Press

Tucked into a small storefront in a neighborhood of tidy lawns and German beer gardens, Cabezon (5200 Northeast Sacramento Street; 503-284-6617; cabezonrestaurant.com) has the unaffected feel of a small-town restaurant. A fish market by day, seafood bistro by night, the place has an easy sophistication; the only distraction from the food — a seasonal menu of fresh-off-the-boat dishes like Totten Inlet mussels with Borlotti beans, chorizo, fries and unctuous rouille ($13.50) and thin-brothed cioppino with Dungeness crab ($20.50) — are colorful glass sculptures with flowing tentacles that hang above the bar like psychedelic jellyfish.

Named after the Scorpion fish a predatory coastal fish, Cabazon preys on appetites with an innovative menu of seasonal seafood sensations. A fish market by day, this well-loved neighborhood seafood bistro features a cozy bar area and rustically elegant dining room every night of the week. Lovely local wines enhance appetizers like plump basil-wrapped shrimp and such superb entrees as pan-roasted sole with tarragon gremolata, crave-worthy cioppino, and rgilled Oregon albacore with roasted romanesco, lentil du puy, arugula and tomato chutney. The desserts, particularly the chocolate pot de creme and lavender honey creme brulee, are equally divine.

This cozy Rose City Park seafood bistro wins locals over with its “fresh”, “creative”and “consistent” fare delivered by “attentive” servers in a “lovely”, “relaxed atmosphere” that’s “not too loud” for conversation; add in “interesting cocktails”and “outdoor seating in the warmer months” for a “dining experience not to be forgotten.”