Restaurant Guide 2006

By Miriam Wolf

Every city needs a restaurant where diners can order up big bowls of mussels, good, affordable bottles of wine and mounds of chocolate mousse, imagining all the while that they're sitting in a neighborhood bistro in the heart of Paris. Le Bouchon is Portland's wormhole to the Left Bank. With French posters, mismatched plates, French-speaking staff and a (slightly boring) beige-on-beige d�cor scheme, the atmosphere is tr�s Gallic. Whether you're tucked cozily into the banquettes on a rainy night or taking in the sun at the outdoor tables, Le Bouchon is the perfect place to dig into those aforementioned dreamy mussels, swimming in a briny, onion-and-herb infused liquid. Follow that with a succulent plate of duck confit, rich and tender without a touch of gaminess. Bonuses include a wine selection chosen to enhance the authentic French menu and a bill that you somehow expect to be higher based on how satisfied you are.

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