Saturday, December 29, 2007

Portland: Jake's Famous Crawfish

Well, to start things off in Portland one has to talk about Jake's. Its the quintessential seafood house in the old-school style. The food is classic seafood with some new twists, always fresh and well prepared. No surprises here, just good food. The service is excellent [ask for Carla or Tony in the dining room] and the place works like a well oiled machine most of the time. The grilled steel head is amazing and there is always a good selection of oysters. On a cold night the etouffee is perfect. The bar is just what you'd expect: loud, good drinks and usually very active with the full menu from the dining room or bar food available. Bobby and Bert and two of the best bartenders in Portland [or anywhere] and are quick to make you feel welcome and at home. The is the place to send visitors to the city for a real "Portland experience". I highly recommend it!

Jake's is the mothership of the McCormick and Schmick's chain around the country, trying to clone the success and ambiance of the original Jake's. I've eaten at several of these clones with varying success, mostly the food is only adequate and the service fair. Seems like the corporate mentality got in the way during the cloning process; too bad, it was a good idea.

EatHereOrNot? EAT HERE

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