OX Restaurant

Reviews 3

ZO

Zorin Dobson

After a two and a half hour wait on a Friday night, we finally made it into Ox. We got the text message and hurried over to be seated. What I love about this place is despite the fact that it is an Argentinian themed steakhouse, it is vegetarian friendly and the aroma of the place isnt dominated by that of cooked beef. At the suggestion of our server, I decided to go with the La Yapa to drink, and let me tell you it was probably one of the best drinks Ive had in quite sometime. It is a well-balanced drink that catered to my love of whiskey, while being sweet and approachable. You also have a nice bit of lemon to finish off your palate. First thing was a complimentary squash soup. From there I knew this was bound to be an incredible meal. It was a rich and creamy soup that wasnt too heavy that it would weigh you down from the impending meal. Combine that with the bread that they serve with a bit of a chimichuri sauce and it was fantastic. Ive made soups out of squash before and it still boggles my mind how they achieved a texture that smooth. For an appetizer I went with the croquetas of duck rillettes. I felt a bit of trepidation about passing over the recommended Clam Chowder, but being that I was going to be in San Francisco soon and eating clam chowder out of a sourdough bread bowl, I decided to go for something different. I must say I couldnt have made a better choice. It was the perfect balance of texture, perfectly tender meat that is so smooth that it melts in your mouth and a nice crisp exterior. It was also well complemented by the celery root and pomegranate. I swear that I could also live in the lemon aioli. For the entrée, I couldnt pass up on my favorite cut of steak, my beloved ribeye. The steak was so tender and juicy and from a value standpoint it was one of the best I have ever tasted. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare with just the right amount of carmelization. Absolutely sublime. As a side dish I went with the mushrooms and the potatoes. The potatoes were the perfect counterpoint to the steak because they had a tasty horseradish aioli. I still have a the vivid and fond memory of taking a bit of steak and dragging it through the aioli to get the perfect bite of steak and potatoes. Rich beef, alongside crisp potatoes and a bit of spice from the aioli. At the suggestion of probably one of the best waitresses ever, I packed the remaining portion of food to go. I was about to toss the bread until she suggested that the bread was the perfect size to make a steak sandwich with my leftover steak. I didnt plan it that way, but she was right as it did make for great leftovers. I couldnt come to a place this great and not try the dessert though. Even though I was much too full, we had to go ahead and share the torte. The honey chamomile ice cream was the perfect knockout punch. Along with that crisp honeycomb candy that was a great topping for the soft rich and buttery cake. On all levels, Ox didnt just meet my expectations but blew them out of the water. I still cant believe a bill for two people was only $160 with tip, I expected it to be so much more.

PE

Pechluck Laskey

Ox Restaurant wants to celebrate the meat loving appetites that Portland has and combines it with Argentinean execution technique and the fact that the meats in South America are also quite celebrated (see any churrascaria, and also that famed Argentina beef raised on grass on the pampas since the 1800s and are considered as some of the best in the world) Dont mistake Ox for a typical Portland restaurant though- Oxs prices are a bit spendy but is typical in terms of as you would see from a steakhouse, so if you keep that in mind you wont have sticker shock. If this was any other large city, these prices and the wait would be expected. But still, at these prices, despite the buzz of this restaurant, I wish they could move to a reservation system that is not just big groups, even if for only part of the space- maybe they need time to figure it out. I cant imagine that as time passes at these prices, that guests would continue to be ok with a long wait with little considerations. Even though Whey was a good start its pretty small space best left at two dozen people or less, and given Portlands long dark rainy days and not many other options for waiting/getting the call in the area, patience will wear thin. Ox has the benefit of also being very Portland-y in vibe and in unique and bold combinations in what they offer on the menu to demonstrate that Ox has a viewpoint that is worth trying and supporting, and they are definitely up and comers. I observed the Dentons that night working the evening with determination to execute well and consistently do so, and did so in an organized manner while also being hands on and in the trenches with the rest of their staff. You can tell this is their dream come true and they are passionate and willing to about making this work. Combining the fine dining style they had helped lead at Metrovino while still having a modernist, forward style instead of a traditional steak menu and enhancing with the earthy core of grill cooking and bold South American flavors is a great idea given all the amazing quality of meats available here. I think Ox will still be hopping for quite a while. Im sure there will be another wait before I can actually be seated to dine thanks to the buzz- good thing there were still a few drinks on the menu at Whey that I want to try. Really the best seats in the house are really at the countertop bar by the fire anyway- just wear layers so you can shed them as needed as you feel that radiant heat and become perfumed by that smoky wood.

KA

Katie Schneider

ZOMG, you guys. Ox was great on multiple levels. A) the service. If youve been around, you know that service in Portland can be lackluster, even if the food is awesome. The service at Ox was superb. We were coming off of an elimination diet (where you get rid of all kinds of things from your diet for a while, and then test things back in to see if youre sensitive to them) and were in the testing phase, so had all sorts of weird dietary restrictions that we werent used to. We almost felt bad about going out, but it was our one-year anniversary AND Id just gotten my dream job, so decided to go for it. Not only was our waiter funny and engaging (but not TOO funny and engaging--you know theres a fine line!!), but he wasnt intrusive, had great advice, and he and the waitstaff were willing to work with us and our stupid restrictions. B) the food. Seriously, awesome. Granted, were both carnivores (AND its an Argentinian-influenced restaurant, so you have to), so went for the MEAT. It was very good--I had the pork chop, my husband had the lamb shoulder. We were both very happy with what we ordered and yet both had food envy of what the other had!! The cheese plate was to die for--all sorts of cheeses, sauces, jams, nuts, each of which was a flavor sensation on its own, let alone with the various cheeses. C) Location--we live in close-in NE, so it was nice to have a great restaurant so close. The atmosphere was classy, but not stuffy. We sat in the atrium-type area--a covered porch kind of thing in the back. The only possible detraction is something we didnt experience. Wed heard the lines were insane (friends had said that theyd showed up to an hour and a half + wait), and theres no reservations unless you have a large party). So we went early (5:30) on a Thursday, and got seated right away. by the time we left, there were crowds outside. So yes. Ox = awesome, and were looking for any excuse to go again, especially since were off that @(*#&$()*& diet now... ;)