On the road again: Portland, day 3

Another day of all work and so not much to report on that front.

Lunch involved work but was at a nifty place, The Venetian, in Hillsboro. The Venetian is an old theater that the owners rehabbed into a combination theater and restaurant. The food is basic but tasty, and the theater is gorgeous. I wish we had something like this in Raleigh.

Dinner was at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Le Pigeon. Chef Gabriel Rucker, who won this year's Beard for Best Rising Star in the U.S., whipped up a nine-course tasting menu for us, and every single dish in it was excellent, as always. Rucker's plates are complex, strongly flavored creations, and I enjoy them immensely.

I'd go on, but it's late and I'm exhausted, so I will say again what I have said many times before: If you're in this area or visiting it, you must eat at Le Pigeon.