Here we are, living in southeast Portland, a city known for innovative dinning, and we can’t seem to get beyond SE Division Street when we go out to eat. Any why should we? Between our house and Division there is a plethora of fabulous restaurants offering an array of cuisines from around the world. By choosing to stay within our neighborhood we eliminate hundreds of great restaurant possibilities, but even within these restricted boundaries it is still difficult to make a dining decision .

A couple of years ago we stopped in at Taste Unique www.taseunique.com to pick up Italian to go. My husband Ty was raised on real Italian food and will not suffer inferior substitutes. Taste Unique is authentic home cooked Italian cuisine lovingly made by the Italian couple who owns the place.

It was one of those dark and dreary winter nights in Portland, the rain was slamming down faster than the windshield wipers could react. Two seconds out from under cover and you were drenched. We picked up our order and made a mad dash for the car, which was parked around the corner. On this same corner stood another restaurant that we had been eyeing for some time, Bar Avignon www.baravignon.com.  The interior looked cozy and warm and Ty suggested we go in and have a drink. There was only room at the bar, which was perfect. When you sit at the bar you don’t feel compelled to order a full dinner but have ample opportunity to really observe the place and how it operates. We ordered cocktails and, with the expert guidance of our server, appetizers. The experience was wonderful and since then this little gem of a place has turned into one of my favorite haunts.

Last night, when once again the rain was pouring over our fair city, we returned to this cozy sophisticated place and watched from our window seat as an episode of Portlandia unfolded before us. The place was full of dinners of all ages and backgrounds. Bicyclists came in stamping the wet from their clothes and dining without taking the time to remove their neon yellow and orange vests. The young couple next to us was out celebrating Friday night; she, trying to get her pregnant belly behind the table and requesting a’virgin’ cocktail. Hipsters and neighborhood regulars were welcomed by the staff and everyone looked satisfied after their brief or lengthy stay at this wonderful place.  The wine selection is broad based both in taste and value. Every dish is thoughtfully prepared with care given to even the smallest of details. The servers are knowledgeable and attentive without the obligatory, “Hi, I’m Brandon and I’ll be your server tonight”, which always irritates me. In short, it is a perfect place on a cold, dark, rainy night or, conversely, on a warm August night sitting at an outdoor table drinking a cold beer and enjoying this lively and animated neighborhood.

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