Janken
Asian fusion restaurant · Pearl ·
Upscale Japanese with cherry tree, cocktails, oysters
Upscale Japanese with cherry tree, cocktails, oysters
"It is obvious that this Pearl District pan-Asian restaurant was specifically designed for celebrations. The artificial cherry tree at its center shades tables of fashionably dressed diners snacking on smoked wagyu nigiri and caviar. The smoked Pineapple Express cocktail arrives under a bell jar, landing at tables where dates snack on elaborate maki, flashy rolls with shaved truffle or uni, and elegantly simple nigiri. The menu is loaded with festive mains: potato-chip-crispy-skinned Peking duck, A5 wagyu beef cooked tableside on a hot stone, and Korean braised short ribs. Finally, dessert here is non-negotiable; the restaurant’s pastry program is one of its highlights, from the mega-rich dark chocolate cake to the mound of icy strawberry bingsu." - Michelle Lopez
"An exercise in Miami-style excess dropped into downtown Portland, Janken is an elaborate and fun destination spot for dates or group dining. Meals can end up as extravagant as a show: White grape soju cocktails precede pork belly with rum-compressed pineapple, which arrives under a cloche in a plume of smoke. Dramatic caviar service comes to the table on an ice tray with latkes, blinis, and accouterments like house pear chutney. The crispy-skinned Beijing duck served with pancakes is a must-order." - Thom Hilton
"An exercise in Miami-style excess dropped into downtown Portland, Janken is an elaborate and fun destination spot for dates or group dining. Meals can end up as extravagant as a show: Alaska cocktails infused with shiso precede pork belly with rum-compressed pineapple, which arrives under a cloche in a plume of smoke. Dramatic caviar service arrives on an ice tray with latkes, blinis, and accoutrements like house pear chutney. The crispy-skinned Peking duck, served with pancakes, is a must-order." - Maya MacEvoy, Thom Hilton
"It is obvious that this Pearl District pan-Asian restaurant was specifically designed for celebrations. The artificial cherry tree at its center shades tables of fashionably dressed diners snacking on smoked wagyu nigiri and caviar. The smoked Pineapple Express cocktail arrives under a bell jar, landing at tables where dates snack on elaborate maki, flashy rolls with shaved truffle or uni, and elegantly simple nigiri. The menu is loaded with festive mains: potato-chip-crispy-skinned Peking duck, A5 wagyu beef cooked tableside on a hot stone, and Korean braised short ribs. Finally, dessert here is non-negotiable; the restaurant’s pastry program is one of its highlights, from the mega-rich dark chocolate cake to the mound of icy strawberry bingsu." - Michelle Lopez, Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"For those looking for a moderately priced date night that still feels luxurious, happy hour at this Pearl District restaurant, seated by the large faux cherry tree at the center of the space, would do it. Visitors can snack on $3 oysters dressed with green apple mignonette, $12 caviar-topped latkes, and $11 soft shell crab bao buns, as well as a number of options from the sushi bar. Happy hour runs from Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden, Maya MacEvoy
