Alright, so the story begins as a newlywed me who wanted to meet people in the town I just moved to, so naturally I made my way around Camas, Washington and stopped in to meet the locals. Over time, I developed a friendship with a gem of a lady who works at a salon and come to find out…her husband was the winner of Restaurant Startup, a show on CNBC. I was intrigued from that very conversation and came home and just had to look up exactly who he was! All that said…I found out several things :

1. Meeting the locals is SO worth it!
2. Restaurants in Portland are where it’s AT!
3. tapas bars are the up and coming trend and they are where all the cool kids go. No, seriously.
4. Javier’s food does not disappoint. It’s that good!

So…Javier’s wife, Jael and I had multiple conversations, and there was a point where 37 week pregnant me just decided to offer to take some food photos before their grand opening last July! I walked in not knowing exactly what it would be like, but what I DID know was that whatever Javier and Jael were doing…it was going to be awesome. I walked in to a small, one room restaurant with an open concept kitchen, where customers can watch their dinner being prepared from the comfort of their table. Just several tables fill the space at their restaurant on Alberta St. in Portland, OR…it’s a small space serving up BIG flavor! I’ve gotten to see the behind the scenes as the chefs choose the finest and freshest ingredients for their dinner service each night. I’ve seen the way their staff interacts and been so impresesed by the family atmosphere. They make you feel so welcome and like you’re just a part of the Urdaneta family.

From their space on Alberta St., where they have fresh herbs growing out front, Javier and Jael are topping the charts for Portland’s top new restaurants. They invited me back just a few weeks ago to see their updated menu and taste their specials from their winter menu. Let me just say, make reservations asap!!!!! From their beef tongue and bone marrow to their signature “coliflor” – a roasted cauliflower with a leek ash emulsion and marcona almonds, they are dishing up what I think IS Portland’s best! I’ll let the photos do the talking…but I can pretty much completely guarantee that if you aren’t hungry yet, you will be at the end of this post :)

For more information, to make reservations, for directions, the menu, etc., you can visit their website here!

To read more about their restaurant and see other featured images, check out this article on Food Republic – 8 New Restaurants You Can’t Miss in Portland!

Read more about their grand opening on Eater PDX here!

 

They order this smoked Spanish paprika from Spain! It’s one of the key ingredients in many of the dishes on the menu!

Chef Javier takes such pride in the plating of each dish! Isn’t this beautiful!?

Ahh, now THIS is the coliflor I was describing above! It’s divine.

Pair your favorite pinxtos with one of their signature cocktails! This one is topped with an egg white foam – it’s practically irresistible!

Pinxtos, anyone? :)

The space is so inviting and romantic – perfect for a date night!!! <3 

Or you can bring some friends and share things family style!