isa

I went here for Sunday Brunch with two of my friends and we enjoyed their amazing food and service! I loved the interior design arrangement of the resturant and waiters and waitresses were so nice. I ordered Baked Eggs and my friends ordered Egg Benedict and a special menu of the day and they were all so deliciou! (I am not exaggerating) You wouldn’t be disappointed with the food here. Also there is parking next to this resturant and its really hard to find good parking spots for most good resturants in portland. Since the resturant is small so it will be hard for big groups, but group of 6 or 7 seem manageable. First time here but I ended up really loving this place!

My family and I came for lunch and everything was outstanding. The salads were excellent– we had the kale and quinoa, fennel apple, and the octopus.
The lobster bisque was the best we’ve ever had. It wasn’t heavy and it was served with a piece of beautiful grilled bread.
We loved the lobster tacos! Another hit was the eggplant lasagna, served with homemade ricotta. It was out of this world!!!
Highly recommend Isa!

My husband and I went for brunch and it was SO delicious. Amazing, really. We both got coffee from Tandem, one of Portland’s many amazing coffee roasters, so clearly no complaint there. I also ordered the mimosa, which was good but average – nothing special. My husband ordered the bloody mary, which was really delicious. My husband and I normally don’t like bloody marys but this one was slightly sweet and not overly tomato-​y, which is usually my complaint. The waitress appeared to be the only one for the whole restaurant (she also played bartender) but she was not stressed or rushed at all. She was helpful and knew off the top of her head all of the farms where their meat was obtained. My husband and I only eat certain meat from farms that are local and treat animals well (yes, we are those types of people) but this place, pleasantly, followed our same beliefs! Oh the meat! Everywhere! As far as the eye could see! So, I ordered the Croque Madame and my husband the baked eggs; we got a biscuit with homemade jam to share. Everything was amazing. My Croque Madame was salty, with an egg cooked juuuuuuuuust right. It had swiss cheese slathered, topped on homemade bread. Then, just to make things perfect, it had greens on the side with some sort of slightly sweet dressing that complimented the salty sandwich perfectly. Absolutely delicious. One of the best brunches ever. And I like to brunch. My husband’s baked eggs were also perfectly cooked with a side of homemade sourdough. The kale was charred and seasoned to perfection. Absolute perfection. Delicious perfection.
I wanted to try everything, and after eating my brunch I wish I had. We will definitely be back for lunch, dinner, desert, and anything else they want to put in our direction.

Isa was a great find on a cold, drizzly Sunday morning. My husband and I were hungry for brunch, and Isa satisfied those cravings. I ordered a traditional Croque Madame, and my husband ordered an egg and cheese sandwich on their house made focaccia bread. The food was served hot, the ingredients fresh (and local), and every bite was better than the next. My Croque Madame was served between two crusty pieces of French bread, toasted to perfection, and piled with thin slices of salty prosciutto, topped with melted Swiss. I had forgotten to ask for my egg to be cooked over hard, and when I needed to return it to the kitchen, it was promptly returned — and the waiter was gracious and understanding. My husband said the focaccia bread was amazing — crisp and flavorful with a soft center.
I also ordered a Bloody Mary that was top-​notch; salt and brine with a perfect amount of spice. The bacon-​salt rimmed glass was a nice touch.
The prices were fair, the ambience warm and the service impeccable.

Wow! My wife and I just completed a fabulous dinner. Great wine, duck mousse to start, then we split the monkfish and the eggplant lasagna. Yummmmmmm.

If you’re saying «gosh I want to try something exciting and new, but I also want something familiar and comforting,» BAM! You can find that at Isa. I got the avocado beet salad followed by the special of the day, lamb hash topped with 2 fried duck eggs (as did my husband.) It was a unique blend of ingredients, but simple and familiar, and all you could hear after the first bite was the sound of my husband and me eating and making yummy noises. Oh and the tres leches? There is not even a word for it. Seriously, I’m still thinking about it hours after eating it. I will be going back for more ASAP, and nobody can stop me.
Oh and the bartender/​our server Chris was awesome.

Friendly, prompt service, diverse ‘contemporary American’ fare, a decent collection of taps, and creative cocktails — what more do you need?
My friend and I checked this place out before a Friday night concert. It was busy, but we were easily able to grab 2 seats at the bar as the happy hour crowd was departing. I’m impressed with this place — but all it takes for me to get excited about a newly renovated and opened place is exposed brick.
The bartender was very chatty and efficient. We decided to order s bunch of apps over a full meal, as the looked good and seemed very shareable. We had:
Brussels sprouts
Hand cut French fries
Lamb sliders
Meatballs
All were very good and hit the spot. The lamb sliders and Brussels sprouts were especially good. Looking forward to trying an entrée here at some point down the road, but I could just as easily see myself popping in for a happy hour soon.

