Westin hotel in Portland among U.S. top 25 for historic food and drink
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The Westin Portland Harborview, at 157 High St. in downtown Portland, was recognized for a cocktail honoring former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
With new hotels and trendy restaurants now seeming to open every week in Portland, it’s no longer much surprise when one receives a national award or distinction.
What’s more unusual is that a recent honoree is a nearly century-old hotel serving a drink that dates to 1946.
The Westin Portland Harborview has been named one of the country’s top 25 “historic hotels with the most unique culinary heritage and culinary traditions,” according to a news release Monday from Historic Hotels of America.
The hotel, built in 1927 as the Eastland, made the list for serving “Roosevelt’s Revenge,” a version of a Harvey Wallbanger cocktail. The name of the hotel's drink refers to former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who was denied a room at the Eastland in 1946 because she was accompanied by her pet dog, Fala.
The Scottish terrier had been a constant companion of President Franklin Roosevelt. Rather than be separated from Fala, Eleanor Roosevelt stayed overnight at a rented cabin in Yarmouth.
In selecting the list, Historic Hotels, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, considered longstanding hotels with current food items or beverages that were invented onsite, refer to a historic event at the hotel, or have been part of the hotel’s cuisine for at least 50 years.
Other hotels on the list included Boston’s Omni Parker House, built in 1855 and the creator of Boston cream pie and Parker House rolls; the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu, built in 1927 and the inventor of the Shirley Temple mocktail; and the Palmer House in Chicago, which dates to 1871 and baked the first dessert today known as a brownie.
Roosevelt’s Revenge, made with vodka, Galliano liqueur and orange juice, is served at the Westin’s Top of the East lounge.
The 289-room hotel says it is now pet-friendly.
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