The Oregonian's Restaurant of the Year 2013: Ox; Roe Deemed 'Visionary of the Year'

Hurray, the Oregonian's annual restaurant guide Diner 2013 hit newsstands today (after a slow leak online), and perhaps unsurprisingly, NE MLK's Argentine grill Ox has been crowned Restaurant of the Year. In the official Diner write-up, critic David Sarasohn praises chefs Greg and Gabrielle Denton's "rich and vivid" grilled dishes and lively atmosphere. Even higher praise is saved for a separate online announcement written by critic Michael Russell: "to be honest, it wasn't a very difficult call. ... Ox has been my go-to restaurant recommendation for both locals and out-of-towners for more than a year, and it has yet to disappoint."

And a new addition to this year's Diner: an award for "Visionary of the Year," bestowed to chef Trent Pierce's backroom seafood restaurant Roe. In a Diner introduction, editor Jillian Martin describes the "Visionary" distinction as going to a restaurant with "some of the most inventive dishes we've seen in years, and offers a potential model for Portland's fine-dining future." Says Russell: "Pierce and Schultz, heads bowed over their work, serve two dozen of Portland's luckiest diners in Roe's tranquil back room."

As revealed yesterday, NE Alberta's Indian restaurant Bollywood Theater was named "Rising Star of the Year."
· Diner 2013 [OregonLive]
· All Previous Oregonian Coverage [Eater PDX]