We had a family brunch there and tried several items from their menu: lobster rolls, french toasts, sandwiches, orange juice. Everything was fresh and tasty, we liked the flavors. I was expecting the portions to be a little bigger.

Okay, I think I might have a new fav here. This place is amazing. First of all, Party of Two, No Reservations? No Problem! Granted, it was Sunday evening, but I was still impressed. The service was fantastic. Not pushy or hovering, but always right there when you need them.
The food? Spectacular! I can’t wait to go back to try the things I didn’t get a chance to try. The special of the night was mussels, which were the star. Perfectly cooked, hot, and savory. The portion was generous and the broth was beyond delicious. We also started with the lamb sliders, mixed greens, and the beet and avacado salad. The sliders were so fantastic. A little sloppy to eat, but dipped in the broth from the mussels? O… M…G… The salads were also perfect for the moment. Fresh local greens and interesting accompaniments. With a nicely priced red wine, a great way to end round 1.
After such an exciting and filling first round, we split our main course of Scallops and Pork Belly. It, too, was exceptional. A nice junk of pork belly, kale and onions, the jus, the scallops, just incredible. My wife wasn’t a fan of the pork belly, but I thought it added a nice salty piece to the dish.
We will definitely be back!

Dining at isa was by far my most pleasurable experience in Portland so far. It’s located in the challenged Bayside neighborhood which brings me back to NYC. It’s not about the location but the ray of sunshine their food brings to the neighborhood. Having met in Brooklyn NY, the owners, Isaul and Suzie decided to bring their prowess and vision to Portland Maine, how appropriate! Isaul is classical trained in French and Italian cooking, that alone is a recipe for success. This is the exactly the type of restaurant you would find in an up and coming Brooklyn neighborhood. They do take reservations for parties of 6 or more ONLY and I suggest making one because they start to fill up around 6:30.
Upon walking in you’ll find simple, classic décor that stays true to the character and charm of the original building. The colors are warm and layered lighting compliments the lengthy bar and dining area. On the wall by the door they display the purveyors that supply the restaurant with it’s fine ingredients, I love that. This practice really connects the diner to the dining experience and I’ve noticed this trend throughout Portland. The staff is friendly and look like they take their job very seriously, a sort of calm, reserved look is the best way to describe it. Our server was Joshua and he displayed great energy as he told us about the specials and took drink orders.
Since we are Pescetarian my reviews will unfortunately, be limited. I can tell you what I heard from other guests over my shoulder though. I ordered the shaved Fennel salad with grapefruit, pecorino, and mint. Mint is like lemon for me; I like it occasionally, depends on the dish. The presentation is beautiful and when I took the first bite, WOW! The mint is so robust and compliments the other ingredients so well. My experience went like this, bite, «wow is that the mint?», mmm mmm, bite, «whoa that is the mint», absolutely incredible! The pecorino and grapefruit add textural contrast from the crunch of the fennel along with a touch of acid.
My fiancé had the Burrata Crostini which arrived with a delicate layer of Heirloom tomatoes and vibrant fresh basil. If you have never had Burrata and love cheese, then you must try it. Burrata is made from Mozzarella and cream, done right, it should be creamy yet still hold together.
We both ordered the Eggplant Lasagne which is the farthest thing from your local pizzeria. This is fine dining quality my friends. If you don’t know how to prepare eggplant it can be bitter, mostly due to the seeds, just like a tomato. The layers of homemade pasta, sauce, ricotta, and tarragon in this dish are perfectly balanced, making each bite more enjoyable then the next. You will find yourself eating it quickly and thinking that you can eat this every day, we did!
For dessert we shared the warm apple tart which was good but I wished there was a little more crust to balance the amount of apple. It was still excellent, I’m just a picky boy. We will be back to this restaurant often and look forward to trying other seasonal dishes. Thank you for a delicious experience!

Isa is a…
cute little restaurant (make reservations) with an intimate ambiance
lovely take on Mediterranean cuisine with options from the land and sea (try the grilled octopus or the tagliatelle bolognese with pecorino and fresh fennel)
great place for creative cocktails (try the shruberry no. 3 with cachaca, plums, and bitters)

