Collectors attending the 2015 ANA National Money Show can enjoy one of Portland’s iconic restaurants while dining with fellow numismatists at the Friendship Luncheon from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6, at Huber’s Café, 411 S.W. 3rd Avenue.
Participants can choose Huber’s classic roast turkey ($35.50) or fresh salmon ($38); prices include an 18-percent gratuity. Register online by February 20 or phone Convention Assistant Jennifer Croak at 719-482-9849.
Huber’s is located less than 2 miles from the Oregon Convention Center. Convention volunteers will organize a meeting spot at the Oregon Convention Center for luncheon attendees to meet and ride the city’s MAX Light Rail line to the restaurant. Attendees can also provide their own transportation to Huber’s.
About Huber’s
Huber’s was established in 1879 at the corner of 1st and Morrison. Originally called “The Bureau Saloon,” its name was changed to Huber’s when it was purchased by Frank Huber. In 1891 Huber hired Jim Louie, a Chinese immigrant, to cook.
Back then, patrons who bought a drink received a free turkey sandwich and some coleslaw. The bar had just a few booths and bench seats, a cozy environment that encouraged conversation. Customers would mingle with one another, often with a beverage in one hand and a turkey sandwich in the other. This marked the beginning of Huber’s turkey tradition.
Huber’s moved to its present location inside the Oregon Pioneer Building in 1910. When Frank Huber died two years later, Louie managed the business for the Huber family. During Prohibition, Louie closed the bar but kept the business going as a restaurant, specializing in traditional turkey dinners. Cocktails were served in coffee cups. Since then, the menu has grown to include steaks, seafood, duck and salads.
In 1941 Louie’s nephew, Andrew, joined the staff and helped formalize the partnership between the Huber and Louie families with a 50-50 deal. Andrew took over the management in 1946, when Jim, after working his normal day, died at the restaurant. Huber’s son, Jack, sold his interest in the business to Andrew in 1952.
In the early 1970s, Andrew’s son, James Kai Louie, joined the staff. He developed Huber’s signature drink, Spanish coffee, which contains Bacardi 151 rum, Bols Triple Sec, Kahlua and coffee, with fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg on top. The drink is made tableside with great flair. (Huber’s uses more Kahlua than any other independent restaurant in the United States.) With the passing of Andrew and his wife, Amy, in 1988 and 1990, respectively, their children James, David and Lucille Louie assumed ownership of the landmark eatery.