[chefken]

I don't know if a thread with this topic has been done before - I can't recall, but I'm sure I'll hear about it if there has been.

Okay, this can be a taco truck or Higgins - doesn't have to be cheap but it has to be terrific for what you paid.

My nominees are:

Tanuki - Nothing even close. I'd say that Janice's food is among the best in Portland at any price. But at $25 for an omakase that is truly beyond belief, not only for how terrific it all is but for the quantity. I've literally had to tell her to stop on occasion. The first couple of times I spent $20, and felt so guilty at the emabarassment of riches I upped it to $25. It's easily worth twice that, and I'd pay it without complaint.

Tortilleria y Tienda de Leon - Everytime I go there I spend about $40, and it seems like a lot for Mexican take-out. Then I get home and unpack and find I've bought 3 quarts of various stews or braises, a quart of beans, a quart of rice, a few tamales or chile rellenos or pupusas or something, 3 large aqua frescas, several dozen freshly made tortillas, and a couple of pints of salsas. And it's all good for two very filling dinners for the 3 of us and another lunch for 2, with tortillas and salsa left over. And every bit of it is delicious.

[sacman]

I'm kind of thinking that "best meal for the money" and "at any price" are at odds with each other.

In the spirit on contribution, I'll put in my thoughts. Best meal for the money...probably Bombay Chaat House. Heaping mounds of good-quality food, super-fresh naan, and a cup of hot chai...FOR FIVE BUCKS. Great deal, and plenty of food for at least two meals.

Best meal at any price? Of the restaurants I've been to, Ned Ludd, K & Z, Beast, Cafe Nell, and Le Pigeon all vie for The Best Meals I've Had In Portland. And Sel Gris, too - hope that reopens soon!

-sacman

[chefken]

I don't think they're necessarily contradictory. For instance, another on my list is the kaiseki dinner at Murata - Last I checked it was $65 per person. It consists of 8 stunning courses of some of the most exquisite Japanese food imaginable. A steal, IMO, at that price. I've spent twice that elsewhere and had nowhere near the meal.

[ExtraMSG]

You mean best value? ie, the most pleasure per dollar?

If so, three possibilities are:

El Inka: fish ceviche and seco de cordero for less than $20, maybe add in a half chicken and keep it under $30, for a great meal.

Pho An: bun rieu and bun hoi dac biet for less than $20 will feed three no problem and be some of the best Vietnamese in the state.

Taste of Jakarta: a plate of nasi padang and nasi kuning with about six different items plus the rice is under $15 and as good as the best stuff I had on the streets of Java.


If you mean the best meal, price no object, then:

Nostrana: the huge porterhouse, an arugula pizza, and their great yogurt panna cotta. Plenty for two, probably $80.

Podnah's: the end cut of prime rib, a blue cheese salad, and a frito pie. It's enough I could share, but I won't. Around $30-$35.

Apizza Scholls: whatever I'd have to slip Brian to get the clams casino, as long as it wasn't slipping him the tongue. (Well, maybe even that.) Price: my self-respect and heterosexuality.

[sacman]

I think I see what you're saying - French Laundry is $250 per person, but the food is stunning beyond belief. Is that it?

I still stand by my answers, though. I never went to Lucier!

-sacman

[Laksa]

I think foodies tend to think the restaurants they like are good values. The best values are kind of a subset of that.

I'd nominate Taste Unique and Firehouse as places where value truly rules. The key to both might be that the menus tend to be small. Compare and contrast TU with Justa Pasta. Both are inexpensive and although JP has a bigger menu TU is better, I'd even say much better. And JP is no slouch at what it does.

[gal4giants]

ExtraMSG, on Mar 4 2010, 08:40 PM, said:

Apizza Scholls: whatever I'd have to slip Brian to get the clams casino, as long as it wasn't slipping him the tongue. (Well, maybe even that.) Price: my self-respect and heterosexuality.

I think Brian is making the clam pizza next monday and tuesday. He'll post something on FB and Twitter if he does.

[Anjoli]

Im going to second Ken on Tanuki omakase.

I have never been to Tanuki and had the omakase and not had to literally roll myself out of there.

Starting at $15, this is best dining experience Ive had in Portland. Personally, I find great value and pleasure in the mystery of omakase. I love not knowing what I will get next and I love the ability to try many little plates vs. one main dish. In addition to the food I find the ambiance of Tanuki the best deal as well. I really cant imagine another place where my friends and I can spend $15-30/each to eat scallop skewers, kimchi beef, and natto while watching a zombie family go about their business.

[BigDaddy]

Tanuki is the most amazing value I've had, ever. The painfully few times we've gone, we walk out totally stunned and feeling like we just did something wrong paying so little for so much high quality. The oysters with kimchee shave ice are perfect, simple yet a totally depraved pleasure.

On the amazing side of the scale, I find myself at Sabor Salvadoreno eating the pan relleno, stewed chicken mildly spiced served on a bollilo with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers for $4. One of those is a meal, but I can't stop there, we get a couple of pupusas for $2 each and a plate of platanos with beans, total bill for more than enough to feed two is $10. Add $2 for great house made horchata if you need to gild the lily.

