Skip to main contentBruce Carey's Zefiro raised the bar for serious dining in this town, and his Bluehour has set the standard for a glamorous venue with impeccable tastes. Gauzy black curtains create an elegant stage set for the high-ceilinged room, while the adjacent cocktail lounge shimmers with epicureanism. The kitchen has an unerring sense of seasonality, but several mainstays transcend the calendar. Bluehour has a wonderful way with pastas, suggesting chef Kenny Giambalvo's Italian roots: Don't miss one laden with ragoût of rabbit and punctuated by pungent thyme and orange zest. The striped bass is the Platonic Form of its kind—a more beautifully prepared wild fish is hard to imagine, enhanced by artichoke hearts and wild mushrooms pared to size so as not to interfere with the main attraction. Grilled rare pork tenderloin is so rich in color it looks almost like lamb but is unmistakably porcine in all the pig's glory, while the accompanying compote of white corn expresses that starch's sweetness. Desserts are glorious, especially a dark chocolate-and-honey mousse crusted with filberts and sprinkled with local berries—a perfect Oregon expression. And a fig and pluot frangipane, like a sublime custard tart, rests just at the cusp of summer and fall. (RJP)
WWeek 2015