One of the problems that we ran into having created the default publishing site is that we did not get the option for advanced search. For example, we were unable to search for just people. It looks like the search is tied to the master template that you use. The one for the publishing portal does not have the advanced search option. Here are the steps we took to correct this.

• Login to main web site and login as site collection administrator. (SPAdmin)
• Click Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Modify All Site Settings
  
  
• Under Site Collection Administration Select Site Collection Features
  
  
• Active all Features that are not active. Of course you don't have to do all but dang gum it it's just easier.
  

When you create a publishing portal by default you can only create publishing sites. You have to enable the other site templates.

• From root site
• Click Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Modify All Site Settings
  
  
• Under Look and Feel select Page layouts and site templates
  
  
• Select Subsites can use any site template and Pages in this site can use any layout
  
  
• You of course can change this if you need to, the only template you will need is the search template.
• Return to Root site
• Click on Site Actions -> Create site
  
  
• For Title and description enter Search Center, for url enter SearchCenter as one word
  
  
• For Template Selections click the enterprise tab and select Search Center with Tabs
  
  
• Leave the rest to the default and click Create
• Click Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Modify All Site Settings
  
  
• Under Site Collection Administration click Search Settings
  
  
• Put the radio button in Use custom scopes. Display richer results using the following Search Center: in the space below inter "/SearchCenter/Pages" without the quotes
  
  
• Click ok
• On the Site Settings page Select Master Page
  
  
• Change the Master Page to default.master, Put a check mark in Reset all subsites
  
  
• Leave the rest default and click OK