David's Restaurant

I have a difficult time with David's. The Monument Square mainstay was one of my first introductions to Portland's dining scene nearly a decade ago, and I remember their "pepper-crusted sushi rare tuna" dish being a veritable epiphany. I was also 22 years old and easily impressed by anything that might remotely be considered fine-dining. Over the years, the occasional visits I've made to the restaurant have been just fine, if not a bit forgettable. Still, I won't forget the initial excitement I got from sitting down to a meal here as a relative young'n, and that's got to count for something.

While my girlfriend and I recently enjoyed a well thought-out tasting menu at the restaurant's 18-seat "restaurant within a restaurant" (David's Opus Ten), there's something about the flagship location that just doesn't do it for me any longer, whether it be the menu, decor or otherwise. Nevertheless, this is a blog about haddock sandwiches (not color schemes), and I've typically found lunch at David's to be better than adequate.

David's serves their haddock sandwich with tartar, lettuce, tomato and red onion on a grilled bun, flanked by french fries and a pickle (pasta salad and fresh fruit are also available as sides, but come on). At $10.25, it's reasonable enough in price given the restaurant's busy downtown location and relative expectations of quality.

When the sandwich arrived, the first thing I noticed was the well-toasted bun. Finally, a well-toasted bun! This has been an issue in past Haddockquest excursions, and I have to say that David's really nailed the vessel aspect of things here. After that, things started to go downhill. The small-ish portion of haddock suffered from a soggy, poorly-seasoned batter that lacked flavor and did nothing to stand up against the bun it was served on. It's a shame, because the fish itself was clearly fresh and had a nice flakiness to it. 

As for accoutrements, the fries on the side served their purpose and didn't go uneaten. The pickle was great. 

So why did I go to David's for a fried haddock sandwich when I could have easily crossed any of the remaining Commercial St. fish shacks off the list? Simply put, I'm trying to cover the entire gamut here. I was hoping, perhaps even expecting to find a more upscale take on this traditional gem of a sandwich at David's, but instead, I was met with disappointment. 

My advice? If you want to give David Turin's food a shot, skip his flagship restaurant (and lunch altogether), save up a few hundred bucks, grab yourself a cute date and do the Spring tasting menu at David's Opus Ten w/ pairings. You won't be disappointed.  

The Verdict — Soggy, lifeless and not worth eating. Avoid. (★★)

Nest week, we'll make yet another attempt to visit Small Axe Truck on a day that they're actually open for business.