smoked tri-tip steak with prawns, fried eggs, potatoes, roasted broccoli and caramelized onions

Last Sunday, my husband and I met up with two friends down in Portland. In the weeks leading up to our Portland getaway, Jay and I had an email chain going with our restaurant picks. We both had the legendary brunch at Simpatica on our list, so that’s where we headed after our epic meal at Tanuki the night before.

the dining room

Simpatica Catering and Dining Hall is a popular brunch pick on the weekends. We waited about 25 minutes for a table. (It wasn’t bad–they even have free Stumptown coffee to help while away the minutes.) Once seated, we  found it difficult to decide on what to order. The entire menu looked fantastic: mostly American brunch classics with a twist. My husband went for the chicken-fried bison, Jay ordered their fried chicken and waffle with strawberry syrup, Akiko got the turkey confit crepes with pickled strawberry and rhubarb (very Thanksgiving-esque), and I settled on the smoked tri-tip steak and prawns.

turkey confit crepes with pickled strawberries and rhubarb, asparagus, peas, bacon and creme fraiche

big biscuit with butter and jam

The portions at Simpatica are very generous indeed. My smoked steak, prawns, eggs, and veggies was an incredibly filling plate at only $12. We each shared a few bites from our dishes, and the smoked steak was considered the tastiest overall. We all agreed, though, that every plate was solid and tasty–not a clunker in the bunch.

fried chicken and waffles with strawberry syrup

chicken fried bison with cream gravy and eggs

we sat at the table right next to the open kitchen

The dining room was very busy, but the cooks seemed calm and organized in the kitchen. We shared the communal table with a nice local couple, and it was a very pleasant morning. It’s obvious why the locals queue up for Simpatica: good food, at very reasonable prices.

Simpatica is located at 828 SE Ash Street, Portland OR; 503.235.1600