Salt Exchange Review

Portland Food Heads has published a review of The Salt Exchange.

I am not looking to paint a nightmarish picture of The Salt Exchange; there is clearly a lot of talent in the kitchen and the owners seem to have their hearts in the right places. What I’m trying to say is that there are two problems that will keep me from coming back until they are remedied. One is the service, as no one should ever have to wait an hour for their first, 3-bite course to arrive…The second issue is portion size. I am no stranger to “small plates,” “tapas” or whatever the hell you want to call them. The Salt Exchange just happens to take this concept a little too far…

Paciarino Review

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Paciarino.

Portions at Paciarino are large and filling, and the wine is reasonable. The place is rustic and it has heart. It seemed more like the magical Italy I imagined than the off-putting Milan I discovered. Confirming this impression, the dessert menu offered a “boccondivino,” literally “magical mouthful,” that was a sort of tiramisu made with a version of those crunchy almond cookies I remembered. Crunching them in the dim light of a candle’s flame, I regressed to childhood. They are a perfect way to celebrate your hosts’ escape from Milan.

Street & Co Review

Where is Jenner’s Mind has reviewed Street & Co.

when it came i was sort of disappointed that it was really just lobster, pasta, butter, and garlic. but once i dug in i realized that there was really nothing else this dish needed. the soft shelled lobster was split right down the middle which allows for removing all of the tender morsels of meat with ease. the juices of the lobster mingled into the garlicky butter to elevate each bite of pasta to so much more than just noodles and butter.

A Pair of El Rayo Reviews

Accidental Vegetables and Edible Obsessions have both published reviews of El Rayo.
According to Accidental Vegetables,

There’s been a lot of buzz around about our new restaurant, El Rayo. Rave reviews, excitement! Thrills!

Well, I can’t say I concur, unfortunately. Don’t get me wrong– it was fine. I liked the space, it’s nice that they have margaritas, and I ate some little fried potato things that were fairly tasty. But honestly, I thought it was a bit overpriced, and you get a lot better of a meal at Loco Pollo on Washington Ave.

And two visits Edible Obsessions had this to say,

Two visits in five days and I’m just not convinced. The portions seemed more generous on this visit than the last, but it just wasn’t any better. I tried in vain to find what a lot of people seemed to be enjoying but it just didn’t happen. Maybe I’ll go back again in a few months to see if the quality and consistency has finally caught up to the prices because it’s not there for me yet.

GRO Cafe Review

Diet for a Small City has reviewed GRO Cafe.

I like GRO Cafe. It’s a place where vegetarians are the rule rather than the exception. I don’t have to ask anything special to be made for me; I don’t have to ask if the soup contains chicken stock. GRO made me feel like my visit had been anticipated. I will be eating at GRO again—very soon.

Phoenix Reviews El Rayo

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of El Rayo.

The tacos come on a properly lumpy warm tortilla — good but not quite as good as Loco Pollo’s. The fish seemed fresh, and was enhanced by its modest seasoning, diced avocado, and crisp cabbage. The taco might have been a bit tangier, either through more vinegar in the slaw or the addition of a white sauce. A pork taco came with lots of crisp iceberg, which worked nicely with the fattiness of the meat.