Ox

Ox, Portland

Ox sits at the northern tip of North Williams Avenue in a high-ceilinged former industrial space that has been transformed into one of Portland's most compelling dining rooms. It is Argentine in spirit — wood-fired parrilla, Malbec on the wine list, ember-roasted vegetables — but the cocktail programme is all its own.

Opened by Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, the bar at Ox draws from the kitchen's pantry in ways most cocktail bars never think to attempt. Smoked paprika turns up in a Bloody variation. Vermouth is infused with chimichurri herbs. The bar team treats fermented ingredients with the same reverence the kitchen extends to a prime cut of beef.

The bar seats 12 at the counter and is worth visiting on its own terms, even if you are not eating. Order the Amargo Picante — a house-made bitter liqueur stirred with local rye — and settle in for the evening. The wine list runs deep in South American bottles, and the team pours generously by the glass. For a full dinner with cocktails before and after, it is hard to argue against a night at Ox.

Best visited on a weekday when the noise level drops and the bartenders have time to explain what they are doing. Friday and Saturday dinner service is loud and full of energy, which has its own appeal. Either way, book ahead — walk-ins at the bar counter are possible but not guaranteed.

What to Order at Ox