Dame, a restaurant and wine bar opening September 14th just off of NE Killingsworth Street, is already making a name for itself. The Willamette Week lists it as one of its “Most Anticipated Portland Bar and Restaurant Openings of Summer 2016,” and we’re pretty excited about it too. Owen Gabbert, LLC helped rethink and remodel Dame, which takes over the former Cocotte space, so that it looks and feels just right for its new self. Specifically, this transformation involved extensive work on the bar, which we rebuilt from the ground up and moved to provide more space for the bartenders. We added antique mirrors, custom oak shelves, and custom paneling around the bar to give it a classic but updated look. Owen Gabbert, LLC also fully redid both bathrooms, reinvented the private dining room with paneling, added new wallpaper in the main room, and all new lighting to the entire space. Once fully open, Dame will offer a 37-seat dining room, along with a private dining room for up to 15 people.

As the Dame website puts it, this “will be Portland's first restaurant to focus exclusively on natural wine. Owners Dana Frank and Jane Smith are pleased to announce that chef Eli Dahlin will be leading Dame’s kitchen. Dahlin was most recently the executive chef at celebrated Damn the Weather in Seattle. Previously, he was the chef de cuisine of nearly four years at Renee Erickson’s award-winning restaurant The Walrus and the Carpenter.” Portland Eater tells us to expect “vegetable-forward dishes with Mediterranean and Eastern European accents.” Whether you come for the wine, the food or the ambiance, we hope to see you at Dame this fall.