06 Dec PDX: Take a Trip to Expatriate

Dark and sexy, Expatriate, owned by bartender Kyle Linden Webster and his wife/partner Chef Naomi Pomeroy, is one of the hot new restaurants of 2013 in Portland. Offering a menu of South Asian-fusion snacks, the flavors are not for the timid. The food is bold, spicy, sweet and full of flavor. We were 4 people, foodies who like to try as much as possible.  So, the small plate menu was perfect. Ore Dungeness Crab Rangoon (Wontons Filled With Crab Meat & Cream Cheese, Curried Corn Cream, Crispy Maitakes & Thai Chili Slaw) – This was one of my favorite dishes. The fresh crab meat and cream cheese were well balanced with the spice from the curried corn cream. James Beard’s Onion & Butter Sandwich (Butter, Onions, Parsley & Grey Salt) – James Beard may be from Portland and this may have been his favorite dish, but it really was nothing more than a butter sandwich. Not bad but not exciting.   Brussels Sprouts (Sweet, Sour & Crispy Napa Cabbage, Ground Lamb, Caramelized Butternut Squash) – The brussels sprouts were only one element of this flavor-packed dish. Samosa Chaat (Curry Potato & English Pea Samosa, Fried Chickpeas,Tamarind Brown Butter & Sumac Ranch) – Another favorite dish that was full of flavor, the samosa was made with English peas. The fried chick peas added a great crunch and I wanted more. Burmese Tea Leaf, Papaya & Cherry Tomato (Hard To Find Tea Leaves, Vegetable & Crunchy Fried Things) – a crunchy, fresh salad Crab paste noodles – The sweet corn stood out in this tasty dish. The Tempura Halibut Sandwich (Ramp Kimchi Aioli, House Sweet Chili Sauce Fried Basil, Cucumber & Cabbage Slaw, Spicy Fries) was perfectly fried with a tender, sweet bun. The sandwich was small and difficult to divide by 4. We managed it but each of us would have happily eaten the entire thing. Korean Fried Game Hen (Chinese Long Beans With Oyster Sauce & Herbs, Pickled Watermelon Ranch) – With a very crispy crust, this was even harder to divide up. But, considering how full I was, I didn’t fight for my portion. In the end, while 8 small plates didn’t seem like a big order, we were very full and had to roll ourselves out of the restaurant. Expatriate 5424 NE 30th Ave (at NE Killingsworth St) Portland, OR 97211 (503) 805-3750