Restaurant Guide 2009

It’s fun to pretend to be European for a night. Few places in Portland give you as much opportunity for continental fantasy as Nate Tilden and Matt Piacentini’s stylish hangout in the Ace Hotel building, where any night you’re more than likely to see a local celebrity downing a cocktail or two. The long communal tables and even longer wait (at peak hours) only add to the ambience. The food stacks up as well, with a menu that constantly shifts to reflect the seasons. On a recent visit, highlights included the flat-iron steak, beautifully presented on whole lettuce wedge and surrounded by indelible, rich smoked grape tomatoes and crumbly Cabrales cheese. Clyde Common picks and chooses from the best European traditions, but this is one mutt you can always trust.
Order this: Tagliarini; anything with meat in it.
Best deal: French fries served with harissa and crème fraîche for only $5.
I’ll pass: The dessert board, which is just too much food to stomach.