I had heard Isa described as «aggressively likeable.» From their tastefully minimalist décor to perfectly curated beer selection, the first impression was very strong.
After ordering a Lunch (incredibly exciting to see, given its scarcity), we ordered the Brussels sprouts, lamb sliders, and a scallop and pork belly, and I honestly can’t imagine recommending anything else. Not because the menu lacked other intriguing options (once the snow falls, I’m getting the eggplant lasagna!) but because everything we ordered was perfect.
Brussels sprouts are huge today, despite being stinky mini cabbages. A lot of places make them taking every pain to mask their taste, whether it’s with soy sauce, bacon, you name it. Isa does it differently. Yes, there is bacon, their preparation lets you taste the sprouts! It’s pretty magical.
The lamb sliders were similarly great, goat cheese, (homemade?) bun, and perfectly seasoned lamb, served in 1“X1″ squares.
The star, however, was the scallops with pork belly. Perfectly cooked scallops, melt in your mouth pork belly, deliciously soft onions and carrots, all sitting in a reduction of pork belly braising liquid, white wine, and, I have to assume, a shitload of butter.
So good! The only downside is its location. As a human with a soul, it’s really hard to eat a fancy meal while seeing the struggle of the clients from Preble Street walk past the window. Obviously, it’s not the restaurant’s fault, but it make you evaluate what you are doing with your life.
Will buy fancy food again.

Wow. Isa will definitely be on the top of my list when suggesting restaurants to visitors and/​or friends.
Walking up to the restaurant from across the street, I immediately noticed the black paned windows and exterior. It was discreet but at the same time conveyed to the passerby or approaching foodie that this was a refined food establishment. And indeed it was!
I started off with a cheese plate and wine while seated at the bar. After pouring over the menu and wanting to order everything, the bartender suggested I try the special not listed on the menu: scallops, pork belly, and brussel sprouts.
I love when food is flavor-​fully burnt and the chef did a superb job in getting enough of that flavorful burnt with the pork belly without overdoing it. The scallops were also lightly crusted with a flavorful, slightly crispy, burnt. The same with the brussel sprouts.
I will definitely come back.

This place is not to be missed if you are in Portland!
My boyfriend Sam and I went to Isa for dinner on the fourth of July and we both really loved it. I am just getting around to writing this review now b/​c the food and drinks were so good, the thought of them has haunted me until now– and we are trying to figure out when to head back up to Portland just to go back here!
We were greeted by co-​owner, Suzie, who was warm and friendly, setting the tone for the rest of the night. We received excellent service all night and were very pleased with our attentive, knowledgable server and felt right at home in the cozy atmosphere. Side note, awesome outdoor space!
We started with the lamb sliders, shaved fennel salad, and grilled peaches — all of which we thought were incredible and creatively delicious. I especially would recommend the shaved fennel salad, which had sweet grapefruit and sharp cheese, creating a seriously bomb combination. The peaches were also perfectly ripe and grilled just the right amount, caramelizing with the balsamic reduction … yes yes YES!!!
For dinner we shared fries, and Sam got the pork chop which he said was super juicy and delicious and I got the tagliatelle bolognese, one of the best I have ever had! I wanted to eat it all but because of the generous portions and that I had three appetizers I had to get a doggie bag.
I also had a few of the Tea Coupes. — and was thinking next time I will ask if they can just make this in a pitcher b/​c it is a refreshing and unique drink that i couldn’t get enough of !
For dessert we had the strawberry shortcake and another chocolate dessert thing (see pics) and ended up devouring both like hungry wolves even though we were stuffed, they were that good.

A friend and I have a list of new (and not so new) restaurants to try in Portland, and Isa was next on the list. We were welcomed with a fresh, crisp interior and kind service.
We both ordered the lamb sliders – which may be on the appetizer list, but throw in a side, and you have yourself a reasonbly portioned meal. The lamb sliders are composed of little lamb sausages sliced in half, goat cheese, and red bell peppers sandwiched between olive oiled-​ciabatta bread. They were quite tasty, but a little difficult to keep together while eating. The combination of the sausage casings, the olive oil, and the goat cheese created a slippery slider situation for me. I would get them again, but possibly not on a date. Wouldn’t want to drop goat cheese on my lap!
As a side, I got the corn on the cob. It was reminiscent of the elotes you find on the streets on LA, so I was pretty excited. It’s definitely lighter than elotes, as there is no mayo and the toppings aren’t in excess, but rather they are just right. My friend got the fries, and they were the best fries I’ve had in a while (when was the last time I had fries? idk, but these are great). They were perfectly crisp and came with a seasoned aoli.
Finally, I ordered the Tea Coupe (it was in so many Unilocal reviews, so I had to). I thoroughly enjoyed this drink, but it was pricier than any of the food I ordered. I don’t think I would order it again for that price, but it was quite lovely, and I recommend it to anyone to try it at least once.
Verdict: try Isa! They use local vendors, have great service, clean interior, and delicious food.

