Finally made a reservation to check out Berlu and it was delightful. The space is quint. The staff are attentive. We enjoyed our coursed meals and I really liked the beets, crab, and the desserts. Each dish had textures and flavor combos that were not only innovative but also complementary. One thing i personally did not enjoy was the veal - it tasted fatty and mushy hence deducting one star. I highly recommend checking this place out for an elevated Vietnamese dining experience. read more

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5 stars for superb flavors and being so nice! I came to check out the walk up Vietnamese bakery on opening day. I got here a little after 8am and there were 8 people ahead of me in line. It took me 35 minutes to get to the front. While in line, I downloaded the Go Box app. This allows you to get your items in a reusable container that you can return later. I ordered the meatloaf which comes with rice, the pandan waffle, pandan honeycomb cake, strawberry tart, mango roll cake, and Vietnamese iced coffee. Everything was delicious!!! The coffee is on the sweeter side and is not everyone. My husband didn't enjoy it but I did. It's nice and strong. My eyes went wide with one sip! Pow awake! read more

Berlu Bakery - first day of walk up Vietnamese bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Giving this place 4 stars because for what it was, I do think it was good. However, I do wish they would spice things up a bit! Their pandan waffles are good, but buying just a plain waffle feels like a crime to me! It would be awesome if they topped their waffles with something - maybe powdered sugar, young coconut it sauce, etc. or at least gave you sides of toppings to put on yourself. I also wish their menu was a little more descriptive because I was confused trying to figure out what to order. Other than those very small things, the shop was very clean and bright and the staff was very friendly and I enjoyed my goods! read more

Been looking forward to trying this place for dinner for a while now after trying their delicious baked goods in the morning while friends were in town. Booked a reservation with a N/A drink pairing. Good food, good service, and just a great time! Loved the experience of making our own salad rolls at the table. Dessert was amazing and so different. Another highlight was the clam dish with the deliciously crunchy and sweet lychee with the fragrant durian custard. Bravo! read more

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I was truly impressed by this dining experience. It was truly an "experience" - it was not just the food, but the service and the ambiance that contributed to the overall amazing time I had at Berlu. First, the food - it is a prix fixe menu that is centered around Chef Vince's personal interpretation of Vietnamese food. Oftentimes, people think of fine dining, and think small portion sizes. This was actually only partially true for the portion sizes here, I actually was quite full at the end and felt like the food was more than enough. The food itself was also very artfully curated, and they have an in-house sommelier who also provided wine pairings that elevated every course. I loved the freshness and uniqueness of the food that Chef Vince created - from the geoduck to the cordyceps, there are ingredients that do not oftentimes show up in either Western nor Eastern cuisine, and it was refreshing to see how he incorporated these ingredients into his dishes. The experience was also extremely special. As alluded to before, they have an in-house sommelier who provides wine pairings (if you add it to your reservation). It is very apparent that there is a deep level of care for everything, as all items have a presentation that come with it that explicitly describes what flavors are to be highlighted and what ingredients are used. At the end of the meal, Chef himself comes out to greet all the customers and provide them with a "thank you card" that describes what was served that day. Lastly, the ambience. Because the space is also so small, there is a feeling that you are being well taken care of. The atmosphere is clean and modern, but not stuffy as many fine dining places are. Also, I will not reveal what was inside, but the bathroom is also an experience in and of itself... you'll just have to book a reservation to see what I mean! Overall, this was an amazing experience and I would definitely return if I can snag a reservation in the future! read more

If this is the bakery, I can't imagine how good the food is! Super creative, all amazing. My favorite was the Pandan Waffle. The texture is super chewy, like mochi, and it's simply amazing. Other notable Pandan pastries include the Banh Bo Nuang, which tastes like a latticework version of butter mochi and the Banh Da Lan is a gelatinous slice with clean layers. Mango Roll Cake and Pineapple Cardamom Cake are so silky and fluffy. Banh Khoai Mi Nuang is a brilliant cassava cake covered with a tangy topping of caramelized kiwi, and my other fave is the Coconut/Egg Custard Tart - it's the most creative use of salted egg I've seen. Wow, what a box. Now I'll have Berlu on the brain for days! read more

