Arden is a chic Pearl District gem where seasonal Pacific Northwest dishes shine under the skill of chef Erik Van Kley, paired perfectly with an impressive wine list.
"Arden closely rides the line between a wine bar and a full-fledged restaurant, which makes sense considering owner Kelsey Glasser is an experienced sommelier and wine educator. Along with its menu of seasonally-driven Pacific Northwest fare, dining in Arden’s sophisticated and polished dining room means an opportunity to try a diverse range of wines including unique and elusive bottles from Oregon and Old World winemakers. In addition to the daily menu, Arden also offers themed winemaker dinners, featuring menus curated to complement the vintner’s offerings." - Zoe Baillargeon, Alex Frane
"This stylish Pearl District restaurant’s kitchen is the domain of longstanding Portland chef Erik Van Kley, a talent with a singular perspective on classic Pacific Northwestern ingredients. For example, the chef once took inspiration from both Portland’s love of foie gras and the abundance of chanterelles spotted within the state’s damp forest floors, but not in the typical torchon or risotto preparation, respectively — rather, the foie ended up in a tea sandwich with onion jam, with roasted chanterelle soup for dipping. A recent preparation of the ubiquitous early spring English peas and morels here arrives as a pasta with dashi brown butter. All of the food works well with the exceptionally detailed wine list, which includes a few long-cellared options hailing from the Willamette Valley." - Eater Staff
"Couples looking for special occasion standards like oysters, pinot noir, and foie gras will find them at this stylish Pearl District wine bar, but chef Erik Van Kley is particularly adept at developing pasta dishes, like spaghetti in ramen brown butter or carrot and goat cheese-stuffed pierogi, topped with almond salsa macha. Plus, the restaurant often offers some sort of dish for two, like grilled bavette steak with shio koji, well-suited for dates." - Katrina Yentch, Thom Hilton, Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Longstanding Portland chef Erik Van Kley runs the kitchen at this wine bar and restaurant, serving dishes at the same caliber as the ones he served at the late, great Taylor Railworks. Van Kley dots gorgeous plates of burrata with rotating accompaniments, tosses tagliatelle with clams and ramen brown butter, and pairs bavette steaks with preserved black bean Yorkshire pudding. The wine list, of course, is similarly special, with some of the prettiest wines coming out of France and the Willamette Valley." - Maya MacEvoy, Thom Hilton
"This stylish Pearl District restaurant’s kitchen is the domain of longstanding Portland chef Erik Van Kley, a talent with a singular perspective on classic Pacific Northwestern ingredients. For example, the chef once took inspiration from both Portland’s love of foie gras and the abundance of chanterelles spotted within the state’s damp forest floors, but not in the typical torchon or risotto preparation, respectively — rather, the foie ended up in a tea sandwich with onion jam, with roasted chanterelle soup for dipping. A recent preparation of the ubiquitous early spring English peas and morels here arrives as a pasta with dashi brown butter. All of the food works well with the exceptionally detailed wine list, which includes a few long-cellared options hailing from the Willamette Valley." - Eater Staff
