A local company that specializes in making food look beautiful for marketing campaigns will soon invite the public to actually sample its creations. The Norr Agency is launching a restaurant.
Norr, which has a production studio in Northwest Portland, has expanded across the river as it prepares to open Norr Kitchen at 920 NE Glisan St. Takeout and delivery service is scheduled to begin Oct. 6.
The space—originally designed for creating, testing and shooting footage of cuisine for clients like Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel—will now pump out food for Portlanders who are likely to be more interested in the flavor than whether their to-go meal is photogenic.
Thanks to executive chef and director of culinary operations Matt Hobbs, Norr should deliver. Hobbs has experience at several renowned eateries: holding the role of chef de cuisine at Vitaly Paley’s downtown hotel Dossier restaurant Rosa Rosa, before the pandemic forced its closure, as well as executive sous chef at the Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern in Washington, D.C.
Norr promises a menu of well-loved classics and regional specialties made with sustainable ingredients. Initial offerings include ditalini with pork fennel sausage and rapini, Tuscan kale salad adorned with crispy chickpeas, and a smoked tomato risotto smothered in pomodoro sauce. Hobbs expects the menu to shift with the seasons.
Takeout and delivery will be available 10:30 am to 3:30 pm Wednesday through Sunday, and you can place orders by calling the kitchen or using DoorDash and Postmates.
In the coming months Norr Kitchen plans to host intimate, ticketed dinners hosted by Hobbs.