Top Ten Live Tunes At Portland Restaurants
January 3, 2008 -- 
By Mary Putnam
Tired of twice weekly visits to your local gin joint for cheap suds? With the new year filling the night air with that certain je ne sais qoui, you're probably looking to get out there and soak up some razzle dazzle with your best girl or guy - and there's nothing better than shaking your flapper to some of Portland's best instrumentalists while taking in a world class meal, a cognac, maybe even a cigar, at some fancy club room (a triple ventilated lounge, of course). All the good things of the past come together, whether it be whiz-bang cabaret, hot swing, or cool Latin guitar, right here in this honey of a town.
Andina
At this rich and authentically decorated Peruvian restaurant in the Pearl, you are practically a part of the family - so even if you don't speak the lingo, the staff will politely explain the creations of the native Peruvian chefs. The adjoining Bar Mestizo offers another chance for you to become familiar with far-flung, exotic places through music seven nights a week. The revolving menu of artists features musical stylings from Japan and Puerto Rico to Brazil and of course, Peru. There's something for all moods: Festive? Try Sambafeat. Mellow? Check out Neftali Rivera or Toshi Onizuka. Sassy? The Pete Krebs Trio is the way to go.
Clyde's Prime Rib
Plush red velvet booths, sparkling chandeliers and a roaring fireplace - not to mention the city's longtime best prime rib carved tableside - harken back to a bygone era when dinner in itself was the night's showstopping event. Indeed, it's the live jazz, blues and R&B that elevates your dining experience to a memorable level. A rotating lineup takes the stage on Fridays and Saturdays before the legendary Ron Steen's Jazz Jam takes over every Sunday night at 8:30pm, a free sampling of some of the city's best jazz musicians.
El Gaucho
Todd Moore, El Gaucho's General Manager, said it best: "The musicians are absolutely complimentary to our atmosphere; soothing and gracious, they can be subtle and accentuate your experience, or they can be the focal point." The same five Latin guitarists - Mario, Toshi, Nat, Mariano and J.B. - have been alternating nightly for years and "have become part of the El Gaucho family." Also known for their cigar lounge and humidor, where ventilation system almost completely disguises any sign of smoke, and of course, steaks that are aged 28 days and service that is something of a nostalgic form of art. As Moore says, "Portland has a wealth of dining opportunities. You can get food anywhere, but you can't get service everywhere."
Heathman Restaurant
No password required for this "speakeasy." Just be there evenings later in the week (Wednesday - Saturday) for performers like Barbara Lusch, with her smooth, light voice revisiting songs from the '40s and '50s - while the much-decorated Chef Philippe Boulot revisits classic French cuisine with seasonal, regional ingredients on his world-class menu. Make a spontaneous stop on any weekend, and you'll be privileged to catch an earful of varied talent, everything from the big band cuts of Jessica Schultz to Portland jazz legends like Dan Balmer and Tom Grant. Perhaps the best part is listening to these retro-styled renditions in the plush 1920s setting of the Tea Court Lounge.
Tony Starlight's Supper Club
Take to this vintage corner on NE Sandy for happy hour drinks and eats and, starting at 8:00pm nightly (except Sundays), jazz. You'll have to live without the ambiance of a smoke-filled room here, but the trade off is that you'll be able to actually smell your Butternut Squash Ravioli. Belly up to the bar for an old-school cocktail; a place like this harkens back to the golden era when men were debonair and women were polished, when Louis Prima was the King of Swing and not a chicken dish with a clever name and linguine. For a nominal surcharge for the entertainment, all the stops are pulled out and Tony Starlight hosts a night full of glitz and roving spotlights, be it Pete Petersen's (17-piece) Big Band or A La Liberace. You'll be dancing the Charleston before you can say Tom Collins.
Wilf's Restaurant & Piano Bar
Do you ever wish for the romantic days of train travel, when couples blew kisses to each other on the platform through the engine steam? Then head to Wilf's, housed in Portland's old-fashioned train depot, Union Station. The fine dining cuisine fittingly highlights classic Northwest ingredients while jazz tunes drift over the room Wednesday - Saturday thanks to some of Portland most popular performers like Patrick Lamb and Sandy Dennison."