Although it’s in an «up and one day coming» part of west Portland, be careful not to walk down Preble Street: dozens of homeless, some screaming, waiting for services at the shelter/​resource center.
Once you walk in, you find yourself in a cozy, casual bistro-​style restaurant, with friendly servers and a creative menu. We started with an incredible shaved fennel salad with grapefruit and pecorino cheese. It was clean and fresh with a super light flavor profile.
The corn tortillas with corn masa and a red pepper sauce bed was a sleeper hit; sublime light red sauce with crispy filled tortillas. Terrific texture and just the right portion size.
Next for main (lunch) courses: Eggplant lasagna, which was well made and super tasty, if a touch oily, with a perfect egg-​shaped ball of ricotta on top. The baked eggs (they did it with egg whites for us) with grilled kale, tomatoes, and a piece of grilled, thick wheat bread was a huge portion and chock full of grilled, smoky tastiness. Both were delicious! Overall, this is a fun, casual, modern take on an American bistro.

First time here for brunch, and it was very enjoyable! Beautiful space — comfortable and casual elegance.
Great coffee from Tandem Roasters! We shared the fried tortilla, enjoyed the eggs Benedict (on house made biscuits) and baked eggs.
They have parking behind the building, and a handicap accessible bathroom — very convenient since my wife is still on crutches.

This review is for the «happy hour time» only… sans a happy hour. Brett and I stopped in for our first time on a Friday at 4 pm. I was pleasantly surprised, but exactly what I had expected — a space with clean colors (black and white), no «fluff» on the wall, and a very intricate, spunky, black and white tiled floor. The bar itself seats about 12 people, comfortably.
Our waitress, Nichole, was great. Brett and I definitely took our time deciding what we’d like to drink, and decided on the Tea Coupe and Grey Lady. The Tea Coup was a hibiscus infused tequila with honey and lime; a little fruity for me (the hibiscus is stronger than you think!), and the Grey Lady was amazing. The combonation of Gin, Earl Grey tea (right?!) and I believe honey… was beautiful. The gin wasn’t overpowering and niether was the tea — thankfully. I’ve never been a fan of Earl Grey.
We also ordered the lamb sliders to start. This was a perfect appetizer. They were lamb sausages sliced in ½, in between herb ciabatta bread with goat cheese, pesto and sun dried tomatoes. This was the most delicious slider I’ve ever had — hands down, and let it be known, this is something I’d never order.
A second friend joined us later on and the three of us have a soft spot for mussles, so a second app was ordered. They were PEEERRFECT. The deliciously cooked, tiny little mussels, accompanied by tomatoes, cilantro and a light wine/​mustard sauce and perfectly charred bread, perfect for dipping :)
The atmosphere is clean, new and exciting. I’m looking forward to experiencing more of what they offer — hopefully, sooner than later!
Welcome to town, Isa!

Shot story: GO! Try the food, it’s really great!
For a more in depth review:
My friends and I started outlet own brunch club and this was the inaugural spot. The servers were super friendly and sat us right away even though two members of our party had not yet arrived. The server we had was super friendly but also knowledgeable. She specifically asked if anyone had allergies or sensitivities, which I really liked.
The atmosphere was great. Isa is definitely smaller, however they clearly do attempt to accommodate everyone as there was a larger party of ten in the restaurant. The space is a bit noisy, due to the acoustics, but it is well decorated and definitely clean. I can see it getting quite crowded but the space seems pretty modular. There is an outdoor patio (it was too cold for it sadly) and they have a small but well kept row of parking spaces (maybe seven or eight cars worth) in the back.
My food was delicious. I had the croque madam and the French onion soup. It was well prepared. My only issue with this restaurant, and the reason it gets four stars instead of five is that it took a long time for the food to come out of the kitchen. Think 25 minutes for the soup and over 45 minutes for the entrees. While I definitely get that everything is from scratch, if we were super hungry or in a rush this would be a problem. I would personally rather have the food take longer and be delicious, but this is an important planning factor and it was long enough that I couldn’t NOT mention it.
Overall, I’m sure I will be back and it is definitely worth a visit.

Great new spot! They have been open only a month, but are already running smoothly. As others have mentioned the crew working here are a warm and welcoming bunch, and the space itself is well laid out with a bistro vibe.
On this our first visit, we stopped in for their very first day serving brunch. We are really glad we did as the food was very, very good.
I started by trying the lamb sliders, which consisted of spicy lamb sausage, pickled red peppers and goat cheese served on focaccia. Mmmm, Mmmm Yum and large living in the land of small plates I will add enough to share with several people (I of course, devoured the whole thing)! I particularly enjoyed the light and fluffy goat cheese, It had the most wonderful consistence like it had been whipped. In any case the cheese and sausage made a super yummy flavor bomb when combined with the lamb sausage.
Next up was the croque Madame, layers of crisp Standard Bakery bread, covered with prosciutto and melted Swiss, then topped with a beautiful fried farm egg. So good, so very very good!
My wife had the baked eggs and they were very good too. Super rich and creamy balanced nicely by the tangy tomatoes and kale.
Overall, a very good showing from this brand new restaurant. As they continue to settle in, I look forward to seeing how their brunch/​cocktail menus expand/​evolve.
Next time we will have to try dinner!