5 Brand New Restaurants In Portland That Are Worth Your Attention

The city of Portland has garnered itself a well-earned reputation for being a culinary destination in the Northeast. Over the past few years, Portland restaurants and chefs have been featured in major newspapers, magazines and even competition shows on Food Network. In the mix of all its success however, are the new restaurants. If you live in Portland, or visit often, there's a good chance you already have your favorites. Here are 5 new restaurants that you may not know about...but might want to pay some attention to.

RHUM

Rhum probably could have been featured in my 5 Underground Bars That You Need To Visit post as well, but they certainly fit here. Rhum is Portland's only "tiki" bar but they are far more than just a bar. If the custom made glasses and unreal cocktail menu doesn't get you, Rhum boasts in an impressive menu as well, featuring many raw bar options, salads and even this chef interpretation of the classic pu pu platter (pictured below). Rhum is located at 4 Free Street below Arabica coffee and is the perfect place to escape to somewhere "tropical" for a few hours.

WOODFORD F&B

Once the home of one of Portland's most legendary restaurants, Valle's Steak House, comes Woodford Food and Beverage. Walking into the restaurant might give you the initial thoughts of a cozy neighborhood diner but the cuisine is as good as anything you'd find in the Old Port. From the tremendous deep-fried brussels sprouts to the melt-in-your-mouth braised pork shank, Woodford F&B offers a variety of plates ranging from snacks to full-blown dinners. Located at 660 Forest Ave, Woodford F&B is open for dinner 6 nights a week currently.

HERO

HERO is the latest and greatest offering from the owners of OTTO and OCHO. Did the 4 letter name give it away? They've grabbed the help of one of the owners of Empire and created a fast-casual sub shop right by Portland's Monument Square. HERO is set to open this Friday, and judging by the sample menu obtained by Portland Food Map, HERO will be every bit as quirky and creative as OTTO and OCHO, with that New York style sub flare. Sign me up.

ESAAN

Esaan is Portland's newest entry into its Thai food marketplace. Essan promises on their Facebook page that their food is handmade with the care and quality of a home cooked meal. Judging by these ridiculously positive Yelp reviews in less than a month, they're doing something right. Esaan offers classic Thai dishes like egg rolls, noodle soup and gluten-free pad thai. They're geared more towards fast-casual take out, but do have tables to sit and eat. Located 849 Forest Ave and they may become your favorite new go-to for Thai food.

ROUSTABOUT

So, Roustabout has been open for a couple months now, but it's already becoming one of the most talked about restaurants in the city. Housed in the old Nissen bakery building, Roustabout promises a casual take on Italian-American dining. Roustabout offers weekend brunch and lunch/dinner 6 days a week as well as a signature drink menu. Located on a burgeoning stretch of Washington Ave, Roustabout is the kind of place you show up to for dinner, and don't end up leaving until last call.

There are probably even more new restaurants that I've missed. Feel free to comment about those, or if you've visited the ones we've listed!