La Provence Progress Ridge Review

By Stephanie Siskind

La Provence Progress Ridge Review

One of the newest areas near Portland is Progress Ridge in Beaverton, OR. This newly developed area within 10 miles of Portland includes a 350,000 square foot entertainment and neighborhood shopping center that highlights a small lake making for beautiful views.

In the Progress Ridge square, many delicious looking restaurants make their home. You can find sushi, wood fired pizza, and steakhouses to name a few. However, today we had a hunger for French food so we decided to dine at La Provence Progress Ridge.

La Provence Progress Ridge is small French bakery and bistro offering “it’s so beautiful that it’s hard to eat” desserts (think truffles, croissants, cakes, scones, and meringues all made in house) and a seasonal menu of small plates cooked with local ingredients that are utilized at the peak of their season. The location is beautiful too. On warm days, they open up an entire wall to let the fresh air in. You can also dine outside right next to the restaurant’s private garden and the lake of Progress Ridge. I felt like I was on vacation for dinner.

It’s so much fun to order here because you can order a 3-6 plates like you would tapas, but here your small portion contains delicious French food. They have a list of dishes that all cost $5.95 and a list for $6.95. Plus, they have plenty of wines, cocktails, and sipping chocolates to choose from to highlight your dinner. Today, we stuck with the French food and ordered up 6 dishes. Not a morsel was left on any of the plates. Here is what we ordered:

We started off with the French onion soup. Look at that cheese melted to the crock! My mouth is watering with the memory of this soup. The soup was the classic French staple done perfectly. The saltiness of the onion and beef broth plays off the creamy cheese and melted bread. This is the bowl but they also offer a cup if you wanted a smaller taste.

Next up was salad. I opted for the grilled pineapple salade made with a curried vinaigrette, cauliflower “rice” and topped with toasted coconut. Although it was not my favorite dish of the night, it was a fresh course that was easy to eat. The pineapple melted in your mouth and made me feel like I was on vacation in the tropics somewhere.

The course that followed was the Provence Tartines, and I think that this simple little dish was my favorite of the evening. The garlic rubbed sourdough toast points were topped with an avocado crème, miniature heirloom tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, aged balsamic reduction and fresh basil. The only negative I can even think of was the fact that there were only three toasts per order. My date and I were debating who got the third one. Luckily, we compromised and I got to eat the third toast as long as he could have all the leftover toppings that were left on the plate. It was a good deal for both of us.

Next up was the Seared Tuna. It’s hard to go wrong with good quality seared tuna and this dish was no exception. The tuna was encrusted in sesame seeds and then seared to perfection. The tuna was served on a bed of microgreens and cucumber complimented with fish roe, ginger soy glaze, and spicy aioli. The whole thing melts in your mouth. I would describe the flavor as a deconstructed sushi roll. Very delicious!

Crevettes Tropicales was up next. The dish consisted of succulent grilled white shrimp wrapped in smoky bacon. The shrimp was served atop a fresh mango salsa and spicy crème drizzle. Sweet and spicy and salty and smokey all wrapped up in one delicious bite. I could have eaten 12 more of these bad boys.

Finally, we ended with Chicken au Champagne. It was a chicken breast simmered in a creamy sauce of sautéed mushrooms, fresh herbs, and a splash of champagne. The chicken was served atop some fresh mashed potatoes and steamed yellow zucchini. Although not as beautiful as the rest of the dishes, the flavors were delicious. This dish was also nostalgic for me as it reminded me of rustic dinners in my childhood home in Iowa. Maybe not what the French chef had in mind, but delicious none the less.

La Provence Progress Ridge has so much to offer that it definitely warrants several repeat visits. They have brunch and lunch menus and their dinner menu has several other options I want to try. Dishes such as Charred Octopus Provencal, Flame Broiled Scallops, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and Savory Watermelon Salade. Their menu also changes with the seasons so there is always something new to try. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed. Bon appétit!