First off.. what an incredible meal and experience from start to finish. The dinner experience is 2.5 hours and spans a multitude of courses - each incredibly unique. The chefs do an fantastic job showcasing seasonal, fresh ingredients in ways I had not experienced before. The sour, sweet, and spicy notes that I'd associate with Vietnamese food came out in varying ways with each course. The service was attentive (your water never is anything more than half empty) and the atmosphere intimate. This is a great dining experience that I'd recommend to anyone for a special occasion. read more

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This 4 stars is due to one menu item on the pastry list, it was the Bánh Khoai Mì Nướng. It had texture similar to mochi with almost a cheesecake base on the bottom that was sweater and crunchier than the rest of the cake. Honestly wasn't sure to expect, but it was absolutely delicious. Also got the honeycomb pandan cake and it was a fun texture, but the flavor wasn't super strong and couldn't quite decide if it's a sweet or savory dish. The coconut custard was like it looked and didn't amaze me or anything. Would totally come back for the first cake, the others not so much. read more

this was my first time (i pre-ordered ahead for the sunday bakery), and i'm struggling to put words to what i just experienced. vince was so down-to-earth, and enjoying one of his baked goods was to appreciate art. each flavor is so thoughtful, complementary and not overwhelming. this is how creativity tastes. i highly recommend doing the "one of everything". tl;dr my tastebuds went to the art museum today and wow was it worth it. read more

Berlu Bakery - One of everything (+ a little more pandan honeycomb cake) - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One of the rarest find in Portland is a bakery that sells pandan cake (Bánh bò nuong) one of my moms favorite treat. I came here to grab some pastries for the family and simply was not disappointed. The line was roughly long. Waited half an hour but much worth it. The pandan cake is why I came here but I think the star of the show for me was the lychee/tamarind roll cake. Really enjoyed that oddly combination. Pandan cake was really chewy and moist. Pandan waffle was too chewy/gummy for my liking. The egg tart was so also good and different. Really enjoyed the crispy crust and soft custard inside. My grandma enjoyed the cassava cake (Banh khaoi mi nuong) Flan cake was definitely different but it was good as well. My least favorite would be the pandan coconut cake. Definitely coming here for more tasty pastries next time! read more

Berlu Bakery - One of each. Missing 5 spice cake. - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is a hidden gem! I feel so lucky to have found it on our trip to Portland. We couldn't decide what we wanted so we chose the "one of everything" box. The cool part was we could reserve it online the night before and pick it up next day. Super easy to find, short wait in line to grab our preorder and the most friendly welcome. Coffee was delicious too! Honestly, I could hardly wait to dig in! I took a bite of every one of these tasty treats as soon as we got to the car. Omgosh the deserts are heavenly. The only downside was that we live so far away and can't buy these treats weekly! Haha Bravo!! Thank you for all our deserts aka our breakfast ;) Can't wait for our next visit read more

Berlu Bakery - One of everything box YUM - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Once again I say, Yelp needs to incorporate a half star option when giving ratings. There were aspects of Berlu that definitely deserve a 5 star rating, while others earn 4 stars, and I wish I could bring the sum of these to a healthy 4.5. But alas, we are chained to integer scoring whether we like it or not. Anyways... The highlights: If you think you've tried nearly every flavor profile to exist, you probably haven't if you are still yet to visit this spot. What makes Berlu shine is the intriguing combination of ingredients and textures that make even the simplest of foods become extraordinary. I never thought I'd be obsessed over a waffle (a Dr. Seuss-esque green one at that), which was prepared essentially naked but needed nothing else. The geoduck and citrus dish, prepared with jackfruit, provided my tastebuds with the excitement I didn't think I was missing out on. And their mung bean canele, I can confidently say, is indeed one of the best I have had in my relatively short life. The airy interior and soft evening sunlight soaking the gauze drapes create a sort of dream state from which you will emerge very full. The meal ends with the chef himself bringing you a copy of the menu and a tiny little thank message. That kind of gesture makes the big difference in dining! The improveables: Perhaps my partner and I are directionally challenged, but we had one hell of an adventure trying to find the entrance to this place, which is somewhat tucked into the courtyard of the building (this might actually be an improveable on my end). While I often enjoy an intimate dining setting, this one had me feeling a little too close to my neighbor, and can make hearing about the dishes a bit more challenging. I also should mention the cost of dinner; now, understanding that this is considered fine dining and a tasting menu, one can expect to pay more than the average outing...but excluding drinks, we paid about $356 for two of us, eventually a little over $400 after we caved and ordered alcohol. This does include service charge, mind you. Finally, and this is probably an honest overlook, we had the displeasure of listening to Lovely by Billie Eilish and Khalid for nearly 45 minutes. If you're like me and become stressed by repetition, this certainly made the overall dining experience a tad less ideal. Despite feeling more stressed than I would like to from a dining atmosphere, I have very little to critique about the dishes themselves. I think that the chef is a genius, and I am so glad to see a Vietnamese tasting menu in Portland. I will be attempting to save up some money once again so that I can return to try whatever new creations await. read more

