Skip to main contentIt will surprise you, the crystalline glow from the bar, a beacon in the night in an incongruous part of town: the warehouses near the on-ramps of I-405. You enter Carlyle past a charming stand of bamboo. Turning left into the luminous bar, you see the backlit bottles and wall of glass expanding the small room into an illusionistic hall of mirrors that accounts for the radiant light.
This new restaurant is an exquisitely tailored space. Handsome panels of African mahogany burnished in dark cherry stain contribute to the somber effect barely broken by ceiling spotlights and drumlike hanging lamps. Quiet and sophisticated, Carlyle's two dining rooms and bar seem like a nice place for a late light supper or an after-event drink. Due to the restaurant's location, though, it's a bit of a shock when you leave and wander off into the shadowy, industrial night.
Owned by Bruce Goldberg, Carlyle serves what he calls "Northwest Bistro" cooking. Goldberg runs a local catering business; a quarter-century ago in L.A., as his press release has it, he "catered to the stars," and produced "events honoring" the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Nancy Reagan. Whether those credentials will make you feel confident at Carlyle might depend on your politics. Perhaps more reassuring is that chef Kajsa Dilger was an organic farmer and cheese maker in Santa Cruz, and a sous chef at the famed Zuni Cafe in San Francisco.
Carlyle is an uneven restaurant, and the difference between excellent and mediocre dishes is considerable. Why the same kitchen should turn out such polar extremes is puzzling.
The menu lists starters for both "small tastes" and "first plates," and two of the later are superb. Gnocchi with macerated tomatoes and fresh basil ($8) is state-of-the-art: The potato dumplings stuffed with ricotta are plump and light as Tiepolo clouds, the sauce spanking fresh, the gnocchi seemingly bathed in heirloomed ripeness. I cannot imagine a better version in Siena. A bowl of puck-sized ravioli filled with Walla Walla sweet onions and sprinkled with baby peas and cherry tomatoes ($8.50), then elevated with good Balsamico, looks as pretty as it tastes.
But these admirable starters raise expectations that reality cannot always satisfy. There's a trio of crunchy fritters of shrimp and corn ($7.50), an inventive combination, but the kitchen douses them in an overwhelming sauce of avocado and lime. A promising salad of marinated figs, roasted peppers and shaved fennel ($8.50) is nearly drowned in its vinaigrette. And one of the specials, baked oysters ($8.50), suffers from excess--smoked peppers and cornbread crumbs nearly mask the briny, saline goodness of the Pearl Points. On the other end of the spectrum, a lump of mushroom-and-hazelnut p‰té ($7) is something you'd find in a health-food store rather than in a fine restaurant.
Carlyle's grilled leg of lamb ($23) is absolutely terrific; your waiter will insist on serving it medium on the grounds that less cooking will cause it to fall apart. But resist, as medium rare is delicious. Splendid accompaniments come with the generous slab of tender meat--a handful of green beans beautifully al dente, and an inspired onion custard that's soft, creamy, and a wonderful contrast to the pungent lamb. The hanger steak ($18) is tasty, with a mountain of shoestring fries; however, the juice from the steak will quickly turn the fries soggy, so you'll want to transfer them to another plate immediately.
The roast chicken ($17) was tough and oversalted on a recent visit, served with just three tiny disks of fried potatoes, and again the juice inundated the frisee on the same plate. Pan-seared scallops ($22) are delectable--but serving them on bland mashed potatoes is quite silly, and the cardamom broth isn't integrated with the dish. A notable curiosity among the entrees is a salad with Southern-fried chicken strips ($10.50), a banal lunch dish--Col. Sanders meets McMesclun.
The best dessert I had was a subtle melon granita ($5), a dish served at Zuni, and here a pale pink shade beautifully appropriate for a warm summer evening. But as delicate as this simple refreshment is, nothing could be more of a gooey, regressive affair than the caramel and chocolate sundae for two ($7.50). A flourless, dense chocolate cake ($7) comes with a welcome, unexpected touch--espresso granita at its base, making for a startling contrast of textures and temperatures.
Carlyle has considerable promise, and one day the restaurant could rank with many of Portland's better places. But the kitchen needs to find its culinary equilibrium to keep diners from a roller coaster of pleasure and disappointment.
1632 NW Thurman St., 595-1782
11 am-3 pm Tuesday-Friday, 5:30-9:30 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30-10:30 pm Friday-Saturday. Brunch 9 am to 3 pm, Saturday-Sunday. Credit cards accepted. Children welcome but seldom seen. $$-$$$ Moderate-Expensive.
Picks: Gnocchi in macerated tomatoes, ravioli stuffed with Walla Walla onions, grilled leg of lamb, melon granita.
Nice touch: Quietly elegant bar for late-evening drinks
WWeek 2015