Have you ever been disappointed by disappointment?

I WANTED to like this place. I still kind of do, actually. It's just . . . I was a little let down by the sandwich. Maybe I'm just being picky, after the heavenly perfection of the last entry.

Le Chon is down off the Portland waterfront in the downtown area. The venue is nice! Very much a modern bistro. And they didn't blink twice at a dragon walking in out of the rain.

For an appetizer I had gaucho bread, with bonfire salt and a chimichurri dipping sauce. It was good! The bread was toasted on the outside, but soft and buttery on the inside. It paired perfectly with the chimichurry for a spicy, limey mouthful tinged with cilantro. Yum.

The sandwich . . . *sigh*. Argentinean steak with provolone, peppers, oninos, chimichurri all on a ciabatta roll. Served with a side of french fries seasoned with salt, pepper, and either a chili or paprika seasoning.

Everything was good! Don't get me wrong. And the individual pieces of the sandwich were pretty great. The steak was juicy while still retaining a lot of its original flavor. The peppers and onions were distinct and fire-roasted. The chimichurry was, again, pretty awesome. But they all failed to come together as a whole. It was just a mouthful of stuff. Again, pretty good! But oh, what could have been.

Three and a half fangs out of five. And a regret for a future that never was.

Brass Horse Books