Clyde Common

Whenever I’m in the mood to live like a mover ‘n shaker for a few hours, I stop into Clyde Common, a bona fide downtown hotspot whose popular-kid hipness is tempered by the staff’s laid back vibe and an intriguing but approachable menu.

The west side of the stylish space is occupied by Clyde Common’s lively bar, which mixes and muddles some of the best cocktails in the city and maintains a serious whiskey cabinet.

This cosmpolitan tavern’s beautiful high-ceilinged dining room is largely unadorned but never feels stark, and is one of the city’s primary see-and-be-seen landscapes but never feels pretentious. Long wooden communal tables seat downtown suits and local “celebrities” side by side with hipsters and hotel guests just passing through town, all eating what Clyde calls simply “domestic and foreign cooking,” dishes that utilize our excellent locally sourced foodstuffs and have strong Western European influences—try the rabbit terrine with pickled beets, the tuna salad with piquillo pepper and saffron sauce, or one of the fantastic pasta dishes like the popular ravioli of sweetbreads, caramelized onion and bacon.

For a taste of Oregon meets the Middle East, try the grilled hanger steak with cumin roasted creamer potatoes and chermoula, or the lamb with chickpea pancake, labneh, and lamb jam.  For dessert, classics are tweaked in mouthwatering and sometimes mind-bending ways–think caramel-banana tart tatin with peanut butter swirl ice cream and lemon buttermilk pudding cake with strawberry granita and basil syrup.

The west side of the stylish space is occupied by Clyde Common’s lively bar, which mixes and muddles some of the best cocktails in the city and maintains a serious whiskey cabinet. The wine list is practically infallible, and on Sunday nights you can share a half-price bottle of bubbly with someone you love, or, in the spirit of the communal atmosphere, with someone you just met. If you’re tired of being besieged for your autograph or desire an intimate conversation with your new champagne friend over a piece of goat cheese and pear tart, request a table upstairs in the more private, albeit not much quieter, loft.

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