Centi-feed 100 Congress makes Munjoy Hill worth the climb BY JOE S. HARRINGTON
	100 Congress 100 Congress 100 Congress St., Portland, (207) 775-7772. Open daily from 5 to 10 p.m. No parking. Reservations and all major credit cards accepted.

100 Congress is the hip new restaurant at the top of the Hill, and it’s quickly gaining a reputation as one of the premier eateries in Portland. With an exciting menu, offering an eclectic selection from all the major culinary categories (including vegetarian), and an intimate-yet-relaxed atmosphere, it’s the essential feel-good destination that every neighborhood needs (Local 188 is its West End equivalent). The former site of Rick’s, 100 Congress continues the Munjoy Hill tradition of fine dining and laid-back ambiance.

We visited the restaurant at the tail end of the year. As the holiday season gets more elongated each year, practically the whole month of December is consumed by holiday indulgence, so there’s nothing to do but succumb to it and catch up with old haunts — in my case, Pete Lebares, a castaway from Portland who’s been living in San Francisco for the past 20 years and holds the distinction of being banned from Geno’s for life for pouring a 55-gallon drum of chicken fat down the back stairs, circa 1983. I recall when we both worked at DiMillo’s being in the kitchen punching my time card while Lebares blasted Tesco Vee’s "Death Dyke Dirge" on his boombox — that is, before Steve DiMillo came running over and turned it down. Lebares’ "12xU" radio show on WMPG was so volatile it got him expelled. That’s what happens when you crack PBRs on the air.

No drinking for Pete now, however — sobered up 14 years ago. Somewhere in that time he got married, and on this occasion, I meet his charming wife, Carter, for the first time. People never look the way you picture them: She has short hair, I pictured long tresses, and brunette at that, while she’s blonde — which lends a striking contrast to Pete’s dark Greek countenance (and, at 6’7", if he is the "salt" of the duo, it comes in a tall shaker). While Pete may no longer imbibe, Carter enjoys the occasional aperitif.

The attraction of 100 Congress is its eclectic cuisine. The selections on the menu are pan-American with international foundations — it’s never standard "bar and grill" food. The setting is relaxed and the vibe is amiable.

On this particular night sous chef David Colston — a refugee from Natasha’s — was in the kitchen. His gaunt profile and no-bullshit approach makes him kind of the Portland equivalent of Anthony Bourdain, and one gets the feeling that Colston is kind of the sparkplug of the kitchen staff.

Unfortunately, the meal began with a slight gaffe — the noodles in our appetizer, Chilled Shrimp with Cellophane Noodles, were undercooked. As Carter bluntly put it: "The noodles sucked." But we all agreed the flavor was terrific — the blend of Japanese (black sesame seeds, wasabi, ginger) and Thai (cilantro, rice noodles) influences created an intense fusion. Crispy Panko Crusted Fishcakes, with a wasabi aioli were superb — not the dry mush found in Mrs. Paul’s, but a nosh-worthy blend of spices and chunky bits of white fish.

A salad consisting of spinach, red leaf lettuce, and radicchio — with a delicate garnish of carrots, purple cabbage, and diced red pepper — was subtle but enrapturing, partly because of the dazzling cider vinaigrette that adorned it. While salad is often the most nondescript course of the evening, when you have a good one like this it reminds you what a vital component it can be. Sourdough bread was fresh, but served cold — no crime with a good loaf, but on a frigid night, in a slightly chilly dining room, it did little to evoke the warmth for which fresh bread is celebrated.

After a lengthy wait — the restaurant got slammed with an unexpectedly large turnout — our main courses arrived: Korean Barbecue Chicken featured scented jasmine rice that was fluffy and expressive. It’s amazing when a chef can make a simple dish take on characteristics you might not have known even existed. The accompanying vegetables — steamed carrots and hericot vert (or green beans) — were tasty, as was the chicken marinade, a thick soy-flavored paste that accentuated the flavor of the bird, which unfortunately was slightly overcooked, the folly of white meat. I don’t know why more chefs don’t use the tender tasty thigh meat in chicken dishes.

Perhaps wisely, my friends opted for seafood. Peter enjoyed a hearty slab of fresh monkfish, slathered in a rich broth of sherry and cream, atop a mound of pasta shells. This was another innovation, as the pasta option, persecuted by Atkins freaks, is too often ignored when it comes to seafood in favor of the old, staid potato. Pasta is much easier to infuse with flavor, and more versatile in general, and it was a fine counterpart to the oily fish.

Pan-Seared Watercress-Crusted Halibut was off that night, so Carter opted for a substitution featuring cod and crab, which rested on a delicate, creamy sweet-pea flan. Cod has seldom seemed so juicy and full of flavor, and what was distinct about 100 Congress was that all of the food was infused with the same lustful character. It’ll be interesting to see what they do with the menu in the months ahead.

Joe S. Harrington can be reached at joesh@ix.netcom.com