Located in the Irvington neighborhood of northeast Portland, Verdigris is the quiet, unassuming restaurant of accomplished chef Johnny Nunn, who opened it in late 2014 with his wife Kristina. When we visited Verdigris on a snowy Wednesday night in December, Nunn explained that Kristina was in charge of decorating and described the aesthetic, with a straight face, as “Swedish prison.”
But in reality, it’s a small, uncluttered restaurant with large, comfortable wooden chairs and wrought-iron chandeliers, outstanding service and a minute open kitchen in the back, from which an astonishing array of dishes emerges.
Nunn has worked at some of the finest restaurants in the country, including Farallon and Town Hall in San Francisco, Eleven Madison Park in New York City and Café Atlantico in Washington, D.C. But even though Verdigris is his 13th restaurant — or maybe because of that experience — he is modest in his expectations. “Every place has its own DNA,” he says. “You just have to find out what that is.”
Over a year after Verdigris opened its doors, it is gradually finding its way, a path that walks somewhere between being a neighborhood bistro and a romantic, white-tablecloth affair with chandeliers that experiments with higher-end offerings.
Our dinner started with an array of appetizers designed to ward off the chill. A butternut squash and Fuji apple soup, made with Amish blue cheese and poured over a red wine gastrique, was sweet, smooth and warming and I would’ve been happy to have the Smithfield ham and white bean cassoulet with a 60-minute egg, country sausage and persillade as my entrée. Piles of perfectly crisp pomme frites with black truffle aioli filled in the cracks as we sat, nibbling and waiting for the main courses.
Beverage director and general manager Sarah Egeland designed the intriguing cocktail list, of which the saffron cardamom sparkling cocktail — with house-made saffron and cardamom syrup, lemon, olive oil, Lillet and Cava — was definitely the most striking (even if the Manhattan by Night, with Bulleit, CioCiaro Amaro and sweet vermouth was the most popular). The wine list featured a small, curated selection of mostly French wines.
Just after having plowed through six different appetizers, the modest portions for the main courses were perfectly-sized, although I’m not sure how I would have felt about the size of my $29 smoked pork confit from local pork purveyor Tails & Trotters if I hadn’t already been so full. Tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, the confit was rich, savory and irresistible. As good as the confit was, the braised beef bourguignon with garlic smashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and house bacon also looked amazing.
Dessert is oftentimes an afterthought, but the round that was brought to the table after our plates were whisked away made more than one person regret polishing off their entrée. The chocolate soufflé cake with house-made coffee ice cream and house-made chocolate sauce and the pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream and nut streusel were excellent, but forks clashed over the banana bread pudding with caramel sauce and caramel ice cream, both also made in house.
The prices alone, which ranged from $22-$29 for an entrée and $8-$12 for an appetizer, would seem to tip Verdigris’ hand more towards a romantic, special evening out. However, the chef’s choice — three courses for $35 — is a much, much more affordable option than ordering everything a la carte. Given the overall high quality of Verdigris’ menu offerings, it’s also much less of a risk than it might seem. Brunch is also one of their most popular meals.
