Newest oenophile outlet pours on the style, charm

By Liz Colie Gadberry

The Portland Tribune, Sep 30, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

You’ve heard the metaphor about how opening a restaurant is a lot like having a baby. The months of planning, the intense labor before it’s born, then the constant worry that something might go wrong, fighting with the dream that your baby (or restaurant) will be loved by many and grow up to be a huge success.

Many restaurant owners have the excited, anxious, happy look of new parents. Robert Volz, owner of the month-old Pour Wine Bar (2755 N.E. Broadway, 503-288-7687), is no exception. In fact, he’s like the parents, the grandparents and the pediatrician all rolled into one.

Volz is a man obsessed with details. If a parent paid as much attention to his child as Volz does to Pour, the kid would suffocate. But Pour seems to benefit from all the attention. The color scheme, the chairs, the lights, the entryway, the kitchen, the food and the wine: Volz has a hand in every aspect of his baby.

Pour’s location looks a bit incongruous. It would fit right in in the Pearl, but on the corner of Northeast 28th Avenue and Broadway, across the street from a pet supply store and a stone’s throw from a Fred Meyer, the thoroughly modern-looking spot stands out like an elegantly dressed woman at Oaks Park.

Pour is small but makes a big statement in style. Beautiful chairs designed by Finnish architect and furniture designer Eero Saarinen (who designed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis) are the room’s most striking feature. A rich cream color, the chairs are also extremely comfortable. Volz points out that the arched openings in the chairs’ backs echo the arched entryway to Pour and an arch above the bar.

A Cruvinet system for preserving opened wine allows Pour to offer a nice selection of wines by the glass. The kitchen is about the size of an extra-wide diving board and, as in most wine bars, the menu is small. But you can order olives, nuts, cheese, beef Bresaola and even escargot with your wine. Panini, risotto, and macaroni and cheese are also available. Volz recently bought a slow cooker and intends to add roasted meats to the menu soon.

Last week I tried the cheese plate, and it was superb with Oregonzola by Rogue Creamery, a solid Manchego from Barcelona and a rich, Parmesan-like Gouda.

Noon to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4:30 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

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