This is exactly how I feel whenever I eat at David’s. Not only do they keep a bottle on each table, but they create a special mix of olive oil, herbs and Parmesan cheese to serve with the bread. And when Adam and I sat down for dinner on a recent weeknight and I told the waitress I’m a cheese-shunning vegan, I got my own plate with minced garlic instead of Parmesan. (Score!) These little plates accompany the tasty house-made baguettes and garlic knots.
I tried my best not to overdo it with the baguette slices (really, I did), but I was unable to resist sopping up every last drop of the delightful oil mix. Good thing it paired well with my crisp Hopler Gruner Veltliner ($8) and Adam’s smooth Stella Artois ($4.50).
My olive oil frenzy continued (courtesy of the dressing) when our salads arrived: the Caesar ($6) for Adam and the arugula with toasted almonds and black currants ($8) for me. Adam was thrilled with the oversized anchovies that added a salty taste of the sea to his salad. And my greens were spot on with a wonderful combo of crunchiness, sweetness, tarty tang and olivey umph.
Other starters include lobster soup ($10.50), fried calamari salad ($8), crispy packets of herbed goat cheese ($7) and Winter Point oysters on the half shell ($2 each). The avocado salad ($7.25) also is tempting, with a mix of avocado, tomatoes, warm bacon and tomato dressing.
The entrée menu is divided into two sections, Creatively Prepared and Simply Prepared. This strikes me as a brilliant idea. It keeps adventurous eaters happy with offerings such as pepper crusted sushi rare tuna ($22) or mushroom dusted haddock ($18.50), and satisfies traditionalists with meatloaf ($15) and grilled shrimp and scallops ($19.50). Other choices include pasta bowls, such as exotic mushroom ravioli ($19) and blackened chicken fettucine ($16), and pizzas, such as Yankee BBQ ($15) and frutti di mare ($21).
Adam chose the garlic and herb roasted lamb ($19.50) from the creative side of the menu and I went with the Awesome Vegetarian pizza without the mozzarella ($15).
By the time my pizza arrived, I was pretty much stuffed. (And, yes, I blame the olive oil.) Still I managed to eat two of the saucy slices, covered in perfectly roasted peppers, mushrooms, Kalamata olives and spinach. Adam had no trouble finishing off his delicate lamb slices, served with a hearty helping of garlic mashed potatoes.
Neither of us had room for dessert, but the menu includes everything from a single chocolate chip cookie ($1.50) to chocolate espresso torte ($6). The menus (including a long wine list) remain fairly constant at this Portland establishment, which shows in the consistently flawless execution of each dish. Daily specials bring in variety for regulars.
The next time I go, I’ll try to avoid my olive oil freak out at the start of the meal. But the operative word there is “try.”
— Avery Yale Kamila