[Joedo6]

I agree Tanuki is an obvious choice. The amount and quality of food I get from a $25 omakase just blows me away every time I go.

I actually don't think Toro Bravo is too far behind in terms of value. If you do the $25 chef's tasting menu and then maybe add one other item, you can get out of there for around $30-35/person and get to try 6 or 7 different plates, to say nothing of how great everything there obviously is.

[jennifer]

My 1st vote is Tanuki, for all the amazing reasons listed above, and because of my love for the hamachi that comes out of that kitchen at such an affordable price, I often get 2 orders for myself and refuse to share.

My 2nd vote is Taste Unique's preset dinners. They're not just doing them for pf.org now, they're also doing a bunch more for the general public. And the $20 - $25 per person charge is a ridiculous value for the incredible food they put out, not to mention the 4 or 5 courses that come with it. Unheard of.

Last, I'm not sure if this counts, but I have to give props to Chop's sandwiches for take-out. The Frog, for instance, is $6.95 and has two to three huge thick slabs of their country pate, lettuce, dijon, and I forget what else, on a Pearl Bakery baguette. It's a beautiful sandwich and a ridiculous value for the amount of pate that's on there. And better yet, the volume of this pate still balances with the other flavors on the sandwich. It's wonderful. Their other sandwiches, the Italian Meats, Porcetta and build-your-owns, are all made with the highest quality ingredients on Pearl breads or Grand Central's Campanolo (it's this fantastic sourdough wheat with a toothy crust, love it), and are as good as the other top sandwich shops in town but for $1 - $3 less. And they have parking.

[EvaB]

What Jennifer said about sandwiches at Chop! Very, very good and a real bargain especially since they come with a side of friendliness!

I was pretty happy recently eating Sampan clams and Seafood with Egg Tofu at Ocean City. I think that was about 20-25 dollars with warm sweet tofu for dessert (free/included in price of other items) and chrysanthemum tea.

[Angelhair]

You know, we've put together some amazing potlucks over the years. I mean, it's not eating out, but for the price of preparing one or two dishes (and having some talented friends) we make spectacular feasts! So my vote for best value goes to US!

[Joisey]

Nostrana's Happy Hour. 5 bucks for that pizza, seriously? My wife and I go there and you can roll us out of there for about 25 bucks including drinks.

[Laksa]

Reading the comments above after just having also read Michael Pollan's Food Rules I've got to say I'm struck by how naturally we equate the amount of food you get with value. Pollan's reminds us that the typically oversalted and fat-laden and gargantuan restaurant meal is generally an unhealthy indulgence.

We may need different criteria for value. I'm just sayin'.

[polloelastico]

Laksa, on Mar 6 2010, 07:42 PM, said:

Reading the comments above after just having also read Michael Pollan's Food Rules I've got to say I'm struck by how naturally we equate the amount of food you get with value. Pollan's reminds us that the typically oversalted and fat-laden and gargantuan restaurant meal is generally an unhealthy indulgence.

We may need different criteria for value. I'm just sayin'.

I don't know Laksa. Half the posts on this thread deal with praising the omakase at Tanuki, which I think (for the most part) squares succinctly with Pollan's idealized eating experience.

[Joedo6]

Laksa, on Mar 6 2010, 07:42 PM, said:

Reading the comments above after just having also read Michael Pollan's Food Rules I've got to say I'm struck by how naturally we equate the amount of food you get with value. Pollan's reminds us that the typically oversalted and fat-laden and gargantuan restaurant meal is generally an unhealthy indulgence.

We may need different criteria for value. I'm just sayin'.

Thanks for sharing.

[Dragondazd]

If you're talking value of food, quantity is going to be factored in along with quality. For example, the same meal at happy hour prices is going to be a better deal even if the quantity hasn't changed. Another example: I might pay 15 bucks for the flame infernale chocolate bar at cacao, but it's like an ENORMOUS truffle so it's worth way more to me than a candy bar. You don't have to stuff yourself to realize a good bargain, but could you have gotten a better deal? Did you get more than you thought you paid for? How much more? I want the best food I can get for the limited funds I have.

Tanuki
The Big Egg
Pyro Pizza
a number of mexican places

Happy hours:
Nostrana
Spints (at least when I've been)

[joeleatspdx]

Although I have been extremely underwhelmed since Chris Israel left, 23 Hoyt does have a pretty good happy hour.

Perhaps the best meal for the money I have had was at the Bubble Bar in Restaurant Guy Savoy in Vegas (did you say Portland only?). 4 Michelin quality small plates for $40.

[superdog]

Just had my Happy hour at Bastas:
410 Northwest 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97209-1104
(503) 274-1572

Had the seafood salad and Cappacio, both were plentyful and very flavorful and FRESH.
Got out of there with a Mahanttan for $21.00 with tip. Good quality food and large portion. I almost
couldn't finish. Highly recommended.

Cheers,
Ellen.