I always welcome a trip (home) to Portland,OR.  While this one was short, (only 1 night!) My mom, sister and I still managed to sneak in a meal at what is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Portland.

Like many Portland restaurants, the menu at Veritable Quandary  changes with the seasons, as they feature fresh seasonal local meats and veggies.  While they do have some permanent offerings, no matter what you choose, VQ is not likely to disappoint. We were lucky enough to be seated right at the window leading out to the back patio-a perfect location to enjoy the cooling breeze while watching the crowds shift.

My mom and I both got the a VQ twist on the gin and tonic called the gin and ginger.  This drink features house made ginger ale along with top shelf gin.  I had to order 2.  My sister got a Vodka-Berry-Lemonade  concoction that was satisfying in every way  on this particular warm summer night.

Being the fish lovers that we are, we started with the Oregon albacore tuna bruschetta and the house made rabbit pate with toasted brioche.  While these apps were a meal in themselves, we were excited for what was to follow!

For dinner, my mom ordered the never disappointing Osso Bucco which was served with parm and basil risotto.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Cooked to perfection, we were more than happy to take home the left overs!  Since my mom ordered the Osso Bucco (my first choice) I had to go for something else: at a restaurant this good, we wanted to try everything! I decided to go with the Salmon, which was buttery and flakey and paired perfectly with Jicama and mango slaw.  Did I mention the Dungeness crab beneath it all?

All in all, we were very satisfied, to say the least.  If there’s one thing Portland does well, (but let’s not kid ourselves, they do it all well!!) it’s food.

check out the restaurant at:http://www.veritablequandary.com/about.html