Le Hana photo: Jaycob Desrosiers
Perhaps the two most stylish countries in the world are Japan and France. Both countries place a notoriously high value on aesthetics, lifestyle, down to the their culinary preferences. The combined wattage of these two cultures has the potential to cause an overload; instead, down at the architectural laboratory known as the South Waterfront, we discovered fusion.
Among the towering cranes, nestled below the most expensive real estate in Portland is a Japanese-French restaurant called Le Hana Japanese Grill & Cafè (3500 SW River Parkway). Le is the French definitive article for “the” and hana is Japanese for “flower.” I kept wondering how French cuisine, which is as ornate as Versailles, heavily seasoned, and liberally uses game meats could share a kitchen with dainty and light Japanese finger foods. Le Hana builds the not-so-far-reaching bridge between the cultures on plates of food.
Le Hana’s interior is the embodiment of fusion; almost to the point of stepping back and saying “this is too much.” It resembles a home decor store with its array of objets such as colorful light fixtures, multitudes of paintings and wall art, dizzying textures, but with very little East Asian influence. There is a flight of inconspicuous stairs that leads to a private lounge, which is an attempt at minimalism. The decor is black and white exclusively with a traffic jam of couches; not quite a traditional tatami room.
The menu features over 40 different types of sushi/sashimi rolls, scrumptuous appetizers and the freshest of salads! This may be a French-Japanese restaurant, but the menu choices are almost exclusively Japanese but for options of steak! And while the Caprese roll–tomato, mozzarella and basil presented like sushi rolls–was representative of yet another cuisine, it was impressive. We also recommend the green tea soba noodles for a cheap salad fare. Finding well prepared tempura is like finding the perfect pair of jeans, but Le Hana won us over with its lightly battered tempura options.
Le Hana is a neighborhood dining spot; at least temporarily. The South Waterfront is still under mass construction and it is an obstacle course to get to. Le Hana’s strength is the fusion experience from the front door all the way to the kitchen.
–Ashkan
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