Chef John Gorham, the man behind Toro Bravo, Tasty N Sons, Tasty N Alder, and Mediterranean Exploration Company, officially expanded his empire on Friday, adding Plaza Del Toro event space to his lineup of restaurants.
The 4,000 square-foot-space was formerly furniture warehouse, just blocks from industrial eastside anchors like Clarklewis, Bunk Bar, Water Avenue Coffee, and Boke Bowl. It sits adjacent to the railroad tracks, with a series of large windows offering epic views of trains moving by, like some sort of dynamic wall art.
Inside, it's outfitted with a rotisserie large enough to roast whole animals, a six-foot-long wood-fired grill imported from Spain, plus an oyster bar, a cocktail bar, and a DJ booth. When it's not being rented out, Gorham and his team will use it to host special dinners, such as a family-style Spanish feast with Spanish winemakers on Friday April 24. And in May, Gorham will launch a prix-fixe Sunday brunch series featuring pastries, oysters, champagne and DJ's.
The space has a warm wood accents and a few Art Deco-inspired touches. To create the space, Gorham used many of the same pros he used at his other restaurants, including contractor Charles Arnold, metalworker Jeff Whitaker of Jeff Made, designer Brett Smith, Schmeer Sheet Metal, and woodworker Tim Lundholm.
Plaza Del Toro: 102 SE Taylor St., Portland; 503-764-9678
