Fife

This Bob S. (and his S.U.) is deeply saddened that Marco Shaw will be leaving Portland to move his farm/​restaurant thing to Durham, NC. Their gain our loss. You’ve got until this Saturday to drop a C note on apps/​dinner and a bottle of wine from one of the early movers in the farm to restaurant, locovore scene.
Pan-​fried oysters, and salad. Lamb t-​bone on chickpeas and spinach, lightly breaded Rabbit on lentils, a coconut crème pie and bottle of French grenache … We’re going to miss this simple, unpretentious but classy spot. His new place, Eno, in Durham, N.C. might be worth crossing Virginia for next time I’m in D.C.
Marco, thanks for many great meals. Good Luck in N.C.

What a disappointment — we had eaten at Fife once before and had a pretty fine meal — but this last time was a disaster.
First, upon arriving for what was mean to be a celebratory meal, I realized that they had not a single bottle of Champagne in the house. I ended up ordering a bottle of sparkling wine that was mediocre at best. Looking further in to the wine list I was shocked by the lack of depth and choices there. It was then I noticed that the place was pretty much bereft of wine anywhere: The wine display and wine storage was all EMPTY. Not a good sign…
I managed to find a bottle of WA red to go along with the meal that was pretty tasty, but there were not many things to choose from. To me, wine is as important to a good meal as the food, service and atmosphere. This situation knocked a star off right way.
From there we moved in to the meal, or should I say the waiting. We had been seated right away (reservation made 48 hours ahead), but then we sat there unattended for quite some time.
Looking at the menu, we all immediately realized there was just one salad option — and then the waiter told us they were sold out. No wonder — you only have one salad, EVERYONE is going to order it. This seems amazingly amateurish and showed me that there was not a lot of concern for me, the diner.
From there we ordered our mains — the food was pretty good, but not amazing, the service was painfully average — even if the server was ‘nice’. We spent $ 200 for four people and left feeling like we had a meal that was more of a test of endurance than a calm, enjoyable respite from the crazy life we lead. Bummer. Never again, although from the lack of raw materials, wine, etc. it looks to me like Fife might be struggling to survive anyway…

Maybe my expectations are too high, or my tastes too fine, but when I make reservations for 8pm I expect my reservation to be granted not told that there’s a 30 – 45 min wait! I know this can’t be expected of low-​end places, where you only pay $ 10 – 20 bucks for a meal, but when you’re paying $ 40/​person then I say you should expect more.
We waited for 25 mins, and ended up having to eat at the bar because the wait wasn’t getting any smaller. There were parties that had been waiting for over an hour to get their table, that’s just absurd! And even when we sat at the bar, the service still didn’t get a clue about making sure we got served. At this point, you would at least expect a free drink or some bread! But no, none was offered.
As for the food, it lacks any and all inspiration; plus my husband got a nice dose of food poisoning. My husband had the hazulnut roasted chicken with root veggies, and I had the dumplings. The chicken tasted odd, and the vegetables were not fully cooked. The dumplings lacked any sort of flavor and it was like eating raw dough.
In summary, the restaurant’s management lacks the skills to manage large crowds or its operations and the food is average NOT 5 star worthy.

delicious, and inspiring.
we started with a soup (tomato with duck) and salad, and instantly… well, i wanted about a gallon of that soup. no knock on the salad, but i’m pretty sure i licked the glaze off of the soup bowl. i briefly considered mainlining the soup.
i enjoyed the occo bucco, my lady enjoyed the sirloin. both were among the finest chunks of meat i’d ever seen. the server (who was really, really nice, and really, really helpful) brought us steak knives, but they were just for show, both dishes literally fell apart without cutlery… i could have cut the steak with my thumb. both exploded with flavor. i have no idea how marco did that, it’s a testament to choosing the best cuts available and then preparing them with a surgeon’s attention. honestly, the meat was unreal. i couldn’t cook it that way by accident. i want some of that sirloin right now. other reviews stated that portions were on the small side, i would concur to a degree… let’s just say it was very efficient food. this is how americans should eat, smaller courses, and slower… there was no hint of food coma or overindulgence. i walked away very satisfied, and excited and energetic for the rest of the evening.
desert was also fantastic. i had some chocolatey thing, my lady had some cheesecakey thing. served beautifully.
and now, a small rant. our server was smarty, funny, attentive and again… very helpful. we followed his advice every step of the way and he didn’t steer us wrong. if you are going to ask for a server’s advice, you should follow it, there’s nothing more irritating to the waitstaff (and other people eavesdropping on your conversation) to ask what you should order, and then ignoring the advice. the staff knows what’s fresh, what’s tasty, and, if you give clues, what you are going to enjoy. our man at fife did it all perfectly.
all in all, we’ll be glad to go back, and i recommended this for the rest of my friends and family in the area.

Granted, I went a little early in the evening, but I was still a little sad to see the place almost totally empty. They sure didn’t deserve that because of the food! The atmosphere is refined but relaxed, and the menu is simple but elegant. The food draws on the rich variety of natural resources here in the northwest and puts them to excellent use. Not too surprisingly, the service was extremely attentive. I ended up going with the potato and apple soup, followed by the walnut-​crusted chicken. Just good eating from start to finish.

