L'Echelle excels at fine French fare and swanky vibes
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L'Echelle, one of Portland's buzziest restaurants, functions best as a neighborhood bistro with refined fare. Photo: Kale Williams/Axios
Am I late to the party? L'Echelle, named one of the best new restaurants last year and known locally as late chef Naomi Pomery's legacy establishment, continues to draw devoted diners and emulates a quaint neighborhood bistro.
The big picture: Heralded by Pomeroy's longtime collaborators and close friends, restaurateur Luke Dirks and chef Mika Paredes, L'Echelle isn't flashy, but it is refined — focusing on elevating French classics with subtle twists, warm service and an intimate, swanky ambiance.
Catch up quick: The idea for L'Echelle formed out of a summer dinner party series Pomeroy held in her Southeast Portland home's backyard garden and after conversations with Dirks about what Portland was missing.
- After Pomeroy's tragic death, the team initially launched the concept as a pop-up while renovating the nearby former Woodsman Tavern location. It opened properly last May.
Zoom in: Nearly a year in, not a lot has changed. The menu, which was once conservative, has expanded to include more small plates and seafood.
- Its previous "no reservations" ethos has thankfully been amended, after opening buzz led to lines around the block, but still allows for walk-ins.
Best bites: While I have to agree with previous reviewers that some entree offerings lack a certain je ne sais quoi (the maitake gnocchi was particularly disappointing, dry and oily), the execution on staples like the onion soup, œufs, vichy carrots, shrimp cocktail and duck leg confit was spot on.
- The menu follows the lines of classic French bistro fare — chicken liver mousse, frisée Lyonnaise, steak au poivre — but each dish is elevated by rotating seasonal accents.
- Be prepared to spend a pretty penny. The atmosphere, with low, twinkling lights, marble tabletops and exposed brick, however, gives it a sense of occasion to justify the splurge.
If you go: L'Echelle (4537 SE Division St.) is open Wednesday through Sunday at 5pm.