New on Resy: Mae, Beast, Magna

Mae doesn’t feel like a restaurant as much as it does a family home: with close-knit tables and well-worn wooden furnishings, this Southern Appalachian gem—hidden behind fried chicken favorite Yonder—is as cozy as they get. And that’s because the Mae in question is none other than chef Maya Lovelace’s North Carolina grandmother, the woman who taught her how to bake biscuits and fry chicken at a young age. The result: delicious childhood nostalgia, imbued with cheffy strokes and local produce. This is definitely not your grandmother’s cooking, but it’s delivered with as much love and care as if it were.

A quintessential Portland restaurant, Beast is Naomi Pomeroy’s nose-to-tail, ultra-seasonal ode to the Pacific Northwest. The James Beard Award-winner—Pomeroy won Best Chef: Northwest in 2014—gathers diners at communal tables for a boisterous, carnivorous prix fixe that changes every two weeks (drop by on Tuesdays for a vegetarian option, when a four-course menu is available). Pomeroy is a master, and will keep you on your toes with artful plating, flavor-packed dishes, and a refreshing take on the markets’ best. Simply glimpse at last week’s highlights: walnut-marinated mussels, leek and ricotta pappardelle, and cider-glazed quail roulade.

Welcome to Portland’s best Filipino restaurant. Magna is chef Carlo Lamagna’s dive into the very essence of his family’s homeland, bringing time-honed favorites and revamped classic to the Southeast. Amid a plush dining room—color-coded to the country’s flag—heapings of belly-warming fare crowd the tables, and are tucked into with abandon: pancit (rice noodles) is laced with chicken skin chicharrón, velvety bistek is slathered with bone marrow, and kare-kare, a saucy bowl of oxtail and tripe braised in peanut butter, is a balm for the soul. This is cooking done with heart and pride, and it shows.

Portland’s latest farm-to-table hotspot is a steakhouse. Well, more of a “reverse steakhouse,” as chef Garrett Benedict puts it, where vegetables harvested at their peak steal the spotlight, and proteins play a supporting role. That’s right, G-Love’s carnivorous options come as sides, with pork shoulder and hanger steak reduced to their absolute essences. As for the greens, from the local Olde Moon Farm, they’re simply astounding. Benedict trained at some of the country’s top kitchens (most notably, Michelin-starred Al’s Place in San Francisco), so get ready to rethink everything from baby lettuces to carrots.

This is not the kind of restaurant you’ll want to visit alone. No, Toro Bravo is at its best with a full-sized party: this Spanish establishment deals in some of the city’s top tapas, where an endless array of flavor-packed bites begs for wide sampling. So, squad up, lean against the sangria-red walls, and build yourself a shareable feast from the pinchos, tapas, charcutería, and racíones on hand (chef John Gorham of Tasty n Daughters and M.E.C. knows what he’s doing)—we’re huge fans of the pepper gratin and harissa-stewed butternut squash.

When you’re close to the bountiful waters of the Pacific, you’re bound to have a fishy love affair. Enter Nimblefish, a stellar Hawthorne sushi counter where the fish glistens like precious stones. Standing behind the counter are sushi vets Cody Auger and Dwight Rosendahl, who expertly knife and mold slivers of fish—flown straight from Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market—into ethereal nigiri and hand rolls. For a full range of their masterful chops, indulge in the $90 omakase, where a carnival of bite-sized wonders will knock you out of your seat.

There’s a lot Southern expats long for. Good fried chicken. Warm hospitality. A classic Meat and Three. Thankfully, Maya Lovelace’s Yonder has all three. The acclaimed chef hones in on that most Southern staple—the shatteringly crispy bird—at this bright and airy Northeast locale, and serves it three ways: dusted in a signature dry-spice blend, dipped in a zesty North Carolina-inspired sauce, and blazing hot, fired with spicy lard. Pile on the bacon-braised collard greens, flaky biscuits, and grilled pimento cheese. Yonder doesn’t cut corners, and will soon have you under its buttery spell.

This Israeli stunner in SE Portland, from the same restaurant group behind the tapas at Toro Bravo, is a sunny neighborhood spot where groups gather around family-style plates. Picture the best market goods, amped up with the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, and you’ll get a sense of what’s to come: pillowy house-made pita, creamy hummus, braised lamb, bubbling shakshuka, juicy chicken kebab, and fork-tender Israeli lamb carnitas. Shalom y’all, indeed.

Casual, elegant, and with a swanky sheen, Irving Street Kitchen is decked out in lustered woods and swinging chandeliers. This Pearl District eatery cooks to the tune of the seasons, currently with a heavy lean on saucy meats that are guaranteed to cure the winter blues. We’re talking pork and veal meatballs in peppercorn jus, braised pig’s head plantainer tots, chorizo and squid ink risotto, and pan-roasted duck breast with a mushroom madeira glaze.

This is one tavern to behold. Southland Whiskey Kitchen is all reclaimed barn wood, exposed brick walls, and custom steel chandeliers, with a daily happy hour. And though the whiskey cabinet is dizzying—over 100 varieties, from the Pacific Northwest to Japan—the simple, made-from-scratch food is the draw. Expect house-smoked meats, wood-fired steaks, and Southern favorites (andouille gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp po’ boy), served on metal trays and classic diner plates.

There’s a bona fide trattoria tucked away in the Pearl District. We’re talking about Gallo Nero, an under-the-radar gem, where Florentine chef Davide Filippini whisks diners on a tour of his native cuisine. Start with the ribollita (a traditional vegetable stew), lose yourself in a delectable bowl of pici (hand-rolled pasta sautéed with pancetta and pecorino) and size up the filetto alla Chiantigiana (beef tenderloin cooked in rosemary, garlic, and wine). This is an antipasti-primi-secondi kind of place, which means you can’t leave without dolci: the torta della nonna is a good place to start.

Looking for a dining experience you can feel good about? Look no further than this Old Town lunch counter. Stone Soup is on a mission to help its community, providing dignity and career opportunities to people at risk of homelessness through food service. All meals are dictated by the market, with lunch calling for curried squash soup, turkey confit sandwiches, and pork terrine bánh mì (with steamed buns replacing the crackly baguette). Drop by Thursdays for happy hour, 5 to 8pm – these libations aren’t going to drink themselves.

Verdigris is a bit of a chameleon. Most of the week, French fare executed to the nines awaits, as pommes frites, duck confit ragoût, and chocolate soufflé parade one after another (a three-course prix fixe reigns supreme, though an à la carte menu is also available). But visit on Mondays, and this intimate haven switches to Italian, with a four-course menu where cavatelli Bolognese and potato gnocchi make guest appearances. And then, there’s brunch, with Verdigris upping the game by delivering duck fat-fried hash, ricotta and lemon pancakes, and its signature 60-minute eggs.

This Beaverton lakeside restaurant is the kind of place a neighborhood relies on. Seasonally- and locally-driven, Cafe Murrayhill is an all-day, elegant take on crowd-pleasing fare. Come in the morning for the Dungeness crab benedict, stroll in for the grilled steelhead sandwich in the afternoon, and tuck into the steak tips Cabernet at night. This is one spot that never disappoints, with craft cocktails and by-the-glass wines to boot.

Dining with a view never gets old, and should you find yourself near Lake Oswego, head to this charming eatery. With its floor-to-ceiling windows and balcony patio, Five Spice Seafood has the sights, but also the menu to match. You’re in for farmers’ market goods with a dash of Asian spice, from Thai crab cakes (dipped in sweet chili mango sauce) and spicy kung pao cauliflower to black sesame panna cotta.