Compote Cafe & Bakery
503.234.5689
2032 SE Clinton Street
Portland, 97202
Neighborhood Bakery Cafe…
A friend at work had mentioned Compote months ago and I we had plans to eventually get over there but I was told Saturday night to pick a place that a couple of our friends could meet up with us and rather than pulling out the breakfast book I dredged my memory for the name of the recommended cafe. Getting there was relatively easy and we got to trek over the rarely traveled (for us) Ross Island bridge. We wove back and forth through some sleepy neighborhoods before turning a corner and finding ourselves at Compote. We sat out front street side and pursued the menus while we waited for our friends Katie & Drew to arrive with their 1 year old baby in buggy. The neighborhood is quite aside from the sound of bicycle bells and birds chirping and I actually started to nod off for a bit just as our brunch dates arrived. We shuffled inside to the rather small ordering counter and waited in line to place our orders and then decided the sunny courtyard out back of the restaurant made for a better spot to sit and dine.
I ordered the Poached stack with Gravlax and has browns as well as a single sweet potato pancake, Carly & Katie both chose the breakfast sandwich as well as the biscuit with cream & strawberry rhubarb compote while Drew picked the chalkboard special of the morning biscuits and gravy. I hungrily eyed the stacks of fresh baked goods in their display case up front but decided a latte would be enough to silence my grumbles while we waited Katie & Drew both got boozy soda, I forget which flavor now but they seemed quite thrilled with the taste. We sat and chatted for about 20 minutes before the first biscuit plate arrived and we all broke off a bit of biscuit to enjoy with our drinks. A few minutes later Carly and my order arrived followed a few moments later by Katie & Drew’s. My poached eggs we perfect as I had hoped and the two small round hash brown rings we very crispy and resembled more a potato pancake than the normal mass of shredded starch I am used to. On top of the hash brown coasters we two small piles of cold smoked salmon which was an option aside from the toasted greens that are the default. The flavors all blended quite nicely and I only wished I had 1 more egg to sop up with salmon and potatoes who’s saltiness complimented the naked poached eggs very well. Carly finished about 3/4 of her breakfast sandwich so I tried that as well and it was very smooth and tasty which is a weird way to describe a sausage biscuit but the home made wheat English muffin they served it on is very soft and and had a wonderfully comforting flavor. Katie & Drew seemed equally enamored with their meals as nothing but crumbs remained. Compote is far enough away that it’s unlikely we’ll accidentally find ourselves by it again but I wouldn’t mind a trip though the neighborhood on a bicycle and a stop in for a latte and some baked goods to enjoy at one of the many nearby parks.
GALLERY
SERVICE
There was a bit of a backup so it took about 25 minutes for our meals to arrive and you bus your own table.
AMBIANCE / DESIGN
Seating out front and back and a nice light colored interior as well as a grove of bamboo to sit under in the rear.
MEAL
Pickled red onions come on the side of most dishes and really compliment nicely, the sweet potato pancake while tasty shouldn’t count as a pancake
Portland Breakfast Club 