Skip to main contentLucere's name is the Latin verb "to shine," though chef Pascal Sauton's impeccable Parisian credentials make its French pronunciation (lu-sehr) more than fitting. And shine it does.
The mirrored walls of the former Esplanade reflect the sparkling Riverplace marina just beyond the restaurant's doors, while the dishes of Sauton and superb pastry chef Paul Lemieux glow. The rebirth and rechristening of the Esplanade gives one of Portland's culinary stars a solid venue in which to perform.
The physical remodel of the once-dowdy room is actually more modest than one might have wished. But more importantly, Sauton has placed his stamp on the cooking in just the right way, combining subtle innovation and technical skill with earthy, old-fashioned cooking. One of the dishes is called chicken "grand-mère" not merely to suggest simple farmhouse origins, but because its recipe comes from Sauton's own grandmother.
The restaurant's dishes are fundamentally simple, with no touch of flamboyance or egotism, yet each one reveals a well-conceived tribute to localism married to Sauton's culinary heritage. Mussels are a staple of Portland menus, but how often do we see the classic Norman version of moules ˆ la crème ($7)? These bivalves are brilliantly fresh; tingly crème fraîche swirled into the bracing stock awakens their flavors, while specks of thyme and shallots impart a lively, almost peppery taste.
Sauton's signature appetizer is a creation called halibut "leaves," ($8.50) a delicate broth with jade-green asparagus sliced on the bias, local truffles and thin sections of halibut, all swimming in a springtime celebration of Oregon's riches.
Normally I would leave quiche to the ladies who lunch, but Sauton's appetizer ($6.50) is frothy as a cumulus cloud. His version is pungent with leeks, and gruyère cheese lends just enough nutty bite to turn this otherwise banal item into a newly discovered treat. A salad of tiny green lentils packed together in a disk ($7.50) conceals shreds of duck confit, with a showering of hazelnuts, watercress and a grilled pear.
Sauton is known as a witty, spirited man, so his sly pairing of glazed carrots and a loin of rabbit ($15.50) is no surprise. Jokes aside, this is one of a few mildly disappointing dishes: The mustard crust seems a bit thick, and while the rabbit is meaty, the crust threatens to overwhelm the delicate flesh. In addition, the rabbit is placed on top of the whipped potatoes, which cling steadfastly to it.
But all is forgiven, and then some, given grand-mere's generous quartet of marvelous chicken legs stewed with bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms ($16). The flavor is smoky, the texture chewy and luscious, and the delectable juices demand a spoon. It's unquestionably the best (and simplest) chicken dish I've had in a long time, its aromas so deep that everyone else at my table was envious.
But there are more than enough treats to go around. The menu lists "Pascal's recommendations," something between specials and specialties. The most exciting among these is sautéed skate ($14.50), an unjustly neglected fish that, whole, looks like a flat cross-section of the Batmobile. Lucere serves it with a caper-studded vinaigrette, a variation--even an improvement--on the classic black-butter and caper sauce.
One of the prettiest plates features wild sturgeon wrapped in pancetta ($19.50); it was slightly overcooked, but because the fish is fatty and the bacon releases its own fat, it was moist enough, especially in the interior. Sturgeon is so meaty you think you're eating veal, and, like veal, it takes to almost any creative effort. At Lucere that includes both a chili-flavored beurre blanc and a scattering of "sea beans" that look something like long, thin seaweed plants and have a firm, salty crunch.
While the main menu expresses the heritage of bistro cuisine and the kitchens of devoted, experienced home cooks, Lucere's desserts ($7-$7.50) are more elevated and refined, though certainly without excess or froufrou. A warm banana tart doesn't resemble any tart you've seen, but is rather a tall, cylindrical mound of ripe, runny bananas drenched in crème fraîche and lathered in a caramel semi-freddo. On the cooler side, a very tropical granita made of iced champagne comes with chunks of pink guava, and is called a "spoom," the "m" signaling the meringue whipped into the mass for body and sumptuousness. Dessert selections are split between "Fruit" and "Chocolate": no fooling around here. The best of the latter offerings are the "Dumplings," creamy balls of chocolate something like large oozy truffles, wrapped in very thin phyllo and bathed in tarragon cream.
In Esplanade days, the present Lucere's location and identity as a hotel dining room occasionally put it outside Portland's mainstream, but it should no longer be regarded as a stranger. The cooking--highly creative yet a testament to inspired traditions--has launched Lucere into the top echelon, and it should quickly become a destination restaurant.
1510 SW Harbor Way, 295-6166 6:30-3 pm daily,
5-10 pm Sunday- Thursday, 5-11 pm Friday -Saturday. Credit cards accepted. Children welcome.
$$-$$$ Moderate- expensive.
Mussels in cream, halibut "leaves," chicken "
," sautéed skate, warm banana tart, chocolate dumplings.
Classic, old-fashioned French dishes; splendid views over the Riverplace marina.
WWeek 2015