Couvron separates itself from the pack by ignoring trends and providing old-fashioned, marvelously paced service with food that's meticulously prepared and extremely well thought out. This is the kind of place that's almost fussy in its insistence on doing it right. It seems like the moment you use a knife or fork, it's replaced with a clean one. Atmosphere Understated and tastefully cozy, like a cave brightened with fresh paint and bursts of flowers. Two dining rooms seat just 18 and 14 customers, and on the walls are intriguing photographs of Couvron, the French village where Jarach was born.
Servers are never far away, and their anticipatory skills are legend.
To Go Demes culinary flair and attention to detail make this, if you can afford it, perhaps the special occasion restaurant in Portland. Lots of places talk about the architecture of food, but few present it with such clarity of style. Presentations are spectacular in a minimalist way - Frank Lloyd Wright, not Frank Gehry. Yet only rarely does the architecture upstage the food. Flavors are keenly balanced and intensely focused, and ingredients are simply the best available.