Natural SelectionThe flavors in the vegetarianThe flavors in the vegetarian selections are outstanding. Not inexpensive, but worth it for those special occasions.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible Dining ExperienceThe food was beautiful in look and taste. I think it takes extra special creativity and talent to make vegetables the centerpiece of a multicourse meal. Try eating the meal in layers, tasting the individual components of each dish and then combining them in different ways. If you do this you will see the mastery in the work. I have eaten in many excellent "gourmet" restaurants (even in Portland), and this one is unique because it is it is in non-pretentious Portland, its grounded by it's vegetable based menu, it has a great pre-fix meal at a reasonable price, and it is backed by talent. I live 2-hours away, but will make it a point to come here again and again to experience Natural Selection's changing menu.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptionalChef Aaron Woo and his Team are creating some of the most inventive, delicious, beautiful food in Portland. A five star experience!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a vegetarian restaurantThis is a vegetarian restaurant that doesn't try to treat vegetables as if they were meat. This is important, because that makes it something special instead of something inferior to actually, y'know, eating meat. Vegetables are amazing things! There's a GIANT variety of them, most of them have very distinct and unique tastes, even vegetables of the same species can taste subtly different, etcetc. There's no need to grind them up and call it a steak, people, or puree almonds and call it "cream". The space is very open, with the kitchen being directly in front of the tables, and as I was seated toward the kitchen, I got to watch them make our meals, which is always fun. The food was actually quite delicious, and I wasn't left wanting at all!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth the driveNatural Selection has become our favorite special occasion restaurant even though it is completely across town from where we live. The dishes are always "oh, WOW!" delicious in their intriguing variety of flavors and absolutely beautiful in presentation- it's a restaurant where you want to eat with your glasses ON. The cocktails are fresh, tasty and strong and they have a nice wine list. The staff is always charming and attentive without hovering. We have taken a number of our friends to dinner there, and even those who aren't vedgies have loved it. Note: This is not a "big plate 'o food" spot and they don't serve bread, so those with hearty appetites should not come empty!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique and Delicious!All dishes were unique and extremely tasty, as well as nutritious. Ingredients were fresh and thoughtfully combined. Service was excellent. Several well-timed courses made the dining experience very enjoyable. We also liked watching food preparation as we waited ... small place allowed us to see everything there. Our server recommended returning when our favorite produce would be in season. Good idea! The only slight downside was that we found the food to be a bit too salty. Still, excellent overall. Highly recommended for couples or friends who want a different kind of dining experience with fresh, nutritious foods prepared and served tastefully. A bit on the pricey side, though, so be prepared for that.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThird try...Staff and environs were nurturing of glad gastronomy, food was obviously tenderly and thoughtfully handled, some creative finds!
I had impeccable company to top it off, thus left with heart sated... But I was still hungry after the 'fab four' house pick was through, I tell you true, and the fullness of heart I felt was in direct contrast to the state of my wallet as well when I departed.
Fun palette daliances, good for foodie vegetarians with beaucoup bucks. (They seems to do quite well for themselves, though, so ride that great green wave of cashola while she's flowin', I say! )5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat change of paceThe vegetarian menu sounds and tastes delicious. I'm not a vegetarian, but I always love when a delicious, filling meal is vegetarian. Many of the dishes were also gluten-free and vegan. Personally, I think removing BOTH gluten and dairy in the same items is wrong. Who wants to remove BOTH great tasting elements? But, since I have to be gluten-free, it was a great change of pace to have the majority of items on the menu be labeled GF.
If you're a vegetarian or vegan, definitely try this place. If you have a vegetarian/vegan friend visiting from out of town, this would be an excellent choice.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Vegetarian foodWe were visiting from the SF Bay Area, and wanted to see what Natural Selections could do with the local produce available to them. They did not disappoint. We both ordered the 4-course prix fixe which gave us 8 different dishes total to share. All the dishes were well prepared, and tasted great. We will be returning the next time we're in Portland.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOMG. This place is awesome.By far, the best meal I have had in Portland. And my non-vegetarian husband thought so too. They had a perfect amuse bouche that totally told their story and they got better from there. It was just sad when the last bite of coconut tapioca pudding was done as it was all so good.