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So many flavors and textures. My Instagram has been tempting me with images of the sweets from berlu for months now. I ordered ahead on their website and paid, which I highly recommend, and showed up about ten minutes before my pickup time, as it was a 1pm pick up(the time the close). When I got there, most items were sold out. The person who helped me with my order was very kind. My favorite of the items in the box was the kiwi cassava pie. It was the right amount of sweet. The second favorite was the tart. The crust was on point and the filling was delicious. Keep up the good work berlu! read more

Berlu Bakery - One of everything in the box - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Just an amazing experience that was navigated by Chef Nguyen throughout the dinner explaining each of the courses! Fabulous dining experience!! Dr. Joe read more

Berlu has amazing Vietnamese desserts and even savory options as well! I couldn't help myself and wanted to get everything. I got the mango roll cake, coconut pandan layered cake, cream puff (filled with tapioca, banana, and coffee custard), coconut egg custard tart, pandan banana crepe cake, and I doubled up on the Pandan banh bo nuong (honeycomb cake) and banana cake. And I got the Vietnamese coffee to enjoy with the desserts. Every dessert was crafted to perfection with fragrant, traditional flavors. I love that every item paid homage to the motherland. Highly recommend if you're in looking for Vietnamese desserts with a modern twist! I also got the cha trung. Cha Trung is vietnamese meatloaf with comprised of an egg top, pork with wood ear mushroom and glass noodles. It was dressed with rice, mint, cucumbers, and a side of fish sauce. It was excellent meal! read more

Berlu Bakery - Vietnamese Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I recently enjoyed both current versions of this fine dining establishment: Berlu at Home and Berlu's Pop-Up Bakery. Both were excellent. I also must say that chef Vince is really going above and beyond to make his concept successful. He answered all of my email questions promptly and when there was a delay in the delivery of our food he personally delivered the meal to our door! Berlu at Home (Saturday only): This is an ambitious take out version of the chef owner's weekly Vietnamese inspired tasting menu. His menus tend to be pescatarian friendly, but I believe he will meet other dietary restrictions if requested. The food arrived in about a half dozen reusable plastic containers (which they request you bring back to a drop box outside their restaurant within ten days). There is some assembly required and a minimal amount of prep. It is far less intense than a Blue Apron meal kit. But you will need access to a kitchen oven. Berlu includes detailed instructions on how to plate everything and it was actually a lot of fun doing the final touches. The food was exactly what I want from a tasting menu, each dish was an original take on familiar flavors or something entirely new to me. We also did the optional wine pairing. The wine came in small vacuum sealed pouches with a detailed explanation of each varietal and why it was selected. It was well worth it. Obviously you will want to have wine glasses on hand or you could just poke a straw in the pouch and drink it like an adult Capri Sun. You're at home, who's going to judge? The whole experience is costly, but it was such a joy to have something very close to the experience of eating in a fine restaurant in the safety and comfort of my own home. My compliments to chef Vince Nguyen! Berlu Bakery: (Tue-Fri 8:00 am -11:00 am) I made sure to return the reusable plastic containers at a time when their new bakery window would be open. They have a collection of delicious pastries to take home. My favorite was the mango roll cake. They also are selling Vietnamese coffee to-go and bags of whole beans. The day I went they had just started selling another vendor's homemade kimchee. I expect this will become a semi-regular spot read more

