Congrats EEM, Coquine on the NY Times 2021 Restaurant List

coquine-eem-collage-portland-oregon Some of the delicious things I’ve eaten at Coquine (top) and EEM (bottom).

It’s all over social media today—the NY Times’ 2021 Restaurant List—and I’m thrilled for EEM and Coquine for being chosen for the list, the focus of which is “the 50 places in America we’re most excited about right now.” I love both of these places—the food is delicious and memorable, the space is comfortable, and the hospitality is excellent.

Coquine, where I love to dine and am happy to stop by their pandemic-era window and pick up a few things after walking around Mt. Tabor, has this nice thing said about it: “[Coquine is] vigilantly seasonal and informed by French techniques, with an eclectic array of culinary accents. Coquine is often called a neighborhood restaurant, but all neighborhoods should be so lucky.”

This is what the critics, reporters, and editors said about EEM: “If it had never occurred to anyone to combine the heady flavors of Thai curry and the burned ends of Texas brisket (and their drippings), be very happy that it has now occurred to Earl Ninsom and Matt Vicedomini … Their flavors together are a revelation.”

Portland’s food scene has garnered a number of bests and high praise recently—best place for vegans and vegetarians, best coffee city (both determined by WalletHub, which produces rankings on myriad topics), and one that was understandably controversial: Portland was named best pizza city over the summer by Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya, authors of the book “Modernist Cuisine.” When I say “controversial,” I do mean the ownership that New Yorkers feel when it comes to pizza dominance (I understand it, but disagree with it).

But I also mean some comments I read by influential personalities right here in Portland. That these sorts of things shouldn’t matter; that Portland can stand on its own; that “we don’t care.”

Well, I care. I welcome the accolades heaped on Portland’s restaurants, coffee, veggie food, and pizza—among other things. They are well-deserved and it is satisfying to see folks outside of Portland give our city’s food praise.

So congrats again, Coquine and EEM! You belong on this list.

Coquine
6839 SE Belmont Street, Portland
coquinepdx.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

EEM
3808 N Williams Avenue, Portland
eempdx.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

The Restaurant List [NY Times]