Power Lunch at the Imperial.
410 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 228-7222
Chef: Vitaly Paley
MENU HIGHLIGHTSTomato Soup, |
Atmosphere: Casual glamour
Clientele: Lawyers, bankers, entrepreneurs; shoppers; Hotel Lucia guests
Most popular: All salads, served with tuna or rotisserie chicken; grilled cheese with homemade tomato soup
Chef’s pick, best seat in the house: “By the wood-fired grill, of course.”
Brag factor: The location — smack in the middle of downtown. “So we can get folks in and out in 45 minutes or less,” Paley says. “It goes without saying the quality of ingredients and creativity of our dishes is unrivaled.”
Overheard: Financial types discussed “safe stocks” — AT&T and GE — and debated the merits of Merrill Lynch versus Charles Schwab. A businessman arriving late to a lunch meeting complained that “understaffing” meant he was inundated with work. Apple Pay, the new mobile payment technology, is the “way forward,” allowed one big wheeler, though his parents just don’t get it.
Tales from Garrett Peck, general manager: “A couple of guests were talking about the painting hanging in the back dining room, of a clear-cut and lone lumberjack artfully cut out of a trunk. Think chain-saw art. The guest asked a few questions and I gave him the spiel. Others started to listen. At the end, he said, ‘My name is Michael Brophy, and I painted that picture.’”
Critic’s corner: A bit on the noisy side.