Vancouver, WA

I’m not a restaurant reviewer. But I like food and I know when it’s good and when it’s not. I also like to go to movies. And with three kids left to a babysitter, the usual nearby pub and mega-size movie-plex is standard fare to get us out of the house and back home before the sitter’s bill outnumbers the evening’s entertainment. Only not this time.

It was my birthday (just a few past my 21st…okay, and then a few more), and I had just come from spending a day in downtown Portland with fifth graders on a field trip. That experience had reminded me how much I miss getting out of the ‘burbs and experiencing the city at night. So after scouring the Web for something different and interesting, my husband suggested Wild Abandon Restaurant and the Red Velvet Lounge for dinner, followed by a movie at Portland’s uniquely own Living Room Theaters.

I have to admit that although I am the one who requested something other than our usual escape, I was skeptical. I’d never heard of either one of them. Apparently, I was alone, for if you look at the websites for either of our destinations, you’ll find glowing reviews and links to plenty of well-deserved high praise.

Wild Abandon Restaurant and the Red Velvet Lounge say it all. It’s an intimate establishment adorned with red velvet draperies and cozy, albeit funky décor, perfect for a simple cocktail with friends or a romantic dinner for two. A quick scan of the clientele shows it caters to anyone, from children to couples both young and old. I would probably hesitate to bring a small, high-chair needing child, however. I assume they have high chairs, but I didn’t see one and I wonder how it would fit in the narrow aisle between table rows. A back patio (up a set of outdoor stairs) provides seating during warmer months, and gave us a place to enjoy a drink while we waited for our table to be ready.

The service was pleasant, bordering on formal but without being stuffy or intimidating. And the price was moderate, with my excellent house salad (real greens, not iceberg) costing $5 and most entrees ranging in the teens. The menu varies, but the night we were there, we could choose such items as wild salmon, spicy cavatappi pasta or New York Strip Steak. The menu explains how they never serve farmed salmon, and only wild seafood when possible. They also primarily use natural and free-range meats. If you have a food allergy, they appear very helpful, as the menu also points out gluten-free items and offers rice flour as an option for fried foods.

We didn’t save room for dessert, but I’d wished we had. We even tried to go back after our movie, but it was a Sunday night and they’d already closed. We’ll have to go back, even if it is just for the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte or Vanilla Crème Brulee.

After savoring our dinner, we were running a little late for the movie, at Portland’s Living Room Theaters, back over the Willamette River on the west side of downtown Portland. I’d recommend giving yourselves more time than we did, as parking was a bit difficult for us to find and as a result we missed our first movie choice. (The one we saw, however, was wonderful, called The Counterfeiters, if you get a chance to see it.)

The Living Room Theaters claims to be the first all-digital and only digital theater in the country, eliminating the use of chemicals like silver nitrate and reducing nonbiodegradable materials. Digital projection also eliminates the need to physically transport films to theaters.

That’s the technical part. From the viewpoint of the moviegoer, I want comfort and cleanliness, and a good movie. Living Room Theaters has it in spades. In fact, if we hadn’t already had dinner, we could have ordered dinner from their own European-style café and lounge, and had it delivered right to our seats in the theater! We did, however, make room for a beer and a glass of wine and enjoyed those during the movie.

Each theater features a limited number of about 50 seats, with lots of legroom, even for my six-foot-tall husband, and roominess between pairs of comfortable lounging chairs, padded ottomans and even a few low occasional tables. The movies they offer celebrate independent films and filmmakers and are a refreshing alternative to the Cineplex hype.

It cost us a little more in gas money and a little more time to do this particular date night. But it was money well spent, with no “Did I really bother to get a babysitter to do that?” regrets. On the contrary, I can’t wait to do it again.

Wild Abandon is located at 2411 SE Belmont in Portland. Calling 503-232-4458 will get you reservations, which I’d suggest, though I don’t think they’re required. The Living Room Theaters can be reached at 971-222-2010 and are located at SW 10th and Stark.