Skip to main contentPortland's PBR-fueled attitude be damned: Who doesn't want to inhale the intoxicating see-and-be-seen feeling that is the ultra-hip hot spot Saucebox? But underneath those white vinyl chairs, beyond the colorful superhero art mural and the glass-encased, lab-looking cabinet with its slick array of home-infused vodka is what Saucebox is really known for: artful pan-Asian cuisine. And now that its founding chef, Chris Israel, is back at the helm, we can expect fewer of the uneven dishes of late from the kitchen and more of the careful craftsmanship that this restaurant was originally heralded for. That said, Saucebox still delivers on its mainstays—Israel's signature Javanese roasted salmon still teems with spicy soy and hot pepper, retaining its crown as the ultimate in scenester dining. (LS)
WWeek 2015