre-order the special chocolate souffle. How disappointing! Our server was extremely slow (10 minutes with menus closed before we could place an order for appetizers - why wasn't this mentioned when drinks were brought?) Never gave us her name. We had to constantly search for her. Waited 20 minutes between appetizer and dinner (which blew our pre-order time for dessert - takes 30 minutes). She said there was no back up in the kitchen so we had to wonder if she just put the order in late? Now, the food was incredible. I would take fresh, tasty and inspired food over quick service any day. I wouldn't recommend eating here is you have a show to go to or some other time-based engagement.

Pros: Inspired food

Cons: Really awful service

10/29/2007 Posted by gromitpdx

Hot tea, great service and great food in a beautiful place! I'm not sure why other reviewers ordered dishes covered in cheese or eggplant covered in a salty sauce and then complained of the dishes coming as they were described on the menu. My family had a lovely experience, we enjoyed the low but not too dark lighting, and the service was excellent. I have food allergies (nothing in the grape or coconut world) and our waiter was polite and quick about checking with the kitchen to see if the pork dish was safe. They left the sauce off and it was delicious! They serve a variety of Numi teas, and the tea came hot, stayed hot, and they brought me more hot water. This is the first non-Japanese restaurant in Portland where I can say this. I love the layout of the place, too. It's clearly grown and expanded in an organic fashion which I find more comfortable than a planned mall look. Lastly, this is a fine dining experience. Bring your wallet with you. If you have questions about the menu, ask! That's what the quality staff are there for, and they *actually* have answers for you or know where to get them.

Pros: Parking garage across the street if you drive, ambience, not too noisy

Cons: I miss the days of padded chairs and tables to quiet a restaurant.

10/07/2007 Posted by norcal1

A very blah experience. The service was okay, certainly not the best. The food was what really let the side down. It just wasn't that good and everything (apart from dessert which we decided to skip) was covered in Parmesan cheese. When we asked for more bread we were given a plate of end crusts not a slice of bread in sight! Yes, the wine list was extensive but surprisingly there wasn't a single bottle of rose apart from a pink sparkling wine. Terrible ambiance and even worse lighting.

09/05/2007 Posted by volyrat

Ate at the bar: Had tomato mozzarella eggplant stack as appetizer. It was a great concept, very well presented, but waaayyyy too much salt in both the eggplant and in the pesto. Arctic Char for dinner - presentation was great, again, too much salt. Is the chef a smoker? In my experience, chefs that smoke tend to add too much salt to their recipes. Service was very good / above average. I ate at the bar and the staff was very attentive, recommended good wine pairings for dinner.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

08/30/2007 Posted by nudnik

overpriced, attitude of bartenders, yuppie sc** customers, no WAY~~!!!! would NEVER go there again!

07/25/2007 Posted by 1_taytay

This place is definitely becoming a Portland institution, whether for happy hour or a nice dinner, I've never been disappointed.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/22/2007 Posted by elky

As a Portland native, I appreciate this restaurant for growing more beautiful and interesting every year. I sat in the garden this morning for the "King's Choice," a hearty brunch of bacon, eggs, potato cake, and the best french toast I've ever had, surrounded by roses, hollyhocks, anenomes, fucias and the most incredible hanging begonia baskets. This is a place that has evolved into what it is, and so escapes that empty and predictable feeling of carefully designed and marketed business plans. It is very special, and that is why I come back so often, whether for dinner, appetizers and drinks in the bar with friends, or a family brunch like this morning. The continual emphasis on very fresh, very flavorful seasonal produce and seafood is great--I always leave feeling full but with great whole foods--and the burger is sometimes inescapable (the best flavor!). Thank you to the VQ for so many great times!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

07/19/2007 Posted by stellaluca

This is my first message, but wanted to share my experience with others. Took my family ( a party of eight ), and they seated us in their wine cellar, a separate dining room. It was a great space for all ages, even two year olds. My children appreciate great food and we were not disappointed. The appetizers were unique and tasty as were the entrees. The service was exceptional and look forward to another family gathering there. I would rate the Veritable Quandry as the finest restaurant in Portland.

Pros: Wonderful food. Great service.

Cons: none

07/13/2007 Posted by ripcity

Gonna keep it short... Great wine list, even better food, best outdoor patio area in the city!! I also love how the menu constantly changes. Their is always something different to try. See you soon VQ. IT'S A PORTLAND STAPLE- NOW THAT'S A FACT!!