1859 Spring 2010

Dining
RingSide Steakhouse is a staple of classic dining in Portland. The ambience
recalls an era of grandeur with an emphasis on service.
Classic
When James Beard, the late culinary
genius and Portland native
declared a plate of onion rings the
best he’d ever tasted, the Ring-
Side Steakhouse kitchen was
duly flattered. Today unforgettable
onion rings make up only
a small part of the menu at this
celebrated Portland institution,
established in 1944. Most notably,
there is the revolving lineup
of award-winning steaks: from
filet Mignon to New York strip
and from rib-eye to porterhouse.
Carnivores with alternative tastes
can feast on Alaskan king crab
or fried chicken; vegetarians can
savor a bowl of sweet onion soup
with melted Gruyere cheese.
“The RingSide strives to remain
true the foundation of what the
place has been for more than
sixty years—great steaks and
impeccable service in a timeless
atmosphere,” says owner, Craig Peterson.
Visiting RingSide on Burnside Avenue indeed is to be transported
to a classy and sophisticated place where waiters in tuxedos take
your order. For Cyndi Palmer-Lewis, RingSide memories date
back to her high school homecoming in 1971. “Though I was very
nervous, I will always remember what a wonderful meal we had.”
Decades later, RingSide is still her favorite restaurant.
Portland’s eastsiders can now enjoy the RingSide Glendoveer
location on the golf course. Oenophiles will relish a wine list
that prompted Wine Spectator to name the restaurant “One of
the best restaurants in the world for wine lovers.” If it’s possible
to save room for dessert, the Oregon berry crisp and the chocolate
bread pudding will make it worth the effort.
Make your reservation now. As of May 13, the downtown location will
close for renovations through January 2011. During renovations, Ring-
Side will move to the Fox Tower Mezzanine, where RingSide's menu
and incomparable service will continue. (ringsidesteakhouse.com)
Runners Up
Since 1936, Pine Tavern Restaurant
(pinetavern.com), a Deschutes riverside
eatery in Bend with a 250-year-old
Ponderosa central to its dining room, has
served its famous scones with honey butter
and hearty meals. Summer dining on
the Pine Tavern’s riverfront lawn is a great
Oregon experience.
Historic train cars, a 1912 depot and a
menu with prime rib and seafood collide
at Oregon Electric Station (oesrestaurant.
com) in Eugene. Designed by the same
architect as Portland’s handsome Benson
Hotel, the Electric Station’s open Georgian
Revival architecture of the lounge area
contrasts with the intimacy of its classic
train car, bringing two dining experiences
together on the same track.
photo by Jon Tapper
46 1859 oregon's magazine spring 2010