Berlu Bakery - Berlu bakery pastries. - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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A really solid close to 4 star dining experience. I had high expectations coming into this, and perhaps that's where the problem started. There's a lot of hype over Berlu. I was expecting to have another life changing dining experience (and I've had a few, some noteworthy in Portland) and instead I left feeling and thinking like I missed out on something special. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and meticulously served. Chef Vince truly takes pride in his craft, and you can tell. While every dish was conceptually interesting, most of the dishes were a bit one-note for me. Flavor profiles didn't change. The beet dish was the same beet dish from beginning to end, as was the butternut squash dish. I also didn't think the test tubes added anything of significance other than a nice photo op. The chicken thigh was juicy and cooked perfectly, but nothing with a memorable depth of flavor. I kept eating each dish thinking "maybe there would be more with this next bite...." and I was sadly disappointed. That said, there were 3 outstanding dishes that really challenged my palate and concept of flavor. The first was the crab dish, which reminded me of an elevated Arroz Caldo (filipino rice porridge dish). THAT dish had a complex depth of flavor unlike anything else from the night. I also really enjoyed the mashed potato dish and wish I could eat that with my turkey at Thanksgiving. The final stand out dish was the baked apple dessert. I'm still thinking about it today. Somehow, I went from hating the dish and being slightly annoyed at the clash of flavors to wanting to lick the bowl of ice cream at the end. Chef Vince is onto something here and I can't wait to see how Berlu evolves in the coming months. read more

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Amazing new addition to the fine dining scene. Chef Vince Nguyen is turning heads with a 10 course prix fix menu that dabbles in molecular gastronomy, something not normally found in Portland. Great experience, from tuna ceviche globules to bone marrow to innovative chicken dishes. Vince came out and we talked about Portland restaurants and chefs. He's awesome and presented a special chocolate ice dish for her birthday. read more

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We had a delightful experience at Berlu last night. Each dish was unique, flavorful, and beautifully presented by friendly and professional staff. The food is world class fine dining, while the vibe is anything but stuffy. Chef Vince explained each course, and the space was small and intimate such that everyone could easily hear his descriptions. Highlights for us were the potato and tendon, and the duck. We added the non-alcoholic beverage pairing and were happy we did, in part because it effectively doubled up the flavor surprises. We particularly enjoyed the sweet potato and matsutake tea. Great spot for a special night out! read more

Berlu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I just had the bánh bò nuong (the pandan honeycomb cake) and the lychee tamarind roll cake from the pop-up shop. Can I just say these pastries are just absolutely delicious? The pandan honeycomb cake has such an addictive chewy texture. The pandan flavor is not too sweet, which I prefer, and it gives the cake a vanilla-like aroma. I recommend this one to get a feel for what Berlu's pastries are about. The lychee tamarind roll cake was also divine. Lychee is one of my favorite fruits, and it really shines in this roll cake. There are slices of fresh lychee in the filling! The filling itself tastes like a custard with a slightly tangy tamarind twist--so good. Also, the cake itself is so soft. 10/10 recommend you try this place, and Vince gave amazing service! This place is legit. read more

After months of telling myself I needed to stop by Berlu, I finally stopped by! I picked up a couple of their baked goods including a Pandan waffle, Pandan cake, and this coffee flan cake! Everything was super tasty and the perfect amount of sweet. I also got their cold brew with their egg coffee topping. It was so lovely as well. I definitely need to stop by more often! read more

Berlu Bakery - Pandan waffle, Pandan cake, and coffee flan cake - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Was expecting the bakery items to be spectacular based off of the reviews. I wasn't too fazed by it. It could be because I grew up exposed to these flavor profiles so I wasn't blown away by it. The dessert was not too sweet which was good, but it also made some of it a bit bland. I really wanted to love this place, but I just didn't. :/ read more

Fantastic experience. Everything from the aesthetic to the food itself was fabulous. The flavour profiles were perfectly combined and in some of the offerings, there was a nice contrast between crunchy and soft. If you're be to enjoy an experience, paired with great food, this is the place to go. read more

Berlu at Home is the new at home tasting menu concept that this place recently started offering and they knocked it out of the park. We have dined at plenty of Michelin rated restaurants and this experience was totally of that caliber. We picked up the meal at the restaurant and then took it home to enjoy. The chef includes detailed instructions on how to plate and garnish each dish. It was fun to follow the very precise instructions for how to finish the dishes as if we were in the kitchen at Berlu. It took a bit of time to do but this step helped us learn about what went into each course, and we definitely enjoyed how it added to the experience. Now on to the food itself. The seafood starters were absolutely standouts. The bay shrimp with smoked oil and corn had the most amazing smoky sweet flavor whereas the crab with chanterelles, grapes and basil was a flavor combination that I never would have thought could work so well. The main course was tuna two ways and while both were great, the tuna belly with quite a spicy cilantro sauce was my fav. The meal included a palate cleanser to start, another appetizer and two dessert courses in addition to what's described above. Usually a tasting menu has one or two misses but everything was a hit with this meal. If you are missing the high end dining experience during COVID then I highly recommend doing the Berlu at Home experience. And definitely get the wine pairing, which included individual packets of wine with tasting notes to pair with each course. read more

