THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cafe des Amis

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cafe des Amis Restaurant Review:

One of the long-playing restaurants in Portland, Café des Amis is distinguished by a small but exquisite menu that changes infrequently, assuring its devoted clientele a satisfying familiarity. Its two rooms are simple, even spare, set off by a few elegant pieces of art (including haunting photographs of Paris parks by Harold Altman), lace curtains, and subdued lighting. The atmosphere is quiet, almost sedate, but never precious. Loyal diners do not come here to make the scene. The cooking as well is anything but trendy; the restaurant is dedicated to artistically prepared, classic bistro dishes, a number of which have become almost legendary in Portland: duck terrine with pistachios, wild mushroom ravioli in a lemony creamy sauce, a filet of beef burnished with a sauce of port and garlic, duck with blackberry sauce, and poussin with 40 cloves of garlic. The restaurant has been doing these dishes for over 20 years, so they’ve executed them with understanding and precision. New items show up now and then, but you come to Café des Amis not for cutting edge cuisine but for reliable favorites that make you feel welcome, almost part of the family. The pleasure of a dinner here is that you feel you can settle in for an absolutely serene evening. And we’d drive across town for their desserts any day of the year.