This is a hidden Portland treasure. The food is wonderful, very creative and local. The service is wonderful and the wine list is full of interesting choices. Chef Marco Shaw puts a lot of passion into Fife and it clearly translates into yummy creations. The roasted chicken should not be passed up.

I’ve heard a little buzz about Fife so me and my friend tried it last week. My first impressions of the place… Very hip and modern. Art work and lots of artwork sets the mood. Was it just me or did the clientele seem older? One lady needed a walker! Must be those retired types living up on Beamont… Hmm anyways. I had the duck while my friend ordered the lamb chops. I actually liked hers better. All in all the food was delicious… dessert was very good. I will say my only complaint would be the portions were very small. We decided on splitting a salad. Bad idea… It came about the size of a half a grapefruit. This sounds bad but order up some appetizers and salad… An odd side note — the tables have carpet tacked under them… I thought it was to protect my precious kneebones but the waitress said it was for sound dampening…

My father had been wanting to visit Fife since it opened several years ago, and my brother and I finally managed to bring him here as a belated birthday present.
The food was excellent, though the portions were on the smallish side given the hefty price tag. My entrée (ling cod) and appetizer (flash-​fried oysters) were both delicious, as was the rustic bread. This isn’t the place to come if you are in the mood to gorge yourself, but that’s not the point.
The service was excellent, contrary to what some CitySearch reviewers have experienced.
Some reviewers have complained about the noise level. While it was not a problem for us, I could easily imagine how noisy it could be on a crowded weekend evening.

They had me at hello.
Actually, they had me when our server asked if I would like our bottle of Italian white wine placed in a bucket with ice (more on that later). After that they could have served me toast and accidentally set my hair on fire, and I still would have given Fife a good review. If you don’t want to read anymore, just know you should check out Fife, good food, excellent service, and a nice location.
Fife is located in a great neighborhood, Beaumont. It was my first visit, being a ‘Couv’ resident. I would suggest if you are making the drive to Beaumont, make it an early dinner, go an hour or so early, and walk along Freemont to check out the stores. There is a pub across the street from Fife, that looked fun for a before or after dinner ale, sitting outside no less. We went on a Thursday night, and something tells me if you are not living in the ‘hood, a week night might be your best bet, as I would guess that this place is hopping on the weekends with locals. We had no problem getting in, there were open tables during our stay, and it wasn’t too loud. This is a casual place, but comfortable enough that you could be little dressed up for a date night.
Back to my ice bucket and white wine, to start the service at Fife was excellent, from the hostess who sat us (gave us the best seat in the house) to our server. Our server was knowledgeable and was comfortable giving recommendations when we asked. She recommended an excellent white Italian wine, and helped us choose our entrees when we were having a problem choosing between two. All good recommendations. I’ll tell you about dessert in a moment. Oh yeh, the wine. The wine was served at the perfect temperature (not ice cold, almost at room temperature), so you could really taste it. My concern after my tasting is that it was going to get too warm too fast sitting on our table. Its been so long since someone has offered to put a bottle of white wine on ice, and I’ve just gotten accustom to having it plunked down on the table right after the server pours, that I have assumed they don’t offer to ice it anymore, anywhere. I was fretting over this (I realize I might need to get a life), and our server, as if she were reading my mind, asked if I would like the bottle in an ice bucket. Thank you, Gods of the Culinary World, good service isn’t dead.
Ok, I know I’ve obsessed over this small act of great service, so let me quickly say the food at Fife is very good and worth the visit. The ingredients are simple, straightforward, and dishes are kept to just a few items. No fancy sauces or multiple ingredient entrees to express some culinary imagination. My party of 3 all ordered something different, and I sampled. Tomato crusted cast iron chicken was very flavorful and juicy. Rock fish with fava shoots and lentils was melt in your mouth. I was originally going to recommend that we go somewhere else for dessert, but after the meal and on suggestion of our server (whom by now I worship) we stayed, and had something referred to as a Caramel Alfredo… something like that. It was perfect, and one of those dishes I thought I would just sample then put my spoon down (you know, retain that girlish figure), but I just couldn’t help going back for one more spoonful, which turned into 5 or 6. Creamy, but with substance and a perfect light caramel flavor.
Pricing is good, and all dishes are priced about the same, give or take a dollar, so you make your decision based on what you want to eat, not on what you want to spend. Fife is a repeat, and worthy of a visit from my foodie brother in San Francisco.

I agree with Bob S — with so many amazing options in Portland, 5-​stars can easily become a run-​of-​the mill occurrence!
But all five were completely deserved.
My family choose Fife for the big ‘ol family graduation celebration — and celebrate we did! The ling cod was perfectly prepared over a bed of spinach and mushrooms, and paired with an arugula salad with a grapefruit vinaigrette. I snuck a few bites of Dad’s sirloin, and it looked like my brother’s lamb ribs were falling off the bone.
While the cocktails were hit and miss around the table, the wine selection (which in humble my opinion is what you should be indulging in with this type of fare) was ample and I was quite impressed by all of the seasonal pairings on the menu.
Would this be my first choice for fine dining? Probably not. While the menu was innovative, it was far out of my personal price range. But on the rare occasion when Daddy’s paying? Highly advised!