Additional Nodes: Someday Lounge, Jimmy Mak's, Tin Shed Garden Cafe, and EastBurn
By Mary PutnamTired of twice weekly visits to your local gin joint for cheap suds? With the new year filling the night air with that certain je ne sais qoui, you're probably looking to get out there and soak up some razzle dazzle with your best girl or guy - and there's nothing better than shaking your flapper to some of Portland's best instrumentalists while taking in a world class meal, a cognac, maybe even a cigar, at some fancy club room (a triple ventilated lounge, of course). All the good things of the past come together, whether it be whiz-bang cabaret, hot swing, or cool Latin guitar, right here in this honey of a town.
Andina
At this rich and authentically decorated Peruvian restaurant in the Pearl, you are practically a part of the family - so even if you don't speak the lingo, the staff will politely explain the creations of the native Peruvian chefs. The adjoining Bar Mestizo offers another chance for you to become familiar with far-flung, exotic places through music seven nights a week. The revolving menu of artists features musical stylings from Japan and Puerto Rico to Brazil and of course, Peru. There's something for all moods: Festive? Try Sambafeat. Mellow? Check out Neftali Rivera or Toshi Onizuka. Sassy? The Pete Krebs Trio is the way to go.
Clyde's Prime Rib
Plush red velvet booths, sparkling chandeliers and a roaring fireplace - not to mention the city's longtime best prime rib carved tableside - harken back to a bygone era when dinner in itself was the night's showstopping event. Indeed, it's the live jazz, blues and R&B that elevates your dining experience to a memorable level. A rotating lineup takes the stage on Fridays and Saturdays before the legendary Ron Steen's Jazz Jam takes over every Sunday night at 8:30pm, a free sampling of some of the city's best jazz musicians.
El Gaucho
Todd Moore, El Gaucho's General Manager, said it best: "The musicians are absolutely complimentary to our atmosphere; soothing and gracious, they can be subtle and accentuate your experience, or they can be the focal point." The same five Latin guitarists - Mario, Toshi, Nat, Mariano and J.B. - have been alternating nightly for years and "have become part of the El Gaucho family." Also known for their cigar lounge and humidor, where ventilation system almost completely disguises any sign of smoke, and of course, steaks that are aged 28 days and service that is something of a nostalgic form of art. As Moore says, "Portland has a wealth of dining opportunities. You can get food anywhere, but you can't get service everywhere."
Heathman Restaurant
No password required for this "speakeasy." Just be there evenings later in the week (Wednesday - Saturday) for performers like Barbara Lusch, with her smooth, light voice revisiting songs from the '40s and '50s - while the much-decorated Chef Philippe Boulot revisits classic French cuisine with seasonal, regional ingredients on his world-class menu. Make a spontaneous stop on any weekend, and you'll be privileged to catch an earful of varied talent, everything from the big band cuts of Jessica Schultz to Portland jazz legends like Dan Balmer and Tom Grant. Perhaps the best part is listening to these retro-styled renditions in the plush 1920s setting of the Tea Court Lounge.
Tony Starlight's Supper Club
Take to this vintage corner on NE Sandy for happy hour drinks and eats and, starting at 8:00pm nightly (except Sundays), jazz. You'll have to live without the ambiance of a smoke-filled room here, but the trade off is that you'll be able to actually smell your Butternut Squash Ravioli. Belly up to the bar for an old-school cocktail; a place like this harkens back to the golden era when men were debonair and women were polished, when Louis Prima was the King of Swing and not a chicken dish with a clever name and linguine. For a nominal surcharge for the entertainment, all the stops are pulled out and Tony Starlight hosts a night full of glitz and roving spotlights, be it Pete Petersen's (17-piece) Big Band or A La Liberace. You'll be dancing the Charleston before you can say Tom Collins.
Wilf's Restaurant & Piano Bar
Do you ever wish for the romantic days of train travel, when couples blew kisses to each other on the platform through the engine steam? Then head to Wilf's, housed in Portland's old-fashioned train depot, Union Station. The fine dining cuisine fittingly highlights classic Northwest ingredients while jazz tunes drift over the room Wednesday - Saturday thanks to some of Portland most popular performers like Patrick Lamb and Sandy Dennison."
Additional Nodes: Someday Lounge, Jimmy Mak's, Tin Shed Garden Cafe, and EastBurn
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