Where does Jay Villani go wrong? I know that I am being redundant, seeing as I’ve already praised him for his wonderful love child- Local 188, but Sonny’s is pretty close to gaining a spot on my leaderboard for top-notch cuisine in Portland, my friends. I recall my first visit to Sonny’s and to be truthful, it was awful, it was three days after they had first opened- we were sat at a table for two with three people, and a very frigid draft plagued me all night. The food was just mediocre too. But much has changed over the course of a year, and now when I’m feeling down and out, I find myself craving a fried avocado from Sonny’s to try and repair what damage can be fixed. I don’t think I should have to say too much, because I would be able to write a novel about the excellence of Sonny’s and Local 188 combined, but I will leave you with some Stocs (stream of consciencness) that I thought of last night while dining at Sonny’s.
I took Annie to dinner where we both indulged in the Chili Poblano Cheesburgers, with house fries, and pickled veggies for our entree. I love the inclusion of pickled anything, but especially pickled radishes which were just what I needed. They were sour and tart, but still retained a bit of the spiciness from the original radish. The burger was cooked perfectly- medium, just like I asked, and the fries were nice and crisp. I rarely start reviews with a recollection of the entree, but I thought that it would be appropriate this evening.
Prior to our indulgence in a heartattack on a bun, and delicious pickled veggies- I splurged my daily calorie intake on a fried Avocado, and Annie her’s on L’Empanada de Noche. Her’s was chock full of collard greens, ricotta cheese, and pulled pork- it was savory, crispy and delectable all at the same time. I had a little bit of the sauce, though I was disappointed because they always tend to serve their specials with this orange-coloured mayonaise, I’m assuming it’s paprika infused, and I thought that something with a bit of lime would have suited the empanda a little more appropriately. The fried avocado was wonderful- as always. The outside crispy, the inside soft, and warm. Most would think that a fried avocado would be disgusting, I however, find it quite appetizing and pleasant on the whole. It’s served with their house made salsa, which is characterized by their fresh tomatoes and ample amount of jalepenos and limes. It’s incredibly fresh, and it works great with the texture of the avocado.
The service was fine, this hipster let us choose our booth, and we got to sit right in front of the open kitchen, so I was thoroughly entertained throughout the course of the night when Annie’s conversation ended up in areas which I am not particularly engaged in. The atmosphere is similar to that of Local- though I suppose it’s not as local a scene. It’s more sophisticated, and oftentimes, I feel as though Sonny’s caters to an older crowd. The decor is nice, though they could do a bit more to remove the overall looming sense of the deceased O’Naturals. I like Sonny’s quite a bit- and I have to vouch for their desserts. Though I didn’t get one last evening, I’ve had multiple desserts- like the Raspberry Sangria Sorbetto. It’s funny that I’ve yet to say “pass” on a restaurant on this blog, but I really think you should make a stop at Sonny’s. The only set-back is the pricing, not the friendliest, though if you’re like me and you’d rather spend more money on food than anything else, then that’s alright. It’s not unspeakable like 555 or Bar Lola or Bresca- it’s cerainly do-able, but you should be willing to drop $75 on dinner for two. Nevertheless, go get yourself a fried avocado for $10, and tell JC that enfin sent you!
eat your hearts out.
