Ox Portland
“The name OX pays homage to the work animal that pulls the plough, tilling the soil and replenishing the land’s ability to produce its fruits, vegetables and grains.”
Getting to a restaurant early isn’t always a bad thing, especially when it doesn’t take reservations. After all, there are very few foodie finds worth waiting hours for; or even worse showing up and rolling the dice in the hopes of even getting a seat. I can only name a handful of sought after restaurants that merit a no reservation policy. OX, located at 2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Portland, Oregon falls into that handful.
We are by no means early birds when it comes to dining. Except once. In Buenos Aires we showed up at a parrilla at 8:30pm and the staff was still setting up for what we learned was a 9pm dinner service. We took the hint, and after 20 minutes decided to try our luck elsewhere. Arriving early at OX around 5pm is actually cutting it close if you want to get in for that first seating. We got to Ox at 5pm on the dot, early enough for an early bird special at most restaurants, and there wasn’t a table ready for us until 7pm. Luckily enough for us, Ox knew that in order to keep the crowds from leaving they’d have to find a way to entertain us for those 2 hours, and Whey Bar next door was just the place. It is the most pleasurable way to wait for a table that I can imagine. A little pre-dining if you will. Have a few drinks, an appetizer, and wait for your host to let you know that a feast of Argentine inspired grilled meat awaits.
The Whey Bar, which is a destination in itself, delivers locally inspired appetizers, local craft beer, and just enough inventive cocktails that could entice your party to try them all. As for appetizers, I started with Calm Cove and Pickering Pass oysters from Washington accompanied by a dill mignonette and a Thai ponzu. I conveniently forgot that Jayme isn’t keen on oysters. She did however order a bar snack for the ages that I’m happy to say she shared with me. De-shelled toasted pistachios tossed in truffle sea salt. Need I say more? These toasted emeralds of buttery and salty goodness propelled us to destroy our cocktails, and just in time. Our thoughtful hostess from OX next door was ready to lead us away to the promise land of meat.
OX was packed. Even on a Wednesday, the locals knew that if you have the chance to dine at OX and can get in, you jump on it. We assumed that our hostess was whisking us away to an intimate table for two. How wrong we were. Instead, we have front row seats of two grill masters and the wood hungry beast known simply as the parrilla (a huge fire-y grill, pronounced "pa/ree/jah"). Our expert parrilla chefs took a moment from their basting, turning, and flipping to tell us that the heated pool of olive oil in front of the parrilla is infused with garlic, rosemary, and thyme. The grill itself is designed to catch the juices from the other cooking meats. Then, as you can imagine, the trough of meat and herb infused glory is basted back on the searing meats. Kind of like a culinary circle of life.
Chef Greg Denton smartly started us off with an amuse-bouche of cold asparagus gazpacho with garlic chives/olive oil served in a tasse. The flavors of spring cool you down as the oak fed parrilla bellows fire and flavor to the cooking meats below. The sight of the grill fully loaded with a plethora of different cuts of meat compelled us to order the Asado Argentino for two. This inundation of Grilled Short Rib, House Chorizo & Morcilla Sausages, Skirt Steak, Sweetbreads, Fried Potatoes, and a Green Salad is the way to go for couples, groups, or the meat starved solo diner.
ASADO ARGENTINO for 2
Grilled Short Rib, House Chorizo & Morcilla Sausages, Skirt Steak, Sweetbreads, Fried Potatoes, Green Salad.
When dining Argentine style, it is the simplicity of the ingredients and the skillful way that it is prepared which separates it from most other grilling cultures. The skirt steak shined as this relatively inexpensive cut of beef was transformed into a tender grilled marvel. Few could recognize the tenderness of this skirt steak after taking that first chew. The char of the grill envelopes your palette only to give way to the pure flavor of the prime cut of skirt steak itself. Each chew of the steak releases OX’s signature garlic, rosemary, thyme, and paprika baste into your mouth. This sultry symphony of flavors touches upon euphoria, then you realize that you have four other scintillating Argentine beef and pork delectable waiting on your plate.
The House Chorizo & Morcilla sausages, took us back to the flavors of Buenos Aires. Memories of ducking into the corner parrilla for a quick paprika infused chorizo, local blood sausage and a beer came over us. The chorizo sausage at OX delivers a paprika infused char with a perfect touch of salt. The Morcilla sausage made me wonder, “Why don’t I order blood sausage more?” Subtle flavors of earth and tin elevates this umami of sausages to something indescribably addicting. As if that weren’t enough, our barbequed sweetbreads had just arrived.
For those of you who need that coated breading coupled with a deep fry to stomach those “adventurous” dishes, OX’s barbequed sweet breads might not be for you. These sweet breads, also known as thymus glands, are simply prepared and unmasked. A simple seasoning, a quick baste of the parrilla’s liquid gold marinade, a minute on the hot grill, and voila! This is sweet breads as it should be. The slightly charred outside creates an oh so subtle bark which snaps in your mouth and gives way to a creamy subtle center. If you can imagine a charred beef scallop, you would be right on.
The sweet breads give that creamy char that is both unique and oh so satisfying, but sometimes you just want to tear into a piece of meat caveman style. The parrilla style grilled short ribs gives all the sinewy pull and satisfying chew that you want from grilled meat. The butterflied flanken style short ribs are generously basted with OX’s parrilla drippings until a primal bell goes off. It’s ready, it’s charred, it’s magnificent.
There are few unadulterated meat infused dining experiences that can compare to OX in Portland Oregon. The plates are rustic and expertly prepared and the message is one that we can get behind. OX pays homage to the work animals that till the fields where food grows. We acknowledge everything these fine animals do for us all, but pay special homage to the masters of parrilla at OX.
