DAME
Permanently Closed
Creative New American fare & global natural wine list
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Creative New American fare & global natural wine list
"A prix fixe residency at Killingsworth’s beloved Dame, this two-night-a-week project explores high-end “sea Cajun” cooking, pronounced as one word with a silent r. Dopson and Irwin source high-quality, sustainable seafood directly from small Louisiana producers—texting a single-boat shrimp supplier for overnight “shrimp-ments”—to build menus featuring Gulf shrimp and blue crab, with a crawfish hookup planned for spring. A recent visit brought sweet potato biscuits swimming in butter, crispy fried shrimp boulettes, and marinated crab legs; the main paired braised collards and pickled okra and beets with a crab jambalaya centerpiece, a silky bed of rice suffused with rich broth and luxuriously tender strips of crab meat, finishing with pecan pie under a dollop of buttermilk-whipped cream. Without a flashy steak-or-lobster centerpiece, the experience relies on meticulous pot watching and textural control, and in the elegant dining room the chatter fades to the clink of forks as dishes land and guests murmur “pass the butter” and “oh my gosh, try these crab legs.” The price lands in the 80s, and service is reservation-only Monday and Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m." - Ben Coleman
"This Killingsworth restaurant collective has received plenty of buzz for its residencies, but the standard Italian menu at the restaurant, available Wednesdays through Sundays (with a more “red sauce Italian” menu on Wednesdays), is nothing to ignore. Sitting in a sapphire blue dining room, meals start with silky seasonal soups, transitioning to impeccably executed pastas. Cacio e pepe, retaining its bite, captures the right balance of black pepper and Grana Padano in a sauce that coats each noodle beautifully. Squid ink pasta swims with marinated shrimp and seductively spicy tomato sauce. Pair any of them with a wine from owner Jane Smith’s exceptional list." - Eater Staff
"Originally opened as a traditional restaurant, Dame has evolved into an exciting model of both business and culinary experimentation, serving as a testing ground and launchpad for pop-ups turned successes like Pasture and No Saint. Around the corner, Lil’ Dame features frequent pop-ups like Chelo (seasonal Mexican) and Bajala (Baja California) in the former Beast storefront. The larger Dame offers a casual “red sauce” Wednesday and a more elevated, seasonal Italian menu on other nights — all with unwavering dedication to pouring a terrific selection of natural wines from around the world." - Nathan Williams
"This sultry, deep-blue wine bar and restaurant is a jack of all trades, with indoor and outdoor dining, a bottle shop, and wine delivery. Thursdays through Sundays, diners can pore over pasta and light Italian fare from chef Patrick McKee, with casual and comforting red sauce dishes on Wednesday evenings. Both in the bottle shop and on the dine-in bottle list, diners can also find an exceptional collection of natural wines, from Willamette Valley heavy-hitters like Swick to elegant Slovenian whites." - Zoe Baillargeon, Alex Frane
"I picture a sapphire- and cerulean-toned space that hits the cute, vibe-y aesthetic you’re after." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
