The Queen Anne Shuffle

This weekend kept us close to the hood to try two spots we've been passing on our way to and from home.

Portage is an adorable little nook with no more than about 10 tables right at the top of Queen Anne Avenue. They specialize in classic French and the menu is small but mighty. With crisp white linen cloths and tiny votives, it is very cozy and very romantic. The bar carried Hendrick's Gin so that is always a good sign.

Warning: we did a poor job of writing things down on these excursions, so I will try to find what I can.

We were greeted warmly and got some fantastic wine by the glass recommendations. I'm not sure if the manager or the owner came out to pour our wine, but he took the time to tell us a little bit about each winery and the tastiness we were about to consume. Hankering a nice Chateauneuf-du-pape but with no by-the-glass option, I was steered to a lovely Cotes du Roussillon instead. It held grenache and other goodness in it's light berry color. And it warmed my throat and stomach as it meandered down, silky smooth to my tummy on this cold, rainy night. I cannot recall the winemaker, but it was round and full and smooth. Perfect. My husband has a lovely Oregon wine that was Pinot Noir with a touch of what we thought was Cab Franc kick at the finish. The manager/owner gentleman could not recall what the second grape was.

For starters, I opted for the Caramelized delicata squash, frisee, toasted almonds, ashed goat cheese for $8. The flavor packed a smooth punch and the squash melted in my mouth. My husband had the local roots baby greens with a splash of red wine vinaigrette for $7. He said the dressing was a bit overpowering but it looked crisp and fresh.

I tried the Diver scallops with oasted squash puree and foraged mushroom fricassee for my entree. The scallops were big and hearty and the earthy-nuttiness of the rest of the dish balanced out the creamy tang of them. But we also tried the best chicken dish we've ever had in a restaurant, hands down: Roasted chicken, cipollini onions, lardons, baby tomato confit . Most restaurants put on chicken as an afterthought and never quite do it justice, but this was juicy and perfectly roasted - a delectable balance with the sweet kick of the cipollinis.

We rounded it all out with 3 scoops of Chocolate-Grand Marnier ice cream. Overall, it was a good, sturdy meal, but not sure we need to go running back to try anything else. Maybe if they change the menu, as it is right by our house. But there was an odd vibe where I never felt quite "comfortable" - and the entrees took WAY too long with such a small amount of tables. We waited what seemed like a half hour from the time they took our salads away.

Saturday night brought us to modern, funky Betty, a little further up the hill. We had been here for drinks before and it combines a sleek modern sensibility of steel tables, concrete floor, and straight lines with a little bit of warmth - earthy toned canvas painting on the walls, two small stained glass creations flanking the bar. They make killer drinks at the bar (one of the best Grey Goose and Tonic's I ever had and their speciality cocktails are to die for). We decided to eat at the bar since we couldn't get a table anyway - but there is the option of sitting at the chef's counter and watch all the magic happen.

We went for the Mozarella Risotto Balls, fried and gently embraced by a sweet tomato sauce and garnished with kale. I could have eaten ten of these bad boys, they were so flavorful and crispy. I opted for the mussels as my entree and they did not disappoint. Swimming in a light wine broth, they were just the right size. And the bread rocked for dipping! Hubby tried the Steak Frittes and I ended up eating off his plate. The salty, zingy ribeye was cooked to perfection (my mouth waters just thinking about it now) and the fries were perfectly crisped (again, good for dipping in my mussel broth.)

Our bartender/server was great - busy but always attentive and really friendly. Coming from SF, this is a hip spot, sans the hip attitude. Love it and want to go back for more.

Overall, a nice little Queen Anne sampler. Next on the list is the best named restaurant in a while, "How to Cook a Wolf." Yowsa.