This week's Evan's Eats

The Observatory -- SE Stark

On Wednesday of this week (10/26/22), after hurrying to get our last minute costumes together for Halloween, my girlfriend and I decided we were too tired to make dinner. While leaving the Office Max converted into a Spirit of Halloween, we turned onto SE Stark near I-205. As we proceeded home, I suggested we stop by a The Observatory—a place we had been before, but with other friends and family.

Upon arriving, we were greeted and asked if the bar would be ok. Seemed suitable enough for a random Wednesday evening meal (see above). The place was rather crowded for a weeknight, but Portland seems to embody life no matter the day of the week. The dimly lit back part of the restaurant feels like a strip mall converted into a dining space and a bar to accommodate its patrons. Portland at its finest—taking a space that usually wouldn’t curate meals and time for leisure, but somehow finds a way to succeed at doing just that. As Jeff Goldblum would say,

The menu is extensive and presents many options for American cuisine as well as fun spins on classic cocktails. My girlfriend ordered a glass of prosecco and for me, a cold vitamin R and glass of Jameson neat. For those of you who are not familiar with the Pacific Northwest, you might be asking, what’s vitamin R? For us locals, this term is commonly tossed around in conjunction with how we say [Ron-YAY], or more simply put, Rainer, which is a $4 lager that is generally canned, and sometimes bottled. As my girlfriend’s father would ask, “Do you have any shitty beers?” The waitress is usually perplexed by this, but I think its hilarious. We all love cheap beer. Beer is like pizza. No one at a party will turn down a slice of Dominos or oven baked DiGiorno. It’s too convenient to pass up. Rainer is also enjoyed in this same playing field. The great thing about The Observatory is that they have this on tap—this is like finding a golden tortoise that can run a 40 yard dash 4.6 seconds—which is perfect for a degenerate such as myself. A sense of class in the form of a pint goes a long way with me. Points to you strip mall restaurant!

Turtle giving The Observatory a thumbs up

Our waitress/bartender was very nice and was pleased to relay us the specials. A Lamb Chop with greens and mashed potatoes, and or Swordfish with some fancy sauce. I told them that they can leave those options for someone who needs them as we already had our minds set. What we had fallen upon was their Citrus Chili Shrimp Ceviche as an appetizer, and the Pan Fried Idaho Trout Piccata as our main course. When you live in the top left corner of the United States, ordering fish at any point during the year will always yield good results. Unless your my good buddy, Gus. He’ll be introduced in the future—don’t worry.

The ceviche came out shortly after we ordered, and it was pretty good. I am not going to say it is the best ceviche I have ever had, because sitting pool side with a rum and tonic in Mexico eating fresh caught ceviche for lunch will leave you eating ceviche for a week straight, and when you return home, you are never the same again.

For an American style restaurant though, this ceviche does a good job. The shrimp was plump, full of flavor, and the citrus left a great note at the end of every bite. Their chips were crunchy too, which I prefer, because dipping a chip only to see it drown to its soggy demise is a let down. These little tortilla babies were a perfect vehicle for my satisfaction and left me satiated. What pleased me the most seemed to be the combination of portion size to flavor (perfect for two), and of course, at a $12.00 price point, I really couldn’t complain.

Our main course followed shortly thereafter and so did another Jameson. The trout was good. Nothing extraordinary, but definitely something to enjoy. A lemon wedge accompanied by some capers helps brighten those flavors. If anything, I would have preferred for the fish to have been in the pan for an extra minute of two. I enjoy being able to pull the flakey meat from the skin. This wasn’t the case, but it was still manageable. I can tell when my girlfriend enjoys her meal when she takes a bite or two with a full mouth, and points her fork down at the plate simultaneously chewing and musters an, “mm-hmm.” When she approves, the kitchen and waitstaff are safe for the evening. We got a stamp of approval from her.

The broccolini was buttered and seasoned well. Somewhat crunchy for my personal liking, but some would argue soft vegetables don’t hold as much flavor. I like what I like though, and if you have read this far, I guess you care about my opinion too so those other opinions are moot. Thanks.

The one thing I wish I could have substituted was the fingerling potatoes with some mashed potatoes. I mentioned this as I was eating, and my girlfriend prompted this extremely important and heavy question to contemplate: “If you had to eat one type of potato for the rest of your life, what would it be?” These kind of questions are fun for me because I get to turn her simple question into a complex game of arithmetic. She would argue I’m nit picking and being annoying, but I would argue I’m having fun getting under her skin a little. What’s love after all if you can’t do this kind of charade with your significant other? I asked, “Does gnocchi fall under this umbrella? What about, kartoffelpuffer or latkes?” She of course rolled her eyes, and I laughed. My charade had worked. “No, I meant like, french fries, potato chips, or mashed potatoes.” If you don’t say anything but mashed potatoes, I would recommend getting a brain scan. How can you not enjoy rich, creamy, buttered, silky taters as your only choice? Let me explain. Potatoes are not the greatest thing for you in regard to high value nutrition, so if you are going to make them, or eat them, make them clog your arteries. That way, you will only find yourself limiting these spuds to special occasions, and how can you go without quartering your plate on Thanksgiving or Christmas without a heap of mashed potatoes smothered in gravy? The answer is simple—you can’t. She agreed with this explanation. In summation, the taters were bland. It doesn’t take much to let them really run—salt, butter, done. These didn’t have that. At this point I felt like pre-healthy Action Bronson.

All in all, for a plate of trout, greens, and potatoes, to only spend $18.00 for our main course seemed quite reasonable. What I found to be the best part about The Observatory is the fact that it knows its place in Portland. It’s American cuisine that has taken a step up, but not too far up the ladder. It doesn’t mess with restaurants like Jake’s Grill, Jake’s Crawfish, or Hubers, but The Observatory isn’t corporately owned either—its unique in its own right, and certainly still fits the Portland mold well. It sits safely on SE Stark near I-205. Not a bustling part of the city, but an off shoot that can be reached if so desired. The staff has always been friendly, and the ambiance is terrific for a weeknight out with your friends or significant other.

Evan’s Eats Report Card: The Observatory

Ambiance…………………………B

Wait staff………………………….A-

Drinks……………………………… A

Appetizers………………………. B+

Main course……………………..B

Expense……………………………. B+

Overall Experience………… B+