Bar Review: Altabira

THE WINDOW SHUTS: The inner eastside sure is fancy these days. No longer do visitors want to stay in a humble Red Lion (actual marketing slogan: “Affordable Hotels”) and drink at a faux-upscale bar called Windows Skyroom and Lounge that served something called a “pork parfait.” Today’s sophisticated consumers now have Hotel Eastlund (“the finest luxury boutique hotel in downtown Portland’s thriving Eastside”), which is topped by a beery pub called Altabira (1021 NE Grand Ave., 963-3600, altabira.com). Well, the windows are still the best feature—you have an incredible view of the eastside from the modernist steel patio furniture at this spacious bar, which has floor-to-ceiling glass walls facing west, toward what we used to call downtown, before this eastside hotel expanded its footprint. The hotel itself is tasteful, midscale, midcentury modern. 

Take the elevator to the top to reach the new domain of restaurateur David Machado (Lauro Kitchen, Nel Centro), who’s assembled a long list of localish beers and a pretty decent bistro burger with white cheddar and caramelized onions on brioche ($7 during happy hour, and the same size as the regular $14 burger). The $6 happy-hour cocktail, sort of a Moscow Mule spritzer with lots of fresh ginger, is tasty. So is the Pints Seismic IPA, one of a few beers available for $4 during happy hour (4-6 pm daily). Not everything works. Take the pretzel, which was served with—and this was a surprise—salmon spread instead of old-fashioned pimento cheese. It turns out salmon dip does not go very well with a soft pretzel. Sometimes, fancier isn’t better. We should keep that in mind as the moribund, old Lloyd District morphs into “downtown Portland’s eastside.” 

WWeek 2015