We will be back.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMOh my goodness!A stellar experience! My husband and I got the wine pairings with the four courses and loved every bite and sip.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAs usual the food was amazing.As usual the food was amazing. We chose Natural Selection to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. The food is so fresh, flavorful and clean. I feel completely satisfied when I eat here. Love love love!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMBravo Natural SelectionI took my girlfriend here on my trip to portland. I must say. Every aspect of the dining experience was warm and welcoming. The food was fantastic, props to Chef. Aaron Woo and his team for coming up with our night's menu, I will definitely be back here again.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding mealEvery dish was like a work of art! Not only did it taste amazing, it looked amazing too. I would recommend you and your dining partner each pick a column of the menu and then share it all. Its a treat to be able to taste everything on the menu. There wasn't anything that I did not think was outstanding.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMReal vegetarian foodI had the vegan four-course prix fix dinner and each course was equally delicious. What stood out for me compared to many of the other vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Portland is that they used whole/unprocessed foods in their dishes, as opposed to being heavily dependent on imitation meat. The dishes were very flavorful and filling. The staff was a bit snooty but definitely attentive. The restaurant is small, dim, and not too loud to have a conversation. I will definitely make a reservation for dinner if I am in the Portland area again.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMMore than expectedFor my birthday, I went to urbanspoon and just started looking at places to celebrate. I picked Natural Selection because I had never heard of it. AND, was it a smart move. My wife and I could not have been more please with the service and friendliness of the staff. The food was more than a bargain and was just delicious. It is a gem in a city where good dining exists throughout. This ranks as one of our top choices. The menu consisted of two four course alternatives of which one can choose any of two first course, etc. the pasta was outrageous! The alcoholic drink choices were excellent and I recommend the lime martini with vanilla. The bill came less than $100 for two before tip. A bargain. We recommend it and will be there again soon.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMToo good to yelp aboutThe people who bring us Natural Selection care. And I care back so much that I would find it rude to do anything but thank them profusely for such a lovely experience. Thank you so much. And bravo! Well done. I cannot wait to dine there again.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent whole food EuropeanExcellent whole food European dining experience! So delicious and presented with great detail. We loved watching the chef/workers prepare the courses before our eyes. They were very charming and reminded us of each course as we were served them. Definitely worth the trip.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and even better serviceBooking the Chef's Table enabled us to interact with all of the food preparers and servers regarding food details. It is as if we took a leisurely class in fine dining.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGenuineLoved that this is a vegetarian restaurant that doesn't try to fake anything - they simply embrace the current veg options of the season as combine them in creative yet successful ways. Fabulous $40 meal, and I am not a vegetarian.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAn excellent choice for thoseAn excellent choice for those who are vegetarians. The food was delicious with a beautiful presentation. I would recommend highly. This restaurant is very popular, so reservations must be made in advance. The servers were also outstanding.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorite PortlandOne of my favorite Portland restaurants. Watching the garnishing is a treat.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMVegetarian wonderCan't say we are really vegetarians, but this restaurant shows us what can be done with a lot of ingenuity and attention to detail. The prix fix menu is a steep price to pay, but well worth the unique offerings. Makes your palate sit up and salute!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding vegetarian foodOne of the best food experiences I had in Portland so far, and my life as well. Really, you owe it to yourself to go.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMVegetarians and non-vegetariansVegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will LOVE this restaurant. The food is imaginitive and filled with vibrant flavors. Great combinations of salt, sweet, crunch, etc. in every bite. This is one of the first places I've eaten at where I didn't walk away feeling like I ate loads of grease/stuffed. This is a must try. I will be going back again and again.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWith the rotating seasonalWith the rotating seasonal menu its always a tasty adventure.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very tasty but theFood was very tasty but the prices were too high. Probably won't return for that reason.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMHighly recommendedEven a meat eater will love this place -
The chef is truly a genius in the way foods are combined and prepared for the diner's pleasure. - And the wine pairings were perfect.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food! Great wine!We went here for my boyfriend's birthday and the food was phenomenal! You sit pretty close to other tables (which can be a litte distracting and make it hard for good conversation) but other than that everything was perfect! I definitely recommend the wine pairings!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat first experience. WillGreat first experience.
Will definitely be back.
Wine pairings were excellent.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe best, innovative, seasonalThe best, innovative, seasonal cuisine portland has to offer. Well worth the money.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding vegetarian restaurantOutstanding vegetarian restaurant that any carnivore would like.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is our favorite restaurantThis is our favorite restaurant in Portland. The wine pairings are excellent.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMA really special dining experience.A really special dining experience. Amazing what they are able to do with vegetables. Highly recommend.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of our favesNatural Selection is fantastic. My husband and I have been going there for years and we adore it! The food is always really inventive and very tasty. My only complaint is how hard it is to get a reservation sometimes! But that is good, it's a great spot! Thank you Natural Selection for providing yet another wonderful dinner experience. We brought friends and they were thoroughly impressed as well! We'll of course be back!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWe are vegans and are alwaysWe are vegans and are always looking for restaurants that have really good vegan food. you would think that Portland wmould have a lot of great vegan restanurants but we've found very few in that category. However,Natural Selections knows how to do vegan food right! There were no meat substitutes (ie. big blocks of tofu or portobello mushroom on a bun standing in for a burger). The chef (s) created unique, tasty dishes using fresh vegetables and fruit almost exclusively. They also made accommodations for my husband's gluten sensitivity. The celery soup was particularly creamy and delicious. NS is a bit on the pricey side but worth it, especially for a special occasion. We will definitely be back to see whatt they do with summeveggies.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a wonderful experience,Always a wonderful experience, staff are friendly and know their menu! Chef can create tasty moments of food heaven.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dining experience..forGreat dining experience..for our 28th wedding anniversary!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMfantastic vegan and vegetarianfantastic vegan and vegetarian food at a reasonable price.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMReally impressed. I hardlyReally impressed. I hardly ever give out 5 stars, but this is a great place to celebrate an anniversary.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMMy boyfriend and I went toMy boyfriend and I went to Natural Selection on a Friday night. We chose the $40 fixed price and each tried 4 different dishes so we were able to taste everything on the menu. I also did the wine pairing. The aperitif prior to the meal was amazing and I wanted to drink more of it! So yummy! I enjoyed each and every dish that night. This was my first experience eating at a vegetarian restaurant. I thought that I might come away feeling unsatisfied or still hungry but in the end felt completely satisfied and really full! Every bite was interesting and flavorful. It was fun trying to figure out what vegetables and fruits were in each dish. We have been to many restaurants in Portland and this is our favorite.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible food. Meat eatersIncredible food. Meat eaters at our table enjoyed it immensely. No one went away hungry. Interesting preparations with lots of textures and flavors. Wine pairings were very successful. Only wish from my wine enthusiast was a server spending more time talking about the wine pairings.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AM