Best Restaurants: On the Verge

Four Intriguing Portland Restaurants Opening Soon

From lavish Russian tea service to pakora-fried chicken, these spots should light up our winter.

By Kelly Clarke, Karen Brooks, and Ramona DeNies October 10, 2016 Published in the November 2016 issue of Portland Monthly

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Headwaters and Heathman Tea Court Lounge

Image: John Valls

Headwaters and Heathman Tea Court Lounge

Local legends Vitaly and Kimberly Paley (Paley’s Place, Imperial) aim to return the Heathman Hotel’s venerable restaurant and bar to their former glory. Expect a local-seafood-focused menu and raw bar as well as a lavish Russian tea service inspired by Paley’s pop-up DaNet—think towers of traditional pierogi, Kiev tortes, and fragrant black tea served in heirloom samovars. “We’re excited to take over such a grande dame of Portland,” says Vitaly Paley. “I can’t wait to make it sing again.” 1001 SW Broadway, portland.heathmanhotel.com
Scheduled opening: Headwaters, October; Tea Court, November 

Nomad.PDX V.2

Modernist upstarts Ryan Fox and Ali Matteis—two of PoMo’s Rising Stars in 2015—hope to rewrite the rulebook on immersive dining in a new brick-and-mortar. The blueprint calls for three distinct experiences and spaces: the Atrium (10-course meals); the Kitchen (elaborate feasts served right inside the high-tech kitchen); and the Bar (a hidden speakeasy-cum-snackery). 575 NE 24th Ave, nomadpdx.com
Scheduled opening: November  

Tiffin Asha

One of Portland’s most addictive dishes has flown under the radar at a playful, detail-oriented Southern Indian cart: pakora-fried chicken tucked in giant, crispy dosa pancakes alongside sharp pickles and cardamom-infused honey. Now, as Portland’s fried chicken frenzy reaches full pitch, it’s getting a legit stage: a new storefront in a blossoming Northeast restaurant district. The game plan calls for dinner hours, weekend brunch, and beer and wine to match flavors (and inspirations) from India’s Andhra Pradesh region. 1670 NE Killingsworth St, tiffinasha.com
Scheduled opening: Late 2016  

Danwei Canting

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Danwei Canting

Image: Ryan Flood

In China, “have you eaten?” substitutes as “hello.” That’s something businessman James Kyle misses from his decade-plus living in Beijing, along with dishes from across the People’s Republic: charcoal-grilled, cumin-infused lamb skewers from Uyghur-dominated Xinjiang, Sichuan la zi ji (wok-crisped chicken with whole chiles), and Shanghai red-braised hong shao rou. Last year, Kyle enlisted former Clarklewis and Bluehour executive chef Kyo Koo to create a fast-casual concept (dishes top out at $11) that will seat 49 in its industrial space neighboring Rum Club and the Slammer. 811 SE Stark St, danweicanting.com
Scheduled opening: November  

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