PORTLAND HUBERS TOPS CHICAGO, DEARBORN, EAST LANCING DINING EXPERIENCE

On what evidence does Hubers, Portland’s oldest restaurant, compare to Chicago, Dearborn, or East Lansing?

Well it’s not from experiencing the best each city had to offer, but do any of them combine the most comfortable of comfort food and an era spanning history?

I’ll dig in and set the table.

• Schaller’s Pump is the oldest restaurant in the City of Chicago. It opened at 3714 South Halsted Street in 1881, but had a different name until it was purchased by George “Harvey” Schaller at the end of Prohibition era. It’s called “Schaller’s Pump” because, in the old days, the beer was pumped in from a brewery next door. The restaurant was frequented by at least five former Chicago mayors who hailed from the same Bridgeport neighborhood. It’s mere location, across the street from the local Democratic ward office, nearby the old Union stockyards, and a short walk from Comiskey Park (er, Guaranteed Rate Field), essentially confirms the notion that many plans and schemes affecting Chicago’s history were hatched over drinks and dinner here. UPDATE: Schaller’s Pump has unfortunately permanently closed.

Dearborn:

Founded in 1850, the White Horse Inn was Michigan’s oldest continually operating restaurant until it shuttered in 2012. Located in Metamora, it’s a bit of a trek from Detroit, but worth a visit for a look at the Inn’s stunning restoration.

East Lansing:

For years, the only Lansing bar that rivaled Harry’s Place’s longevity was the east side’s Emil’s Restaurant (2012 E. Michigan Ave.). Emil’s dubbed itself “Lansing’s oldest restaurant,” but here you get into semantics. The restaurant traces its roots back to 1921, when Emil DeMarco opened the fruit stand that would eventually evolve into the Italian eatery. The first listing of Emil’s as a restaurant shows up in the 1933 city directory, right at the end of prohibition. Family lore claims that Emil’s was the first restaurant in town to get a liquor license after prohibition. This is all a moot point, at least in terms of this discussion, because Emil’s closed for good in October.

On the other hand, Hubers is very open for business from every angle. The top image shows the inviting entry on SW 3rd. Next to the sidewalk windows and awning is an entry with mystery.

Opening these door feels worthy of a drum roll.

A short walk down the hallway shows another side of Hubers.

Instead of light and airy, you turn left into the club. Is it really a club? You tell me if this is a club you want to join.

In a competition for booth size, Hubers wins going away. The place is so classic looking I expected a movie director to come out of the shadows and yell, “ACTION.”

In my lifelong search to match food and environment, Hubers goes to the top of the list. Others on the list:

Nepenthe

Ernest Hemingway’s favorite paella place in Valencia, Spain.

The Italian place in Brooklyn, Joe and Mary’s.

One had a great view and a bad burger; one had a great writer and sketchy rice; the last had real gangsters and great calzone.

None of them had the feel, the ambiance of Hubers. Maybe it’s the Frank Lloyd Wright looking curved glass ceiling, or the rich wood tones, or the feel of stepping back in time.

What is the biggest thrill in Hubers? The most understated attraction of all?

It’s a combination of a welcoming vibe so strong that eight guys sat together on Valentine’s Day, a dazzling room, and the incomparable James Louie who visited our table.

I’ve met my style and business mentor. Where so many have stepped aside, from Chicago, to Dearborn, to East Lansing, to Portland, James Louie works the classic combination of staying current by preserving tradition.

I’m still working on the style part.