Mediterranean Exploration Company is the flagship restaurant of Sesame Collective, set in Portland's Pearl District. The kitchen works off an open hearth, drawing its menu from research and travel across the Mediterranean and neighboring regions rather than sticking to one country's cooking.
Regulars keep coming back for the lamb hummus, roasted potatoes, house-made pita, and octopus, while the bar program leans inventive, with the Arak & a Hard Place developing its own following among diners. Portions run generous, and the room reads upscale and energetic — loud in the way a packed house gets loud.
Service is attentive enough to anchor both date nights and celebrations. MEC sits alongside sister restaurants Yalla, Dolly Olive, Shalom Y'all, and Bless Your Heart under the Sesame Collective banner.
Regulars keep coming back for the lamb hummus, roasted potatoes, house-made pita, and octopus, while the bar program leans inventive, with the Arak & a Hard Place developing its own following among diners. Portions run generous, and the room reads upscale and energetic — loud in the way a packed house gets loud.
Service is attentive enough to anchor both date nights and celebrations. MEC sits alongside sister restaurants Yalla, Dolly Olive, Shalom Y'all, and Bless Your Heart under the Sesame Collective banner.