Just a short drive past the hustle and hype of the Pearl district, we were fortunate enough to have discovered Carlyle restaurant. Finding Carlyle on the internet was no problem after searching for a new restaurant to try in Portland. Finding the restaurant itself was also easy, though the exterior is somewhat non-descript, so we accidentally drove by it the first time. The fact that I was able to call Saturday afternoon and still secure dinner reservations for 7:30 that same night attests to the undiscovered nature of this restaurant. Once inside, I found the interior to be tastefully decorated, though dimly lit. The service was friendly and we were seated immediately.

Our server counseled us on the daily specials just before bringing us some warm, crusty bread and butter. We started with the Duck Cannaloni, which were more like blintzes. The crepes were soft and moist, filled with tender duck and caramelized onions and topped with rich melted cheese with morel mushrooms. They went wonderfully with our burgundy-style pinot noir. This was followed quickly by a Spring Green Salad. The lettuce mix was fresh with just the right amount of dressing adding flavor without weighing down or covering up the fresh ingredients. The toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese blended nicely without being excessive.

There was a bit of a delay before our main dishes arrived, though the wait staff was observant enough to bring additional bread without being asked. My salmon arrived with a flurry of thinly sliced ramps. I was a little disappointed by the size of the salmon. It was also a little over-cooked for my taste, though it was not dry. It sat atop a wonderful fava bean risotto that had just a hint of lemon. My wife enjoyed the Rabbit “Two Ways.” The loin was crisp, yet tender, while the leg was moist and delicious. The accompanying red cabbage spaetzle was well-prepared and authentic. It was both slightly sweet and sour without being too much of either.

I still had room for dessert and eyed the lovely cheese menu, but opted for the butterscotch pudding after finding out that they were out of the chocolate espresso dessert. A glass of 20-year old tawny port was a good match for the creamy dessert which reminded me of liking the bowl as a child when my mom was making cookies and it was just butter, sugar and eggs in the mixer. The dessert portion was quite generous, so by the time I finished it, I was quite full.