More than 120 restaurants are game for this year’s Portland Dining Month: a three-course, $29 meal, offering bargains at some of the priciest steakhouses and modernist stages in town. The best Dining Month deals do more than just cobble together existing, low-priced dishes, shrink the portions, or tack a cookie onto the end to qualify as “multi-course.” Instead, they get creative—using lesser-known cuts and fresh techniques. Beet salads and vanilla panna cotta? Not so much. Beef tongue Spam musubi with cucumber and Chinese hot mustard? Yes, please. Check out our best bets for the month of March. 

Ataula

First course: Pulpo (Spanish octopus) carpaccio, olive, pistachio, sun-dried tomatoes, pimiento and parmesan

Second course: Chorizo-dog with Spanish Chistorra chorizo, smoked honey mustard

Third course: Vegetable rossejat with toasted noodles, mushrooms and seasonal vegetables in a Romesco sauce

Aviary

First course (choose one): Silken tofu, butternut squash, Asian pear, Treviso radicchio, hot bean paste and pomegranate in a nori vinaigrette or steamed manila clams with sherry, guanciale, sugar snap peas and coriander

Second course (choose one): Lamb two ways with roasted leg and hoisin-glazed belly, taro tots, scallion and water chestnut gremolata or pan-seared Tasmanian sea trout yuzu with fennel, tamarind and savoy cabbage

Third course (choose one): Chocolate hazelnut cake with espresso ice cream and passion fruit or coconut tapioca with mango sorbet and caramel cremeux

Biwa

First course: Sampler dish of Dashi ricotta dip (Carl's house-made ricotta with Senbei), Tsukemono (a selection of handmade pickles), Saba nanbanzuke (classic fried and marinated mackerel), Goma-ae (miso-sesame cauliflower), Inarizushi (marinated tofu skin) and the day’s choice of the best fresh and local sashimi

Second course: Sampler dish of daikon salad with umeboshi and ikura, Buta no Kakuni (braised pork belly) and kimchi hot pot (seafood and kimchi soup)

Third course: Handmade roasted green tea ice cream

Bluehour

First course: Roasted beet terrine of goat cheese, trout roe, pea tendrils and saba

Second course: Braised Muscovy duck leg with chestnut dumplings, charred leeks, shallots and a red wine jus

Third course: “Choco taco” of Fernet and chocolate ice cream, anise pizzelle cookie, valrhona chocolate and hazelnuts

Chesa

First course (choose one): Huerta: farm greens, sunchokes, radishes, compressed pineapple, house ricotta, and a piquillo vinaigrette or Remolacha: Josper-roasted beets, wine infused pears, yogurt, goat cheese and dijon cream with puffed quinoa and a citrus vinaigrette

Second course (choose one): Bravas: Fried potatoes with milk aioli and brava sauce or Nuestra Croqueta: porcini croquettes with a porcini aioli

Third course (choose one): Butifarra: Dad's recipe for pork sausage, made by Chef Higgins, or garbanzo stew with piparra-shallot picada

Clyde Common

First course: Pancit Bihon: Filipino stir fry-style noodle dish with an assortment of vegetables and chicken

Second course: Pork Adobo: soy- and vinegar-braised pork shoulder with jasmine rice, fried egg and roasted broccoli

Third course: Mamon: sponge cake with marshmallow fluff, Pandan ice cream and Grana Padano

Departure

First course (choose one): Roasted cauliflower and snow peas with grilled onion, charred lemongrass and chilies or Chicken Tom Kha soup with mushroom, galangal and makrut lime

Second course (choose one): Shrimp and long bean prik khing curry or Szechuan beef noodles with shiitake, chili and scallion

Third course (choose one): Frozen citrus mousse with kumquat, calamansi and almond or Coconut ash chocolate cake with passionfruit and coconut caramel ice cream

Feisty Lamb

First course: Grass fed lamb belly char siu on an orange sesame garlic pancake with pickled organic vegetables

Second course: Smoked grass fed lamb bobotie, topped with turmeric egg custard and melon mint chutney

Third course: Gelato with mustard caramel, black lava sea salted cookie dough and a hot pretzel blond brownie 

Laurelhurst Market

First course: Caesar salad with romaine leaves, charred radicchio and Grana Padano

Second course: Shepherd's pie with a twelve hour braised beef, roasted winter vegetables and mashed potatoes

Third course: Honey-vanilla panna cotta with roasted pineapple and coconut shortbread cookies

Little Bird

First course (choose one): Shredded kale salad with toasted sesame seeds, pecan vinaigrette and buttermilk blue or Potato gnocchi with pickled apple, parmesan vinaigrette, and marcona almonds

Second course (choose one): Cedar plank cod with heirloom carrot puree, fried salsify, bread and butter jalepeños, and a crab cake or Grilled lamb terrine with chickpea stew, nicoise olives, citrus with a harissa vinaigrette

Third course (choose one): Dulce de leche panna cotta with a chocolate crumb, candied ginger and pinapple granité or Ice cream and sorbet duo served with a shortbread cookie 

Olympia Provisions NW

First course (choose one): Groundwork organics lettuces with a fines herbes vinaigrette or Salami consommé with fermented cucumber and mustard oil

Second course (choose one): Grilled sausages with broccoli rabe, new potato and sweet onion mustard or Oregon bay shrimp risotto with oyster mushroom, yams, sour cream and tarragon

Third course (choose one): Tapioca pudding with spiced pear butter and hazelnut praline or Cinnamon beignets with warm dipping chocolate

Superbite

First course (choose one): Salmon crudo with hibiscus ponzu, pickled jalapeño and shiso or Grilled shiitake with miso porcini marshmallow and sauternes glaze or Dungeness crab with celery root tortilla, sesame mayo, orange and tobiko or Beef tongue Spam musubi with cucumber and Chinese hot mustard

Second Course: Chicken fried quail with a citrus salad, vadouvan, shallot and turmeric yogurt and Barbecue beef short ribs with Ecuadorian potato pancake, Vermont cheddar and mizuna

Third Course: Pineapple orange sorbet with a prosecco float 

Taylor Railworks

First Course (choose one): Warm squid with citrus shiso, mint and chilies or Citrus salad with whipped goat cheese, Marcona almonds, aleppo pepper, shiso and mint

Second Course (choose one): Goat cheese gnocchi, sesame, gochujang and fermented radish or Ricotta tortellini with spicy chicken broth, butter and parmesan

Third Course (choose one): Arbequina olive oil cake with Meyer lemon marmalade and crème fraiche or Buttermilk panna cotta with poppy seed shortbread and satsuma confit 

Tusk

First Course: Mezze: a selection of a small seasonal salads, olives, pickles, hummus and house made flatbread

Second Course (choose one): Pork shoulder braised with greens, cumin, aleppo pepper and sumac or Chickpea and hominy stew with garlic, parsley, yogurt and frizzled onions

Third Course: Semolina, apricot and orange blossom layer cake 

Xico

First course: Jicama salad with cucumbers, oranges, toasted sesame seeds and a tequila honey dressing

Second course: Pork posole: rich, hearty pork and hominy stew, served with house ground, non-GMO corn tostada and topped with crema, queso fresco, cabbage, radish and chili powder

Third course: Lime trifle cake layered with coconut custard, whipped cream and toasted coconut