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With the doors of L’Échelle barely open a day, one of the local social media sycophants declared this long-awaited French bistro from owner and general manager Luke Dirks and executive chef Mika Paredes “Portland’s best new restaurant!” The Instagrammer went on to smother dish after dish with superlative sauce. Influencers’ love of hyperbole is well established, but it was still a bit much, especially after only a single first-night visit.
L’Échelle was supposed to be culinary star Naomi Pomeroy’s next restaurant venture following the smashing success of Beast, then Ripe Cooperative. She and Dirks were going to open in the former Woodsman Tavern space. A series of sold-out garden party dinners built excitement for the main event. Then, on July 13, 2024, Pomeroy died tragically in an inner-tubing accident on the Willamette River. She was 49. Portland’s extended restaurant community grieved.
Dirks put the restaurant project briefly on hold, but moved forward with the outdoor pop-up series in mid-August with the approval of Pomeroy’s family. The name L’Échelle (“ladder” in French) and brick-and-mortar plans were made public, too.
It was not all smooth sailing from then on, either. At some point, Pomeroy’s handpicked executive chef for the eventual L’Échelle job was dismissed. Then, the search for a new executive chef dragged on until the announcement that Paredes, Pomeroy’s longtime compatriot and partner in the Cornet Custard venture next door to L’Échelle, would step into the role.
Even for the Portland food industry, this was a whole lot to digest. So, I’m honestly unsure how much of the excitement for L’Échelle’s end of May opening was a spontaneous surge of emotion that had been building for a year versus the typical social media-whipped, public relations hype that surrounds any high-profile opening.
In either case, L’Échelle’s opening days saw long lines and long waits to get a table. Its initial “no reservations” policy surely exacerbated the situation. While it might seem an opening-week frenzy would be every owner’s dream, in truth, it is a mixed blessing. On weekend one, L’Échelle announced it had run out of food midway through Saturday service and decided to stay closed on Sunday. Not a good look.
Stumbles aside, Dirks and Paredes have deep experience in the industry, so if there was any fear or trepidation, Dirks did not let on when I cornered him a week or two later to inquire. He told me only that all had been going well, though “a few adjustments” needed to be made.
After two weeks, the lines had dwindled enough for a quick recon visit shortly before closing at 10 pm on a Sunday. I followed up a few nights later with a late nosh at the bar. There was no wait at 8:30 pm, and Dirks said that reservations would be going live soon. That happened in early July, so I snagged a 5 pm booking and stopped in again for a meal in the dining room.
Here are my early (so, changeable) impressions of L’Échelle:
The space is attractive: A combination of white and blue paint, light and dark woods, and some brick, with retro-style art deco hanging light fixtures casting a subdued glow. South-facing storefront windows pull in maximum evening light. Tables are not jammed together, so it is possible to carry on a private conversation with your dining partner. Make no mistake, it is loud with background music and 50-plus diners chatting away, but not earsplitting unless you happen to be seated next to one of the large tables in the dining room with patrons neglecting to use their inside voices.
The service seems experienced and enthusiastic. At the bar and in the dining room, I was well tended by friendly, knowledgeable and efficient servers. Dirks was around each time, too, constantly checking in with diners, floor workers, and the kitchen.
Initially, the menu was very short and conservative. But recent changes and additions are a step in the right direction. If there is a plan for further expansion of the menu, all the better.
The dishes I have ordered were praiseworthy, and the prices should please frugal patrons. All the small plates and sides, and even a couple of seafood offerings, were priced under $20. A quenelle of chicken liver mousse ($14) was luxuriously smooth and bursting with flavor; the classic lyonnaise salad ($16) was amply sized with properly poached egg on top of curly frisée harboring lardons and croutons; and the pork sausage “crépinette” ($18), ground pork formed into a plump patty, then wrapped in caul fat before cooking, was succulent, moderately seasoned, and accompanied by spring vegetables in broth. Two other dishes from my most recent visit were notable: Leeks vinaigrette ($15) were a pitch-perfect summer appetizer, tender and tart, and Parisienne gnocchi ($21) were a study in lightness, both the pasta and cloud of creamy whipped celeriac on which they were perched. The only question mark in the bunch was the frites ($12), half-inch-cut steak fries from Kennebec potatoes, which had great crunch at each meal, but desiccated interiors on the first try. I am favoring the uptrend.
To the question, is L’Échelle really the best new restaurant in town, how about we pump the brakes a bit and retire the irrational exuberance? Let’s just say that, out of the gate, L’Échelle is a compelling choice with a chance to become one of Portland’s new bright lights. Only time will tell, but by all means, check it out for yourself.
EAT: L’Échelle, 4537 SE Division St., lechellepdx.com. 5–10 pm Wednesday–Sunday.
