I would say you can’t leave San Francisco without eating the chicken from Zuni Café. I love walking in, with all the exposed brick and big windows, where you can see chickens roasting in the fire. The chicken takes about 90 minutes to come out, so you have to be patient. But then the bird arrives looking so beautiful, with a bread and pine nut salad accompanying it. The dish is just delicious, and reminds me of my mother’s chicken—I’m from France, born and raised in Versailles. We polled seven knowledgeable chefs—Carlo Lamagna of brand-new Filipino destination Magna; Sam Smith of upscale Middle Eastern restaurant Tusk; Bonnie Morales, the chef-owner of Russian restaurants Kachka and Kachinka; Nong Poonsukwattana of Nong’s Khao Man Gai; Katy Millard of celebrated French restaurant Coquine; Maya Lovelace of Southern restaurants Mae and Yonder; and Earl Ninsom of beloved Thai hot spots Langbaan, Hat Yai, PaaDee, and new Thai/American barbecue mash-up Eem—to learn their favorite places to eat and drink in Portland.