Berlu Bakery - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We ordered ahead, had to wait 40 minutes to pick it up, then they didn't have everything for our order. In these times we get that things don't go smoothly but this was excessive. Edit: the pastries were AMAZING, even with the horrendous service I couldn't in good conscience leave it at one star after getting home and digging in. read more

A wonderful experience. If you're looking for a special place to dine in Portland, look no further. I went here to celebrate my birthday weekend and we were treated with such high-quality care and attention (even though we were the youngest pair in the room). It reminded me a bit of the superb hospitality and service culture in Japan. And don't get me started on the food. It was unique and I doubt I'll eat a dish that is remotely similar to anything that was served here anytime soon. Chef Vince makes cuisine that would be deemed "fancy" anywhere else so approachable and comforting. It was a joy just to watch him and the staff prep and move about the kitchen. He and his team are truly all artists! Wishing them all the best. read more

This was a beautiful dining experience. The dining room is a stark white and has 5 tables with a great view of the prep area. Everything is hyper focused on the food which explains the simplicity of the environment. Each course is a production of fine dining. Flatware is first introduced giving a small hint of what's to come. Then plated dishes come out. Chef Vince introduced each dish to the room explaining the complexities and intricacies of each one. Our sommelier Jamie was so warm and friendly. We felt like we were having a special dinner at someone's home. He changes the menu based on seasonality and picks fresh herbs daily. My favorite dish had to be the Bay shrimp with artichokes and mussel emulsion. Everything hit the mark with herb laden dishes punctuated by the juxtaposition of sweet, sour and multilayer textures. Portland needs this kind of fine dining and for the price compared to other prix fixe menus, this was a great value for the experience! read more

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We had a wonderful meal at the chef's table at Berlu. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and simple enough to let the flavors of the in season produce shine through, but beautifully layered and not monolithic. The wine selection was lovely, although we opted for a single glass in lieu of the pairing. Vince and Jamie took exceptional care of us, accommodating my vegan diet and my husband who is an omnivore. We will be back, and now have this on our list of places that can please the whole family. We recommend the chef's table so you can see how the entire operation works - it is quite impressive! read more

You have a couple of choices for the best food on the West Coast: 1) fly to San Francisco, book crazy expensive seats at Coi or Manresa, and then cry at both the quality of the food (excellent at both) and the tab (crazy high at both), or; 2) get on Tock NOW and book a dinner at Berlu, and enjoy a dinner that is every bit as good in a culinary sense as either of those, but in Portland and without the Silicon Valley/SFO markups. The chef/owner at Berlu developed his serious chops at Coi and other places, but he can't or won't bring himself (yet?) to charge what his food is worth. So we had a magnificent dinner at his new venue, Berlu, for a stupidly low charge. Here's one of the courses, involving razor-thin zucchini on top of pickled bone marrow (yes you read that right). Because he wanted something acidic to balance out the richness of the marrow. Insane. Enjoy it now before Chef Vince comes to his senses and starts charging as much as his food deserves. read more

Berlu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

"the cake is a lie" not open even for this three hours i was told. the chicken place next doo is open and smells delicious

Not sure what all I can add here since there are many beautiful photos and descriptions. ... ....Except to say that I agree with my whole heart. Berlu is something singularly magical, uncommon, and memorable. It will spark you curiosity as well as brighten you senses. Try it! For all ages too! read more

Valentine's day dinner was a lot of fun at berlu. The tasting menu was excellent. I've been to quite a few tasting menu experiences, and I've noticed there are a lot of trends that they all seem to follow. Berlu broke that mold and showcased flavor and texture combinations that I haven't experienced before. I am looking forward to my next visit. The service was friendly and attentive. If I had to nitpick anything, it would be that while the wine pairings were very delicious and complemented the food very well, their flavor profiles were a bit too similar. read more

