Ataula was a Spanish and Catalan restaurant in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.[1] The restaurant earned Jose Chesa a James Beard Foundation Award nomination in the Best Chef: Northwest category.

Ataula
Map
Restaurant information
Established2013 (2013)
ClosedApril 2021 (2021-04)
Food type
CityPortland
StateOregon
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°32′09″N 122°41′59″W / 45.5358°N 122.6997°W / 45.5358; -122.6997

Description

edit

Ataula was a Spanish and Catalan restaurant on 21st Avenue in northwest Portland's Northwest District.[2][3] Lonely Planet described the business as an "upmarket eatery offering a modern take on traditional Spanish tapas".[4]

The menu included a version of patatas bravas called Nuestras Bravas, rabbit paella, ribs ibérico,[5] chorizo lollipops,[6] cod fritters, and coca bread with olive oil and shredded tomato.[7][8] The restaurant also served octopus carpaccio and cured salmon with mascarpone yogurt and black truffle honey.[9] Michael Russell of The Oregonian described the rossejat negre as "toasted and squid-ink-blackened noodles topped with a healthy scoop of roast garlic alioli".[10][11] For Burger Week, the restaurant served a tapas-style beef hamburger.[12][13]

On the drink menu, the El Greco Tonica had gin and the La Moreneta was "made with mezcal bitter blend, vermút and flamed orange", according to Willamette Week.[14]

History

edit

The restaurant opened in 2013,[15] in a space which previously housed Patanegra. Guy Fieri visited the restaurant on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.[16][17]

Owners confirmed plans to close permanently in April 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19] The space was later occupied by the Thai restaurant Phuket Cafe.

Reception

edit

In 2014, Micheal C. Zusman of Willamette Week wrote, "In recent months, Ataula has sharpened its angle of ascent, breaking into the ranks of Portland's elite restaurants. The floor staff is among the best in town; the kitchen kills it every night, getting dishes properly cooked and out quickly; and, my oh my, the food."[20] The restaurant earned Jose Chesa a James Beard Foundation Award nomination in the Best Chef: Northwest category.[21][22] Michael Russell included Ataula in The Oregonian's 2017 lists of the city's 40 best restaurants,[23] ten best restaurants in northwest Portland,[24] and ten best Spanish restaurants in the city.[10] Larry Bleiberg included the business in USA Today's 2018 list of "great places" to try a Moscow mule.[25]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Rusell, Michael (July 13, 2018). "Find Portland's truest expression of Spanish tapas at Ataula (restaurant review)". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Dresbeck, Rachel (2017-03-01). Insiders' Guide® to Portland, Oregon. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4930-2822-1.
  3. ^ Fodor's Oregon. Fodor's Travel. 2020-08-11. ISBN 978-1-64097-267-4.
  4. ^ Lonely Planet Pocket Portland & the Willamette Valley. Lonely Planet. 2020-02-01. ISBN 978-1-78868-728-7.
  5. ^ "Our Favorite Portland Mediterranean Restaurants, From Spain to Iraq". Willamette Week. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  6. ^ Lonely Planet Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest. Lonely Planet. 2017-04-01. ISBN 978-1-78701-031-4.
  7. ^ Merck, Kat (27 October 2016). "Ataula Is Chef Jose Chesa's Masterpiece". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  8. ^ Addison, Bill (2015-12-23). "Portland's Global Feast in Twelve Stunning Dishes". Eater. Archived from the original on 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  9. ^ "Where to Eat in Portland's Northwest District". Eater Portland. 2015-10-07. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  10. ^ a b Russell, Michael Russell (2017-06-07). "Portland's 10 best* Spanish restaurants". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  11. ^ Russell, Michael (2017-06-07). "Three perfect Portland tapas crawls for World Tapas Day (and beyond)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  12. ^ DeJesus, Erin (2015-04-14). "Eater Burgers: Ataula's Pimenton-Spotted Spanish Slider". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  13. ^ Centoni, Danielle (2015-04-13). "Special Burger-Week Burgers to Sink Your Teeth Into". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  14. ^ "Drink Recommendations at 50 of Portland's Top Restaurants". Willamette Week. 4 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  15. ^ Russell, Michael (August 4, 2019). "Ataula is Portland's finest Spanish restaurant (2019 review)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  16. ^ Turnquist, Kristi (2018-07-08). "27 Oregon restaurants Guy Fieri visited on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  17. ^ Turnquist, Kristi (2019-02-08). "These are the Portland restaurants Guy Fieri visited on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  18. ^ Brooks, Karen (April 22, 2021). "Portland's Beloved Ataula Will Not Reopen". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  19. ^ Frane, Alex (April 23, 2021). "Ataula, Northwest Portland's Essential Spanish Restaurant, Has Permanently Closed". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  20. ^ Zusman, Michael C. (12 October 2014). "Top Five Restaurants of 2014: Number 3, Ataula". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  21. ^ Deptolla, Carol (2016-02-17). "Carlisle, Hauck, Swanson among Beard semifinalists". Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  22. ^ Bakall, Samantha (2017-02-15). "James Beard Awards announce 2017 Portland semifinalists". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  23. ^ Russell, Michael (2017-09-07). "Portland's 40 best restaurants". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  24. ^ Russell, Michael (2017-12-01). "Northwest Portland's 10 best restaurants". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  25. ^ "10 great places to try a Moscow Mule". kare11.com. Retrieved 2022-12-20.[permanent dead link]