Review of Paley's Place in Portland, Oregon

I recently celebrated my anniversary with an incredible dinner at Paley's Place in Portland, Oregon (1204 NW 21st Avenue). This truly was one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life! Chef Vitaly Paley has a true passion for food and it shows! He uses only fresh, local ingredients to ensure his food is not only delicious, but also sustainable and good for the local economy.

We began dinner with a sampling of charcuterie and a half dozen oysters. Every bite was like a little piece of heaven. From the mouth watering sausages to the thinly sliced bits of prosciutto and tongue.

We continued our meal with a selection of three half size entrees. The restaurant allows half sized portions to allow patrons to sample a wider variety of the delectable choices! We sampled the steak tartare, sweetbreads, rabbit ravioli, and scallops.

The steak tartare was seasoned perfectly and was everything one could ever desire in the dish. It was served with delightfully crisp slices of baguette that added the perfect amount of crunch and texture to the dish.

Scallops are one of my personal favorite dishes and something I have eaten dozens of times at an array of fine restaurants. But the scallops at Paley's Place were truly some of the best, if not the best I have ever eaten. They seemed to melt in my mouth with a tenderness that only a master chef can create.

The real surprise of the evening though was the sweetbreads. This was a dish I had never worked up the courage to try before this meal. But after analyzing the menu and hearing the recommendations from our waitress I decided to give it a go. I took one bite and was instantly transported into culinary heaven! They had an amazing creamy texture that I had never experienced in any other food before and the flavor was so rich and intense it was almost overwhelming. It is not something I could eat all the time or eat large amounts of. But for a rare treat it immediately became one of my all time favorite dishes.

Overall my meal at Paley's Place was absolutely superb! The wait staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was a delight! I will be going back to this restaurant many times in the future!