Hello! I know Fridays are normally reserved for my Fabulous Fridays post, but I really want to share with you an excellent dining experience I had this Wednesday.
This week I met my mom for dinner at Nonna, on NE 30th and Killingsworth. I would categorize this spot as Italian comfort food, in a dark and cozy atmosphere. When I arrived, I was admiring the list of red Italian varietals that were available, and when the waiter came over to ask for my drink order, I explained I was looking at the list of red wines. He asked what I usually prefer, then brought me 3 different tastes to try. I ended up choosing a Montanegra (I hope that's right), which had depth and spice. A great choice to go with the food we ordered.
We started with 3 appetizers: grilled focaccia, olives, and beets with smoked ricotta. The portions were plentiful (we had leftover olives and beets), and all of the food was delicious.
For our main course, we split the manicotti. I plan on returning very soon to enjoy this very dish. The marinara is incredible- very garlicky and very homey. The pasta itself is sheets that are rolled and filled with the most delightfully smooth ricotta cheese filling. I don't know what all goes into it, but the texture is a bit like whipped butter, and the filling itself has a bit of a kick. This dish packs in the flavor.
Finally, for dessert we split the pistachio torte with rhubarb compote and the bread pudding. The torte came out first, and it was wonderful. The texture was like that of an oversized macaron, and the compote was a nice compliment- not overly tart, and the vanilla bean was a nice touch. As for the bread pudding, it was about one of the best I've ever had. Mom and I gushed over this thing- it came out sizzling hot, and tasted like the best French toast imaginable. It had rum, vanilla bean, and apples. Crispy on the outside, ooey gooey on the inside- like pudding (how it should be). I would go back for the bread pudding alone.
While we were eating, the waiter came over and asked how our days were and if there was anything special going on. I explained that I was celebrating something (I'll share next week, but can't quite yet), and he was very congratulatory. At the end of our meal, when the waiter brought our bill, he told us that he took care of the wine, as a gesture of congratulations. That right there sums up the service we had, and which I witnessed with the other patrons. You can be sure I'll be back, as this place feels like home.
If you're in Portland, or planning a trip, I highly recommend you get dinner at Nonna. You won't regret it.
Portlanders- have you been? What is your favorite Italian place? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
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