(Covid Era, Take-out Review. Maybe by the time you read this it'll be obsolete and we'll all be back to eating in restaurants, again. If only) With a little advance planning you can be like us and have a weekend that features twenty-four hours of pure indulgence from Berlu. The advance planning is necessary because you'll need to visit their website on Weds at noon to reserve your spectacular weekend dinner. Don't dally because they sell out really quickly. Weds afternoon you might be out of luck. I hate to say this, but I'm going to leave it to the foodies to describe the dinner. I'll just say we thought it was amazing, and a great way to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The meal was decadent and a bit challenging, but not overwhelming. And hey, it came with two desserts. They both favored complex flavors over sweetness, which meant they got the thumbs-up from my husband who is not a big dessert fan. Instructions for how to prep and plate the food arrive via a video posted to Instagram which is pretty cute. And the food is packed in reusable containers which are supposed to be returned to the restaurant. Asking customers to return containers is either an incredible leap of faith by the chef/owner, or else it's the best marketing ploy ever. That's because, the next morning, when you return your containers, the restaurant has transformed into a Vietnamese bakery, where you're greeted by a delectable selection of cakes and pastries. The selection is small, just a few items to choose from, so it wasn't surprising when we heard the people in front of us in line say, "we'll just have one of everything." We decided that was a smart choice, and did the same. Of the desserts we got, my favorites were a mango-y, coconut-y rolled cake, and a fruit tart that I later learned had a pandan filling. I also later learned that all the desserts are dairy and gluten free, which truly surprised me since that cake was so light, and that tart was so custardy. So we had a decadent dinner, then a breakfast of desserts, and for lunch we had Vietnamese Meatloaf, which was included in our "one of everything" selection. Vietnamese meatloaf might not sound like much, but it was so good. The loaf was interspersed with glass noodles and topped with a layer of egg that reminded me of Tamago Sushi. Simple, but perfectly spiced, and so yummy. If you decide to do 24 hours of Berlu, please let me know. I'd love to hear that this review inspired someone else to try it : ) read more

Great customer service but the waffles were too chewy / gummy for me and my siblings.

I have never had takeout that compares to this. It was simply amazing! We had fun plating each course, then enjoying it together. Chef Vince is exceptional and his passion and care shows in every detail. Thank you for an incredible dining experience during these uncertain times! Much love to you and your team! read more

My wife and I ordered one of everything, ate most of it in the car and couldn't decide what we liked the best. 10/10 lives up to the hype. read more

Berlu Bakery - Savory option - Bakeries Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Our law office went to Berlu for dinner. It was one of the greatest dining experiences I've had in Portland...and I've had a lot. Every dish was a culinary adventure. Tastes I had never experienced. Our meal leaned toward the ocean; geoduck and durian, lobster and tamarind and dungeness crab were highlights. The wine parings were perfect. The service was impeccable. Vince and his team are amazing. And then a personalized thank you note at the end? Who else has an eye to such detailed service? read more

Vince is our favorite chef in Portland by a mile. We're so happy that he finally has his own bricks and mortar restaurant. We've had many of his meals and have never been disappointed. A lot of chefs try to please you with expensive ingredients - halibut, oysters, caviar, foie gras. Vince does amazing things with carrots, apples, zucchini, and bone marrow. It's always different and always exciting. read more

I went for dinner. This is a hyper-refined food experience engineered to challenge food assumptions but not a great meal. Nothing I ate was memorable, the citrus in one dish was sharply overpowering, other flavor combinations were questionable, and things generally felt on a clock and hurried. I've had the pastries through their daytime operation and they were wonderful, inventive and delicious but this was something else entirely, an "articulation" of Mr. Nguyen's personality perhaps, but entirely severed from Vietnamese food and not what you probably want from dinner, unless your Instagram lacks content. This is a kind of food modernism. I suppose I never would have gone had I known that the pastries were an anomaly. The wine and coffee were the best things about the meal, although the latter was served lukewarm. read more

Berlu is a hidden gem in SE. The place is understated in decor, which I like. It is a very functional dining area. The menu was outstanding. Menu's like this that combine so many different flavors can go wrong very fast. Not here. I enjoyed the melange of flavors the ingredient pairing brought out on my palate. I had a few questions about the mind of the chef. He came over when I asked, and sat down! with us and explained his process for menu creation. That was great! I really got to feel his excitement at being able to create. I will be back as often as possible. This is such a unique place that Portland has available, I will do my part to keep it around. read more