Image: Brooke Bass

Perched above Cellar Door's coffee shop in the cozy second story of a former Southeast Portland house lies Fenrir, a newcomer to Portland's small-plates dining scene. Inspired by the flavors of modern Scandinavian cuisine, the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, and a yearning for balance in the world of food and consumption, Fenrir aims to offer a casual environment for your pairing pleasure.

The space, filled with rich wood tones, mix and match glasses and silverware, and custom hand-thrown plates and bowls, feels light and airy—even more so when fresh breezes spill through the dining room's white curtain-lined windows on a warm Portland evening.

The trio behind Fenrir, comprised of Ian Wilson (chef), John James Dudek (front of house), and Tyler Hauptman (sommelier and bartender), began their journey in November with a series of pop-up dinners in the 40-seat space. Five months later, they opened their doors for good and began creating the clean flavors that are now found on the eatery's food and cocktail menu. Despite the limitations of the historic building’s teensy kitchen, Wilson and sous chef Andre Duby have created a diverse, seasonally-inspired menu that combines old-world technique with local ingredients and flair.

The cocktails, which are also frequently inspired by ingredients coming out of the back of the house, are often a team effort throughout the conceptualization, creation, and implementation process. We had the trio give us some suggestions for food and drink pairings coming out of the small but mighty kitchen—click through the slide show above to get inspired.

Fenrir
2005 SE 11th Ave
530-400-7883
Wed-Sat: 5 pm-1am
Sun: 11 am-3 pm