Guys and Dolls

On October 4, we went out for a night on the town. We considered taking MAX, but then realized it would probably be faster, and not much more expensive, to drive. One great thing about Portland, being a minor-league city, is that parking is generally plentiful.

We drove to the Pearl District, found a garage, and then walked in search of dinner. We ended up at Oba, which seems to be some sort of nuevo latino food.

It was loud and dark. Indicators of trendiness. :)

We got a few small dishes to share. (I included photos of our favorites.)

queso fundido
traditional mexican cheese and chorizo dip
with crispy tortilla chips

rotisserie chicken, bacon and white cheddar quesadilla

with oven dried tomato salsa, green onions and chipotle crema

ecuadorian griddled potato cakes
yukon gold potatoes, muenster cheese, achiote and green onions topped with peanut sauce 8-

dungeness crab cakes
spicy hot texas sunshine sauce, mango salsa and buttermilk slaw

The food was tasty, but a bit over-powering in terms of flavor. I inevitably compared the experience with Andina, and Andina's food always has very delicately balanced flavors. So while Oba was a fine experience, and I would return if the mood struck, it's not a place I'll return to again and again like Andina.

I wanted some sweetness after the salty-spicy dinner, so we stopped at Cupcake Jones for a quick dessert.

Then we walked to the Gerding Theater at the Armory, to see Portland Center Stage's production of Guys and Dolls.

The entrance to the lobby is through the archway at the left. I thought this shot came out very nicely, considering the low light.

The play was lots of fun. The production values were in keeping with Portland's minor-league nature: definitely professional, but not to be compared with, say, a New York or London production.