Gabriel Rucker is a Portland original whose ideas have crackled into something electric. Working off-the-cuff in his own world of complex flavor combinations, Rucker is possessed by meat, French bistro cooking, and old-school American—sometimes all in the same dish. Meat rules the ever-changing list—foie gras, pigeon, and pig parts galore are frequent guests. But salads can also be brilliant, and the French-focused wine list is deep, smart, and personal. The voltage extends to the softly lit, Parisian side street atmosphere, with communal tables and great energy. Le Pigeon embodies Portland’s rise on the national scene in a single, sharply focused snapshot.