Chef Crush

LARRY @ Nostrana (503) 234-2427
1401 SE Morrison, Portland, Oregon, 97214

Why he’s dreamy:
Rustic and simple yet never boring Italian comfort food like Sunday roast lamb with mashed potatoes Bolognese and brussels sprouts with butter and bread crumbs, or pappardelle with chicken ragu and Castelveltrano olives. And let’s not forget those drippingly luscious pizzas from the wood-fired oven, crispy, thin-crusted treats that are totally worth crushing any day of the week!

KYLE @ Roux (503) 285-1200
1700 N. Killingsworth Street, Portland, Oregon, 97217

Why he’s dreamy:
Tasso-wrapped sea scallops with roasted pepper puree, lemon zest, and fried capers really get our hearts thumping, and deliciously simple fried green tomatoes make a wonderful Summertime starter alternative to a boring old salad. Moist snapper with toasted almonds, salted lemon, and sauteed savory spinach fill us up without weighing us down. In fact, this gorgeous chef crush has quite a way with seafood of all types and comfort food faves as well. Warning: Beware the “Bourbon Street Sour,” especially at happy hour when they serve them in mason jars. Danger, danger!

RYAN @ Francis (503) 288-8299
2338 NE Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon, 97211

Why he’s dreamy:
Southern comfort food with a Northwest twist makes this cutie a keeper. We adore biscuits with sausage gravy and the almost-a-dessert oatmeal brulee. Grits or hash browns? We only wish we had to make that choice more often! As if breakfast doesn’t make us blush enough, the smoked roasted beet salad and creamtastic mac and cheese always manage to charm us into lunch. Extra chef crush hearts for being a restaurant where our vegan and gluten-sensitive friends can crush without starving, but where we don’t have to eat soy anything unless we want to.

ANTHONY @ Arleta Library Bakery Cafe (503) 774-4470
5513 SE 72nd Street, Portland, Oregon, 97206

Why he’s dreamy:
Semolina griddle cakes with crumbled bacon inside. Sinful but worth it, just like all those sweets tempting us from their perch on the counter. Yummy sandwiches and simple, fresh comfort food hit the spot on those days when we feel mellow and low-key. But we can’t help tossing on a little mascara and lip gloss, knowing this adorable chefboy will be there. *blush* Thanks so much to A. for tipping us off to this cutie!