What I liked the best about Fife was that it manages to balance the idea of sustainable local food, an innovative menu, and good service and ambiance.
The flavor combinations are delicious… instead of simply combining random stuff that happens to be in season, the blends are artful: the slight bitterness of winter greens merged with the sweet starchiness of potatoes and the tang of venison… THAT is what seasonal local food is supposed to be about, not a bland pastiche of politically correct foodstuffs.
I don’t even have any nitpicks about Fife. It was a lovely evening and I’d go again anytime. It’s not cheap, but you can feel good about not only nourishing your body and soul, but actually supporting a local business that recognizes that you can be both sustainable and delicious.

We went here last night and had an amazing time. The service was top-​notch and I couldn’t stop staring at the (fabulously) decorated walls/​surroundings. If you’re in a smaller to mid-​sized group, this is the place to go.
Definitely going back; definitely recommending to friends and family.
Go here!

This restaurant is one of our family favorites for reasons too many to list. 1) It’s NOT in The Pearl… but it could be. It’s right here, in MY neighborhood where I can walk right up the front door … minutes from mine. 2) Chef Marco has supported Girls’ Softball from Day One of opening his business. I truly may have never entered the doors, but he supports girls’ sports so I did… the great taste and fantastic service just made me return again and again… long after my daughter was on Team Fife!!! 3) He even comes to the games. That made me bring more and more friends:))) 4) Even if I had a football team of BOYS, I would have returned here. Fresh LOCAL food, nice wine list, lovely staff, and Marcos’ at the helm… it’s all good.

Hmmmm… had the salmon — and it was good, in a «good enough» kind of way. Don’t expect your tastebuds to be entertained. I honestly can’t remember anything else. Oh yes, maybe the pâté — it was good… «enough.»
This place is pretty pricey. Food will fill you up, regardless the lackluster presentation.
The space is spacious — but there’s something sorely lacking if you’re looking for something to «warm» you up.

An Eastside gem… visit Fife for its bright, fine dining groove and its American style menu featuring ingredients from local farms. Good for large parties or an offbeat date, Fife’s reasonable prices and consistently good food will keep you coming back again and again.

Ate here solo the other night. The entire experience was great. Loved the atmosphere, the service, the food. Defintely gave me a great taste of Portland (was in town on business for two days).
Enjoyed the oysters to start, the pork loin for dinner, and the mousse with pistachio meringue for dessert (a highlight).

Fife is fantastic! Great atmosphere when you first walk in, a little dim but lively! I have to admit when I ate here, we had a special tasting menu so I can’t vouch for anything on the normal menu. But our five courses were great. My favorite was the crispy muscles and potato salad served in a martini glass. A close second was the pork tenderloin with beets.
But by far my favorite part of our meal was dessert! A generous selection of culinary creations — we couldn’t just choose one. We had coconut flan with banana fritters (I could eat a million of these) and lime sauce, a deliciously tart pear crisp with a creamy brandy sabayon and a chocolate and salted carmel tart. All to die for! Next time I’m in Portland, I’m going back for more.

The atmosphere was nice. Well thought interiors and lighting and friendly staff at the door.
I appreciate the local/​organic/​farm fresh food, but some of the combinations were too much.
I thought it was expensive with most entrée hovering around 20 $ and drinks around 10 $.
It apparently didn’t matter how my boyfriend wanted the steak he ordered because the waitress argued with him about it!
AND when I cut into the pork chop I ordered it was completely PINK. EW! Again, the waitress argued that pink pork is safe now since most disease has been bred out. I made them take it back and cook it longer. they happily did and there was no more arguing, but I was surprised that there was no warning of that at the time I ordered.
I’m not really sure why they asked how we wanted OUR meats cooked if they are going to serve it the way THEY want to. It would have been better if it said on the menu that they only serve meats one way — we would have at least expected it and ordered something else.
Not going back.

Fife is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood and one of my faves in the city. I’ve eaten here probably five or six times and have never had a bad experience. I agree with pretty much everything the other reviewers have said.
If you want good, solid American food with a sophisticated twist, cooked impeccably, this is the place to come. Crab cakes are a specialty and a must if you like them.
The atmosphere is pleasant, can get a little loud when it is crowded. The service good, and the food is a good value for the price.

Chef Marco Shaw serves up inventive, unpretentious American food at unbelievable prices in a warm, welcoming settiing.
This is «meat and potatoes» cooking with a twist. The ingredients are impeccably fresh and the flavors pure and uncomplicated.
The crab cakes I had on a recent visit were the best I’ve ever tasted. The sides of greens and quinoa, homey and comforting.
Hanger steak, pork roast, roasted chicken. Superb.
And the best part – nothing over 20 dollars on the menu.
I’d eat here again and again.