I got a chance to take a look inside Woodford Food & Beverage(facebook, twitter, instagram) yesterday afternoon. As you can see they’re making good progress on framing out the space but there’s still a lot of work to do. Owner Birch Shambaugh is aiming to have the 85-seat neighborhood restaurant and bar open by the end of the year.
Shambaugh recently took a big step forward toward opening day with the hire of chef Courtney Loreg(linkedin, instagram) to lead the kitchen staff. Courtney was the sous chef at Fore Street (2001 – 2005) and at Bresca (2009 – 2011). She’s spent the last three years as part of the culinary team at Wente Vineyards in California. She has a wealth of experience and I’m looking to see how she translates that into the menu for Woodford.
The restaurant is located at 660 Forest Ave, the address of the original Valle’s Steakhouse.
What’s the concept?
T, the concept is to be a great neighborhood restaurant and bar.
Wonder how parkings going to work here. That corner is a nightmare. Can’t wait to check it out
I have been in love with this space for a while, and now that it’s turning into what sounds like a great place I am so excited! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for the enthusiasm; appreciated. We’ve also been entranced by this spot for years and, while there’s a good bit of ground yet to cover, safe to say that we’re awfully excited.
East End – your question is a good one. The corner can be a real beast and we’re certainly not trying to add to the snarl. We have some parking onsite & have arranged for overflow with an adjacent business. We’re confident the combination will support our needs.
Thanks for the reply! Can’t wait to visit.
I usually have vibes on new places and their locations and this one is tough. You’ve crossed into a territory where I don’t think crazy high price points would work so keeping it fairly simple might be best.
With the overflow of bayou and other portland eateries in general, you’d be nuts not to do Sunday brunch