The Honey Paw, is a brand new sister restaurant to the renowned Eventide Oyster Co. and Hugo’s. The space is uniquely refreshing, with a large communal table at the heart of the room and counter seating ringing the outside of the restaurant. The set up makes the space feel very welcoming and more open than many of Portland’s other new restaurants. Even more delightfully unique is the menu. Billed as a non-denominational noodle house, the dishes range across Asia and incorporate such varied ingrediants as duck, veal, and goat to yield fantastic fare. The resulting dishes are bursting with one of a kind flavors and textures. I love it so much,that I have now been back three times. Twice for dinner and once for lunch.
The menu is divided into four numbered sections from small to large. While I love small plates, I really enjoy the option of having larger dishes. Particularly because they are all so good. One of my favorite dishes so far, is the charred Pork shoulder served with fermented turnips. This dish made me so happy! Reminiscent of the candied pork I used to get at Chinese restaurants as a child, but elevated to a grown-up decedent taste sensation. The fermented turnips add a nice tart counterpart to the sweet charred pork. The wok fried collards were one of the tastiest things I’ve had this year. Smokey pork hock, tender collard greens and topped with amazing onion rings, the ingredients combine in a way that I would have never imagined was possible. So yummy/savory/spicy/good! Other dishes that I have enjoyed, include the Wok Fried Wide Noodles with its uniquely prepared pasta and the Crab and Pork Wonton that just burst with unique flavor and textures. In the case of the Wok Fried Noodles the texture of the fried noodles made this seafood dish so much more interesting than noodle dishes found elswhere. While the crab broth was deliciously rich and infused the tender pork wontons with a marvelous taste. Of special note, your meal cannot be complete without trying their rich soft serve. Congratulations to Chef Pisha-Duffly, he is creating oh so satisfying meals here that you won’t find anywhere else.
Charred Pork Shoulder
Wok Fried Wide Rice Noodles
Wok Fried Collards
Crab and Pork Wanton
Goat chili with home made “Fritos”
