Bluto's is Blowing Minds

We do live in a great city for food. With the ability to continually explore new restaurants and cuisines, dinner in and around Portland brings excitement, discovery, and great satisfaction. My recent experience at Bluto’s, a new Mediterranean restaurant that finds its home at 2838 S.E. Belmont, punctuates this point. With a focus on Greek-centric cuisine, Bluto’s is quite simply the best of its kind. Every single bite is something to celebrate. But don’t just take my word for it. Check out some of the pictures below and see for yourself. Of course, you can’t taste the photos, so I will do my very best to describe them.

Just four of the seven plates we ordered. Pictured here are the Citrus Salad (bottom), Beets & Bulgur (top), Traditional Hummus (right) and Tzatziki (left). Stunning flavors. Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers

Let’s talk a little about Bluto’s “Traditional Hummus.” The best way to describe the hummus at Bluto’s is to say it has ruined me for all other hummus I may encounter. Featuring chickpeas and schug, the hummus at Blutos is so smooth, so packed with flavor, yet somehow it does not make you feel stuffed in the way a heavier meal might. It’s very clean and fresh. I can’t say enough about this hummus.

My next favorite is the Beets & Bulgur (salad). Wow. I’m not traditionally a fan of these root veggies, but I could enjoy Bluto’s treatment of beets any day of the week. Featuring tahini sauce, avocado, pickled raisins, radish, and walnut dukkah, this complex array of ingredients presents and tastes so good that I will order this every time.

Next up was the Citrus & Chicory (salad); another surprise and a great, sweet answer to the more savory items we ordered. The Citrus & Chicory is another essential tenet of an excellent overall meal, featuring labneh, grilled olives, fennel, and pomegranate molasses. The labneh at the base is particularly remarkable.

While I don’t always order Tzatziki when going Mediterranean, you’d be remiss not getting some at Bluto’s. Smooth, creamy, excellent…what more can I say. I took a bit of this Tzatziki and put it with my oregano chicken, hummus, and beets on a bit of pita bread. Each bite? Amazing.

The kitchen at Bluto’s is where the magic happens. They were happy to permit me to take a picture there and were excited about how well their restaurant was doing. Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers

Upon leaving Bluto’s I just knew I was going to write about it. I took this shot to capture the feel of this brightly lit establishment featuring a wood-fired oven and extra authentic cooking. This place makes my deserted island list for sure. Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers

Bluto’s Details

One of the most incredible things about Bluto's right now is that it's just getting discovered, which means you can walk up on a random night and (while it lasts!!) not wait long for a table. However, this will change as Bluto's is bagging positive review after positive review. Get there while the getting's good! See some helpful links below:

Bluto’s Website
Bluto’s Location
Bluto’s Menu (food)
Bluto’s Menu (drink)