Restaurant Review: Little Bird in Portland, Ore.

Little Bird is the second Portland restaurant from Gabriel Rucker, the 2011 winner of the James Beard Rising Star Chef Award for the best chef aged 30 or younger. Mr. Rucker won fans and accolades with his first restaurant, Le Pigeon, where he was known for daring French-inflected dishes that often involved tongue or sweetbreads. He shifted his focus slightly before opening Little Bird in December 2010. “Le Pigeon is about whatever I want, whatever is in my head,” he said. “Little Bird is more accessible for the everyday diner.” In the well-lighted dining room, which seats 70 comfortably, the ceiling is a shiny pressed tin, and lace curtains hang in the windows. Standards like soups and salads are served all the time, and so is the coveted Le Pigeon burger — a juicy patty topped with a mound of shaved iceberg and pickled and grilled onions that Mr. Rucker sells in limited quantities at his first restaurant. Erik Van Kley, the longtime sous-chef at Le Pigeon, heads the kitchen at Little Bird, with Mr. Rucker pitching in a few times a week. Mr. Van Kley makes his mark via smoked trout gougères with lemon-caraway dressing; roasted pork shoulder paired with sherried onions and topped with a crispy egg; and a sinfully rich cauliflower crepe with caramelized onions and Mornay sauce. And for dessert, the pastry chef, Lauren Fortgang, trots out conventional apple tarte Tatin alongside creations like a mascarpone ice cream sandwich paired with roasted figs. “The flavors, the techniques and the style of the food that we like is all here,” Mr. Rucker said. “It’s just a little bit simpler.” Little Bird, 219 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Ore.; (503) 688-5952; littlebirdbistro.com. An average meal for two, without drinks or tip, is about $80