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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2004)
3 4 J U S t O l i i ' decemùfir 17 . 2 QQ 4 out out out out out out NMRMI 'M S6 M OI H e a tin g out The new owners, Joe & Greg Welcome you to... ^ m Restaurant and Bar i * ★ + mi EQLDKUSH COFFEE m Extended menu including late night hours Thurs. Fri. Sat. til 1:30am 503-230-7980 2913 SE Stark 'S' S C A T M 'V - in * ■■ YO URSEI F 1 H 1WP m U sgyp ü » mm H H f w sweet? if ' open till 6 p m m o ti* fr i & O p m % imm espresso MI K B e c a u s e lite i n t e r n e t slioulcl lie fr e e ! . X' ' ' ¿ 3 ? % \ ' 'î' ............................................................ ■> \ Voted the BEST’ - cooking everything fresh! Italian food like you remember it “ W o n d erfu l! (¡real.' He c a l lu re a hit b e c a u s e af serv ice & fo o d . ' . ¡r n . Full Bar, Wine, and Italian Beer ureal ju h!!!" 4-10 Tues - Thurs • 4-11 Fri - Sat Now O pen M ondan s . 3145 SE Hawthorne Portland, OR 97214 503-234-3004 m Fresh • Simple American \ - > t .w 8051 N. LomBaRò 503-247-1066 — . •* ■ lo, 9r 8338 j *' ' Ä ftl SÊ 17 th SELLWOOO • M 3-239-1177 >¿1 D « d d * j Ts BBC* If 3001 SE Hawthorne Blvd (503) 234-0007 Portland’s premier BBQ restaurant C o m e jo in u s for a l l y o u r SOUTHERN FAVORITES ............ Succulent Baby B ack Ribs T en d er B eef Brisket Grilled C aju n Catfish Hush Puppies From Heaven Deviled Eggs F rom * * * * C orn B read, M ac & Cheese C ollard G reen, C aju n Slaw B read Pudding Sweet P otato Pie V. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH Big Daddy's Has It A ll!!!!! Plus 1801 NE BROADWAY Mon-Fri 6am to 2:30pm B reakfast A ll D ay E veryday Sat-Sun 7am to 3pm ’ F u ll Bar (503) 287-4750 E xpanded L u n ch M e n u Home away from home S ) 0 J ne CAFE & ESPRESSO BAR ...on Hawthorne M eg D aly ■ ■ • ; cDtdm’§ Jta íia n fa in t by sandwiches ■ V V ■ V * W ■ " * * ■ " tTAe * : , ■ 'V ■ , t é . , I? Ä i t Portland’s Eastside Dining & Spirits Now featuring music and videos on flat screen plasma monitors * D eliv er y I n S elected A reas S pecial E vent C atering G ift C ertificates T ake O ut O r D ine I n S ervice Vitis Enoteca • 535 N.W. 16th Ave. ana Giardina, the lesbian proprietor of Portland’s best new Italian restaurant, has a signature dish that is badly made. And that’s no insult. Malfatti, Italian for “badly made,” refers to raviolis mn amok. The soft, uniform dumplings made of bread cmmhs, chard, parmesan cheese and egg and topped with Bolognese sauce are a family tradition for Giardina. She grew up in Napa Valley, Calif., where her grandmother and aunt had started a family business selling their specialty dumplings straight from their cooking pot into yours. When the family business was recently sold, it became all the more important to Giardina to realize her dream of starting a restaurant. Not just any restaurant, though. She wanted to create a Europeaivstyte place where people would stay and linger over their food for hours, where a relaxed familia feel floated in the air. The result is Vitis Enoteca, tucked away on the lower level of a warehouse building on Northwest 16th and Hoyt. The L-shaped lay out with an open, inviting bar in the center and chocolate-colored walls lends itself to a cozy, intiimte mocWl while at the same time feeling any and urban. But the atmosphere is just a backdrop for the incredible tapas-style dishes and exquisite wine list. We started our meal with salads that were more like savory ambrosia. The simple mixed green salad sparkled on the tongue with grated- pecorino cheese and a lemony house vinaigrette. Seasonal sliced persimmon topped with cured ham nearly melted in our mouths. In the spirit of the evening, we ordered a number of small dishes and delighted in shar ing. First out was the aforementioned malfatti, which was divinely badly made— I savored every bite. Next up were pork loins stuffed with greens and prosciutto and served with a tomato tapenade. The special wild mushroom ravioli was a highlight, perfectly ccxiked and delicately flavored so the earthiness of the fungi was at its fullest. We also enjoyed the lamb chops rubbed in mint and accompanied by an olive tape nade. Rnischetti rounded out our meal; the grilled bread was topped with three different spreads: white bean and prosciutto, pureed squash, and shrimp and scallop. For dessert (yes, we saved rixim), a deli cious, bittersweet chocolate tart had us gasping for air. And a lovely pomegranate gelato added a fresh flourish to the end of the meal. My advice: Become a regular! This is the kind of dining rixim away from home one longs for. Plus, Dana and her partner, Jacalyn Thomp son, are great hosts and deserve support from their queer sisters and brothers. By the way, rumor has it Vitis will he starting an after-hours club for the ladies Saturdays in the new year. Giardina has hired Diva mastermind Katharine Sprecher to get the party off its feet— so we know it will he stylish, sassy and fun! Check it out first and third Saturdays starting Jan. 15. D
