Going Out No. 2: Bellwether Bar
The secret's out, and I don't know how I feel about it.
Welcome! This is the “Going Out” edition of Riley’s Recs, where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Every Sunday, I also share “Staying In” recipe recommendations for your week. What I should write about next? Feel free to leave a comment on this post or submit your idea here. And don’t forget to check out pdxrecs.com for more recommendations. Enjoy!
Meal: Dinner
Price for two including tip: $153
To eat: drinking snack, cucumbers, chickpea panisse, mushroom tartine, and grilled sausage
To drink: No. 57 and No. 62 and “Orange for Everyone” wine (x2)
Growing up, I had two signature moves. One was called “The Riley,” which was essentially a two-handed spike in Four Square. In hindsight, this was an illegal carry but a reliable finisher.
The second move was piñata related and called “The Starfish.” It worked like this: the moment I heard the resounding crack of the bat against the cardboard donkey followed by the scattering of candy, I would race towards the assortment of Laffy Taffys and Tootsie Pops and throw myself over the pile. Specifically, I would lay down on top of the candy, arms and legs spread wide--like a starfish--with the assumption that whatever candy touched my skin was by default mine.
It was pure greed. Everyone at parties and school was baffled, but I got what I wanted: as much candy as I could eat until my mom eventually made me share.
I would like to do whatever the equivalent of “The Starfish” is with my neighborhood restaurant, Bellwether Bar, which is rising in popularity and slipping away from my greedy little fingers.
This “hidden gem” recently landed a coveted spot on Portland Monthly’s Top 50 Restaurants list and now has a line out the door. It is crowded, it is popping up on my suggested Reels, and it is no longer just mine.
Let me be clear: Bellwether’s popularity is absolutely deserved. Not just because its food is light and creative and seasonal, but because it has a special something. I’ve tried to pinpoint exactly what that is, and I think I finally know: the Bellwether is special because it can be whatever you want it to be. It is the answer to all occasions.
The Bellwether is where I celebrate anniversaries, where I patio-tested my reactive dog, and where I go when I’m too lazy to cook on a Sunday night. My husband wrote his vows in one of the old wooden booths, and I’ve taken refuge in their warm, cozy dining room during snow storms.
If it’s summer and you and your friends want to sit outside for dinner, Bellwether has a flowery, hidden patio out back. If you’re hungry after a walk on Mt. Tabor but it’s only 3 p.m. and you don’t want a full meal, Bellwether is ready to greet you with Deviled Eggs or Whitefish Dip and homemade chips to share.
Whatever you need, Bellwether is there seven days a week.
In trying to be everything, it would be easy for Bellwether to lose its identity. But it does not. Likely because the owners refuse to let their menu fall victim to the unoriginality of neighborhood pubfare.
Yes, there is the burger, with its soft sesame bun and oozing house sauce, and the shoestring fries accompanied by a snow-white aioli. But you would be wrong to assume that the burger is the star of the show.
The saucework is the star.
The ubiquity of plate-licking sauces and oils is likely the result of some tough decision-making. In a six-by-six kitchen you can’t have it all. My guess is that instead of big bold meats or fried chicken, the chef relies on yogurt and tahini sauces that can be prepared ahead of time. Whatever the reason, these accompaniments are what makes Bellwether graduate from good to great.
When you go, you’ll need to order at the bar. This is not something I would normally like, but honestly being able to pace your food and order as you go is really nice.
If you’d like a little direction on the food, the way I see it, there are two main paths you can take: you can go Mediterranean and pair dishes like the harissa roasted cauliflower with entrees like the seared albacore with chickpeas, fennel, and saffron aioli.
Or you can steer classically French by starting with the mushroom tartine with whipped ricotta and shallot jam followed by the beef tartare with cured duck yolk and chili oil.
For drinks, choose between a short list of cocktails, a well-curated draft list from lesser known breweries like Ruse and Wayfinder, and wines cheekily named things like “Burger Wine” or “Good Bubbles.” As an aside, I still am shocked when I glance at a menu and see that a glass of wine costs $17, but it's hard to tell if that really is gratuitous or just the standard these days.
For the longest time, Bellwether did not offer dessert. Last year, they thankfully caved to demand and started offering a rotating selection of seasonal panna cottas and galletes. Normally at Bellwether, we split dishes, but the panna cotta is good enough that you'll want your own.
After you order, choose a seat inside or outside. The interior features a handful of dark wooden booths and a huge, thick bar that served as a pharmacy counter back when the building was constructed more than 100 years ago.
If it’s nice, go outside and sit at one of the picnic tables covered in flowery tablecloths and illuminated by hanging string lights. Wherever you sit, you’ll be fine. There’s no bad seat at Bellwether.
I’ve done a bit of thinking about why seeing a line out the door sends adrenaline and resentment coursing through my veins.
Like most emotions, my greed stems from fear. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to meander down to my favorite restaurant whenever I want or that somehow popularity will jeopardize the quality of the food.
But that is ridiculous. I want the Bellwether and its team to succeed, which, by all accounts, they are. It is not my restaurant to Starfish and hoard all to myself.
When writing this review, I was reminded of a scene from the most recent season of Hacks, in which a rising comedian’s assistant laments the star’s newfound fame. He turns to a fellow fan seated next to him at the bar and essentially makes the argument, “I was there first.” The guy replies:
“You can’t stop being a fan just because she has more of them. We loved her before anyone else did and she loved us before anyone else did. That’s not nothing. We just have to share her now.”
I loved Bellwether when it opened in 2021, and I love Bellwether now. The only difference is that now I’m willing to share.
*I wrote this review before reading the Portland Monthly writeup and was shocked to see that we both use the sentence “Bellwether can be whatever you need it to be.” I suppose that’s validating! It really is everything you want and need it to be.